A lot can happen between now and November but I did see that Tahiti was an option for Americans to travel to/from now.

Any update on the re-model?

Looking to book for next Summer and they have no rooms available through June 2022. Any idea is this hotel will actually open again?

TD

Currently staying at St Regis bora bora and passed by Le meridian. They are still building some new over water villa and it doesn’t look like it will be done anytime soon.

Saw this on the website…..

Le Méridien Bora Bora is temporarily closed for renovation. We look forward to welcoming you back in the fourth quarter of 2022 for a fully enhanced experience. In the meantime please contact +1 (888) 236-2427 for reservations. Le Méridien Bora Bora connects you with the islands of French Polynesia. Take in the silhouette of Mount Otemanu from the hotel beach. Find a nearby turtle sanctuary and ecological center, offering a firsthand look at the rehabilitation process. Dive the coast for glimpses of exotic marine life or enjoy an island tour by jeep. Return to the hotel for fresh seafood inspired by international flavors, where savory cuisine and signature cocktails complement the tropical backdrop. Energize at the wellness center and fitness center before you arrive at your overwater bungalow or private beach villa. The bungalows feature glass-bottom floors with exhilarating views of the lagoon while the luxury villas expand your living space.

Currently staying at the Thalasso on an award stay. I have a nice view of the construction.

Was kind of surprised to see Q4 of 2022 for the opening. Must be a crazy upgrade/refurbishment. Will be curious to see what brand/name it re-opens with? Any island rumors?

TD

When I was in Bora Bora in August of 2020 they didn’t discuss rebranding or anything. It should return as a Le Meridien with exterior facelift and renovations inside the overwater bungalows. It looked like they really needed it from an exterior standpoint.

Posting this from FleyeSkyHigh’s post at the Conrad Bora Bora thread:

“There are limited construction resources available in and around the motus right now and it's all hands on deck for the what is happening at the former Le Meridien. I visited what's going on there last week and it's quite a project. Everything was totally gutted, large number of new huge villas being added and all most structural pilings are being replaced/augmented to accommodate pools and other aquatic vessels. The decks are all being raised almost a meter and the circular staircases are all gone. All the land based buildings are gutted as well. Major main pool reconfiguration and renovation. New large structures on land also being built. The project there is the largest the islands have seen in many years and is consuming practically all available crews. In addition, the Pearl is wrapping up their multi year construction and those resources are committed to the former Le Meridien already. Suffice to say the former Le Meridien will not be reopening as a Le Meridien but something much more higher end and up market. I will share some more info on that and speculation as time allows in the Le Meridien Bora Bora thread.”

Major work, as expected, but a bold statement that Le Méridien isn’t returning to the project. Everything I’ve seen in local press indicates that Le Méridien is coming back, and the hotel has been emblematic for LM part of the Bora Bora hotel landscape for decades so it’d be a shame to lose the outpost.

khabah

It’s somewhat hearsay to say that LM isn’t returning when the property ownership and local media are saying it is.

I can’t imagine what it would speculatively be besides perhaps a Ritz Carlton? There is nothing higher end than a St. Regis and that already exists in Bora Bora.

In looking at the pictures of the LM before they closed, seems they were a little behind the times in what is now considered “standard” for a Bora Bora/Maldives resort. But for that matter so is the St Regis. With all the work going on it would seem the product they are designing will be more upscale then what the St Regis offer now. I agree that it is too early to speculate on what brand this will re-open with, but would be odd to re-open as a LM with the outdated St Regis next door.

Seems it would make sense, as you mentioned to open as a Ritz. There is also a rumor that the Conrad upgrades are in preparation to re-brand as a Waldorf. So Marriott may feel the need to keep up.

TD

I haven't heard any rumors. It does look like the preexisting bungalows are staying the same size so I can't see it becoming something like a Ritz Carlton but perhaps something like the W?

This is one of my favorite properties, so I’ve been sleuthing this pretty hard. The property owners are also trying to re-open the Hilton property on Tahiti. As such, they had to file legal briefs outlining all of their FP holdings, any intent to change brands, and perform a competitive analysis for review by the government. This was done in Nov of 2020. There was no mention of this property changing brands.

Based on the drawings of Le Meridien Maldives opening in Sept, my guess is that the property is trying to take the property to modern LM standards.

On another forum I read (Facebook based), there was commentary from what seemed like an insider that this property would no longer accept points redemptions after the reno. Has anyone ever heard of Marriott properties moving that way?

Would early September 2022 be unlikely based on this news?

With how the World is going I would bet in Q1 2023 as a more likely scenario.

TD

If it doesn’t come back as a LM, seems W is a great fit with casual brand standards and a premium focus.