I have a question. I assume, using points, you didn't have any kind of package.... so when and where did you arrange intra/inter island travel? (we are going tahiti-moorea-bb-tahiti)

Air Tahit Aero is the only arline that flies betwene the islands and I booked my flights through Expedia. I did that to eliminate any exchange rate confusion and because the Air Tahiti website doesn't allow online booking. The IC hotels in Bora Bora pick you up at the airport (By boat) and provide mandatory transfers for about $35-$40 per person roundtrip.

Sorry for insisting on this but did you get the upgrade at check-in or did they confirm this before you went and if so was this done on the phone or by email?

Also how many days would you recommend at each property? Would 3 nights per property something you'd recommend?

I confirmed my upgrades in advance via email. If you have status and they have room, you will be upgraded. How long to stay at each resort is really a matter of taste. Thalasso is supposed to be the clear cut winner, but we just didn't like it as much. We did 2 nights at Le Moana and then 5 nights at Thalasso. By the second day at Thalasso we wanted to go back to Le Moana. We liked the warmer feel of the rooms, the much better water, and the proximity to the rest of the island much more. Some people want to be as isolated as possible. There is no disputing the fact that the rooms at Thalasso are first class. They are huge. The difference is that they are more like a nice New York hotel and Le Moana's are more Polynesian feeling. The great thing is that besides the rooms, you will have full access to both resorts either way.

This is very interesting. We stayed at the Moana, Thalasso and St. Regis and my wife prefers Moana over the Thalasso and the St. Regis because of its smaller size and French Polynesian charm.

I find this interesting as well. I stayed both, 2 times at Moana and once at Thalasso. I like them both actually, but if I have to choose again, I think i will stick with Thalasso. I just love the extra space and new furniture in Thalasso although it doesn't give me a warm, homey feeling like Moana.

Snorkeling was quite ok at Moana before the 10-foot high swell seriously damaged everything at Moana in September 2005. The corals around the overwater bungalows were all gone or dead after the swell. I was there again in 2006 right after the re-opening of Moana (took 9 months to rebuild the bungalows), and I didn't see any fishes and live corals around the hotel. Underwater was totally dead, it seemed like the sence after atomic bomb. I was very sad about it. I guess now the corals should be slowly recovered. Can anyone give me an update?

As a Platinum Ambassador, I had two good (or lucky) upgrade experiences at the Resort and Spa Moorea (MOZ) and Le Moana Bora Bora (BOB). Both stays were a combination of the first night paid with the rest being reward nights using points.

In Moorea, I booked an Over Water Bungalow for the first night (paid) and a Lanai for the rest of the nights (points). Upgraded to an Over Water Bungalow with (Premium) View for ALL nights! ^

The funny thing is the front desk agent made a comment about my Platinum status and getting an upgrade ("we take care of our platinums") but not my Ambassador status. :confused:

In Bora Bora, I booked an Over Water Lagoon Bungalow for the first night (paid) and a Beach Junior Suite Bungalow for the rest of the nights (points). Upgraded to an Over Water Horizon Bungalow for ALL nights! ^

The OWB upgrade for the award nights was easier to get in Moorea (front desk agent took care of it). In Bora Bora, the duty manager had to okay the upgrade, but it worked out.

Both seem to have been ups at check-in. Is that correct?

When were you there?

Yes, the one-category upgrades were at check-in for the paid nights of the reservations (Ambassador status). Based on the various posts on FT for reward stays in French Polynesia (IC and SPG), I was fully prepared to have to pay to stay in the premium OWBs for the reward nights.

Our stay was in mid-/late-April 2008.

thx, all ur info is a big help to me

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The room upgrade denial seems to be happening to every status level, although, when I read the review I thought the poster was referring to Platinum PC not IC RA status, but who knows, and I don't think it would make a difference either way.

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I'm just curious to know: doesn't the hotel get some cash from ICHG or priority club for the rooms that are booked with points (reward nights) by guests?

If the hotel does get some cash from the ICHG, then I don't undertsand why the hotel is being so tough on guests who use points to pay for the stay. It is not going to do the hotel itself any good, especially in low seasons.