#69781 - 01/28/08 07:16 PM
HELP!!
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lina
Member
Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 40
Loc: Canada, Toronto
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Hi everyone, I have been trying to book a owb for my honeymoon for the past 2 weeks now!! I've read so many of your great conversations and advice to eachother.
So could someone please tell me, pearl beach resort or intercontinental or is there anywhere else whithin the same price range??
I need to book by friday my travel agent is telling me all the owb are going fast. :) thanks
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#69791 - 01/29/08 12:29 AM
Re: HELP!!
[Re: lina]
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ryo-oh-ki
Member
Registered: 01/27/08
Posts: 109
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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Hi there,
I saw your previous post on another thread. I wasn't sure at the time, but it now sounds like overwater is a requirement. My story . . . Honeymooned at the Moorea Pearl in a garden suite with pool and we also did the Dolphin Experience at the Intercontinental.
Pearl Beach Resort: The resort is crammed into a very tiny property. You can tell the designers had work with what limited space they were given. The overwater bungalows are located right in front of the beach, pool, and restaurant. Thus the some what lack of privacy. I'm not sure if the ocean sounds will drown out the resort noise. You could spend more and opt for the overwaters that face in the opposite direction. Take a look at the resort map at the Moorea Pearl's website. The snorkeling at the resort is not that spectacular either. Due to the depth, the fish will tend to stay deep and you end up observing from a distance verses swimming among them. The water is also slightly cloudy. We did observe a sea turtle, which was pretty cool. The resort staff did mention that there are better snorkel locations off the resort. The ocean view is defiantly not picture perfect. As I mentioned before, we stayed in a garden suite with pool and were very happy with the decision to spend less on lodging and more on excursions and making use of the village, only a 5-10 minute walk, resources. Plus we had our own private pool and garden. They also have a pretty good spa that incorporates an ingenious design of private serenity while the spa itself is located right next to a high foot traffic area.
Intercontinental: While our stay was only a few brief hours. Here’s what we observed. The property is much larger and thus facilities are more spread out and picturesque. The overwater bungalows are secluded away from the common areas. This is probably your better choice between the two if you are set on going overwater. You can also watch the dolphins do their thing. The big trade off is the inconvenience of a near by village. I read elsewhere on this board that the nearest village is 20-minute walk, one way.
I'm pretty sure the others will add to the Intercontinental and provide info on other two resorts. I hope this will be of some help.
_________________________
Tahiti Check List
x Manihi (12/2006)
x Moorea (1/2007)
_ Tahaa
_ Rangiroa
_ Tikehau
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#69797 - 01/29/08 06:35 AM
Re: HELP!!
[Re: ryo-oh-ki]
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Jake
Member
Registered: 08/29/03
Posts: 311
Loc: Phoenix AZ
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Be aware that all but a few of the owb's at the IC are not completely overwater but are part on the shore and extend out over the water. Those few that are completely overwater are in very shallow water. if choosing between the two, I would opt for the premium owb's at the Pearl.
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#69803 - 01/29/08 09:38 AM
Re: HELP!!
[Re: Jake]
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ryo-oh-ki
Member
Registered: 01/27/08
Posts: 109
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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Since we did not stay at the Intercontinental, my info is some what incomplete. Jake does present a valid observation about the Intercontinental's lack of water depth and not being truly overwater. How are the insides of the Intercontinental bungalows? I'm guessing due to the shallow depths, there are no underside glass coffee tables. Something you do get at the Pearl. Also (don't quote me on this), I believe the Pearl is a newer resort and therefor the nicer structural aesthetics. Where as the Intercontinental, because there's more open space, has the more garden look.
Since Moorea was the second leg of our honeymoon. We had our fill of lodging in an overwater bungalow. And our expectations of an overwater bungalow were set very high after Manihi. Please note that while lodging in Manihi was picture perfect, there are some draw-backs one must contend with. But I digress.
Lina: Have the Sheraton and Sofitel la Ora been eliminated on account of the price range? Are there other factors to be taken into consideration besides the overwater bungalow? Number if nights, privacy, guided excursions, unguided excursions, doing nothing (just layout by the pool/beach), affordable options to avoid the mini-bar, etc. Are there other islands in your itinerary? Please clarify, it sounds like you are trying to pack everything into your stay at Moorea. For which the Pearl might be the better overall option for the truly overwater experience.
_________________________
Tahiti Check List
x Manihi (12/2006)
x Moorea (1/2007)
_ Tahaa
_ Rangiroa
_ Tikehau
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#69820 - 01/29/08 04:02 PM
Re: HELP!!
[Re: ryo-oh-ki]
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Zoe
Senior Advisor
Registered: 12/14/03
Posts: 801
Loc: Walnut Creek, CA
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We've stayed at both the IC and the Pearl-- love them both, but it depends on what you want. At the Pearl, we've stayed in a garden w/pool and a premium overwater. At the IC, we've stayed overwater and beach. Been to both twice each; returning to the Pearl this March.
The Pearl is a smaller property-- more of a boutique hotel feel. We loved the intimacy of it and never felt like there was "resort noise." The bungalows are on the newer side and we really, really like the decor. The overwaters do have the glass bottom coffee tables; both of our owbs there had great nighttime views of the coral beneath the bungalows. We'd rank the snorkeling at the Pearl as #2 (Sheraton is #1), but we thought it was great. It IS a drop-off, so you have spectacular views, lots of eels, school of fish-- but you are above them and not swimming through them (shallower at the Sheraton, so different effect). I saw my first octopus there. For location, you can't beat the Pearl. "Town" is a five minunte walk away, with lots of shops, restaurants and a market.
IC: more spread out and, yes, more of a "garden" feel. We found the snorkeling off the owbs that face the lagoon (rather than into their channel) quite good; snorkeling in the channel was ok. I'd rank this #3 for snorkelin (behind the Sheraton and the Pearl). The bungalows are nice and all of them AFAIK have wonderful soaking tubs (only get that in the owbs at the Pearl); they are slightly older, but also have more of a true "suite" layout with sliding doors you can close to shut off the bedroom from the living area. The owbs are partially on land (with the exception of a few); no glass bottom coffee table. You can walk into a village, but it's more of a 15 minute walk.
Honestly, we love both. We chose the Pearl this time because it was coming in quite a bit cheaper and we're taking the kids, so we wanted an inexpensive bungalow right on the beach and a market really close by. Different requirements than you ;)
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#69821 - 01/29/08 04:04 PM
Re: HELP!!
[Re: Zoe]
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Zoe
Senior Advisor
Registered: 12/14/03
Posts: 801
Loc: Walnut Creek, CA
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Ooh... forgot to say.... if it was me, I'd book a premium overwater or a garden w/pool at the Pearl (the regular owbs there are in shallow water and do face back to the resort/mountains-- me, I like the view, but it's not as private). If I was booking at the IC, I'd book beach or maybe the highest category of owb.
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#69826 - 01/29/08 08:18 PM
Re: HELP!!
[Re: Zoe]
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lina
Member
Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 40
Loc: Canada, Toronto
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Thanks everyone!!
Ryo-oh-ki to answer your questions, were actually doing the 11 day cruise on the PG departing August 16th. But my dream has been for a long long time to one day stay in a owb!! With breath taking views and definatly privacy. I would love to stay in Boro Boro but I really don't want to pay that price... maybe I should I don't know!!
I've been hearing and told from this travel agent that's looking into things that Moorea is the next best thing, that's why I've been inquiring about it. We were quoted $1700pp for 4 nights at the pear resort. If you know anywhere better or would recommed, please do.
I think will be doing a lot of excursions with the cruise, so anywhere where we can relax, love to do snorkelling, eat nice dinners, maybe rent a car for a day would be great.
Am I asking for to much :)
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#69827 - 01/29/08 08:26 PM
Re: HELP!!
[Re: Zoe]
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lina
Member
Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 40
Loc: Canada, Toronto
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Thanks Zoe, that was really helpfull.
I think I'm leaning towards the Pearl but only if they have the premium owb :)
I had also heard that there was more to do on the IC as far as exploring, driving throught the island. Is that true?
Edited by lina (01/29/08 08:27 PM)
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#69838 - 01/30/08 08:09 AM
Re: HELP!!
[Re: lina]
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Zoe
Senior Advisor
Registered: 12/14/03
Posts: 801
Loc: Walnut Creek, CA
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Hi Lina... well, on the surface of things, we like the IC's list of excursions better (you can download it from the Documents Library section of their website) and they do have transfers to the motu. But just because the Pearl doesn't list the excursion on their website doesn't mean you can't book it ;) Both places have small villages within walking distance (Pearl's is much closer) and a rental car is a rental car-- you can easily explore the island from either resort. AFAIK, all the major tours pick up from both places. The IC does have the dolphin experience, if you are into that; I'm not sure how I feel about it and you can easily go dolphin watching (Dr Poole or Manu's eco-catamaran tour) and see the in the wild. And, yes, you can book the dolphin experience even if you're not staying at the IC.
The IC is physically larger, so there is more beach and more grounds to walk, but other than that and the easy motu transfers... I'd say they had equal amounts of really cool stuff to explore.
If "all" you want is to relax, snorkel, and dine, you might also want to consider owb at the Sheraton. Again, a rental car is a rental car, so island exploration is just as possible from there. Lots of great restaurants pick up from there, as they do from both the Pearl and the IC (at any of the three, I'd skip the resort restuarant unless it's included gratis). Unbelievable, fantastic snorkeling and a lovely beach. The Pearl is very, very good snorkeling wise IMHO, but the Sheraton beats it hands down. The IC is our least fav of the three for snorkeling, although the snorkeling in the channel by the motu (from the motu transfer) is outstanding. For us, we chose the Sheraton last time because we wanted to snorkel; for us, overall, the Pearl has the best bungalows, best prices, and best location with very good snorkeling.
Does that make sense? I'm still working on coffee ;)
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#69839 - 01/30/08 08:10 AM
Re: HELP!!
[Re: Zoe]
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Zoe
Senior Advisor
Registered: 12/14/03
Posts: 801
Loc: Walnut Creek, CA
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.... and the pool is MUCH better at the Pearl than the IC. Sheraton's pool is also nice, but the Pearl's is an infinity pool and I'm a sucker for those.
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