Among our adventures at Tahiti Travel Mart, we were lucky enough to spend a night at the St Regis in Bora Bora. And boy was it stunning.
Room: 10/10
It would be very hard to fault the over-water bungalows at the decadent St Regis in Bora Bora. When you’re greeted with a bowl of fruit, a selection of macarons and a bottle of champagne, things are looking good.
The room, or rooms I should say, were outstanding. Walking into the front entrance to the left was the gigantic bedroom complete with a bed that swallowed you with comfort, a big flat screen TV and doors to the massive deck outside. Just in front was the lounge room bit.
The bathroom was enormous. There was a separate toilet and two sinks, as well as a delectable deep bath and an open-plan type shower.
Towels galore were accessible around the place, meaning I didn’t ever actually have to use a wet towel once. Besides the standard shampoo, conditioner, body wash etc you normally get with hotels, two types of bath salts were on display next to the bath, as well as a loufer and moisturising lotion.
The lounge room area had a couch packed with spongy pillows, another TV and a mini-bar, and more doors to the outside deck.
The outside deck area was the biggest we had seen on the Tahiti Travel Mart trip, with lounge chairs, undercover seating area and a ladder into the ocean.
The two things I would note, a few of us on the Travel Mart trip had a bit of an issue figuring out where all the light switches are. While there are plenty around the place, there didn’t appear to be a main central one which switched everything off. However, a bit of playing around and I was eventually in darkness for the night.
Secondly, and this seems to be a recurring thing in French Polynesia, there was no milk, or mini milks, within the fridge – however tea and coffee were both offered.
By the by, two miniscule things which overall didn’t impact the magnificent room much.
Facilities: 10/10
The money shot was at the St Regis Spa. Set on its own island, the spa engages with the indulgent skincare brand Clarins, and since introducing the line, has reportedly surged in popularity.
The over-water lagoon restaurant meant guests could watch the fish and sharks swim below through the glass floors. And the outside eating section of the restaurant looked over the lagoon, which at night time was partially lit up to create a stunning ambiance.
The resort includes the usual facilities such as various activities, a gym, pool, etc, however of difference was the swim-up bar which we had not seen at other hotels in Bora Bora.
The resort was also big on the romance factor, offering a romance concierge who could organise a plethora of romantic events and situations, as well as proposals. And there was a Bridal Boutique at the resort as well due to the large amount of couples who get married there.
Service: 10/10
The resort had a butler service, need we say more? One of the attendees on the Travel Mart even got her bag packed by the butler service, and the service also offers an in-person wake-up call complete with either fresh coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Sure beats an alarm.
However, before you start thinking of a man in a penguin suit standing in the corner, it was a service where you would ring and ask for whatever you desired, so there wasn’t a single person who was always around.
Our check-in and check-out was very quick and efficient, as was the pick-ups in golf carts to travel around the resort, and service at the over-water lagoon restaurant was very intimate and fancy.
Value for Money: 10/10
If utter indulgence and relaxation is what you’re after, this is definitely one of the places to splash a little cash. You could see why it was easily a five-star resort many celebrities have chosen to visit. If it’s good enough for Justin Bieber, it’s good enough for us.
