Rollerboard

Can you please give me some tips for planning a honeymoon to Fiji and Bora Bora with Mr. Rollerboard in May/June/July 2016, using mostly points and miles? We are thinking of going to Fiji for a week of surfing, then spending a week in Bora Bora, including at least a night in one of those over the water bungalows.

After being on the road for years (and Mr. Rollerboard dealing with an absentee girlfriend/fiance/wife), here's what we're working with:
SPG PLAT 175,000 points
Marriott PLAT 850,000 points (but I know that won't help us much in the South Pacific)
America Express 225,000 points
AA EXP 1,100,000 miles
Hilton Lowly Blue now, but still have 49,000 points to spend

A few SPG specific questions:
1. Which of the 4 SPG hotels would you recommend in Fiji, especially if this is the adventure portion of our honeymoon (surfing, exploring, active adventures, etc.)
2. For Bora Bora, would you recommend Le Meridien Bora Bora vs. The St Regis Bora Bora Resort? We would like to spend at least a night in a over the water bungalow, but likely have to switch to other room types since I only have 175K points.
3. Any tips for using my Suite Night Awards? Or are they impossible at these locations?
4. What's the best way to research hotel / room type availability when our travel dates are so flexible? I've spent hours on the phone with the SPG Plat desk, but didn't get very far because our hotel, room type, and dates are too flexible.
5. What are the pros and cons of using SPG points vs. Amex points at these hotels?
6. Anything I should be aware of if I'm making reservations at the same hotel with both SPG points and Amex points?

Of course, if you have other tips for flights (over the ocean or local flights), activities, etc., please do share as well. Thanks in advance for your help!

spgplat21

1. I didn't end up going, but when I researching a similar trip I had pretty much settled on the Sheraton Villas. That said, none of the SPG properties seemed that great and that's why we ultimately chose to go elsewhere.

2. I would use your SPG points in Fiji or save them for another trip, points rates at both hotels in Bora Bora are terrible and you'd be much better off paying cash for the rooms. If you could move your trip up to February/March you could possibly take advantage of SPG's Paradise is Closer promotion and save 35% off the regular points rates, but otherwise this would probably be a bad use of points. As far as hotels, it seems like the St. Regis is the hands down winner in Bora Bora, but it's also quite a bit more expensive. So if you're looking to save some money, maybe do a few nights at the Le Meridien in a beach villa and then splurge on a few nights at the St. Regis in an overwater bungalow.

3. You can't use SNAs in Bora Bora because the hotels are all-suites, so I would see which hotel in Fiji has the best SNA upgrades.

4. I've always found that award flight availability is the difficult part of this type of trip so I would try to figure out some possible dates for flights and then look at hotels for those specific dates. Once you have the dates narrowed down, you can get as much information on the website as you can from the platinum desk (and much faster). Be sure to check other websites (kayak, etc.) to see if there are any best rate guarantee possibilities. I was able to save quite a bit on a Bora Bora stay after finding a lower rate on kayak.

5 &6. Never used Amex points for hotels, so I'm not much help here.

DCF

With respect, Bora Bora is the absolute undisputed number 1 worst place in the world to use Starpoints.

You can get an overwater bungalow at Le Meridien for roughly US$400 per night and at the St Regis for roughly US$700.

Or you can use 175,000 Starpoints that are worth roughly $3500 for the same one night.

The secret to Bora Bora is not to burn but to earn.

And how on earth are you going to get between Fiji and Tahiti? You can buy a very expensive Air New Zealand ticket (LAX-NAN-AKL-PPT-LAX) but that can't be bought with miles and you will need at least 1 night in New Zealand. Or you can use points on Air Calin (NAN-NOU-PPT) but only Delta or Flying Blue points - and that will only get you between Fiji and Tahiti.

Bora Bora is a million times more scenic and more romantic than Fiji, but it's expensive. Even the PPT-BOB-PPT flights on Air Tahiti are expensive.

If you can afford it, I'd suggest that you just bite the bullet and pay for your Bora Bora hotel. If you can afford it, go to the St Regis, if not take Le Meridien. And just think how many Starpoints you are earning! If you have to, reduce Bora Bora to 5 nights especially as you might need a night on Tahiti in one or both directions (in which case, stay at the InterContinental and do not even consider anywhere else).

DCF

First, you need to work out your flights. You won't be able to hold a coherent conversation with the Platinum desk until you do.

You're already in plenty trouble there. I think that you should be able to use AA points LAX-NAN on Fiji Airways and PPT-LAX on Air Tahiti Nui, but you're going to have to buy two separate one-way tickets on Air New Zealand NAN-AKL and AKL-PPT and stop a night in Auckland in between.

Don't forget that 14th July is the French national day celebration week in French Polynesia, and rates go up. Plus the ocean gets a bit cool in both Fiji and Bora Bora in July.

I'm not sure whether any of the Starwood properties in Fiji are at surfing venues. Denarau is just a mini-peninsula pretending to be an island and pretending to be a beach. Tokoriki might be better - it can hardly be worse.

Also for Fiji, remember that mid-June to mid-July is the Australian and New Zealand winter school holidays and rates go up and award availability plummets.

So I would consider:

LAX-NAN (award flight on Fiji Airways)
Sheraton Tokoriki 7 nights award
NAN-AKL (paid flight on Air NZ, don't book "Seat" if you have a bag!)
Auckland 1 night
AKL-PPT (paid on Air NZ as above)
1 night Tahiti Intercontinental if required, paid
Air Tahiti domestic flights PPT-BOB-PPT - can't use points
5 nights Bora Bora St Regis or Le Meridien, paid
PPT-LAX (award flight on Air Tahiti Nui)

terpzone

FWIW, i'm looking to book NY->NZ->Fiji->NY in Oct. for my own honeymoon.

Buying first/business class seats on Qantas (via AA) for 62.5-72.5k each en route to NZ-- flights should open up in the next week or two for that.

Will then buy cash fair to Fiji from NZ, and then hopefully a business class Fiji -> NY over the phone by finding availability on Alaska's website.

As for Fiji-- I chose it over Bora Bora simply because the prices in Bora Bora are absolutely ridiculous. I'm planning on grabbing one of these rooms for a measly $265/night: https://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefe...sId=1027604838

DCF

I haven't been to Tokoriki, but the bottom line is that Fiji isn't particularly nice.

Australians and New Zealanders who can't afford to go to Hawaii or Tahiti are 90% of the visitors.

Epicura

FYI: you can also book an AA award on FJ for AKL-NAN, no need for a payed fare as long as you book in advance.

And I don't agree that Fiji is not nice. Whem limiting hotel options to SPG, it will likely seem to be the case. I am at the Westin Fiji right now and I can only tell to avoid it (same for the neighbouring Sheraton). Luckily I am only here in transit before heading to Taveuni later today. Fiji is very nice as long as you are willing to pay the same rates for luxury resorts as in Tahiti. Which means you will have to stay away from SPG in Fiji. Unless you want a spa suite with a plunge pool for your honeymoon with 0 privacy, I am overlooking at least 3 plunge pools as we speak from my higher floor balcony .

DCF

I first stayed at the Westin Fiji in 1981, when it was the much higher-end Regent Of Fiji resort.

The problem, as you can see from your balcony, is that the sand on the "beach" is more like soil than sand and the water looks more like Boston Harbor than Bora Bora.

You're quite right - the special properties in Fiji are not branded to major chains and are as expensive as Bora Bora resorts.

Sky Traveler

Sadly, after the Cyclone Winston, Tokoriki is closed until November at the earliest. It got decimated.

SkiAdcock

Just noticed that Marriott is opening a property in April 2017 in Fiji, so another property to consider.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...-momi-bay.html

Cheers.