#71046 - 03/12/08 08:46 AM
Le Meridien Bora Bora
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chicagolawyer
Junior Member
Registered: 03/11/08
Posts: 12
Loc: Chicago, IL
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Hi All,
After extensive research on this forum, Trip Advisor and other sources we chose to stay at Le Meridien Bora Bora for six night at the end of August in a Premium OWB for the last part of our honeymoon trip.
Since booking the resort has gotten some really negative Trip Advisor reviews, the latest which has photos of cockroaches.
For the same cost we could stay at the lowest category OWB at Thalasso. One reason we chose Le Meridien BB initially was because we would get to stay in the highest room category, but I suppose I could give that up for a cockroach free room.
The booking can be cancelled with no penalty.
Anyone have recent reviews of Le Meridien BB, or suggestions as to what we should do? I really hate cockroaches.
Thanks!
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#71052 - 03/12/08 11:34 AM
Re: Le Meridien Bora Bora
[Re: chicagolawyer]
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Travcarib
Member
Registered: 03/13/07
Posts: 119
Loc: Washington DC
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I have been to LM several years ago and thought it was a really nice place. I really hate bugs too and always freak out from that too. Not a huge deal but I have to be honest and say we did see a few bugs in our Overwater Bungalow at Thalasso too though. I never really make a big deal about things like that unless it is infested with bugs, which it clearly was not. I can understand a stray bug getting in sometimes at any of these places since it is the tropics (maids leave doors open, windows are open etc), but if they are all over the place that is another story. I think the beach bungalows also sometimes tend to get more bugs as they are on land. I would think you are fine at LM. The view to Mt Otemanu is so amazing- sounds like you will get that view if you are at LM. Thalasso is great too- it is a large place and very modern. If you do decide to change I would at least try for a Sapphire to get the partial view.
I wouldn't consider either one of the places to have a bug problems during our stays. Wherever you stay if you have food out remember to close it properly- the ants and bugs in general are attracted to the food so it's best to have your snack and then keep open items in a ziploc or something that closes. And we usually try to keep our doors/windows closed in the evening so as not to attract any critters in....
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#71053 - 03/12/08 12:02 PM
Re: Le Meridien Bora Bora
[Re: Travcarib]
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islandboyatheart
Expert Advisor
Registered: 07/19/05
Posts: 1376
Loc: Florida
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LOL - welcome to the tropics. Those photos show a roach we call a palmetto bug down in the south. They live in palm trees and in piles of leaves outdoors - not indoors. They can fly unlike the typical cockroaches you see and hear about. Rain can drive them in and if food is left out they will also come looking. Since they can fly, they can travel anywhere they like. There really is no way to prevent them 100% in the tropics and they are not a sign of uncleanliness. I have pest control come to my house every 6-8 weeks and it is still impossible to keep all the critters out. There is no cold to kill all the bugs off in the tropics so you learn to live with it. All of the big hotels do their best to spray but it is an impossible task to make any place in the tropics "bug-free".
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#71055 - 03/12/08 12:36 PM
Re: Le Meridien Bora Bora
[Re: islandboyatheart]
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Pacific Andy
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 10/16/01
Posts: 4278
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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This came up a while back and it maybe already a year old. The LM is a fantastic place and not to worry about the bugs. As Island Boy says its the tropics.
_________________________
Once You Go You Get It
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#71075 - 03/12/08 03:36 PM
Re: Le Meridien Bora Bora
[Re: Pacific Andy]
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chicagolawyer
Junior Member
Registered: 03/11/08
Posts: 12
Loc: Chicago, IL
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Thanks for the replies Travcarib, Islandboy and Pacific Andy.
Travcarib -- were the Thalasso bugs cockroaches or something else? Really only "palmetto bugs"/cockraoches gross me out. I'm fine with spiders, mosquitoes, flies etc., even a small mouse I can deal with.
That is a good point regarding an isolated bug versus an infestation Island Boy. I guess the thing is -- I've traveled frequently to the Bahamas, Mexico, Turks and Caicos, Hawaii, Cayman Islands and not once have stayed in a resort where I saw cockroaches in the actual hotel room itself.
So I'm just wondering if Bora Bora really is different than these other locales I've been too and that I just need to accept there will be roaches, especially because it is going to be so much more $ and my expectations are to at least match the nice resorts I've been to in other tropical locales.
Sorry for the freakout! We are spending so much on this vacation so I want to make sure I'm not disappointed, even if that means lowering my expectations of a roach-free room.
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#71076 - 03/12/08 03:38 PM
Re: Le Meridien Bora Bora
[Re: chicagolawyer]
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chicagolawyer
Junior Member
Registered: 03/11/08
Posts: 12
Loc: Chicago, IL
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I meant to ask -- have others seen bugs roaches in the Thalasso OWBs?
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#71078 - 03/12/08 09:36 PM
Re: Le Meridien Bora Bora
[Re: chicagolawyer]
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Suki (689)
Senior Advisor
Registered: 10/29/07
Posts: 920
Loc: ELA US of A
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iv seen bugs at hotel matira but ididnt want to kill them because of a lawsuit all creatures human/cucarachas sharks etc deserve to live we are guests in this world especially in FP (((((((((((((((((((((FP4LIFE)))))))))))))))))))) they are quite tasty cooked dont think they taste moorea lika chiken welcome to our board Pacific Andy iz my canidate for Presidente 2009
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#71089 - 03/13/08 05:52 AM
Re: Le Meridien Bora Bora
[Re: Suki (689)]
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SashaK
Member
Registered: 07/10/07
Posts: 49
Loc: Chicago, IL
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What! We definitely did not see any bugs at Thalasso last month. Thalasso is fairly new, I can't imagine how roaches would infest it already. How do roaches even get into overwater bungalow is what I want to know.. Anyway, I can attest that I did not see any bug of any kind at Thalasso and we kept our deck windows/sliding doors open at all times.
I can speak for Thalasso, it was roach free but maybe we got lucky? .. you mentioned that if you went with Thalasso, for the same price you'd be able to get the lowest category room, however - Thalasso's overwater bungalows are all exactly identical and really amazing, modern, luxury and mainly, feature a wall to wall - cieling to wall window in the bedroom that is facing right into the blue lagoon and when you lay in your bed, you feel like your bed is on the deck and you're laying in the lagoon itself, which is unbeatable and I have not heard of any other resort having that. The only difference between the bungalows is the view, but the view is great from each and every one bungalow, it's just the matter of how great you want it, as they get better and better with categories. The lowest category, Emerald have views of the lagoon most of them facing the lagoon where it meets the beach but if you request the ones like 205, 204, 203, etc (see this Forum's Topic "what is the best bungalow number at Thalasso") you will have an infinite view of the most beautiful lagoon far into it, and it's breathtaking (but they are Emerald!). Anyway, I am sure you're familair if you're reading this Forum that for $150 you can obtain an Ambassador card on InterContinental's website, which guarantees you an upgrade to the next category room at Thallaso and other special treatments. Yes, I am a big fan of Thalasso, I think you would be too seeing that you're from Chicago, so let me go ahead and assume we have the same taste, LOL!
Edited by SashaK (03/13/08 06:37 AM)
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#71090 - 03/13/08 06:23 AM
Re: Le Meridien Bora Bora
[Re: SashaK]
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tambir9
Member
Registered: 12/18/06
Posts: 210
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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My husband hates roaches. We haven't stayed at LM, but I can offer some tips to help keep them out. He travels with duct tape, and uses the tape to seal any openings near windows. He also makes a door sweep at the bottom of the door to stop any creepy crawly's at night. We always carries his small dive light for the walk back to our room to make sure that we don't come across any and that there aren't any near our door as we open it. We always give the room a thorough check after the maids have been in to clean. He travels all over (he just left Indonesia and is in China right now) and swears by duct tape. The maids look at us a little crazy after they have been in our room, but if it makes him comfortable to sleep at night, why not. We did not have any problems with bugs in our rooms in FP on either trip Moorea, Rangiroa and Bora Bora, we've seent them outside, but not inside. We love seeing lizards though and I am learning to like them for the comfort they give my husband, I was even able to manage for a week in Rangiroa with one in our room. :o)
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#71105 - 03/13/08 11:27 AM
Re: Le Meridien Bora Bora
[Re: tambir9]
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Travcarib
Member
Registered: 03/13/07
Posts: 119
Loc: Washington DC
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It was a roach, sorry to disappoint you... not sure how it got in the overwater but it was there-.... Only one though and never saw another one again. We did see some flies etc but not a big deal. We have been all over the Caribbean and Mexico too and sometimes you do see things, even in the nicest places! (We have stayed at top notch places all over the islands.) I didn't want to make a big deal of it, but considering you were thinking of changing because of that reason I thought it is important to know- you are never going to get completely bug free in the islands.
I can honestly say that Thalasso is a great place though- it didn't change our opinion at all on the resort. The place is gorgeous and clean. My point is that bugs can creep up in lots of places. I don't want to see them either but sometimes if you see just one it's not that big of a deal- as long as there isn't an infestation. I don't think LM has a problem either, we saw no bugs in our overwater when we were there, it is a really nice place too. If you want a larger bungalow and more modern feel- IC Thalasso is the way to go. Otherwise the views are about the same to Mt Otemanu. I know some talk of the Emeralds- and yes they are all the same inside- but if you are going all the way there, I would try to get the view. Just my opinion.
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