We spent 4 days at the Hotel Bora Bora on Bora Bora island. If there had to be one place on earth so close to what we call ‘paradise’, it certainly would be the hotel Bora Bora. EVERYTHING is just reaching perfection. It is the most beautiful resort I have ever been to. And believe me, I have been to a few… (mostly for business)

The resort opened in 1961 on a peninsula uncommonly favored by nature. In the beginning, you floated in by seaplane. And when you splashed down on the most beautiful lagoon in the world, a canoe was there to ferry you to the newly opened hotel. A few things have changed since then, including a recent refurbishment to the resort’s classic overwater accommodations. But the hotel remains the quintessential symbol of French Polynesia.

The hotel is located on Point Raititi. From this southern peninsula on the very edge of the island’s shimmering blue lagoon, the views run 270 degrees - from the lagoon and the 40-kilometer barrier reef that rims it, to the green-wreathed volcanic peaks that lend drama to the island.

The resort’s 54 Polynesian-style bungalows and farés (the Tahitian term for home) are linked to the resort’s public areas by black, lava-stone walkways. These individual accommodations enjoy a variety of settings, from garden-view and beachfront to overwater locations. Whether bungalows or farés, the oversized rooms at Hotel Bora Bora take on the eclectic taste of an old trader’s house. Each is furnished in rattan and bamboo, with Tasmanian oak floors, red-cedar walls, ceilings of pandanus lashed to beams of Douglas fir, ball-and-claw, cast-iron tubs, overhead fans, and even CD players!
The Deluxe bungalows are set on the beach, bedrooms facing the sea. With an elevated sundeck built on columns, and steps leading to the lagoon, they have the mood of an overwater accommodation. Deluxe bungalows also include a separate lounge overlooking the sundeck.
The Superior bungalows are located on the palm-thick beachfront. Aside from a spacious bedroom and bathroom, they come with a sitting area that leads to a small patio facing the lagoon. The bungalows are set within tropical gardens, and are of the same design as superior bungalows.
Hotel Bora Bora’s 15 overwater bungalows are thatched-roof, tropical-island retreats set directly over the emerald blue lagoon. While some are located in shallow water, the premium overwaters are further out, close by a coral reef flush with marine life. Each overwater bungalow features a large bedroom with a king-size bed, a spacious bathroom and a two-tiered sundeck shaded by a roof of hand-tied pandanus. There’s also a shower at water level alongside steps leading to the lagoon.
The deeply thatched farés (villas) are set in white-beach sand or surrounded by tropical gardens. The resort’s eight pool farés, each enclosed by a lava-stone wall, come with a private swimming pool and an outdoor sun pavilion for two. Three farés feature a Jacuzzi set into a teak sundeck within a garden setting. Premium farés are located in prime beach areas. All come with a living room, a bedroom with a king-size bed, a bathroom and a large sundeck. According to the brochure, the Farés are among the most spacious private accommodations on Bora Bora.

We had chosen to stay in one of their overwater bungalows. In the morning, after breakfast which we had in our room, we would dive directly in the lagoon from our private deck. That room was truly magnificent! Snorkeling is great in those shallow waters and it is not exceptional to see manta rays passing by.

Food is incredible and very diverse. After all you are in France! Service is what you would expect from such a hotel, especially when you pay more than $600 a night. But it was such a memorable experience that price doesn’t really matter. Everything is very expensive in French Polynesia anyway. French and Tahitian are the official languages but English is widely spoken.

For those who want to spend a few days in paradise I hardly recommend the Hotel Bora Bora. Eventhough it is not what we can call ‘affordable’, it’s a lot of a resort for the money!


Recommended: Yes