Old Mar 23, 2015, 11:08 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: jigri2003
Some info:

Prepaid meal plan rates as of Feb 2015 per post 1305: (breakfast price updated as of Jan 2020)

Breakfast: 4860 xpf (tax incl) per person per day
Half board (breakfast and a 3-courses dinner): 13 053 xpf (tax incl) per person per day
Full board (breakfast, a 2-courses lunch and a 3-courses dinner): 17 632 xpf (tax incl) per person per day.

Breakfast 50% discount: available only at check in time if it is taken for the entire stay. It does not apply for half board and full board. Post 1376

Guaranteed Upgrade Costs as of January 2015 per post 1293

Emerald to Sapphire: 15,000 XPF + 14% taxes per night
Emerald to Diamond: 25,000 XPF + 14% taxes per night
Emerald to Diamond Otemanu: 35,000 XPF + 14% taxes per night
Emerald to Diamond End of Pontoon: 45,000 XPF + 14% taxes per night

Full prepayment prior to arrival required

Direct Boat Transfers to/from Airport One-way: 7334 XPF (updated Dec 2019) (about 15 minutes). Resort will email you to arrange this ahead of time if desired.

Boat transfer from the Airport is not mandatory despite what any hotel emails might imply to the contrary. It's possible to take the free Air Tahiti shuttle to Vaitape (15 minutes), followed by a taxi to the IC Le Moana for 2000XPF (15 minutes), then the IC's shuttle between Le Moana and Thalasso for 3390 XPF per person one way (updated Dec 2019) (15 minutes). If all transfers go smoothly, the journey could be as short as an hour, or longer than two hours if you're unlucky.

Boat Times (as of Oct 2016, and current as of Jan 2020)

Leaving Le Moana:
7:45am
8:45am
11:45am*
12:45pm
1:45pm
4:30pm
5:30pm*
6:30pm
8:30pm
10:00pm

Leaving Thalasso:
8:15am
9:15am*
12:15pm
1:15pm
2:15pm*
5:00pm
6:00pm
7:00pm
9:30pm
10:30pm

* Boat times with a * can connect with the bus shuttle between IC Le Moana and Vaitape town, as shown below:

Bus Shuttles between IC Le Moana and Vaitape town:

Depart IC Le Moana:
9:45am
2:45pm

Depart Vaitape:
11:15am
5:00pm

The bus shuttle costs 1150 XPF RT/person.

Note: There is no ATM at the Thalasso. The closest ATMs are in Vaitape, the main town where the airport ferry stops. However, both IC Le Moana and Thalasso will give you a "cash advance" on your credit card for a fee of 5%. The transaction will post as a purchase.

XPF is also available at the airport in Pappeete from several ATMs.
POST 1795

Resort Email: [email protected]
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IC Thalasso Bora Bora Master Thread [merged]

Old Aug 13, 2019, 8:59 am
  #3676  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,302
Originally Posted by rdh0924

Our tentative itinerary is:

Night 1: IC Tahiti (late arriving flight)
Nights 2-6: IC Le Moana
Nights 7-10: IC Thalasso (first two in Brando suite, last two in pool OWV)

Would love to stay in the Brando suite for four nights but even two nights (one on a BOGO cert) is a splurge right now. (Were on one salary with my fiance in a Ph.D program right now.)

Depending on award night availability at Le Moana we may spend a few nights in Moorea instead but I plan to be vigilant come January once nights are released, so fingers crossed.
Looks like a good plan. What time is your flight home? Want to make sure you dont need to spend the night in Tahiti the night before.

TD
Traveler Dave is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 9:42 am
  #3677  
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Programs: Marriott Titanium/LTP, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold, United Silver, Delta Silver
Posts: 53
My 2 cents...

I just got back from FP and stayed at the St. Regis, IC Thalasso, IC Moorea, and saw the IC Le Moana. Of the IHG properties, the IC Thalasso was heads and shoulders above the other two. I can't speak for service, but the Le Moana looked tired and not anywhere near the same 5* quality of the Thalasso. The IC Moorea was nice though the Lanai rooms were just standard hotel rooms (if that's what you booked). What they really lacked was any quality customer service. I think you'll be less disappointed than me if you do the setup you're doing now (Tahiti, Moorea, Thalasso), as you don't know how good the Thalasso is. I know some people apparently like the Le Moana more, but I don't really see it. Regardless, you'll have a great trip.
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Old Aug 13, 2019, 10:09 am
  #3678  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM, IHG Spire, Marriott Platinum, National EE
Posts: 318
Originally Posted by Traveler Dave


Looks like a good plan. What time is your flight home? Want to make sure you dont need to spend the night in Tahiti the night before.

TD
Thanks, TD. We have the United red-eye so I think departure is around 10 p.m. Snagged business class seats on a mixed award fare in IN class! Hoping to stick around Bora Bora as long as possible that day as I've heard there's not much to do or see if Papeete.
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Old Aug 13, 2019, 10:14 am
  #3679  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM, IHG Spire, Marriott Platinum, National EE
Posts: 318
Originally Posted by IAlwaysCall
My 2 cents...

I just got back from FP and stayed at the St. Regis, IC Thalasso, IC Moorea, and saw the IC Le Moana. Of the IHG properties, the IC Thalasso was heads and shoulders above the other two. I can't speak for service, but the Le Moana looked tired and not anywhere near the same 5* quality of the Thalasso. The IC Moorea was nice though the Lanai rooms were just standard hotel rooms (if that's what you booked). What they really lacked was any quality customer service. I think you'll be less disappointed than me if you do the setup you're doing now (Tahiti, Moorea, Thalasso), as you don't know how good the Thalasso is. I know some people apparently like the Le Moana more, but I don't really see it. Regardless, you'll have a great trip.
Noted! I'd love to find award space at Thalasso, but I know that can be tough to secure. Hoping by having Thalasso last we won't know what we're missing the first six nights. Never been to FP, so I'm thinking we'll have a great experience regardless of what the itinerary winds up being. I'm intrigued by the beachfront rooms at Le Moana and feel like that would be sufficient as our intent would be to do more excursions while there and then just completely relax at Thalasso.
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Old Aug 13, 2019, 10:18 am
  #3680  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM, IHG Spire, Marriott Platinum, National EE
Posts: 318
Originally Posted by tylerc
Ah, sorry, I was confused because you said you were staying 4 nights but listed Brando for 2 and pool for 1...

To be honest, if you have the points for Moana I would suggest staying more nights at Thalasso in the standard overwater villa instead. Moana is good if you want to buy some supplies and go for a meal on the island before heading to Thalasso, but I don't think I would stay for 4 nights if Thalasso was an option. Keep in mind food at Thalasso is more expensive than Moana.

I'm guessing you're going around April then?

Moorea is nice, but you really only need a day and a rental car to see the whole island. We're going back to FP in a few months, and are skipping Moorea this time and staying 3 nights Thalasso followed by 5 nights St. Regis. We also have a night at IC Tahiti due to late arrival.
Good to know. Thanks for the advice! We're hoping to have as many nights at Thalasso as possible, but rooms will be tricky as we're locked into the Friday and Saturday night for my Ambassador free weekend night cert. If we can find four nights in a row at Le Moana, the fourth night would be free with my IHG card. (Guessing I'll have to piece meal it together with a night at a time, though.) Points aren't really a concern, mainly just availability.
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Old Aug 13, 2019, 10:22 am
  #3681  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,868
Originally Posted by rdh0924
...as I've heard there's not much to do or see if Papeete.
Downtown Papeete isn't terrible...we spend a few hours shopping and roaming the streets.
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Old Aug 13, 2019, 10:27 am
  #3682  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,868
Originally Posted by IAlwaysCall
I know some people apparently like the Le Moana more, but I don't really see it.
I like both the LM and Thalasso for different reasons. Having done the OWV before and the price differential, I'd pick LM over Thalasso.
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Old Aug 13, 2019, 3:45 pm
  #3683  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 786
Originally Posted by rdh0924
Thanks, TD. We have the United red-eye so I think departure is around 10 p.m. Snagged business class seats on a mixed award fare in IN class! Hoping to stick around Bora Bora as long as possible that day as I've heard there's not much to do or see if Papeete.
You managed to snag business class on UA PPT-SFO??? Using which points?
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Old Aug 13, 2019, 3:50 pm
  #3684  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,302
Originally Posted by rdh0924
Thanks, TD. We have the United red-eye so I think departure is around 10 p.m. Snagged business class seats on a mixed award fare in IN class! Hoping to stick around Bora Bora as long as possible that day as I've heard there's not much to do or see if Papeete.
Think that is a good plan to stay as long as you can in BB.

But I think Tahiti gets a little beat up over the other islands. I would have to say it it like Oahu vs. Maui or Kauai. I never really suggest people go to Oahu over the others. Same goes for Tahiti. You don’t go all that way to just visit Tahiti. But there are very nice areas to visit in Tahiti/Papeete. If you end up there with a couple extra hours to spend head over to the market. A little hot/humid and not the best market in the world, but better than sitting in the PPT lounge

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...y_Islands.html
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Old Aug 13, 2019, 4:59 pm
  #3685  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 786
Originally Posted by Traveler Dave


Think that is a good plan to stay as long as you can in BB.

But I think Tahiti gets a little beat up over the other islands. I would have to say it it like Oahu vs. Maui or Kauai. I never really suggest people go to Oahu over the others. Same goes for Tahiti. You dont go all that way to just visit Tahiti. But there are very nice areas to visit in Tahiti/Papeete. If you end up there with a couple extra hours to spend head over to the market. A little hot/humid and not the best market in the world, but better than sitting in the PPT lounge

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...y_Islands.html
I would agree - check out PPT for a few hours, much better than sitting in the airport, and a relatively inexpensive taxi ride. I found it cool that there is a Three Brewers restaurant and brewery, which is a Canadian company!
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Old Aug 14, 2019, 12:00 pm
  #3686  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM, IHG Spire, Marriott Platinum, National EE
Posts: 318
Originally Posted by tylerc
You managed to snag business class on UA PPT-SFO??? Using which points?
Yes, luckily! It's a mixed fare. Business class PPT-SFO, economy SFO-MSP. 70k miles. I have 1K status (for about four more months), so I had a small advantage.

We actually could've flown both SFO-PPT and PPT-SFO in business for the same saver rate, but the outbound would've been a week later and we couldn't have used the BOGO night cert for the Brando Suite. (Once I checked for a different weekend in the Brando, the Ambassador rate had jumped about 100,000 XPF per night and I'm already splurging haha.)
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Old Aug 14, 2019, 4:33 pm
  #3687  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 786
Originally Posted by rdh0924
Yes, luckily! It's a mixed fare. Business class PPT-SFO, economy SFO-MSP. 70k miles. I have 1K status (for about four more months), so I had a small advantage.

We actually could've flown both SFO-PPT and PPT-SFO in business for the same saver rate, but the outbound would've been a week later and we couldn't have used the BOGO night cert for the Brando Suite. (Once I checked for a different weekend in the Brando, the Ambassador rate had jumped about 100,000 XPF per night and I'm already splurging haha.)
Wow - impressive. I don't have UA miles, so I'm at a huge disadvantage...I need them to release saver level for the general masses so I can book through Aeroplan, which I've only seen once. So my outbound is TN LAX-PPT and my return in on Latam via IPC to SCL, going to spend a few days SCL then home to YYZ on AC.
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Old Aug 20, 2019, 3:56 pm
  #3688  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 786
Originally Posted by IAlwaysCall
My 2 cents...

I just got back from FP and stayed at the St. Regis, IC Thalasso, IC Moorea, and saw the IC Le Moana. Of the IHG properties, the IC Thalasso was heads and shoulders above the other two. I can't speak for service, but the Le Moana looked tired and not anywhere near the same 5* quality of the Thalasso. The IC Moorea was nice though the Lanai rooms were just standard hotel rooms (if that's what you booked). What they really lacked was any quality customer service. I think you'll be less disappointed than me if you do the setup you're doing now (Tahiti, Moorea, Thalasso), as you don't know how good the Thalasso is. I know some people apparently like the Le Moana more, but I don't really see it. Regardless, you'll have a great trip.
How would you compare STR to Thalasso? Which room type did you have at each?
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Old Aug 20, 2019, 6:47 pm
  #3689  
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Programs: Marriott Titanium/LTP, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold, United Silver, Delta Silver
Posts: 53
Originally Posted by tylerc
How would you compare STR to Thalasso? Which room type did you have at each?
At the StR I had a reefside villa and a standard overwater villa. At the Thalasso I believe I had a Sapphire overwater. From a room perspective, while I had renovated rooms at the StR, the Thalasso's room was a design I liked more. It seemed a little more modern and nicer...I think the StR is trying to keep rooms similar to the way they looked in the movie Couples Retreat. From the room, you go snorkeling and even stand directly from the Thalasso owv whereas you couldn't really for the StR.

From a grounds perspective, I really liked the StR. I needed more time at the Thalasso (only had one night) but it seemed much smaller in terms of area and had fewer restaurant choices. The StR seemed much older, but they kept pretty good care of it. There was a lot to do (lagoonarium, Hobie cat, sharks, etc), and I liked the beach and pool more. That being said, the Thalasso was VERY nice, you just don't have the same scale that the StR had. The pool was nice and they had a little lagoon to snorkel in.

The service... No question the StR was better. Though I guess it should be expected with a butler, they were on top of everything. They arrived early every time we requested a pickup (the Thalasso was quite late the one time we requested - sample size) and they always remembered our names and what we were celebrating. Again, small sample size so I don't want to make it seem like the Thalasso was poor, the StR just seemed to be a step above.

All of that being said, I would go back to the Thalasso in a second. The food was delicious (again, only one meal), and the rooms were gorgeous. I liked the hotel a lot, but between the two, I'd have to pick the StR if I was offered both at the same price.

I apologize for my long winded response
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Old Aug 20, 2019, 7:39 pm
  #3690  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 786
Originally Posted by IAlwaysCall
At the StR I had a reefside villa and a standard overwater villa. At the Thalasso I believe I had a Sapphire overwater. From a room perspective, while I had renovated rooms at the StR, the Thalasso's room was a design I liked more. It seemed a little more modern and nicer...I think the StR is trying to keep rooms similar to the way they looked in the movie Couples Retreat. From the room, you go snorkeling and even stand directly from the Thalasso owv whereas you couldn't really for the StR.

From a grounds perspective, I really liked the StR. I needed more time at the Thalasso (only had one night) but it seemed much smaller in terms of area and had fewer restaurant choices. The StR seemed much older, but they kept pretty good care of it. There was a lot to do (lagoonarium, Hobie cat, sharks, etc), and I liked the beach and pool more. That being said, the Thalasso was VERY nice, you just don't have the same scale that the StR had. The pool was nice and they had a little lagoon to snorkel in.

The service... No question the StR was better. Though I guess it should be expected with a butler, they were on top of everything. They arrived early every time we requested a pickup (the Thalasso was quite late the one time we requested - sample size) and they always remembered our names and what we were celebrating. Again, small sample size so I don't want to make it seem like the Thalasso was poor, the StR just seemed to be a step above.

All of that being said, I would go back to the Thalasso in a second. The food was delicious (again, only one meal), and the rooms were gorgeous. I liked the hotel a lot, but between the two, I'd have to pick the StR if I was offered both at the same price.

I apologize for my long winded response

Thanks, definitely appreciate it! I've stayed at Thalasso, and am staying again this fall. I haven't been to STR, but am visiting this fall as well, so I was curious as to how you thought they compared. I'm booked in reef side villa at STR, and thinking that's what I want to keep. I'd prefer the pool to direct lagoon access I think.
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