Originally Posted by SFOvacations

Finished a 7 night stay on points. 5th night free + 2FNC. Our hope was a Diamond Ugrade would net us at least a garden villa so rolled the dice with no pre-arranged upgrade. 2 days prior noticed "overwater pool villa" on the app. Held our breath and indeed that is what we got on arrival. They mentioned at check-in Diamond upgrades are usually limited to 1 or 2 categories, but we got lucky due to inventory. From my guess, probably ~75% full. But it doesn't feel full outside of happy hour and at the polynesian dinner show.

Rooms are probably due for a refresh and big one is planned to begin Q4 2022 into 2024. Quoted SF includes the outside space so the room does feel a bit small. Suites and some land villas have a TV wall between sleeping and living space. Villas on the water (aside from Royal and Presidential) is just one big room. There are only 3 or 4 garden villas (and of course all the suites) that don't have private pools.

Diamonds got free breakfast buffet, menu items are an additional charge of 1200xpf. The buffet itself was more than enough, very large selection of pastries and rotating 8-10 hot items.

Concierge is wothless with food recommendations offsite and frowned on us for booking excursions on our own (made little effort to help us secure babysitting)

Food and drink is generally expensive onsite, $40+ for entrees, ~$10+ for beer and wine and ~$20+ for cocktails and hard liquor. There's 4 cocktails on happy hour for $15 at the pool bar from 3-4pm everyday. One thing not advertised is kids under 6 eat free off the kids menu with the adults. This allowed us to order menu items at breakfast for no charge since there was no breakfast kids menu.

Polynesian dinner show was a steal at 14000xpf, kids under 6 also free. The buffet was pretty good and they also had a raw bar which you won't get at a traditional hawaiian luau. Dancing was shorter than we hoped (~45 mins).

Pool was mostly empty outside happy hour, 4 cabanas at the main pool, first come first serve. Pleanty of beach chairs, small cabanas/day beds available. Water equipment rentals were on the cheap side, plastic kayaks and inflatable SUPs. They do have a couple of tahitian va'as which were a pleasure to use. They host a traditional outrigger invite once a week where one of the beach boys take couples out on the 3 man va'a.

Kids club was awesome, free and they do a bunch of traditional arts and crafts with the kids. Officially 5+ without parents but they took our younger one. Lady there also came in early one morning to watch our kids so we can go diving (when the concierge failed us). We ended up tipping her what the babysitter would have cost us.

We had a blast with Bora Bora H2O on a snorkling tour around the island and a dive trip. Their shared tours are practically private since they only take 6 max on snorkle tours and 3 max on dive trips.

The shuttle is 15000 rt pp from airport, to vaitape is 2200 rt pp, 4900 rt pp for dinner hour and 7500 rt pp on arrival and departure days. Not worth dealing with luaggage to go through vaitape on arrival.

For Americans bring your own etest, the line for testing at PPT could be long on nights with multiple departing flights. Air Tahiti Nui Lounge at PPT also refuses priority pass on nights with multiple departing flights.