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Thatched roof bungalows stretched like a string of pearls over turquoise waters on the motu around Bora Bora, A stay here is the epitome of a romantic retreat. But, these stays often come with a hefty price tag. On a two-month trip to French Polynesia, my friend and I were craving a classic Bora Bora overwater bungalow experience. Here’s a personal review of Four Seasons Bora Bora and tips for making the most of your stay.
Book your stay at Four Seasons Bora Bora
Bora Bora Resort Review: Four Seasons Bora Bora
Essential Information
If you’re looking for the ultra-luxurious overwater bungalow experience in Bora Bora, you’ll find it at the Four Seasons Bora Bora. The resort is situated on a motu facing the main island’s iconic Mount Otemanu. When you arrive at Bora Bora Airport, you’ll be picked up in a private boat and taken to the Four Seasons property. The light blue water, seemingly found nowhere else in the world, is bound to be the first thing you notice.
Once you check in, you’ll be sped around in a golf cart on a property tour to the activity center, ice cream stand, boutique, and pier of overwater bungalows. Villas and bungalows are spread throughout well-kept gardens. The property has a spa, multiple restaurants, pool with private cabanas, sugar sand beaches, and lagoon areas.
Dropped off at your room, you might notice that the rooms are modern without having that sterile chain hotel feeling. Maybe it’s the large windows looking out to the lagoon, but there’s a clear feeling of being in the South Pacific.
Best for: Honeymooners, couples, girls’ getaway. Families will also be happy (though they’re less common here than at other resorts).
Category: Luxury.
Beach: The resort is set over a white-sand lagoon. There’s a small white sand beach next to the bungalows, facing Bora Bora’s main island.
Location: Motu Piti A’au, Bora Bora; a 20-minute boat ride from Vaitape and a 15-minute boat ride from Bora Bora Airport.
How to book: Agoda offers a best price guarantee.
| Pros | Cons |
| Overwater bungalows are spacious and modern. | High price point. |
| Large resort with plenty of activities to do, great dining and drinking venues. | Some overwater bungalows lack privacy. |
| Incredible views of Mount Otemanu. | Active travelers might find the private island quite insulated. |
| The classic Bora Bora experience. |
What to pack for your trip to Bora Bora
For a video tour of our stay, watch the video above!
Resort Amenities and Activities
Pools: Four Seasons Bora Bora has a beachside infinity pool surrounded by lounge chairs and private cabanas (first come, first serve). A cafe, white sand beach, and grassy area are steps away.
Spa: Te Mahana Spa onsite offers body scrubs, facials, wraps, manis and pedis, waxing, plus hair treatments. Book your massage at the overwater spa suite.
Fitness Center: There’s a clean and well-equipped fitness center onsite with treadmills, ellipticals, weight sets, and lockers.
Kids club: Four Seasons Bora Bora is family-friendly and offers kids activities for ages 5 to 12. Some highlights are a discover scuba dive, outdoor playground, video game room, food tastings, snorkeling trips, arts and crafts, and beach sports.
Activities: Access to fitness center, snorkeling equipment, kayaks, standup paddleboards, volleyball court, badmitton court, tennis court.
Rooms
There are multiple room and villa options available to choose from at the Four Seasons Bora Bora, making it one of the most versatile places to stay in Bora Bora no matter if you’ve come as a couple or with a group.
On the beachfront, Four Seasons Bora Bora hosts the Beachfront Villa Estates, which are targeted to groups and families seeking privacy and their own stretch of sand away from the other guests. These range from one to three bedrooms. Some have their own kitchen and outdoor plunge pool.
What most travelers, like us, come to the Four Seasons Bora Bora for are the overwater bungalows. These range in size, from one to two bedrooms. Some have plunge pools on their deck while others do not. The price between these bungalows is pretty steep. With such a clear and tranquil ocean nearby, I don’t think getting an overwater bungalow with a pool is worth the extra cost.
We stayed in an Overwater Bungalow Suite facing the lagoon. Walking in, you’re greeted with a large lounge room. A bathroom separates the bedroom and lounge area, with a large bathtub perched next to louvre shuttered windows. Ours had two queen beds and one sofa bed, and they’re slated to sleep three adults or two adults and two children.
Out of all the rooms, I think the Mountain-View Overwater Bungalows are best. Situated at the end of the overwater bungalow pier, these rooms have the most privacy and the best views of Mount Otemanu. You’ll be a little further away from property highlights, like the restaurants, beach, and pool. But, such a large element of booking an overwater bungalow is actually spending time in it. If you have limited mobility, you could also call the front desk to arrange pick-ups and drop-offs to your bungalow.
Best room for families: The one-bedroom bungalows have a sofa bed, and can sleep four easily. Check out the two-bedroom overwater bungalow or the beachfront villas.
Best room for novelty: Overwater bure with plunge pool.
Best room for couples: Overwater bure with mountain views.
Bars and Restaurants
Because Four Seasons Bora Bora is on a motu off the main island of Bora Bora, you’ll be having most, if not all, of your meals at the property.
Breakfast is served at the Tere Nui restaurant, where there’s an array of buffet items (croissants, cereals, juices, breads) and a la carte options like waffles, eggs, pancakes, etc. In the afternoons, this is a seafood restaurant. On Mondays the restaurant hosts a cultural performance.
Vaimiti is a semi-overwater restaurant serving Asian cuisine, and Arii Moana is the most casual of the late-night options centered largely around Mediterranean fare. When we were there, they had many vegan dishes as well on their specials menu.
For lunch, head to the Fare Hoa Beach Bar and Grill for smoked seafood, meats, and vegetables. It’s also the place to grab cocktails.
If you want to stick to your bungalow, there are plenty of in-room dining options as well.
We probably don’t have to mention how expensive dining at these restaurants are, do we? Since there is nowhere else to eat, you’re quite captive to the property’s offerings, and prices reflect this.
Four Seasons Bora Bora: Personal Experience
My friend and I received a media rate for staying at the resort, but despite this, it still is the most expensive hotel stay I’ve ever paid for.
Arriving in Bora Bora is a feeling in itself you just can’t replicate. Yes, there are islands with similar beauty and allure, but there’s something about Bora Bora that has its own pull. The baby blue waters, the silhouette of Mount Otemanu, the experience of being someplace new with one of my best friends, I knew this would be a memorable stay.
Our host greeted us with shell necklaces, and escorted us to the private boat. We shared the boat with one other American couple.
I couldn’t hold in my hunger any longer and decided to wolf down a sandwhich I’d bought at the airport during the boat ride. Big mistake! The other guests on the boat kept talking to me, conveniently asking questions when my mouth was full. Crumbs spilled all over myself, and I had to turn towards the sea to scarf down the rest of the baguette in peace. Maybe I’m just not cut out for the luxury life after all?
As soon as we arrived at the resort, it was show time. All of our cameras came out, and we made use of just about every inch of the property as our personal photo backdrops. Was it a little embarrassing? Yes. Was it still worth doing? Also yes. This is the youngest I’ll ever be, and who knows when I’ll be back in Bora Bora… we threw on our bikinis and jumped from out balcony into the ocean again and again.
With hundreds of pictures taken, our memory cards and patience exhausted, it was finally time to relax. We rotated between our deck, the beach, the pool bar, and the tiny white sand islet off the bungalows. In the evening, we went out for dinner at the beach restaurant.
“I like your flower crown,” my friend said to one of the staff members wearing a bougainvillea crown.
A few minutes later, the staff came by and placed the flower crown on my friend’s head.
It ended up being both a blessing and a curse, as it ignited a new energy to take pictures with the crown, who nicknamed “The Precious” and looked after as if it were our own child.
The next morning, we went scuba diving with Topdive to Arue dive site, where humungous manta rays twirled overhead. Our second dive took place near the reef pass, a hub for black tip reef sharks, gray sharks, lemon sharks, stingrays, scorpionfish, and reef fish.
Back at the resort, we spent the rest of the day swimming, exporing the property with The Precious, and grabbing drinks at the stilted restaurant. Wrapped in our pareau, we felt like we were living our dreams of becoming Hinano girls.
While yes, the overwater bungalows cost a pretty penny, if it’s something you’ve been dreaming and saving up for, I recommend doing it. You don’t have to spend your entire stay at the Four Seasons Bora Bora (or any other luxury resort). If you’re on a budget, spend two nights here and the rest of your stay on Bora Bora’s main island, where you can take advantage of cheaper accommodation and land tours. Slot your fancy stay towards the end of your trip to end on a high. Lifestyle inflation is real!
How to get to the Four Seasons Bora Bora
Four Seasons Bora Bora is on a motu off Bora Bora’s main island. From Papeete, there are 50 minute nonstop flights with Air Tahiti. Otherwise, you can take a ferry (9 hours) which stops in Vaitape. Four Seasons Bora Bora picks up guests from the ferry wharf in Vaitape or the Bora Bora Airport.
Similar Hotels to Four Seasons Bora Bora
If you’re looking for overwater bures and romantic vibes:
- St Regis Bora Bora
- Conrad Bora Bora Nui
- Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort (Moorea)
- Le Taha’a by Pearl Resorts (Taha’a)
- InterContinental Bora Bora & Thalasso Spa
Tahiti Travel Essentials and Resources
- What to pack for your trip to Tahiti
- 14-day Islands of Tahiti itinerary
- Choosing the best Tahiti travel insurance
Leave your review, questions, or travel tips for Four Seasons Bora Bora in the comments below.
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