The Le Meridien Maldives is now accepting reservations starting in September, and it looks to be an award bargain in a location where those are hard to come by.
The category 5 property will set you back just 30K Marriott points off-peak, 35K normally, or 40K peak. A 5 night off-peak stay would cost just 24K points per night.
Plus that means you can use 35K credit card anniversary nights at the resort! Marriott will extend the expiration of those certificates expiring on 8/1 later this week. This is an incredible way to use those free nights!
Best of all, you can select a sunrise overwater villa as a standard redemption room!
For a stay on September 1st, the flexible paid rate would set you back some $622 after taxes, so that’s a value of more than 2 cents per Marriott point. I typically value Marriott points at about 0.65 cents each.
While there are no resort fees, you still have to travel 75 miles north from Male Airport to the hotel. That 35 minute scenic seaplane ride will set you back $420 round-trip, per person. That sounds pricey, but that rate is actually cheap compared to other resorts in the Maldives!
For September stays, you can book now and cancel up to a week before arrival with no penalties, but always read the cancellation terms before booking. If Marriott does decide to increase this hotel’s category, you would then be locked in at the lower rates.
Americans can fly to the Maldives with a vaccination card or they can provide negative COVID-19 test results.
You can currently take advantage of limited time offers on Marriott cards to help rack up the points and anniversary nights:
- Earn 100,000 Points On The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card Or 50,000 Points On The No Fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card
- Earn 100,000 Points Plus $150 Back On The Marriott Bonvoy Business AMEX
- Earn 125,000 Points Plus $200 Back At Restaurants On The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant AMEX
Will you stay at the Le Meridien Maldives?
Dan, any idea if variations to shot timelines (27 days instead of 28) are causing issues with any countries? And, when would it potentially be an issue – by the gate?
I haven’t heard of that causing issues, but that may change in the future.
Good to hear. Keep us posted.
Europe’s guidelines for vaccinated summer travel should be coming out in the next couple weeks, so stay tuned.
Which U.S. cities have direct flights to MLE I don’t see any in NYC PHL or Washington airports?
None.
You can fly through most European, Asian, or Middle Eastern hubs.
Wow, now all we need is the best way to get to MLE using miles…
JAL miles to fly Emirates First…at least until that dies.
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/milespoints/contrary-alaska-airlines-warned-can-still-use-partner-miles-book-emirates-shower-class/
Wouldn’t That require hundreds of thousands Marriot points to transfer over to JAL especially for a couple flying?
Indeed.
Can u chain multiple free night certificates for a longer stay?
Sure!
How do you do it if you have free night certificates from 2 ppl (a couple)? As an example, it’s going to show the taxes if you book 1 night with P1’s free night cert and then the same taxes for the 2nd night with P2’s cert?
Can’t complete the booking. Keeps on crashing…
Try another browser? Or app?
Worked on the desktop site. Thanks! Hopefully three nights are enough. Long trip from the other side of the world lol.
Take what you can get.
I’ve gone there for 2 nights and for 5 nights. Both were great 🙂
Best way to book business class? As long as it’s lie flat for such a long flight I’m happy. Don’t need service.
See wiki,
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=15937.0;nowap
Thanks!
Do free certificates count towards 5 night free ? Let’s say 3 certificates 1 night booked with points , would I get the fifth night free ?
No.
Any kosher food to buy ? Or gota take top to bottom including shabbos meals along ?
You can email the hotel to see if they can source any. I brought my own food on my 2 trips to the Maldives.
Spent a shabbos there ? What is the minimum amount of days to spend there to pay off all the hassle to get there ?
I have, was very relaxing.
I went for 2 nights and for 5 nights. Go for as long as you can, but take what you can get.
How do you shlep along an entire shabbas mean ?…. hot plate crock pot etc.. that seems a lot
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=7481.0
The only downside is, under Marriott’s new system, you can’t use the certificate at all if it’s a peak date, since then it’s 40k points. And all the dates in the non-rainy season- which from my understanding is when you want to be in Maldives- are indeed 40k points. Too bad since I currently have 5 certificates and eventually Marriott will stop extending them…
But even so, 40k points a night at a place like this seems like a steal, even if all those certificates end up going unused and expired. You gotta expect they won’t keep it this rate forever- probably just to entice people to travel because of COVID.
Even during the rainy season there, it typically just rains for a short period of time and that’s it. No big deal.
You can’t use your certificate for a night and add 5k points manually to get it to 40k?
No.
What are the kosher options on Maldives?
You’re on a private island. You can ask the hotel to source meals, but like most travel that isn’t to a major Jewish community, you bring your own food.
Great deal!
Keep in mind the 120K-130K dates are mostly in month of Tishrei. After Tishrei there is good amount of availability at 140K for 5 nights and goes up to 160K.
Booked for Thanksgiving. Great find. If more photos become available or you get there first, definitely share.
Why doesn’t Hilton have these rates
Sorry for my ignorant question, but what is that major of being in the maldives besides sitting over water the whole day ? Especially when there is no where to go explore like places just locked in into that hotel?
There’s decent snorkeling and it’s just cool that the country is just a step above being a sandbar in the middle of the ocean, but you are right. That’s why in my book it’s better as a destination tacked on to a more strenuous trip hiking or exploring elsewhere in SE asia or the Indian subcontinent…. But for some people heaven just is sitting on the water for days on end.
You may want to consider french polynesia of you are interested in more activities with over water villas.
It’s definitely not for everyone. Some people would find it boring but the experience of just sitting on your balcony in the middle of the ocean is truly a unique feeling.
Overwater villas that lead into warn crystal clear water. I could snorkel, dive, jetski, SUP, and kayak for days without getting bored!
And all those stuff probably cost a fortune too I guess ?
Depends on the resort, but you can always bring your own snorkeling gear.
What happens if I book with a certificate and then canceling after the certificate has expired?
you have to USE the certificate by the expiration, not book
but they are soon extending certs, you should know https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/marriott/marriott-extends-expiration-free-nights-travel-packages-points/
When is Dan opening a Chabad House in the Maldives? They are about to get a lot of Jewish traffic there…
He already opened it. Now he just needs good Yidden like yourself to man it. Pro tip: bring Tefilin and a smile along 🙂
If I stay in Maldives Monday to Thursday where would be a close by destination (relatively speaking) worth going to for shabes and exploring the friday before? Thx.
That’s open to visitors? Dubai prob
Sri Lanka, has 2 Chabad houses, or at least did pre corona.
Chabad in main city is meshichist but nice sincere people. Don’t know about other one.
Pre corona more chance of getting minyan on shabbos in Chabad by the water also nicer area to be in as one is city the other is by beach. Though again pre corona was a lot of “partying” Israeli backpackers by the beach one so got to be ok with that.
Sri Lanka very interesting country to visit. Better to do on way home cuz things are very cheap and if want to buy stuff there probably will be a problem if buy before going to Maldives as if u need to use seaplane to get to hotel in Maldives they have small weight limits for luggage.
I did Singapore in the past. Dubai should be a great option. Really, lots of good options to choose from.
Singapore don’t think works for me because my flight home Sunday from Male is 10:15AM so don’t have time to fly back from Singapore Sunday morning, and Motzei is late (around 8 local time) so cant fly back the night before either.
Dubai doesn’t make too much sense for me because I’m flying with Qatar via Doha so will be basically coming back to MLE to fly back same route. Besides Sri Lanka what other suggestions?
Thanks.
Do you need status to get breakfast? Is gold enough?
$ 900 taxes and fees for a 5 night award stay. $ 420 air shuttle to hotel. I’ll pass.
There are no taxes and fees. That’s the cost of the seaplane transfer!
I want to book 3 nights but each night separately cuz not sure of plans and in past when needed to cancel one night they made me cancel whole reservation,seems as though charge transportation fee for each night. Is there a way around that as in reality no matter how many days I end up staying I will only need transportation once there and back?
You’ll only be charged once. One night at a time is the smart way to book.
unless you’re trying to get the 5th night free, of course.
Thanks for clearing up my mistake.
FYI. Amex consumer platinum is offering 40% transfer bonuns to marriot currently.
Dan, thank you for posting. I just booked five nights! Any idea how good the snorkeling is in that region? Or is it possible to do day trips to any islands? I’m trying to decide if I should book ten nights. Also, how does one get a PCR test for my flight back? Do you have to spend a night in Male the night before you fly back?
PcR tests are garbage. Totally inaccurate. I was positive and it came back negative. When I was symptomatic. Kinda strange they havent figured out a better test by now
Snorkeling varies greatly by hotel, but is generally excellent.
Some hotels offer day trips to other islands, you would have to ask.
Hotels offer PCR/antigen tests. No need to go to Male.
10 nights seems long to me unless you want to do many dives and/or get certified. 5 nights is probably ideal.
Any data points on 1) elite benefits such as breakfast and 2) cost for meals? I know Maldives can get expensive so good to know what to expect if we book!
It hasn’t opened yet.
Are the seaplane costs ($420 pp) charged at booking or on arrival? Thanks
Arrival.
FYI, you should check before book.
It seems only $420 in September, rest of months plane is $840.
Also, if book in January cancellation needs to be 30 days before as opposed to 7 days for bookings in 2021.
Erm, $420 is for 1 guest and $840 is for 2 guests.
you are right, my bad!
How could I ever have doubted you?
as per past stays, charged by departure of hotel
only showing availability to end of 2021. Nothing into 2022
I cannot find any availability using points. at all
Ya snooze ya lose
Could be said in a nicer way