#70466 - 02/20/08 07:20 PM
Which resort would you recommend?
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Edison
Junior Member
Registered: 02/20/08
Posts: 9
Loc: NY
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I'm trying to plan my honeymoon and I'm so confused. Which resort would you recommend and why? I'm looking for an OWB. Your help will be appreciated.
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#70468 - 02/20/08 10:12 PM
Re: Which resort would you recommend?
[Re: Edison]
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Suki (689)
Senior Advisor
Registered: 10/29/07
Posts: 920
Loc: ELA US of A
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maeva(welcome) if first time moorea sheraton and bora bora st regis if money iz not an issue the travel agent on this website will un confuse you and recommend hotels per your budget do it right da first time (((((((((((((((FP4LIFE)))))))))))))))))) MAURUURU ROA love brooklyn white castle flatbush hamilton parkway harleydavidson dealer
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#70475 - 02/21/08 05:11 AM
Re: Which resort would you recommend?
[Re: Suki (689)]
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islandboyatheart
Expert Advisor
Registered: 07/19/05
Posts: 1376
Loc: Florida
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Edison, see my response under the Moorea section.
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#70476 - 02/21/08 05:18 AM
Re: Which resort would you recommend?
[Re: islandboyatheart]
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Old Wife
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/21/03
Posts: 2369
Loc: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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So much depends on what you're looking for, Edison. Do you want a small, intimate resort or a big one? Do you want to be on Bora Bora itself (especially within walking distance of stores and restaurants) or out on a motu? If on a motu, are you going to spend most of your time there or do you want fast access to Bora Bora itself? Do you want to stay somewhere with a spa? A pool? Great snorkelling? If you can answer those questions, we're in better shape to help. There is no "best" place for everyone. The secret (in my opinion) to having the best time in FP is to customize what you want with your choice of resorts, not to just take someone else's advice for what they think is the best.
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#70527 - 02/25/08 10:42 AM
Re: Which resort would you recommend?
[Re: Old Wife]
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SashaK
Member
Registered: 07/10/07
Posts: 49
Loc: Chicago, IL
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I should really finish my trip report and just post that, rather than post in all these threads the same thing. But I just got back from Bora Bora and I must say, if it is your honeymoon, IT DOES matter where you stay, so be careful (I guess it also depends on how picky you are or how tolerable you are)...
We stayed at Intercontinental Thalasso and then St. Regis in Bora Bora. Pick one of these two places and you will have an AMAZING honeymooon no doubt.
However, you must be aware, there are places in Bora Bora that do not even closely portray its beauty. For example, we took a free boat to Intercontinental Le Moana to go to Matira Beach and do some local shopping, and we did not enjoy it at all, and were sooo thankful we were not staying on Matira Beach. Now, of course if we did not know any better, we would have LOVED it, but staying at the Thalasso, we saw the HUGE difference and a lot of couples we met at the Thalasso who went to Le Moana agreed with us. Matira beach was dirty and full of many many people, and the atmosphere was just different there. Some people may chose to stay there to be close to shops or restaurants, but we were scared! First we got lost, the roads are all dirt and we well, got lost trying to find some market and when we did, we just could not wait to get back to our beautiful resort far away from there.
I say this, because the photos of Le Moana look awesome on their website, but I did not think Matira beach atmosphere brings justice to Bora Bora. I would strongly recommend you pick one of the resorts on the motu's, like Le Meridien, Thalasso, St. Regis. When we stayed at St. Regis, we took their boat to the other Starwood hotel there - Bora Bora Nui... it looked nice, but on the opposite side of the spectrum. It was way too secluded and looking into the ocean, very quiet and looked kind of small even. If you want privacy go with that, it was completely and utterly dead. Passed through Pearl Beach and that one looked nice.
But if you can afford it, look into St. Regis, you will not regret it. The impecable service combined with serenity and and beautity of the St. Regis grounds, made our trip worth every penny!!!
By the way, I know everyone here loves Moorea, but we met at least 3 couples that did Moorea first, and said they hated it compared to Bora Bora. We also met a couple who did Tahaa, and said they loved it, but Bora Bora was better.
Hope this helps any!
Edited by SashaK (02/25/08 10:47 AM)
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#70528 - 02/25/08 10:53 AM
Re: Which resort would you recommend?
[Re: SashaK]
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Old Wife
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/21/03
Posts: 2369
Loc: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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But you see, it really does depend on the person. We returned to Moorea a second time and had no interest in returning to Bora Bora after visiting once. We did love the Sofitel Motu (great bungalows, snorkelling, killer view), but Bora Bora was too touristy and impersonal for us. Moorea was more authentic and natural to us. We weren't looking for a big resort (though we did have that experience on Moorea the first time at the Intercontinental). There is no ONE best resort for everyone. You really have to figure out what's important to you. For us, snorkelling at a moment's notice has turned into something really important to us so a trip to one of the brand-new resorts off Bora Bora would disappoint us. Also, we want value for our dollar and the Sofitel Motu was amazing, but we wouldn't want to spend that money on a resort again (we'd prefer to stay somewhere less expensive and stay longer). Not everyone is like us, though. My point is you have to know yourself and know what you want. Some of that is only learned by travelling and experiencing various kinds of resorts/pensions and the other part is something you just know about yourself. Are you after opulence? Love to dress up? Or do you prefer to dress casually? The answer to that will guide you towards the kind of place you're happiest with.
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#70530 - 02/25/08 11:09 AM
Re: Which resort would you recommend?
[Re: Old Wife]
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SashaK
Member
Registered: 07/10/07
Posts: 49
Loc: Chicago, IL
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Old Wife, I completely agree with you. After being in Bora Bora, I must say the best thing I did for myself, was read this FORUM like crazy for about a year. I feel like I did an excellent job on my research with the help of all the wonderful people on here who answered my questions and through their own insights and trip reports. I feel like I chose the 2 most awesome resorts for my trip that 100% suited MY needs.
I do agree that it is simply amazing how different resorts can be in Bora Bora, and surely even islands themselves are probably much different between themselves. It is simply imperative for someone who is looking to drop a massive amount of money on their say, honeymoon, to do a LOT of research because I think it does matter quite a bit which hotel you chose as they are all so different.
For example, my husband and I thought that Thalasso was very quiet and provided for a LOT of peace and serinity. There were hardly any people and we felt like we had the pool and the whole resort to ourselves, and we always whispered because we were afraid to distract the peace.. so DEFINITELY did not think it was touristy. However, when we went to Le Moana, we felt like it was very loud, dirty, tons of people just everywhere and some of them looked homeless and we felt out of our "serenity" element that we had at Thalasso, so we run back.
When we went to St. Regis, we were completely blown away, it was even more peaceful and more beautiful than Thalasso. It was like we died and were in heaven and we cherished every single moment we spent there. We both live very hectic lives, and every minute at St. Regis was like "the moment of true peace" and heaven for us..
The couples who said they did not like Moorea, were people who were younger, like us, and were looking for luxury type beauty. I do not like swimming with fish, but yes, if I was a diver, I would for sure be stopping by Moorea as I read the marine life there is beautiful. But some younger honeymooners may not care to scuba dive or explore the corals. We wanted a fancy resort where we can lay around infinity pool, drink champagne and do flips in the air from our overwater bungalow into the azure crystal lagoon. Of course we could have done the trip for significantly less if we stayed at a smaller hotel and went snorkeling all day long. But like you said, everyone has different priorities and needs, and that is why it is imperative to do the reasearch and read this Forum inside out to make the right decision for you. Beacuse these trips are not cheap, and you do not want to be dissapointed. For example, the lagoon color is different at every resort! I would have been devastated if I did not see the exact shade of blue I was looking for, and I believe I chose the two places where that "blue-green crystal lagoon" was at its best. But some people prefer deep dark blue with lots of fish, and for them, Thalasso and St. Regis would be an awfully wrong choice.
Basically, I am just so thankful for all the reviews and insights I got from this forum, because I have been obsessing about Bora Bora for years, and this was TRULY my dream trip and we did it right.
However, I can definitely say we will not be going back any time soon. Too many places in world to see to go there twice. If we did, it would be Tahaa.
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#70533 - 02/25/08 12:05 PM
Re: Which resort would you recommend?
[Re: SashaK]
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DenverJoe
Expert Advisor
Registered: 09/10/02
Posts: 1878
Loc: Denver, Co.
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It's all what you're looking for or expectations are. We've been to BB 3 times, last time this past November. While it's a beautiful island, we won't be going back anytime soon. Too touristy and expensive. We prefer a more laid back experience.
As far as Matira beach, we never found it dirty or crowded. We felt it was a beautiful beach. I've never set foot at either the Thalasso or the St. Regis so I can't make any comparison. It all depends on your mindset and what you want to experience.
I'm glad you enjoyed your trip, it's just that people have different expectations.
_________________________
Nothing better than a Hinano in hand and toes in the sand.
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#70540 - 02/25/08 12:32 PM
Re: Which resort would you recommend?
[Re: DenverJoe]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2460
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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I agree about Matira Beach Joe. The only time I saw any trash or anything there was after a very windy storm blew through and washed up anything and everything onto the beach. Otherwise I thought it was very clean. And as for the people around, most are just locals, as Matira Beach is an area with many local houses. I personally like seeing and meeting locals. It just adds to the experience in my book.
Again, it all goes back to what you want, expect and demand of a vacation. What kind of experience you are after. We all have different expectations and demands. There is not one island, one hotel, one experience that can make everyone happy....and that is how it should be.
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#70557 - 02/25/08 06:46 PM
Re: Which resort would you recommend?
[Re: Patti.]
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Edison
Junior Member
Registered: 02/20/08
Posts: 9
Loc: NY
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Thank you Sashak and Oldwife for your reply. I'm thinking about staying at the Sofitel Motu. I like the privacy it provides and the snorkeling but I don't want to be bored to death on the motu. I know that I can do tours but is there anything else to do there? Also, Liberty Travel rated the Sofitel at 3 1/2 stars (the lowest of all hotels). Any comments on that?
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