About three days before embarking on the luckiest vacation ever, I checked my Marriott app and saw that the Le Méridien Bora Bora had already processed an advanced upgrade to an overwater bungalow at the end of the pontoon (like a dock) – one of the most desirable rooms at the property which would have cost an extra $500 per day for an upgrade from the base points reservation for a Classic room.
Aside from being wildly excited about this, I was also super impressed by the level of service – they had taken my hodgepodge of multiple reservations, linked them together, then upgraded both of them without any excessive begging or wheedling or tears of desperation on my part, and they had done so FOUR whole days in advance of my stay. As a Platinum Premier/Titanium Elite member, there’s a certain amount of upgrading and special treatment I can generally count on, but this was above and beyond my experience with elite status at the vast majority of Marriott portfolio properties I’ve stayed at the last several years. With this incredible upgrade to look forward to, I could barely sleep in the days leading up to the trip. Seriously. I was like bouncing off walls and staying up until 4am (since I also had no job to go to, thanks to some of the massively idiotic guiding principles which seem to be directing my country this year decade).
After traveling for the better part of a very long day, made more bearable by using my Priority Pass & Hawaiian Airlines status to access airport lounges in San Francisco and during our layover in Honolulu, my mom and I were stoked to arrive in Tahiti. The airport was compact and felt a bit understaffed, so it took awhile to exit. But we finally made it out, grabbed our bags, found an ATM right outside to get cash, and were on our way in one of the waiting cabs to check in to the Intercontinental for the night.
Intercontinental Tahiti
It’s been a few years since I’ve had IHG status, so I was back to being a regular hotel guest for this stay. I stay at maybe one or two IHG hotels each year, and I’m always impressed by their recognition of non-elite members of their loyalty program. We received a lovely room with a reasonably spacious bathroom and a partial ocean view. The bed was the one area of disappointment that I had with my stay. Though it was plenty comfortable after two 6-hour flights in economy class, I had actually paid a higher room rate to guarantee two beds. I was given a “split mattress”* that they didn’t even have the decency to make up with two separate sets of bedding. I was peeved, but it was close to midnight so I let it go.
*The more I travel, the more I see this bizarre-to-me practice of outfitting hotel rooms with a mattress that’s basically two twin beds on one bed frame, and it’s a total toss up whether the hotel calls it a king or two twin beds.
The next morning, we took a walk around the property and dropped in on the weekend brunch buffet. The meal was 50% off as part of the reservation, and it came to about $60-65 for both of us. It was extensive and featured local dishes in addition to both European and American style breakfasts, plus a variety of fruits and juices. It was so good I apparently neglected to take photos. Good job, self 😒
After breakfast, we enjoyed the view from the lobby level of the property, which does a very nice job of marrying indoor and outdoor space, while we waited until it was time to make our way back to the airport for our Air Tahiti flight to Bora Bora.
The airport in Bora Bora is pretty much the only thing on a teensy island (a motu) near the main island of Bora Bora. It’s one of the smallest airports I’ve ever seen, and had some of the best views as well.
You need a boat to get anywhere, and the large resorts send speedboats to meet the incoming flights to make things as convenient as possible for their guests. There’s typically a somewhat hefty charge for this service (at Le Méridien, they charge about $112 round trip). There are more economical ways to get where you want to go – there is a free shuttle boat to the main island, and from there, you can catch other shuttle boats – but there’s something to be said for not schlepping all your stuff from island to island. All I had to do was point to my bag at the airport, and then I didn’t have to see it or worry about it until it appeared in my hotel room sometime later. These are the kinds of lifestyle perks that I could get used to.
Le Méridien Bora Bora
Upon arriving at the resort, we were bundled into a golf cart and whisked away to the outdoor check-in desk, where we were seated and given cold towels, and a fruity welcome drink to sip on as we took in the view and waited for the arrival paperwork to be brought over. Then we were bundled into another golf cart and driven to our fabulous overwater home for the next four nights.
It was serene and well-appointed, with an Illy coffee machine, a water kettle, and a selection of teas included in the desk area, a spacious walk-in closet, separate shower and tub, and an enclosed room for the toilet. Plus there was a small living area, complete with a glass floor so that you could watch the fish swim by. I think the best part of the room might have been the large deck area that had direct access to the sea and overlooked the water and Mount Otemanu. There are worse things in life to wake up to than a Bora Bora ocean view!
International Buffet
Our first night, we went to one of the two restaurants on the island for their weekly international buffet dinner, which had been highly recommended by one of the resort staff members. I forgot to ask how much it was, and once we arrived and I got a look at the spread, I knew it would be hefty. The food was delicious, I completely overate, and the meal came to about $80 per person. There was even chocolate fondue!
Turtle Center
Le Méridien Bora Bora shares space with the Bora Bora Turtle Center, which takes in injured sea turtles and rehabilitates them before releasing them back into the wild. They give daily educational tours and allow guests to participate in feeding times. There’s a $10 donation added to each guest bill to support the needs of the rescued sea turtles and the overall facility. Visiting the center was a cool way to spend the afternoon and reinvigorate one’s zeal for recycling – many of the turtles that end up in the center are there due to ocean pollution, and our guide shared that the vast majority of turtles that come through the center have ingested some amount of plastic at some point in their lives. I’m not an animal rights activist, but come on, fellow humans! We can do better than this! In any case, the ones at the center when I visited were all varying sizes and were really majestic to observe, especially during feeding time.
Daytripping – Vaitape
One thing that really bothers me about secluded resort vacations is that you don’t get to really experience “real life” at your destination. Relaxing 24/7 is all well and good, but in my experience the best food and the coolest art is usually not found within a resort. I was glad to have the chance to take a shuttle boat over to the closest town, Vaitape, to enjoy a delicious lunch and a short walk around. I found the cutest art gallery on the second floor of a storefront, so I was able to pick up a few prints to take home before heading towards Cafe Aloe for a nice, wallet-friendly lunch.
Polynesian Sailing Canoe
Many of the water activities at the hotel are free for guest use – in general, the equipment without motors can just be reserved and checked out. I had brought my own snorkel mask (I have a full faced one that allows me to be comfortable with the hygiene and solves the dual problems of regulating my breathing AND avoiding foggy goggles), but there were some other fun things to try out, like glass-bottomed canoes and a 30-minute ride on a Polynesian sailing canoe that kiiiiinda resembled Moana’s.
Relaxation
Most of my time at the resort consisted of some combination of swimming, sipping drinks by the water, or eating by the water. It was relaxing in the extreme interrupted only by periodic checks to see whether the government had reopened yet. The weather was beautiful, and even though it was technically rainy season, I was told the weather had majorly cleared up a few days before my arrival. Check me out – bringing sunshine and light all over the globe!
Homeward Bound
All good things must end, and the last day of our vacation arrived way too soon. We had one last breakfast buffet, then spent a bit of time on our bungalow’s back deck before relinquishing the room for the next lucky vacationer. Since our flight wasn’t until much later in the afternoon, the hotel provided a day use bungalow to relax in for the rest of the day. We spent some time on the beach, fit in our ride on the sailing canoe, and then it was time to leave paradise. *cue wailing and gnashing of teeth*
Back at the Bora Bora airport, we enjoyed a quick sandwich at the little cafe inside the building, and then boarded another tiny plane to return to Papeete. It’s always kind of fun walking across the tarmac at smaller airports instead of moving from the airport to the plane via jet bridge. Something about it feels very private jet-like and extra bougie.
Once at the airport in Papeete, we had some extra time before our flight, so we relaxed in the Air Tahiti Nui lounge, which participates in the Priority Pass network. I appreciated the variety of seating and electric outlets that were available, and the food and drink offerings were pretty solid – there was a decent variety of hors d’oeuvres, which were frequently replenished, and espresso machine, and a small self-serve bar. I’ve been to quite a few airport lounges, and I’d happily return to this one.
My mom and I had an amazing almost-week in French Polynesia, and it was nice to have the chance to devote some hard-earned points towards some irreplaceable mom & daughter time in paradise. The flight back went smoothly, and I arrived home to find out that shutdown had ended and I’d be returning to work the next week! Yayyyyy paychecks!
Thanks for posting this! Did you do anything to help the Le Meridien upgrade along? I just booked my honeymoon there (9 days in April), and I was lucky enough to book using only points, but we are currently debating if we pay the extra $5,000 to book ourselves into an OWB now, or chance it.
Hi Jacquelyn! After I booked, I received emails from a few staff members (one due to the cancelled OWB cash/points reservation that hadn’t fully cancelled in the system, the other the usual email to elite members asking after any special requests), and whenever I replied to the question of a special occasion or celebration, I reiterated that it was indeed a celebration and would deeply appreciate any Platinum/Titanium upgrade that could be offered.
The OWB was wonderful! I hope it works out for you, but honestly I would hesitate to spend an additional $5k on it when there are so many amazing experiences and meals that could be paid for at the resort for that amount! The entire resort was great, and while it’s hard to say for sure, I don’t think the OWB was critical to enjoying the overall experience.