ArthurSFO11

Thanks for the heads up. What's the best way to access those?

todderz

I stayed at the Thalasso in February. Here's a brief review followed by a massive whinge. (Also some links to my photos which hopefully someone will enjoy looking at as much as I do)

I stayed first at the Moorea on points.
I was upgraded to a "premium one-bedroom suite overwater villa" - Moorea, French Polynesia ? To See The World - which was very nice except being on the ocean side it had a reasonable current and I'm not a great swimmer - Moorea, French Polynesia ? To See The World - but good privacy and a nice resort, bargain for the points.

Then to the Thalasso - Bora Bora, French Polynesia ? To See The World MOZ-BOB ? To See The World - and a Diamond Otemanu view - Bora Bora, French Polynesia ? To See The World
It is a beautiful setting and a great villa, there's no question about that.

However the service was at times quite poor, and sometimes rude, and it was too often far too hard to find any staff.
A lot of the facilities were closed, the food was average and perhaps because of the closures there wasn't anywhere to eat more casually than in the main restaurant.
And there's a lot of walking to do!
If you're in the villa right at the end of the pier then it's a long old walk to get anywhere and while you're walking you'll be nearly run over by the young male staff racing their golf buggy to offer a lift to the pretty girl in a bikini that they've just spotted....
That walk becomes a right pain when you want to get a kayak but there's never any staff to sign one out so you either have to take one without permission or do even more walking to the lobby to find some staff. That gets a bit annoying in blazing sun when it's the 6th time you've had to do it.

It is stunning to look at, the water is great for swimming and is very still and very clear - Bora Bora, French Polynesia ? To See The World - but all the rough edges of service let it down.
There were a couple of people who were very good and helpful, but too many others who were grumpy or just plain rude.
For many people a resort like this is surely a once in a lifetime thing but I certainly didn't feel like the staff were trying to do a good job and be welcoming.
Mostly it felt like they didn't give a damn.

Then I went to Le Moana, on points. I was upgraded to an overwater villa so I certainly have no complaints, but the resort itself I don't rate very highly at all.
My villa had a view of a boat yard with people working there all day an old local man occasionally urinating in the sea.
The resort itself seems cramped, busy and dirty (all sorts of rubbish in the water).
I wouldn't go back, not even on points.

Then I went to the Conrad.

Wow!!

In my opinion it beats the Thalasso by miles.
I booked with points and being low season I was lucky enough to be upgraded to an overwater, which was a lot nicer than the Thalasso (in my opinion) - Conrad Bora Bora Nui ? To See The World Conrad Bora Bora Nui ? To See The World
This isn't the Conrad thread so I'll briefly say that the resort is much nicer. the service 10 times better, the food 10 times better, the pool stunning, the spa stunning, whizzing around on bicycles so much better than walking around the Thalasso.
I could go on for hours. There were at least 4 members of staff I can think of who went out of their way to make me happy and they were utterly brilliant.
I had another reward night booked at the Thalasso but I cancelled it to take another night at the Conrad.
If I was going back to FP, it would be Conrad for me every time. I was glad to see the back of the Thalasso and never wanted to leave the Conrad.
I know, I know, you loved the Thalasso and had a great time.... I get it. I'm just saying how it was for me.

I also stayed at the Intercontinental Tahiti, which I thought was quite average, but fine on points if you just need a night before a flight. I wouldn't stay longer.

Anyway, here's my big moan about the Thalasso. I booked using the ambassador free weekend night voucher (so I paid one night then got one free) followed by regular reward nights.
(I'd hoped to snag more reward nights to replace the voucher booking, but no luck, either at 90 days out or frequent checks nearer the time. When I was there, the place was extremely quiet with a very large number of empty rooms and yet no availability on points. It was like a ghost town, I saw maybe 20 other guests)
With that first paid night plus F&B, spa, jetskis, etc etc I ended up spending over $2300

i got 3480 points.

Every other year I've stayed (not bora bora) with the ambassador free weekend night voucher, including when I've also had another night just on points, I've received points based on my spend for the stay.
The Thalasso have shafted me by thousands of points. It also hasn't counted towards my accelerate (or whatever it is now) stays so I've missed another 20k+ points.

I think that is despicable, and it adds to my disappointment at the Thalasso.

Fortunately the Conrad was the truly memorable, once-in-a-lifetime, happy-happy joy-joy kind of stay that was the highlight of my travels and perhaps my all-time fave hotel stay, so the Thalasso is just history.

Having said that, if anyone has had any luck challenging missing points in a similar situation of paid nights mixed with reward nights, I'd appreciate any tips on how to challenge it.

Cactrot

I would second that Thalasso service felt lackluster. I stayed in March at Thalasso and St.Regis and there is a world of difference in terms of how the service felt. I did spend half a day at Moana and it felt extremely laid back where I couldn't find any one when I wanted to.

I will say the spa is more enjoyable at Thalasso than St.Regis. The upside is that it's co-ed and you can get a massage with the wife/husband and then relax together. The downside is that it's 50 USD/person for day access or free with any purchase of service over 50. StR is free but sauna, steam room, and Jacuzzi are separated by men and womens, which is good or bad depending how you look at it. The tea lounge is co-ed at StR.

IAlwaysCall

About a week and a half ago availability for the chase free night was plentiful. Now it seems to be restricted to points award nights (translation: nothing showing on the calendar). Any idea what's going on? Also, suddenly Le Moana is full of availability. I just feel like they're playing games here. Not sure what that game is...

FPmiles

This is frustrating as there are still not a single availability at Thallaso

David Room

glocklt4

I'm trying to find out how Ambassador benefits apply when you have 5 chase reward nights booked under 3 people's names. They make you book one night at a time per reservation, so are the benefits good for an entire 5 night "stay"? Or would you have to get Ambassador status for all 3 people under which the awards are booked?

336

glocklt4

If it's for the guest staying in the room, then I would assume if I get the status, it would apply for all 5 nights.

It seems hit/miss as to whether it helps with a room upgrade here. While they email some people that guaranteed upgrade doesn't apply to award nights, others received upgraded rooms (with no mention of why).

Troopers

Not so sure Amb benefits would be available to you for all 5 nights. Suggest you email them notifying them.

336

By the book you only get AMB benefits when the person who holds the status books AND stays in the room.

People bookings get more frivolous by the day, booking under 3 names, and trying to game additional benefits... Might get awkward at check-in, no?

ArthurSFO11

I'll share my personal experience in March/2016 in case it's helpful, but this is highly YMMV. I spent 5 nights at the Moana under 3 separate reservations and 2 separate names. I was a Platinum Ambassador (4 nights in my name) and my father was a Spire Elite (no AMB status).

The first night was a paid rate in an overwater bungalow. Nights 2-4 were in my name with points, where Night 2 was spent in a Beach Bungalow (the hotel was fully booked that one night), and Nights 3 & 4 were spent in an overwater bungalow (as a free upgrade). Night 5 was in my father's name with points (my name was listed as the second guest), and it was spent in the same overwater bungalow (free upgrade). The hotel was very apologetic that we had to spend Night 2 in the Beach Bungalow, but we were just really happy to have gotten upgraded on nights 3 through 5. Plus, we really enjoyed the Beach Bungalow and would be happy to stay there if we ever go back.

We received the "pay to upgrade" email a few days in advance of our stay, so we only found out about the free upgrades once we were at the hotel.

I have no idea to what degree this was due to luck, ambassador status, the fact that it was our honeymoon, or that we had a paid rate for the first night. The stated, clear Ambassador benefits were pretty minimal during the stay, though.

336

Liquidus

It does seem that the Chase free night and points share the same availability. I have been checking every day and managed to book one night at Thalasso yesterday. It was available with either the Chase free night or 70,000 points.

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