Hilton opened its fourth resort within the Maldives — the Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa — in July 2022. This new resort joined Hilton’s different resorts — Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island and SAii Lagoon Maldives — in a tropical island vacation spot notably fashionable with {couples} and, because of the expense of getting and staying there, award vacationers.
It is comparatively straightforward to seek out customary award availability on the Hilton Maldives costing 110,000 Hilton Honors factors per evening. My husband and I had two Hilton free evening certificates expiring quickly, so we redeemed 220,000 Hilton factors and these certificates for a four-night keep this June. Here is what it is like to remain on the Hilton Maldives Amingiri and how you can profit from a go to.
What’s Hilton Maldives Amingiri?
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The pool subsequent to Aura. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
The Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa is on North Male Atoll and includes 109 villas. The resort says it’s only a 20-minute speedboat trip from the nation’s main worldwide airport in Male, however our outbound speedboat took 29 minutes, and our return speedboat felt prefer it was racing to hit the 20-minute mark. Throughout our keep, round-trip speedboat transfers price $383 per grownup and $191 for youngsters ages 6 to 11 for shared service. And because the resort would not enable company to make use of third-party transfers, you will have to make use of resort-operated speedboats.
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Speedboat switch. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Hilton Maldives Amingiri is on a small non-public island lower than one kilometer (about 0.6 miles) in size. You may discover three eating places, seashore villas, purchasing shops, an artwork middle, a dive middle, a water sports activities hut, a soccer pitch, a multisport subject, a children middle, a teen zone and the reception space on the principle island.
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Artwork studio. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
A restaurant, a bar, the spa, overwater villas and overwater suites are all accessible on walkways that stretch from the island.
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Overwater walkway and Origin. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
It is simple to stroll in every single place, however the resort additionally supplies bicycles for company to make use of.
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Large, well-designed villas with non-public swimming pools
Every of the 109 villas at Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa has a non-public pool. We booked and stayed in the one villa kind we might reserve with factors and free evening certificates as a normal award: the 1,485-square-foot one-bedroom seashore pool villa.
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The primary entry door of our seashore pool villa opened into a big bed room space. Behind the mattress have been the desk and minibar, which provided paid objects and complimentary espresso, tea and nonetheless water. You may ask for extra complimentary tea, espresso and nonetheless water on your room at any time.
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Desk within the seashore villa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
In entrance of the mattress was a desk and bench (which was nice for gazing out on the views whereas nonetheless having fun with the air-con). There was a 54-inch TV to the left of the sofa and a chair with a aspect desk to the suitable. The bed room had massive home windows on three sides, however sheer shades and heavy curtains did a superb job of blocking out daylight and offering privateness when wanted.
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Hilton Maldives Amingiri seashore villa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
We discovered the mattress comfy and cherished looking on the ocean every morning after opening the curtains. The fan over the mattress was additionally helpful for producing additional airflow, particularly in case you do not get pleasure from air-con.
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Mattress within the seashore villa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Behind the desk have been two massive wood doorways resulting in the closet space with two closets and a suitcase bench in between every. We wished there have been cabinets or extra drawers for clothes storage, although. And it was awkward that you simply could not open the doorways to 1 closet if you had the doorways between the bed room and closet space open.
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Seaside villa closet. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Sadly, the doorways between the bed room and closet space have been noisy when opened or closed, so you will doubtless get up others in your villa in case you go to the restroom (which is simply previous the closet space) at evening. And you may need to shut the doorways whereas sleeping because the glass door between the closet space and the backyard would not have blinds or curtains.
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Doorways open. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
The toilet held a bathe room on the left and a rest room room on the suitable when getting into from the bed room. The indoor bathe room had a glass door resulting in the backyard and its out of doors bathe. I cherished utilizing the out of doors bathe, and we discovered the drying rack within the out of doors backyard helpful for our swimwear.
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Seaside villa toilet. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
The toilet additionally had bench on the left and an oval-shaped soaking tub on the suitable. The bathtub had a built-in neck help that was meant to be ergonomic however may not be comfy based mostly in your peak. The vainness space had two sinks set right into a limestone counter, lighted mirrors and a snug ground mat. Bear in mind that anybody on the seashore will see clearly into this space through the day or evening if you do not have the curtain lowered.
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Tub with a view within the seashore villa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
The within of the villa was spectacular. However the spotlight of the seashore villa was its out of doors space. The plunge pool — which was L-shaped and ran from the lavatory space to the entrance of the villa — was strongly chlorinated however in any other case nice to loosen up in, because of its comfy temperature and elegant ocean views.
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Seaside villa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
I cherished sitting on the two-person swing within the evenings. And the two-seat desk was the right spot to get pleasure from a room service meal. For those who wished to loosen up nearer to the seashore, the 2 lounge chairs within the sand have been adjustable and often shaded by a big umbrella.
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Seaside villa patio. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
The Wi-Fi in each our villa and across the resort was ok for social media and even some video calls I made for work. I did not have any points with the Wi-Fi disconnecting or requiring reauthentication all through my keep, at the same time as I walked across the island.
The one-bedroom seashore villa was glorious, particularly contemplating it is the room kind you’ll be able to e-book at customary award evening charges. However, in case you’d desire an overwater villa, on many dates you’ll be able to e-book an overwater villa at a decrease paid fee than a seashore villa. So, if snagging an overwater villa on your journey is necessary to you, contemplate reserving a paid fee or including on a number of paid nights in an overwater villa at the beginning or finish of your award keep to check out each villa varieties.
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You may earn and redeem Hilton factors
The first motive I selected to remain at Hilton Maldives Amingiri as a substitute of one other resort for the final 4 nights of my Maldives journey was the flexibility to make use of two soon-to-expire Hilton free evening certificates. Plus, because the $383-per-adult round-trip speedboat charge is a bit a lot for a two-night keep, I appreciated with the ability to redeem 110,000 Hilton factors per evening to increase our keep two extra nights.
Most nights on the Hilton Maldives Amingiri could be booked as customary room award nights for 110,000 factors per evening, so award availability is not a difficulty in case you hope to redeem Hilton factors or free evening certificates. And since Hilton Maldives Amingiri is a resort, you need to use the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card’s Hilton resort credit score at this property.
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.
You may switch American Specific Membership Rewards factors to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio in case you want extra Hilton factors for an upcoming keep. Or, you’ll be able to join a brand new Hilton Honors card and earn extra factors as you utilize your card. I’ve the Hilton Aspire Card, however you may additionally contemplate the Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass® Card, The Hilton Honors American Specific Enterprise Card or the no-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Specific Card (see charges and costs).
You may additionally earn Hilton Honors factors in your keep as a Hilton member. I earned 20 factors per greenback as a Hilton Diamond member and 14 factors per greenback with my Hilton Aspire Card when paying for my keep’s incidental bills.
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Totally different perks for Hilton elite members
You should not count on an improve when staying at most Hilton resorts within the Maldives, at the same time as a Diamond elite member. Realizing many Gold and Diamond members could also be upset by the shortage of an improve, Hilton’s web site shows a checklist of alternate advantages at Maldives resorts. For Gold and Diamond members staying on the Hilton Maldives Amingiri (and as much as one visitor staying in the identical villa), these advantages embody:
- Every day breakfast at Habitat.
- In-villa welcome bottle of wine and fruit basket.
- With choose 60-minute massages, get an extra half-hour at Amingiri Spa (just for Diamond members).
- Complimentary every day afternoon indulgence with a collection of drinks from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Sip Tea Lounge.
As anticipated, we did not get an improve to an overwater villa or suite as Diamond members. However a bottle of wine and a fruit platter awaited us in our seashore villa as promised.
The breakfast buffet at Habitat was plentiful every morning, providing all kinds of Asian, Western and Indian delicacies. You can even make mimosas or get pleasure from a smoothie on the juice bar. And you may order varied specialty objects from cooks on the buffet, together with dosas, soups and egg dishes.
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The buffet’s chilly room. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
We got tables with ocean views most mornings after offering our villa quantity to a workers member on the entrance to the restaurant, presumably on account of our Diamond standing.
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Tables at Habitat. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
We additionally loved the “every day afternoon indulgence” at Sip Tea Lounge every afternoon. There have been at all times a number of different Gold and Diamond members at Sip throughout this time, however we by no means struggled to discover a place to take a seat. The featured cocktail and mocktail have been completely different every day, however the menu additionally listed a wide range of different drinks (each nonalcoholic and alcoholic) that you may order.
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Sip Tea Lounge. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Based mostly on our expertise (and what we noticed of the opposite company round us), you may get pleasure from a number of drinks from the particular menu totally free from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. every day throughout this service somewhat than simply getting a single drink.
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Non-public retreat vibes
Most company appear to return to Hilton Maldives Amingiri for privateness and leisure. You will not see many company strolling in regards to the resort, as most go for buggy pickups or trip the offered bikes. And though we did discover one group being towed behind a speedboat in an inflatable raft and noticed a younger household biking across the resort a number of occasions, most company appeared to spend most of their time of their villas. Although there’s a public pool close to Aura with a swim-up bar, we hardly ever noticed another company utilizing it.
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Bikes parked at Habitat. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
The villas are shut collectively. However though we might hear our neighbors from our out of doors space — and see them as they went out to the seashore a number of occasions — we by no means heard them whereas inside our villa. The resort has put in fencing and planted dense greenery (that largely hides the fencing) between the seashore villas, so our seashore villa felt sufficiently non-public regardless of its proximity to different lodging.
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Seaside villa on the Hilton Maldives Amingiri. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Some seashore villas are nearer to the island’s important pathways than others. Ours was offset from the trail, so I did not hear a lot site visitors even whereas utilizing the out of doors bathe. Plus, the backyard partitions are tall sufficient (and company aren’t allowed to make use of drones on the island) that privateness whereas showering within the backyard is not a priority, even for villas near the pathway.
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4 eating places and three bars
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Habitat. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Hilton Maldives Amingiri affords 4 eating places and three bars:
- Habitat: All-day eating restaurant providing buffet breakfast and eating from a menu for dinner (menu).
- Aura: Poolside bar and restaurant open for lunch (menu).
- Origin: Seafood restaurant providing a set menu and a la carte choices for dinner (menu).
- Seaside Shack: Beachside restaurant open for lunch and dinner (menu).
- Eden: Champagne and gin bar (menu).
- Sip Tea Lounge: Gentle bites and drinks, specializing in tea (menu).
- Skye: Nonalcoholic drinks (menu).
Sadly, my husband and I have been sick with meals poisoning from a earlier resort for a lot of our keep, so I did not eat something our first evening and ordered vegetable fried rice via in-villa eating our second evening. Though I usually would not order fried rice at a resort within the Maldives, it smelled nice and — most significantly — did not additional upset my abdomen.
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In-villa eating on our seashore villa’s porch. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Regardless of nonetheless feeling unwell, I acquired an 8:30 p.m. reservation at Origin on our third evening. The passionfruit iced tea was flavorful and refreshing, whereas the fettuccine alfredo included freshly made noodles and was surprisingly good for a seafood restaurant. I additionally tried the pan-seared coral grouper, which tasted bland regardless of its beet sauce and passionfruit topping.
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Origin. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
We lastly felt largely higher on our final full day, so we headed to Aura for a day DJ set. We performed desk tennis and foosball whereas listening to the Dubai-based DJ earlier than sitting all the way down to order pina coladas. We discovered Aura to be a terrific place to loosen up on a heat day.
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DJ set at Aura. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
We additionally made an 8 p.m. reservation at Seaside Shack for our remaining evening on the Hilton Maldives Amingiri. The meat tartare was contemporary and flavorful, whereas the rooster was tender and served with creamy mashed potatoes. We did not really feel like dessert, however the server delivered a complimentary baked Alaska from the chef so we gave it a strive. It was a enjoyable presentation — so in case you’re contemplating dessert at Seaside Shack, I extremely advocate it.
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Seaside Shack. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
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Inconsistent service
Usually, most workers members we interacted with have been pleasant and casual. We cherished how the workers at Sip remembered our elite hour order from our first day on every subsequent day.
We additionally loved speaking to the pleasant, down-to-earth workers on the water sports activities hut. They’ve a pet fowl named Simba, who’s pleasant and adored by many of the water sports activities workers, however you must ask for them to carry him out for a go to.
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Fowl on the water sports activities hut. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
We additionally favored having a single level of contact, our GEM (Visitor Expertise Maker). She greeted us by title once we arrived on the island, confirmed us across the island by way of a cart trip and created a Whatsapp group with my husband and me to share data all through our keep. She was typically aware of our requests in beneath an hour, made dinner reservations when requested and secured late checkout on our departure day.
Nonetheless, the GEMs gave the impression to be juggling numerous company. Plus, since they’re additionally tasked with offering cart service to their company, company needing extra help can simply monopolize a GEM’s time. We’re unsure what occurred with our GEM, however she did not ship us every day digests with out our prompting throughout our keep (regardless of telling us she would achieve this at check-in). And the logistics round our checkout have been poorly communicated, resulting in pointless confusion.
Service at some meals was additionally awkward. For instance, we appeared to have two workers members serving our desk once we ate dinner at Seaside Shack, however they did not talk properly with one another so our order had a number of kinks. A workers member adopted my husband across the breakfast buffet one morning providing to serve him dishes, which additionally felt pointless. In the meantime, one other server insisted on giving me fresh-cut watermelon at breakfast even after I stated I did not need any.
I additionally discovered it irritating that some resort workers members solely addressed my husband. At a resort that caters to many cultures and nationalities, I discovered it disappointing to be utterly ignored by some workers members.
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Tropical vegetation and wildlife
This wasn’t my first journey to the Maldives. I first visited in 2021, staying at 5 completely different resorts: Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, Six Senses Laamu and Vacation Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives. One facet that units Hilton Maldives Amingiri aside from most different Maldives resorts I’ve stayed at is its greenery.
For instance, I cherished the flowers current all through the resort, from these I might see from our villa’s pool and porch to the flowering shrubbery adorning the skin of the overwater villas and suites. I additionally appreciated the bamboo on the desk in our villa and the vegetation on the tables at many of the resort’s eating places.
Seeing wild chicks by the children membership on a number of events and dolphins swimming alongside the coast in entrance of our villa one morning was superior (and very unusual, in line with our GEM).
However I notably loved seeing black-tipped reef sharks. My husband observed a black-tipped reef shark within the boat harbor once we arrived, so we returned the subsequent day and realized that lots of them are sometimes within the harbor.
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A shark. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
However we additionally observed these younger sharks simply off the seashore by our villa and swimming close to the overwater walkway to the overwater villas. So, preserve an eye fixed out for them in case you go to — they’re enjoyable to look at.
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Elements to contemplate earlier than reserving
- No home reef: You may borrow complimentary snorkeling gear from the dive store and get a briefing on one of the best locations to snorkel across the resort from the pleasant workers. Nonetheless, though you’ll be able to see some fish and scattered coral, there is not a home reef (one situated simply offshore) such as you’ll discover at some Maldives resorts (together with Six Senses Laamu and InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort). For those who’re a robust swimmer, I like to recommend snorkeling off the 500s villas (there is a ladder all company can use partway down the walkway to those villas). My husband and I left our sneakers on the water sports activities hut, acquired a cart to the ladder on the 500s pier after which snorkeled with the present for about an hour from these villas to the water sports activities seashore.
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Snorkeling map. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
- Reservations are sometimes wanted: I desire to eat once I’m hungry somewhat than having to plan each meal prematurely. Particularly whereas touring, I would like to make a last-minute reservation or present up and be seated. At Origin and Seaside Shack, it’s essential to make a reservation, although — and if you wish to dine at your required time, you will have to make your reservation a number of days prematurely. Our GEM stated you’ll be able to cancel till the final minute, so you could need to make reservations if you arrive after which cancel later if wanted.
- Complimentary upgrades are unlikely: Hilton resorts within the Maldives provide different advantages for Gold and Diamond members since they do not often provide room upgrades as an elite perk. So, in case you’re hoping to get a complimentary improve, you could need to stick with a distinct lodge loyalty program. If you wish to stick with Hilton, contemplate reserving the room you need or being proactive about asking for a paid improve earlier than your keep.
- Nicely-equipped children membership: I haven’t got any youngsters, however the children membership on the Hilton Maldives Amingiri appears to be like nice. With pleasant workers, indoor and out of doors play areas, a young children’s pool and even sleeping rooms, that is simply one of many nicest children golf equipment I’ve seen whereas reviewing resorts.
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Outside water space on the children membership. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
- It isn’t distant: As you would possibly count on from a resort that is only a quick speedboat trip from the nation’s important worldwide airport, the Hilton Maldives Amingiri is not distant. You may see different islands and resorts from varied angles on the island. And you’ll see the lights of Male at evening and its skyline on clear days.
- Friends preserve to themselves: For those who’re on the lookout for a resort the place you will make associates on the bar or pool, Hilton Maldives Amingiri is not the place for you since most company preserve to themselves. There aren’t many resort actions to carry company collectively in addition to twice-a-day yoga lessons, once-a-week seashore soccer, a once-a-week marine discuss and a modest schedule of paid actions.
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Weekly actions schedule. HILTON MALDIVES AMINGIRI RESORT & SPA
- Account for meals, drinks, actions and transfers: In case you have a decent trip price range or are delicate to prices whereas touring, a visit to the Maldives can nonetheless price you a superb bit of money even in case you use factors and miles on your flights and resorts. Check out the menus above to get a really feel for meals and exercise pricing on the Hilton Maldives Amingiri, which might begin to add up over a number of days.
- Fashionable gymnasium with a view: If you wish to get a exercise in whereas on trip, the gymnasium on the Hilton Maldives Amingiri is a snug place to take action. A lot of the cardio gear has ocean views, as does the out of doors yoga platform. You can even take a bathe and benefit from the steam room and sauna within the gymnasium. And in case you get hungry whereas figuring out, you’ll be able to snack on the offered apples and nuts.
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Exercise amenities within the gymnasium. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
- The overwater spa is gorgeous: If it matches your price range (and bear in mind, Diamond members obtain extra time with sure massages) then it is price a go to to the resort’s overwater spa, which affords therapies like a hammam, facials and specialty baths among the many standard suspects.
Lastly, a word about accessibility: Hilton’s web site says the Hilton Maldives Amingiri has at the least one room with no steps that’s accessible to wheelchair customers. However, the identical webpage states that the resort would not provide an accessible public entrance. And certainly, vacationers with restricted mobility could wrestle to get on and off the boat required to achieve the resort from the airport.
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Keycard. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Essentially the most memorable components of my keep on the Hilton Maldives Amingiri have been our enticing seashore villa, the black-tipped reef sharks within the harbor and the dwell DJ set we listened to at Aura one afternoon whereas enjoying pingpong and foosball.
I loved my keep on the Hilton Maldives Amingiri, however I am not actively planning a return journey as I might somewhat strive a distinct Hilton property or return to considered one of my favourite resorts from my earlier journey. Nonetheless, I like to recommend the resort, particularly to vacationers for whom it will be a superb match. In any case, the Hilton Maldives Amingiri has maybe the best-equipped children membership I’ve seen within the Maldives, good alternatives for purchasing (together with a jewellery boutique), a terrific pool space at Aura and great villas excellent for privateness and leisure. And it persistently affords customary reward availability, making it a compelling selection for Hilton loyalists.
For charges and costs of the Hilton Amex Card, click on right here.
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