Bora Bora is THE dream destination in the South Pacific and a popular place for newlyweds to experience an unforgettable honeymoon. Choosing the right resort in Bora Bora is essential to ensure that your vacation is as unforgettable as you want it to be.
The St. Regis is the epitome of luxury and paradise. In this hotel review of the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, I’ll tell you whether this luxury hotel is worth the price and if it’s the right choice for you.

My Hotel Review of the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

Location & How to get there

Where exactly is the resort located?

Bora Bora is an archipelago with the iconic Mount Otemanu on the main island. This is surrounded by small islands – called motus. The St. Regis Bora Bora Hotel is located on a private island (motu) overlooking Mount Otemanu.

How do you get to the St. Regis Bora Bora?

After landing in Papeete – the capital of Tahiti – on the main island of French Polynesia, you will take a small plane to Bora Bora. Prepare yourself for a fantastic view during the landing approach, which you should ideally take in sitting on the left-hand side, as this gives you the best view of the atoll. Normally there is free choice of seats on the plane. The airport is also located on a motu, so a ten-minute transfer by boat through the lagoon to the St. Regis Bora Bora resort awaits you.

The concept of the St. Regis Bora Bora

If you have any ideas about paradise, they will certainly be surpassed as soon as you set eyes on Bora Bora for the first time. It’s like a magical entry into another world to escape from everyday life. Just like you’ve probably seen on postcards, Bora Bora is home to this dreamy white beach, deep blue water and green palm trees.

The St. Regis Bora Bora Hotel offers a unique view of the iconic Mount Otemanu with its striking shape from almost every corner of the resort. The resort has plenty of space and you will always discover new, beautiful retreats, even during longer stays. Even if the resort is fully booked, you will experience the feeling of being on a desert island.

During your stay at the St. Regis Bora Bora Hotel, you should definitely book activities to experience more of Bora Bora, such as a boat tour to the best snorkeling spots in the lagoon.

The villas at the St. Regis Bora Bora

We spent our stay at the St. Regis Bora Bora Hotel in a Deluxe Over Water Villa. I hope I can give you a little impression of it in this review.

The water villas at the St. Regis are the largest in the South Pacific. The view over the lagoon is simply fantastic. Almost all villas also offer a view of Mount Otemanu.

From the corridor, you enter the living area. This is equipped with many large windows so that you can always enjoy a wonderful view of the blue water. There is even a glass floor under the sofa table to catch a glimpse of the underwater world.

From here you can access the private terrace with sun loungers & covered seating area. And of course you have access to the lagoon from the terrace to snorkel or jump straight into the warm water in the morning. You are sure to come across one of the many turtles that live here. The bedroom is also very spacious. Behind it is a large bathroom with a bathtub, rain shower, two washbasins and a closet.

All villas have their own bicycles to get around the resort. Each villa also comes with a butler service, who will look after you from check-in to departure. You can contact him at any time for any concerns, requests, reservations etc. and he is available by phone around the clock.

Beach and pools at the St. Regis Bora Bora

Lagoon Beach

The entire resort is surrounded by a lagoon and there are two beaches. Lagoon Beach is located by the main pool, right next to the pool bar and a restaurant. Comfortable sun loungers, cabanas and hammocks in the water await you here. Kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and snorkeling equipment can be rented here free of charge and used in the lagoon. However, Lagoon Beach is not suitable for snorkeling, but for swimming, as there is only fine, white sand and no coral. You should definitely visit this spot at the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort:

The Lagoonarium

It is a man-made lagoon in the middle of the resort. There is a connection to the main lagoon, but don’t worry – sharks and rays don’t come in. The Lagoonarium allows you to snorkel safely without currents and is therefore ideal for beginners. You dive into the home of numerous tropical colorful fish species and of course corals. And you will even meet a giant Napoleon wrasse called Moana, who is the star of the Lagoonarium and is not afraid of humans.

Marine biologists who work here look after the animals’ wellbeing and research their behavior. As a hotel guest, you can participate in activities such as coral cutting and help to expand the coral reef. We have attached several small pieces of coral to a special structure, which we hope will grow quickly. Guests who take part will be kept up to date on the growth by e-mail until the corals are large enough to be attached to the reef.

Oasis Pool

There are several adults-only pools near the main pool. These are small pools with cabanas, which offer plenty of privacy and tranquillity and are exclusively for adults.

The Iridium Spa at the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

The huge spa area of the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort is located on a small island in the Lagoonarium. There is a wide range of different treatments, massages etc. on offer. There is even a beauty salon. The Iridium Spa offers separate areas for men and women with Jacuzzi, sauna & steam bath.

To relax after our arrival, we enjoyed a couple’s massage, which I highly recommend. After the massage, you can relax on the heavenly beach of the Lagoonarium. The beach is also accessible at any time without a massage. It is my favorite spot at the St. Regis Bora Bora, because from here you have a fantastic view of Mount Otemanu with the turquoise Lagoonarium in the foreground. Early in the morning, when you’re all alone here, you really feel like you’re in paradise.

My Review of the Restaurants at St. Regis Bora Bora

The resort offers a large selection of restaurants with different concepts, so you will find plenty of variety for dinner. Even after a longer stay, you won’t feel like you’ve tried everything. Bora Bora is not necessarily known for good restaurants, but the St. Regis Bora Bora clearly stands out in comparison with other resorts we have already visited on Bora Bora.

Te Pahu Restaurant & Aparima Bar

Te Pahu is the main restaurant in the resort. It offers a varied breakfast buffet with an extra a la carte menu. During your breakfast you can also enjoy a unique view over the Main Beach and the lagoon – the perfect start to the day.

The cuisine at Te Pahu is international. Once a week there is a Polynesian evening with dinner & show. From Te Pahu you can go directly to the Aparima Bar – ideal for snacks, cocktails on the beach or a casual dinner.

Lagoon Restaurant & 727 Bar

Both are located above the water, which alone is an incredible experience. You should definitely visit the 727 Bar at sunset and enjoy one of the delicious & unique cocktails. You can watch the colors of the sky and water transform into beautiful hues. Because of this breathtaking spectacle, the 727 Bar is a popular spot in the evening and you should therefore be there at least 30 minutes before sunset to secure one of the coveted seats.

Here’s an extra tip from me: once during your stay, you should then have dinner at the Lagoon overwater restaurant – for me the best restaurant in the resort, although it is also very expensive, but you won’t regret it. It’s ideal for a special occasion, with fine dining and aromatic creations that focus on regional ingredients.

Farniente

Traditional and authentic Italian food and drinks are on the menu here. Absolutely delicious and highly recommended. You almost forget that you’re on Bora Bora.

Bamboo

The Bamboo offers a sharing concept with Asian dishes.

Résumé of my Review of the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

There is no question that the St. Regis Bora Bora Hotel offers absolute luxury and exclusivity. The dreamlike paradisiacal ambience alone will transport you to another world. Combined with the fantastic villas in a prime location, the exceptional service and the focus on the “desert island feeling”, the St. Regis Bora Bora is the ideal place for couples who want to treat themselves to some time out together and, of course, for a picture-perfect honeymoon.

I hope my hotel review has given you a little impression of Bora Bora and the St. Regis Resort and has made you curious and excited to explore this wonderful place on earth for yourself.

We had a sponsored stay at the St. Regis Bora Bora, which does not affect my opinion or review of the resort.

This is my review about our lovely stay at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui ***** It’s without any questions one of the best resorts in Bora Bora but also has a few deficits…

Hotel Review: The Conrad Bora Bora Nui

Location

The Conrad Bora Bora Nui is located on one of the many smaller islands which are surrounding the main island of Bora Bora. The benefit of these so called motus is that they offer an amazing view over the iconic rock shape of Mount Otemanu.

After arriving to the airport motu of Bora Bora you can decide between a direct transfer to the Conrad Resort (for around 150,- USD per person) or you take the free public ferry shuttle to the main island. From there you can reach the Resort via the Conrad Shuttle for around 15,- USD per person. The whole transfer only takes around 20 mins so the decision how much the direct transfer is worth to you is entirely left to you.

Check in & Lobby

After arriving to the Conrad Jetty we got greeted by a staff member and enjoyed a refreshing welcome drink. What I loved about the Lobby jetty is that some parts of the floor are made out of glass so you can see the blue water and the fishes under you.

Rooms

We booked a Garden Villa with our HHonors Points and upgraded to an Overwater Villa on site.
For us it was important to have a Overwater Villa with a view to the Main Island. Only seven Villas in total have this incredible view. So if you also want to wake up to the view to Mount Otemanu ask for a room between 101-107 (106 has been our Villa and in my opinion it has the best angle to take photos from the hammocks). The villas 101-106 have two hammocks with a direct view. Villa 107 has a pool and hammock with an indirect view to the main island.

To reach our room we had to walk for quite a time since it’s located on a jetty on the very end of the huge resort. But luckily you can mostly find some free bicycles to ride around the island.

Our villa consists of a huge room with the cozy bed in the middle, a sitting area and the Mini Bar with a Nespresso machine.

Behind the bed is a walk in closet and the great bathroom located. It has two sinks, a bathtub and a separate shower & toilet. I really loved how bright and spacious it was.

The best part about the villa is definitely the big terrace with a sitting area, sun beds, two overwater hammocks and ocean access. We just loved the incredible view over Mount Otemanu from here!

Restaurants

The Main Restaurant is the Iriatai French Restaurant which combines french and local cuisine and serves breakfast in the morning.

The Banyan Chinese Restaurant opens for dinner with a – of course – traditional Chinese cuisine like yummy dumplings and crispy duck.

For lunch or a light dinner the Tamure Beach Grill is your best choice. They serve local dishes but also international food like Pizza or Pasta.

The prices for food on Bora Bora are quite expensive due to the secluded location of the archipelago. In the resort you pay around 20-50 USD for a dish which naturally sums up during a longer stay. So make sure to savor the breakfast menu in the morning

The quality of the food & drinks is amazing – but the prices very high!

Pool

The Pool is the main point of the resort and located right at the beach. It is a two level pool with sun beds in and around the water, cabanas and of course a nice pool bar with happy hour in the afternoon.

Towels, a water dispenser and even sun blocker are provided at a little shelter without any charge.

sunset at the main pool

Water Activities

If you want to do some water sport activities during your stay you can grab one of the kayaks and stand-up paddle boards at the beach for free.
Thats a nice way to get around the resort and to see it from another perspective.

You can not stay in Bora Bora without doing some snorkeling to see the wonderful underwater world of Polynesia. Unfortunately the Conrad Bora Bora doesn’t have a natural reef right in front of the beach but they are regrowing & repopulating corals with several underwater structures. A lot of corals are already growing on them and attract colorful reef fishes.

The coral construction seen from above…

… and from under the surface

From our overwater bungalow we liked to jump right into the water where it’s very likely to see reef sharks, eagle rays and some natural growing corals.

During your stay you should definitely book at least one snorkeling tour to see more of the beautiful maritime life of French Polynesia.

Specials

While exploring the island you will find a way leading up the hill to the highest point of the resort. Up here are not only the Horizon Villas located but also the wonderful Spa area at the very top of the hill. In my opinion it has the best location in the resort since it offers an amazing view over the whole Conrad Bora Bora Nui. The Spa area is an amazing spot to appreciate the sunset in the evening.

Overlooking the resort from the spa area

Right in front of the spa is a chapel located with a little viewpoint platform right next to it. This is where you can overlook the main Island of Bora Bora and even see the sunrise in the morning.

Résumé Conrad Bora Bora Nui

Bora Bora is a No. 1 honeymoon destination for couples from all around the globe. The Conrad Bora Bora Nui is definitely one of the best resorts there. A big plus is the size of the resort: It’s way bigger than most of the other resorts. This means you have a lot of choices what to do, eat, etc and find enough quiet spots to enjoy some privacy.
A little minus for me is the location: Snorkeling fans like us will maybe be a little disappointed from the natural reef. Bora Bora has many other reefs to offer which are more lush and varied – to book a snorkeling tour is a must during your stay at the Conrad so you won’t miss out this natural wonder. Additionally the incredible view on the main island can only be seen from some very few villas.

→ Book your stay at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui here!

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The Conrad Bora Bora is part of my Hotel Collection with A Small World. So when you sign up via my Collection Link you will get extraordinary benefits like an upgrade and 100 USD stay credit plus you find the best available rate as well. The sign up is completely free and the best about it: You can use the benefits for any other hotel bookings in the future and always get these VIP benefits for all your stays! 

→ Click here to sign up for my Hotel Collection and book your next stay!