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Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeHiltonConradThe Conrad Maldives: Heaven Can Wait

The Conrad Maldives: Heaven Can Wait

The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.

Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.


Island breezes, world-class hospitality with no care in the world, that’s my idea of heaven.

At the Conrad Maldives, heaven, like good service, will have to wait.

Last Christmas as part of my $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World, I stayed at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island in a breathtaking bungalow that overlooked paradise. Looking out to the sea, everything was spectacular, but focusing my attention on the resort’s geniality, everything was average.

I hate to gripe about a beautiful place like Maldives so I’m going to keep the negatives to a minimum:

It started with the $500 seaplane that was delayed, then delayed, and delayed again with both the hotel and the seaplane company blaming one another for the problem.  Then came the unannounced cancellation of happy hour for Hilton Gold and Diamond members where for one hour a day, literally everyone on the island would make a mad rush to the bar for complimentary drinks. The resulting anger displayed from hotel guests was a telltale sign of three things: 1) The prices in Maldives are ridiculous. 2) Everyone is a raging alcoholic. (The Maldives is one of 3 countries that does not allow the purchase of alcohol by visitors even at the Duty Free.) 3) Points travelers may be in a little over their heads even staying on points. Finally, and most notably, upon checking out, the hotel mixed up my bags with that of a Chinese traveler and but for dumb luck my passport was headed with him to China. (An interlude for obvious Travel Advice, keep your passport glued to you even while scuba diving.)

The hotel’s response for all of this was one of indifference and that’s putting it nicely.

But enough about them interfering with my blue heaven, let’s talk about the celestial Maldives archipelago:

conrad maldives rangali island review
View from the Wing, Gary?
conrad maldives rangali island review
The infinity pool that we never used.
conrad maldives rangali island review
The bridge to the bungalow
conrad maldives rangali island review
My Blue Heaven
conrad maldives rangali island review
Not Happy Hour Delicious Beer
conrad maldives rangali island review
Upgrading for $650 a night was well worth it.
conrad maldives rangali island review
You need the jacuzzi, trust me.
conrad maldives rangali island review
Inside the bungalow
conrad maldives rangali island review
View from the bath
conrad maldives rangali island review
Every second is a photo opp
conrad maldives rangali island review
You may recognize this as the cover of my book!
conrad maldives rangali island review
Maldives at sunset
conrad maldives rangali island review
BYOB
conrad maldives rangali island review
The Breakfast Spread was Vegas-esque
conrad maldives rangali island review
Waiting for room service? Keep waiting
conrad maldives rangali island review
Happy Hour, Happy Life
The alcoholics breakfast. 5 parts bubbly, 1 part breakfast
The alcoholics breakfast. 5 parts bubbly, 1 part breakfast
conrad maldives rangali island review
Drink up people!
conrad maldives rangali island review
Entrance to the underwater restaurant
conrad maldives rangali island review
So high that I can touch the water? #kanye
conrad maldives rangali island review
Instagram profile pic
conrad maldives rangali island review
Underwater empty
conrad maldives rangali island review
Can’t get enough
conrad maldives rangali island review
the $30 hamburger
a lobster on a plate on a table by a hot tub
Not so delicious, overpiced lobster but when in Maldives…Salute Your Shorts
conrad maldives rangali island review
That was an expensive lunch
a table with food and drinks on it
Honestly the breakfast is incredible. Don’t go to Conrad unless you are at least Hilton Gold so breakfast is free
a hut on stilts in water
Has anyone seen my bungalow?
conrad maldives rangali island review
In case of emergency, use stairs
a wooden stairs leading to a body of water
Stairs to my office
a hot tub with a deck and a chair
Hello lovely
a bottle in a bucket on a table
Pop champagne
a man swinging on a palm tree in the water
Hanging around waiting for 5-Star service that isn’t coming
a bridge over water with people walking on it
All aboard the seaplane, the departure

<==Back to Maldives SeaplaneOnto Sheraton Saigon==>

 

 

 

 

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11 COMMENTS

  1. Conrad and the similar hotels are an extraordinary rip off. It’s barely worth to talk about going on points, because you can count on spending without trying too hard $1000 every two days on extras – unless you want to be like the Chinese and fill up at breakfast and hide in your room all day! MUCH better to go the old school all-inclusive resorts. The best one is Rihiveli, which is run for French people mostly so the food is cheap. Old style bungalows, no bling, no a/c. Really nice.

  2. Could you please explain about the complementery happy hour cancelation. Was it just 1 night? Or for your entire stay? I have not heard anything about that on flyer talk.

    • It was just for one night. It was Christmas so they had a special party for that but didn’t bother to tell anyone that it was replacing the Happy Hour.

      So all the thirsty guests showed up confused why no libations were being offered.

      That sort of inattention to detail is the norm at this property.

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