An overwater bungalow journey to a distant island just like the Maldives or Bora Bora is a staple on many journey bucket lists. And fortuitously, these days, there are many methods to get pleasure from these once-in-a-lifetime locations on factors. Nonetheless, the experiences and worth you’ll get can fluctuate drastically from property to property. Some have restricted lodging choices, and a few are more durable (and extra pricey) to get to.
Listed below are the highest far-flung worldwide island adventures you may ebook with factors and a few that you just may wish to fly on by.
Ebook: Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa
The Maldives is house to over a dozen factors resorts. Nonetheless, some supply much better redemption worth than others, such because the Le Méridien Maldives. It is a comparatively new property that opened in 2021.
Charges right here vary from 48,000 to 56,000 factors per night time, however in the event you keep 5 consecutive nights on factors, the least costly night time is free, which might successfully deliver the nightly price to 38,400 factors. You possibly can prime off your Marriott Bonvoy 35,000-point free night certificate with Marriott bank cards like Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card.
You possibly can improve to a dawn overwater bungalow for simply 10,000 additional factors on most nights.
By comparability, most Marriott Bonvoy resorts within the Maldives price not less than two to a few occasions as a lot per night time and cost considerably extra factors for overwater villas. The Le Meridien prices $420 per individual for seaplane transfers, which is pretty low in comparison with different resorts within the Maldives.
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Skip: Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa
With room charges beginning at simply 41,000 factors per night time, the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa can also be one in all Marriott’s lower-priced properties within the Maldives. Nonetheless, on this case, you get what you pay for. When the TPG staff visited the property a number of years in the past, there have been numerous flaws, resembling trash within the water, disappointing overwater bungalows and a continuing stream of air visitors as a result of proximity to the airport — the alternative of what you’d in all probability need from a visit to the Maldives.
If you wish to select a resort on the decrease finish of the factors scale within the Maldives, you’ll probably be higher off reserving the Le Méridien as an alternative.
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Ebook: Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
When you’re trying to redeem Hilton Honors factors for a visit to the Maldives, look no additional than the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. Though Hilton additionally fields the beautiful new Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, it’s a lot more expensive — each the room charges and the on-site eating.
Customary awards on the Conrad are arduous to return by however price 120,000 per night time, in comparison with the 150,000 factors you need to anticipate to spend on the Waldorf. When you handle to search out customary room award area, you need to be capable of ebook the dawn water villa at the usual price. The lodge is house to an underwater restaurant, presumably the right place to make use of the $250 annual resort credit from the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
The knowledge for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Associated: How to maximize Hilton free night awards
Skip: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
The Park Hyatt Maldives is a stable lodge, and you’ll actually get nice worth out of your World of Hyatt factors right here. Nonetheless, if what you need from the Maldives is an distinctive, once-in-a-lifetime expertise, sadly, the Park Hyatt might not be your best option.
The resort is getting older. Moreover, many critiques state the meals is expensive and simply common, which is an issue whenever you’re on an island in the course of the ocean. Plus, it’s more durable to get to than different Maldivian resorts, because it requires each a industrial flight and a ship trip.
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Ebook: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa
When you discover award area, the InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso presents Emerald overwater villas for 120,000 factors per night time. TPG values IHG Rewards Membership factors at 0.5 cents apiece, so contemplating these villas go for over $1,000 per night time, this redemption is a steal. These rooms supply over 1,000 sq. toes of area and direct lagoon entry.
To get to the resort from the airport, you could take a ship switch, which prices 7,334 Pacific Island Francs (round $65 per individual). That is pretty affordable in comparison with different high-end resorts within the space, which may cost effectively over $300+ per individual for switch charges.
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Skip: The InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa
Whereas the Intercontinental Tahiti routinely presents charges underneath $300 per night time, it is dated and would not maintain a candle to a number of the Marriott, IHG and Hilton choices on neighboring islands.
Situated about two kilometers from Faaa Worldwide Airport (PPT), this property is well-liked for flight crews on relaxation. When TPG’s Kyle Olsen visited French Polynesia in 2021, passengers and crew stuffed the foyer and hallways, particularly, with United Airways’ arriving Dreamliner from San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO).
When you take the United Airways flight from SFO or the Delta Air Traces flight from Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), you will probably arrive after Air Tahiti’s final flight out. Consequently, you will probably spend the night time in Tahiti earlier than heading to a neighboring island.
If you end up in Tahiti on an in a single day connection, think about reserving the not too long ago opened Hilton Hotel Tahiti.
Associated: Which should you choose? 5 top Bora Bora resorts and how to book
Ebook: The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
No lodge within the Pacific presents overwater bungalows bigger than the St. Regis Bora Bora. When the lodge first joined Marriott Bonvoy after the SPG acquisition, you could possibly ebook it for simply 60,000 factors per night time. Now, room charges begin across the six-figure mark and prime off with room charges round 120,000 factors per night time — in the event you discover award area. Discovering 5 consecutive nights right here for a free night time is troublesome.
When TPG’s Kyle Olsen stayed on the lodge on factors in 2021, the lodge supplied him and his household a complimentary improve to a two-bedroom overwater bungalow with a personal swimming pool, due to his Ambassador Elite standing. It was, as he mentioned, “the perfect lodge keep of my life.”
Associated: How I’m spending over 5 million Marriott Bonvoy points
Backside line
A visit to a vacation spot just like the Maldives and Bora Bora is a once-in-a-lifetime alternative for most individuals.
You’ll probably have a constructive expertise at any of those resorts. Nonetheless, you wish to make sure you’re getting the perfect expertise potential, and a few distant island resorts fare higher than others. In spite of everything, in the event you’re utilizing your hard-earned factors and touring the space, it higher be value it.
Extra reporting by Kyle Olsen.
