Day 7 - Our Bonus Waldorf Day

Today is a bonus day. We have a red eye flight so we were able to spend the entire day at the Waldorf. They were able to give us a late check out so we got to use our villa until 9:30pm, which is when we needed to leave for the airport. We were thrilled. We really wanted a late check-out. It was very convenient to have access to our villa all day. 

We woke up around 7:30am and enjoyed our final morning lounging on our deck. The ocean was calm and clear this morning. There were many schools of fish swimming by and jumping out of the water. It was a truly beautiful morning. 

After Alison returned from the gym we went on one last bike ride around the island. A morning bike ride around the island is so pleasant. It usually feels fairly temperate as the sun isn't beating down yet and we are some of the only people out and about (other than the staff) at this early hour. It is like we have the whole island to ourselves. We have loved the island so much and this ride was one more chance to enjoy its beauty. 

Our bike ride ended at the Tasting Table where we get breakfast each morning. Today Alison and I both had avocado toast with poached eggs - delicious. As we ate we got to thinking that we should learn to poach eggs when we get home. We made friends with some of the staff during our week here. One of our favorite waitresses stopped by to say goodbye. She was sad to see us go, but we assured her we will visit again in the future. 

The ocean water was as smooth as we have seen it on this trip. After breakfast we went paddle boarding. The water was like glass. It had such deep turquoise and blue colors today. It was also so clear we could see the coral and fish on the ocean floor below. 

When we were done paddle boarding, we snagged a day bed. We spent the rest of the morning and into he afternoon enjoying the beach. There were a few families and kids playing in the ocean. We enjoyed watching them loving the clear ocean water. They had the best time. We also took breaks from lounging to float and swim in the water. 

In the afternoon we returned to our villa to enjoy our last moments. We spent the afternoon floating in the pool and sunbathing - we wanted to soak in every last moment. 

As evening approached we headed inside to pack our belongings. This was a project because we had unpacked everything when we arrived. After we packed we got cleaned up for one last dinner dinner. 

We booked our last dinner at Ledge. We loved this restaurant the first time and thought it would be a good one for our last night. It was also one of the quicker meals we ate on this island - many of the meals were 2+ hour experiences. We didn't have a ton of time, so this restaurant made sense. Alison and I shared delicious sourdough bread and a main course of spiced lamb chops and a steak sando (which Alison tells me is the hipster term for sandwich). We got to know our waiter a little bit. He is from Canada. He told us about his experience riding out the pandemic at the resort. Before our meal he treated us to a sample of Jamaican chicken (very good - we couldn't believe it isn't on the menu). After our meal he expanded our dessert order with a couple of freebies. We ordered the chocolate fondant with smokey ice cream (it was quite smokey tonight) and roasted marshmallows (roasted to gooey perfection). Our waiter also threw in a couple of smoked macaroons and butterscotch petite fours (which we never would have thought to order, but they were very good with a hint of smokey flavor).  It was a fantastic final meal at the resort. Our dining experiences at the Waldorf have been top notch.  

After dinner we had a little more time before our departure so we said goodbye to the Villa. We sat outside on our favorite swing until it started to rain. 

It stopped raining just as we left. Adhikko came and picked us up and helped us check out. He then delivered us to the yacht that would take us to the airport. We were the only guests on the flight tonight, so we had the yacht to ourselves. 

We arrived at the airport ~45 minutes later. We were met by our airport concierge who helped us check our luggage. Then he bid us farewell and we waited until it was time to board our flight to Istanbul. 

We are excited for the next leg of our trip, but we are sad to bid farewell to the Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi. It truly is an incredible experience. 

The service and attention to detail at this resort is remarkable. 

Reflecting back we realized that they took care of everything. From the moment we exited the airport with our bags to the moment our bags were checked to go home the staff ensured we had no worries. 

The entire experience is crafted to be as ideal as possible. Here a few of the little details that stood out to us:

• Everyday our room smelled like roses. 
• They left a little container of cookies or treats by our bed each night. 
• Each night they left a (reusable glass) bottle of water next to our bed. 
• The staff were truly kind and looking for ways to elevate our experience.

This Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi is truly world class experience.