Le Meridien, Bora Bora [Master Thread]
Apr 11, 19, 2:30 pm
#166
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: EDI/GLA
Programs: DL 2 MM Unobtainum | UA 1.1MM Gold | MR Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 2,116
Originally Posted by mfan
I looked into this as well when I was booking my reward reservation last month. I found out from the resort that the main difference between the Classic and the other Overwater bungalows is access to the lagoon. The Classic does not have a staircase from the sundeck to the water, probably because it's in very shallow water. I have also read somewhere that the Classic doesn't have the see thru floor feature. However, the photo for the Classic at the Marriott website seemed to have one so that may not be correct. I didn't ask about this when I spoke to the resort because the minute they told me about the missing staircase, I lost all interest in the Classic. In any case, I had a long discussion with them and was able to swing an upgrade to a true overwater bungalow for minimum cost.
Apr 14, 19, 1:18 pm
#167
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 213
Originally Posted by MissVacation
I didnt stop there.two weeks before our departure when the hotel contacted me for the flight information and preferences, I checked the cash value of the beach bungalow and the overwater bungalow. The beach bungalow for the dates we will be staying was 65,003 xpf while the overwater lagoon bungalow is only 69,880 xpf. Thats the difference of 4,877 xpf (around $46) only. I nicely asked if they can lower the upgrade price because 25,000 xpf is a lot more than the difference in the cash price of the two rooms. I was so shocked to get a response that they will match the price difference cost of 4 877 xpf + 14% tax per night. OMG I saved almost $400 by just checking and asking! See persistent does pay off!
Apr 16, 19, 7:46 pm
#168
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 102
Originally Posted by GarudaSoars
Given upgrades are pre-paid, did they refund the difference or pass it as a credit on your hotel bill?
Apr 16, 19, 8:23 pm
#169
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 102
Part 2 of our Le Meridien stay trip reports and photos: Private Cruise the Beautiful Lagoon of Bora Bora ? Miss Vacation
Breakfast spread was okay (see the pics in my blog) but not as many Asian selections as I was hoping for. Get a table outside facing the mountain, the view made up for the food quality!
Part 3 where we had a half day at Le Meridien then transferred to the St. Regis: Le Meridien to St. Regis Bora Bora ? Miss Vacation
In summary, after stayed at the Le Meridien and St. Regis Bora Bora this trip (March 2019) and the Intercontinental Bora Bora Thalasso (Jan 2015):
Le Meridien - the best iconic Bora Bora - Mt. Otemanu views! You will see it at almost every single corner at the Le Meridien. Having breakfast and lunch looking at the view made up for its okay food quality. Modern overwater bungalows but small if you compared to the other two. Not sure if it's the same at other overwater bungalows, ours was shaky which almost made me sick due to I am prone to motion sickness. It wasn't like that at the Intercontinental or the St. Regis. Hotel grounds were kept nicely but you can explore and get all the postcard-perfect photos within a day or two as the resort is not that big compared to the St. Regis. Food selection was the worst, very limited, only two restaurants open for dinner. They don't even offer boat shuttle at night to go to the main island for dinner.
St. Regis - very limited views of the iconic Mt. Otemanu, only certain higher class premium overwater bungalows and at the Lagoon Restaurant. The other restaurants have no view. Breakfast/lunch only available at the Aparima Bar with the beach view. On the other hand, dinner has plenty of choices; our favorite was Bam Boo. There is a boat shuttle free during the day and a charge at night to go to the main island for dinner. We stayed only 2 nights so we had dinners at Bam Boo and Lagoon Restaurant; we didn't feel the need to go out. Plus, with 4 of us, the amount we'll be paying for the boat shuttle doesn't make sense; we could use that extra money to order more food. The food at both Bam Boo and Lagoon Restaurant are top quality so at least we don't feel like we got ripped off with the $$$$ price. This was also our 2nd time in Bora Bora so we had been to restaurants at the main island like Bloody Mary's. Superb service overall, the Butler team was professional and they went beyond to fulfill whatever we asked for...such as saber a champagne! Our deluxe overwater bungalow was huge and comfortable, my least favorite is the bathroom which looked a little bit wasting space and not luxurious. Hotel grounds were kept in great shape considering the size of the resort; that is why bikes are provided for free, you'll need that. Take advantage of their free sunscreens and aloe gel at the beach/activity hut, those smelled so good and easy to absorb! Note: still working on the trip reports and photos....
Intercontinental Bora Bora Thalasso - 2nd to the best Mt. Otemanu views. The overwater bungalows are just a little bit smaller than the St. Regis but I like their bathroom better. Hotel grounds were beautiful, many different photo ops throughout the resort with the beautiful Mt. Otemanu views. Food quality was just okay so I rather pay the extra boat shuttle fee to go out to the main island for dinner. The arranged pickups at their sister property Le Moana went smoothly so no worry about not making the last boat back to the resort. Service was excellent from check-in to checkout, especially loved their goodbye ceremony.
To balance luxury and the view, I would pick Intercontinental Bora Bora Thalasso, good luck with getting a room with points though! I was glad I visited back on 2015 where I easily got 4 nights on points just a few months prior to the trip. Note: all the properties don't feel crowded at all, we rarely came across other guests except for breakfast/lunch/dinner. We were quite surprised and always wondered where were all other guests since the occupancy rate while we were there were at around 80%+!
Breakfast spread was okay (see the pics in my blog) but not as many Asian selections as I was hoping for. Get a table outside facing the mountain, the view made up for the food quality!
Part 3 where we had a half day at Le Meridien then transferred to the St. Regis: Le Meridien to St. Regis Bora Bora ? Miss Vacation
In summary, after stayed at the Le Meridien and St. Regis Bora Bora this trip (March 2019) and the Intercontinental Bora Bora Thalasso (Jan 2015):
Le Meridien - the best iconic Bora Bora - Mt. Otemanu views! You will see it at almost every single corner at the Le Meridien. Having breakfast and lunch looking at the view made up for its okay food quality. Modern overwater bungalows but small if you compared to the other two. Not sure if it's the same at other overwater bungalows, ours was shaky which almost made me sick due to I am prone to motion sickness. It wasn't like that at the Intercontinental or the St. Regis. Hotel grounds were kept nicely but you can explore and get all the postcard-perfect photos within a day or two as the resort is not that big compared to the St. Regis. Food selection was the worst, very limited, only two restaurants open for dinner. They don't even offer boat shuttle at night to go to the main island for dinner.
St. Regis - very limited views of the iconic Mt. Otemanu, only certain higher class premium overwater bungalows and at the Lagoon Restaurant. The other restaurants have no view. Breakfast/lunch only available at the Aparima Bar with the beach view. On the other hand, dinner has plenty of choices; our favorite was Bam Boo. There is a boat shuttle free during the day and a charge at night to go to the main island for dinner. We stayed only 2 nights so we had dinners at Bam Boo and Lagoon Restaurant; we didn't feel the need to go out. Plus, with 4 of us, the amount we'll be paying for the boat shuttle doesn't make sense; we could use that extra money to order more food. The food at both Bam Boo and Lagoon Restaurant are top quality so at least we don't feel like we got ripped off with the $$$$ price. This was also our 2nd time in Bora Bora so we had been to restaurants at the main island like Bloody Mary's. Superb service overall, the Butler team was professional and they went beyond to fulfill whatever we asked for...such as saber a champagne! Our deluxe overwater bungalow was huge and comfortable, my least favorite is the bathroom which looked a little bit wasting space and not luxurious. Hotel grounds were kept in great shape considering the size of the resort; that is why bikes are provided for free, you'll need that. Take advantage of their free sunscreens and aloe gel at the beach/activity hut, those smelled so good and easy to absorb! Note: still working on the trip reports and photos....
Intercontinental Bora Bora Thalasso - 2nd to the best Mt. Otemanu views. The overwater bungalows are just a little bit smaller than the St. Regis but I like their bathroom better. Hotel grounds were beautiful, many different photo ops throughout the resort with the beautiful Mt. Otemanu views. Food quality was just okay so I rather pay the extra boat shuttle fee to go out to the main island for dinner. The arranged pickups at their sister property Le Moana went smoothly so no worry about not making the last boat back to the resort. Service was excellent from check-in to checkout, especially loved their goodbye ceremony.
To balance luxury and the view, I would pick Intercontinental Bora Bora Thalasso, good luck with getting a room with points though! I was glad I visited back on 2015 where I easily got 4 nights on points just a few months prior to the trip. Note: all the properties don't feel crowded at all, we rarely came across other guests except for breakfast/lunch/dinner. We were quite surprised and always wondered where were all other guests since the occupancy rate while we were there were at around 80%+!
Apr 21, 19, 2:03 am
#170
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 8
MissVacation, thanks for your comparison review of these 3 properties! Your vacation photos are beautiful. We were considering all 3 at one point, but ended up deciding on Le Meridian because we were able to book 5 nights using Marriott points, and they were kind enough to give us a free upgrade to an Otemanu View bungalow. Our visit will be in October 2019. Hopefully, our bungalow won't vibrate like yours did. We're very glad to hear the Otemanu view from Le Meridian will be very good!
By the way, did you have any problems with mosquitoes and/or other biting insects while at Le Meridian? My wife is wondering how prepared we need to be. Also, were there many fishes to see under the bungalows? Thanks!
By the way, did you have any problems with mosquitoes and/or other biting insects while at Le Meridian? My wife is wondering how prepared we need to be. Also, were there many fishes to see under the bungalows? Thanks!
Last edited by mfan; Apr 22, 19 at 2:16 am
Apr 28, 19, 6:56 pm
#171
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 102
You definitely need a good insect repellent at night! I found that the ones in the US aren't that effective there so I went to a pharmacy in Bora Bora town on our first trip, it's called Moustidose, a French brand. That became my favorite insect repellent, it doesn't contain DEET so it doesn't sting your skin or clothes. It's like a lotion, absorbs very smoothly and leaves a good smell!
Don't expect many fishes under the overwater bungalows because not much coral there and the water is quite deep and strong current. You'll love the views!
Don't expect many fishes under the overwater bungalows because not much coral there and the water is quite deep and strong current. You'll love the views!
Apr 29, 19, 1:01 am
#172
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: EDI/GLA
Programs: DL 2 MM Unobtainum | UA 1.1MM Gold | MR Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 2,116
Originally Posted by MissVacation
You definitely need a good insect repellent at night! I found that the ones in the US aren't that effective there so I went to a pharmacy in Bora Bora town on our first trip, it's called Moustidose, a French brand. That became my favorite insect repellent, it doesn't contain DEET so it doesn't sting your skin or clothes. It's like a lotion, absorbs very smoothly and leaves a good smell!
Don't expect many fishes under the overwater bungalows because not much coral there and the water is quite deep and strong current. You'll love the views!
Don't expect many fishes under the overwater bungalows because not much coral there and the water is quite deep and strong current. You'll love the views!
Apr 29, 19, 1:43 am
#173
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 8
Originally Posted by MissVacation
You definitely need a good insect repellent at night! I found that the ones in the US aren't that effective there so I went to a pharmacy in Bora Bora town on our first trip, it's called Moustidose, a French brand. That became my favorite insect repellent, it doesn't contain DEET so it doesn't sting your skin or clothes. It's like a lotion, absorbs very smoothly and leaves a good smell!
Don't expect many fishes under the overwater bungalows because not much coral there and the water is quite deep and strong current. You'll love the views!
Don't expect many fishes under the overwater bungalows because not much coral there and the water is quite deep and strong current. You'll love the views!
Apr 29, 19, 3:53 am
#174
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Diamond, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 7,760
There's currently a dengue outbreak in Tahiti, which isn't ideal. I'm not sure if it's in Bora Bora as well, but 2019 seems like a bad year for it. I've been in Nauru and Tuvalu in the last month and I've similarly received dengue outbreak notices from the WHO there. I'm currently sat in the Hilton Moorea next to some muddy pools of water which the hotel doesn't seem to be doing anything about.
May 1, 19, 4:23 pm
#176
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 102
Originally Posted by mfan
Thanks! Now you have us worried. Do we need to apply insect repellent even while we're in the bungalow, or only when we're outside / while dining?
May 1, 19, 4:28 pm
#177
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 102
Originally Posted by EuropeanPete
There's currently a dengue outbreak in Tahiti, which isn't ideal. I'm not sure if it's in Bora Bora as well, but 2019 seems like a bad year for it. I've been in Nauru and Tuvalu in the last month and I've similarly received dengue outbreak notices from the WHO there. I'm currently sat in the Hilton Moorea next to some muddy pools of water which the hotel doesn't seem to be doing anything about.
May 1, 19, 6:03 pm
#178
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: EDI/GLA
Programs: DL 2 MM Unobtainum | UA 1.1MM Gold | MR Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 2,116
Originally Posted by MissVacation
I hardly check my PM so just responded, sorry for the delay!
Cheers!
Jul 18, 19, 2:43 pm
#179
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Sydney
Programs: AA Exp, UA PP, IC Diamond, HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Centurion
Posts: 477
I just saw they have rooms for 13300 XPF/night in July. That seems incredibly cheap for Bora Bora, but I haven't monitored prices at this hotel in the past.
Jul 26, 19, 12:54 am
#180
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 8
Originally Posted by DUflyer
I just saw they have rooms for 13300 XPF/night in July. That seems incredibly cheap for Bora Bora, but I haven't monitored prices at this hotel in the past.
The lowest I have ever seen is about 3x that amount and that's for the "Classic" bungalows, which do not have direct access to the lagoon and may not be over water. I'm not sure, but I don't think they have the see thru floor panel either.I was monitoring the prices for a while before I booked ours using Marriott Bonvoy points.
