[ARCHIVE to 2020] Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa {PYF}
Jun 27, 2019, 1:27 pm
#2161
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
The only room fees/taxes that we had to pay were the daily "Ecoreef Fee" and "City Tax", and they were trivial charges of 600 Xpf per day.
Misc. VAT is on any activities you booked including shuttles, sailing, snorkeling, etc. The service charges apply only to your F+B purchases.
Misc. VAT is on any activities you booked including shuttles, sailing, snorkeling, etc. The service charges apply only to your F+B purchases.
For me, that is the true hidden value in points stays and free night certificates. You save a ton in taxes and resort fees when using points/vouchers. Some of the blogs do mention those savings, but feel they really understate the value.
Obviously getting points for “free” using credit card spend is preferred, I will buy Hilton points when on sale for 100% bonus. I have an upcoming stay at the Conrad Singapore. With the room rate I could have gone either way points (purchased) or cash reservation. Same out of pocket expense. But with a points reservation I had not tax/fees. Saved a good amount of $$.
TD
Jun 27, 2019, 1:45 pm
#2162
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NY, NY
Posts: 695
Do any of the Pool Overwater Villas have views of Mt Otemanu? Which Pool Overwaters are preferred by people who have been?
Jun 27, 2019, 2:55 pm
#2163
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Southern California
Posts: 478
The only room fees/taxes that we had to pay were the daily "Ecoreef Fee" and "City Tax", and they were trivial charges of 600 Xpf per day.
Misc. VAT is on any activities you booked including shuttles, sailing, snorkeling, etc. The service charges apply only to your F+B purchases.
Misc. VAT is on any activities you booked including shuttles, sailing, snorkeling, etc. The service charges apply only to your F+B purchases.
Can confirm that is accurate to what we experienced as well.
For me, that is the true hidden value in points stays and free night certificates. You save a ton in taxes and resort fees when using points/vouchers. Some of the blogs do mention those savings, but feel they really understate the value.
Obviously getting points for “free” using credit card spend is preferred, I will buy Hilton points when on sale for 100% bonus. I have an upcoming stay at the Conrad Singapore. With the room rate I could have gone either way points (purchased) or cash reservation. Same out of pocket expense. But with a points reservation I had not tax/fees. Saved a good amount of $$.
TD
Jun 27, 2019, 4:02 pm
#2164
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,998
Can confirm that is accurate to what we experienced as well.
For me, that is the true hidden value in points stays and free night certificates. You save a ton in taxes and resort fees when using points/vouchers. Some of the blogs do mention those savings, but feel they really understate the value.
Obviously getting points for “free” using credit card spend is preferred, I will buy Hilton points when on sale for 100% bonus. I have an upcoming stay at the Conrad Singapore. With the room rate I could have gone either way points (purchased) or cash reservation. Same out of pocket expense. But with a points reservation I had not tax/fees. Saved a good amount of $$.
TD,
This is one of the biggest benefits of award nights. For instance, I have an upcoming stay in Tokyo that will cost me 630K pts, which I value at $3,150- (.5 cpp), where the cheapest prepaid cash rate would cost $3,388-, plus 23% taxes and service charges = $779-, for a total of $4,167-. This gets me an equivalent cash yield of .67 cents per point-still a good return, even with the horrible devaluation.
Now, if I calculate the lost points that I would get by paying cash:
$4,167- x 14 = 58,338 pts from CC.
$3,388- x 20 = 67,760 base points.
For a total of 126,098 pts x .005/pt = ~$630-.
Thus, it would still save me $1,017- minus $630- = $387 to use award nights over cash. Still a great deal.
Jun 27, 2019, 4:15 pm
#2165
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,718
One does - you can see the number above (was it 106?). Warning though: The Otemanu view is through Bora Bora Nui, so isn't the same as seeing it up close from the St Regis or the Four Seasons.
Jun 29, 2019, 9:05 am
#2167
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,431
What’s a fair price you guys were offered for upgrade to standard OWV for award booking? They quoted me 45,000 XPF, which is almost $450 per night for mid-late July as Diamond. When I stayed here in June 2013 (at Hilton), it was like 10k or 15k XPF as Gold.
Jun 29, 2019, 1:27 pm
#2168
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NY, NY
Posts: 695
For us this August was 45K OWV, 90K for Pool OWV
Jun 29, 2019, 1:45 pm
#2169
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,257
a yardstick that someone has suggested to me before is to compare the base price (cash) between the two villas. if base villa is X, upgraded villa is Y, then Y-X = Z. what you are asked to pay to upgrade should be less than or equal to Z, if you want to use that rationale to argue for lower upgrade cost.
Jun 29, 2019, 2:59 pm
#2170
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: LAX
Posts: 177
Stayed 6 nights here on points about a month ago. A day before arrival we were upgraded to Horizon Villa and when we got there we asked for a paid upgrade to OWV for the last 3 nights. We were quoted 17,825 XPF as Diamond which we happily accepted.
Jun 29, 2019, 3:17 pm
#2171
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 87
was it 17825 xpf per day or 17825 for 3 nights?
Jun 29, 2019, 4:34 pm
#2173
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,431
I didn’t know we can pay to upgrade upon check-in. If not full, I’m sure it’ll be cheaper than to do it ahead of time. Of course there’s risk it’ll sell out. Mid-late July for me is still near peak.
Jun 29, 2019, 10:22 pm
#2174
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,431
I just got an email from the resort offering eStandby upgrades to OWV for 25,900 XPF. These aren’t guaranteed upgrades so there is some risk. Does this property tend to sell out their OWV and deluxe OWV in July?
Also, is there any advantage to requesting an eStandby upgrade like this rather than requesting the upgrade at check-in? A poster above got the upgrade at check-in for 18,000+ XPF.
Also, is there any advantage to requesting an eStandby upgrade like this rather than requesting the upgrade at check-in? A poster above got the upgrade at check-in for 18,000+ XPF.
Jun 30, 2019, 12:50 pm
#2175
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,998
I just got an email from the resort offering eStandby upgrades to OWV for 25,900 XPF. These aren’t guaranteed upgrades so there is some risk. Does this property tend to sell out their OWV and deluxe OWV in July?
Also, is there any advantage to requesting an eStandby upgrade like this rather than requesting the upgrade at check-in? A poster above got the upgrade at check-in for 18,000+ XPF.
Also, is there any advantage to requesting an eStandby upgrade like this rather than requesting the upgrade at check-in? A poster above got the upgrade at check-in for 18,000+ XPF.