Description
Hotel Bora Bora on the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora originally opened in 1961 at pristine Point Raititi. It was acquired by Amanresorts in 1989 and features overwater bungalows, diving and cruising. Note: Hotel Bora Bora is closing for 2 years as of Oct 1, 2008. Check out our slide show from our recent visit.
Accommodations
Hotel Bora Bora’s 54 Polynesian-style bungalows and farés (the Tahitian term for home) are linked to the resort’s public areas by walkways. These individual air-conditioned accommodations enjoy a variety of settings, from garden view and beachfront to overwater locations.
Whether bungalows or farés, the rooms at Hotel Bora Bora take on the eclectic taste of an old trader’s house – rattan and bamboo, Tasmanian oak floors, red-cedar walls, ceilings of pandanus lashed to beams of Douglas fir, cast-iron tubs, overhead fans, CD players and personal safes. Interiors also include a collection of Polynesian craft, from canoe paddles to fish-hooks.
Bungalows: These are located on the palm-lined beachfront. Aside from a spacious bedroom and bathroom, they come with a sitting area that leads to a small patio facing the lagoon. Some of these have an elevated sundeck built on columns with steps leading to the beach.
Overwater Bungalows: Hotel Bora Bora’s 15 overwater bungalows are just that – thatched-roof, tropical-island retreats set directly over the blue lagoon. The water surrounding these bungalows is abundant in coral and marine life. Each Overwater Bungalow features a bedroom with a king-size, four-poster bed, a spacious bathroom and a two-tiered sundeck shaded by a roof of hand-tied pandanus. There is also a shower at water level alongside steps leading into the lagoon.
Pool Farés: The thatched farés are set amidst tropical gardens, with short pathways leading to the lagoon. Enclosed by lava stone walls, these farés come with a private swimming pool and an outdoor sundeck area.
Beach Farés: These are located in prime beach areas. All come with a living room, a bedroom with a king-size, four-poster bed, an en suite sitting room, a bathroom and a large sundeck. Each Beach Faré covers an area of 117sq m (1,260 sq ft). These are the most spacious and private accommodations on Bora Bora.
Dining
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at the Matira Terrace Restaurant which overlooks the lagoon. At the breezy Matira Terrace Bar, tables are built from monkey-pod trees while the roof is of pandanus thatching. A light menu and tropical refreshments are available here as well as afternoon tea.
Activities
Local musicians entertain nightly at the Matira Terrace Bar. There is also Polynesian cultural entertainment at Hotel Bora Bora's weekly beach barbecue. Another weekly feature is traditional island singing and dancing, with sunset cocktails and canapés at the Pofai Beach Bar.
Guests may enjoy a massage in the privacy of their bungalow or faré or in the Faré Tarumi (massage room).
Jet Skiing: From Matira point, beyond the hotel, a guide will accompany guests on jet-skis around the island, exploring parts of the lagoon not easily accessible by boat.
Aqua Safari: For non-divers, the Aqua Safari is a unique way to experience the undersea world. Guests can walk through schools of multi-hued fish to a depth of 10 metres into the crystal-clear lagoon, wearing a special oxygen-fed helmet.
Beach Picnics: Guests cruise the lagoon, stopping for snorkelling and beachcombing. There's time to walk a section of the 40-kilometre barrier reef, only a few metres away from the big waves of the South Pacific. Lunch is served picnic-style on a deserted motu (islet).
Polynesian Tour: Aboard a motorized outrigger canoe, an English-speaking Tahitian guide provides an informative tour of Hotel Bora Bora's lagoon and the history of the island.
Island Exploring: Guests may want to take a four-wheel drive safari into the mountains. The expedition includes a visit to the cannons left behind after World War II, as well as a ride to an ancestral plantation.
Circle Island Tours: Travel round the island while an English-speaking guide points out historical highlights as well as insights into everyday life. The excursion can be done using a van or a private car with driver. Bora Bora may be toured by bicycle as well.
Vaitape Village: The island's main village, Vaitape, is set at the foot of Mount Pahia. There is just one main road around the island, and it goes through Vaitape, past assorted churches whose bells peal loudly on Sundays.
Helicopter Tours: Bora Bora's peaks and barrier reef can be viewed from the air. This is also a good way to visit some of the neighbouring islands.
Horseback Riding: Ride along the lagoon's edge or explore an islet on horseback.
Parasailing: A powerboat carries guests high above the blue lagoon allowing them to soar among low clouds and the sea birds.
Shopping: Bora Bora has a variety of clothing and craft shops. The island's colourful cotton pareus are popular, and the black pearls of Polynesia are world famous. There's art, too, as a number of painters, sculptors and photographers call Bora Bora home.
Sailing: Hotel Bora Bora offers half-day or full-day sailing excursions to neighbouring islands in the Leeward group aboard a 15-metre sport-fishing catamaran. Sea-going charters of up to three days are available, as are regular sunset cruises. Guests may also take the newly restored pirogues ŕ voile (Tahitian sailing canoes) out into the lagoon. These classic outriggers are made from hollowed-out tree trunks.
Fishing: Fishing is a popular pastime, both within the lagoon and out in deeper blue water. Close to home, guests could troll for blue and silver trevally using light tackle or try their hand at saltwater fly-fishing. Deep sea hauls can range from tuna and wahoo to marlin and mahimahi.
Scuba
Some of the island's best snorkelling is just a few steps into the encircling lagoon and the resort's three beaches offer a continuous parade of tropical fish.
Scuba diving, with full equipment and lessons, is available for both beginners and certified divers. A number of dive sites are easily accessible within the lagoon and beyond the barrier reef.
Awards
- 2006 Conde Nast Traveller's Gold List: One of the World's Top Ten Hotels for Location
- 2006 Conde Nast Traveller Awards: No. 3 rated Hotel in the Australasia & Pacific Region
- 2006 Travel + Leisure's World's Best List: One of the Top Ten Hotels in Australia, New Zealand & Pacific
Video
Click the links below to view our video clips from Hotel Bora Bora:
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