Waldorf Astoria Maldives Appears to Be No Longer Bookable With Points
Earlier this month, the brand new ultra-luxe Waldorf Astoria Itaafushi in the Maldives began accepting reservations, and expects to open its doors to guests starting July 1. Initially, those wishing to book the Waldorf Astoria Itaafushi could only do so if they paid the cash rate, with no option available to book with Hilton Honors points. But, a week after the hotel began accepting reservations, the property was finally made available for points reservations at 120,000 Hilton Honors points per night, putting the property in a league of its own.
Now, just a little more than a week later, One Mile At A Time is reporting that the Waldorf Astoria Itaafushi has seemingly stopped accepting points reservations.
As with any luxury property in the Maldives, points and miles are often the preferred currency of many travelers. And you don't have to look far to understand why that would be. The lowest available rate for Hilton Honors members at the Waldorf Astoria Itaafushi is currently $1,374 without taxes and fees. Room rates quickly increase if you're looking for an upgraded experience.
However, it appears that as of Saturday morning, the Waldorf Astoria Itaafushi no longer offers a standard room award rate (which is required by the Hilton Honors program) with no blackout dates. We're still waiting to hear if this simply a computer glitch or a longer-term change in the system, but a TPG search of a dozen dates from Jul. 1 through mid-August came up empty-handed. While it is possible to select an option to book with points, only premium award redemptions are available and the number of points required to book a premium room is the cash+points rate (655,000 Hilton Honors points per night). Based on TPG's recent valuations, that's around $3,930 per night, or in some cases twice the cash rate.
The Waldorf Astoria Itaafushi not accepting points would come as a major letdown to readers who were planning to book this property. Featuring beachside and over-water villas, the Waldorf Astoria Itaafushi is the epitome of over-the-top luxury, allowing Hilton to offer a truly competitive ultra-luxe property when it opens in July. (At the moment, Hilton offers just one other property in the Maldives, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island.)
Getting to the Maldives
Half of the appeal of the Maldives comes from its geographic isolation, which makes getting to Male (MLE) and on to the hotel a bit of a challenge. Be sure to check out this guide for ideas on how to cover your flights to the Maldives with credit card points and airline miles. Keep in mind too that once you get there, you’ll almost certainly have to pay an additional fee for a seaplane or speedboat transfer from Male to the hotel. Make sure to pay attention to the transfer fee, as it can range from ~$100 to almost $700 per person.
TPG has reached out to Hilton for comment but did not receive a response by time of publication. We will update this post with any additional information.
H/T: One Mile At A Time
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.