The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

Stayed the week of April 8-14. We have stayed at many 5 star resorts but the St. Regis is something you have to experience at least once in a lifetime. This being our second trip to the St. Regis couldn’t have imagined it would be better than our first but it was. This trip was absolutely incredible, from being upgraded to the royal suite to the service we received from the amazing staff. Our hostess Chloe was an absolute super star, she took care of everything we needed without any delay. The pool guys worked hard to make our days so relaxing at the beach, Incredible hustle. The servers and bartenders knew our favorite drink after first day, the pornstar martini, lol. The food at all restaurants was 5 star caliber, as was the service. We visited the spa for a couples massage after a long trip from Pittsburgh, Pa, which was well needed . I could not ask for a better experience. We were welcomed like family from check in and didn’t stop till check out, which we were honored with a late check out! Thank you St. Regis and staff for making our 32nd anniversary so memorable!! We will definitely be back, thank you again!

That was our second trip to French Polynesia organized by Claudia at Pacific for Less. We went there to celebrate our wedding with our small group of family & friends. First of all, organizing the long distance wedding went seamless for us thanks to the event planners of the resort Maria then Pauline. When Maria left, Pauline took over already knowing everything that we had discussed before. When we finally arrived at the hotel, Pauline (so sweet) was there to great us as well as the butler Jenna. Everyone was so attentive and nice. We had a lagoon view OTW bungalow 303 at first; the room was huge, even though it probably needed some plumbing renovation. I loved taking my morning coffee on the balcony; so calm. We had a private dinner at the Lagoon restaurant and the food was gourmet, delicious and very beautifully presented and the service was exceptional. The wedding ceremony at the spa was magical. The make up and hair artist did a great job doing a simple but beautiful hair & makeup. Our daughter was the flower girl. The officiant was funny and made us laugh. The only thing was that it was very hot; but again we are in Bora Bora and it’s either sun or rain! Then we had dinner and the menu that was also coordinated with the chef was delicious including our beautiful wedding cake. Throughout the whole few days that we were there, Pauline was reachable via text to ask any question regarding the logistics of the event for our group. And she was there during the ceremony to coordinate the walking down the aisle part. Overall the hotel, staff and food were great.

Our stay at the St Regis was exquisite. We didn’t want to leave. Our overwater bungalow was well furnished—even down to having bicycles for use around the property. (Although you can call for a golf cart ride if you prefer) We had a resident sea turtle under our bungalow which made frequent appearances in the window in the floor. The bed was ultra comfortable and the air-conditioner worked amazingly. The food was overpriced, but there were a few different options to choose from on site. Once you are there, you are pretty much there, so be prepared. Staff was friendly.

Well, once you adjust to the screen saver water, surroundings and atmosphere, you can pay attention to the actual resort. If you are e-reading this you know that BoraBora generally, and the St Regis particularly, is not inexpensive. resort. We stayed in a Deluxe 1 bedroom over water villa with Mt Otemanu view. It was worth every penny. Arrival at the airport was super easy, a hotel rep met us, grabbed our bags, offered us a cold drink and ushered us onto the boat taking us to the resort. The 20 minute boat ride in and of itself was like a grant venture, the color of the water, the mountains. Awesome. Upon arrival more pampering with welcome leis and a cool cloth, up to checkin which was painless. Then a gold cart tour of our resort by our butler, who was superb by the way. Then to our villa and an orientation of its amenities. The large deck and covered extension, with an additional swim level deck closer to water level, was fantastic. We spent a LOT of time on it, taking in the views, enjoying the breeze, jumping into the crystals clear water, watching the sunsets over the mountain. A lot like paradise. The villa itself was very large, comfortable furnishings and bed. Huge open shower and a 2 person soaking tub in the bath. All linens were great. The air conditioning worked very well, and would get the room as cool as you might wish. One kind of odd thing, no ceiling fans. It looked like there had been fans at one time, but no more. Not a problem, just odd. Housekeeping was very good, if a bit late in the day (2-3 pmish). We attempted the bikes, and that didn't go so well. The bikes must eigh 20 pounds of more, one speed and geared high, so pedaling was, well, pretty difficult. After a couple of Nike trips we opted to golf cart service which was prompt and efficient. This resort is physically very large, and very spread out. I would estimate from our villa, which was close to the shore end of the very long pier, to the Spa area is at least a half mile, probably more. We had booked thru Costco, the best way to do it in our opinion, and went with the meal plan, breakfast and dinner. It was more than adequate. I had been a bit concerned that you might be confined to just one restaurant, or have a special menu. None of that was accurate. We had full access to all restaurants, and had the same menu as anyone else. There were a few items in a couple of the restaurants that had a meal plan surcharge but that was clearly shown on the menu. Breakfast is buffet style and is good. it is not fantastic, and the fresh fruit selection was a bit disappointed in both variety and quality. The breakfast venue is right on the beach and is a great place to start the morning. It is also where the Polynesian show.dinner is held. The show was fine, if you have sent one before it is pretty much the standard fare. Best meal by far at Bamboo, the Asian dining venue. We were there over Chinese New Year so they had a special fixed menu and there was SO MUCH food, and every bit of it was wonderful. We actually changed our reservations to eat at the gill menu twice, cancelling our second reservation at the Lagoon, the most upscale, all enclosed over the water venue. The food there was quite good, but not really our favorite cuisines. The view, however, was superb at sunset. We never venture doff the resort. There is no where to go, anyway, unless you take the ferry back to the town you came in from. And having stopped there for 2 days on the cruise that got us to BoraBora, there is precious little to recommend it. I know people recommend going to buy less expensive wine and alcohol, and pearls. To each their own. That said, alcohol is VERY expensive, in the $25 USD per drink range. Well, everything is expensive. $90 St Regis BoraBora tshirts, $75 baseball caps in the resort boutique. Of course we bought them anyway..... The resort lost its Forbes 5 star rating this year, and I think it has more to do with the condition of the rooms and other buildings. Our villa was very nice, but it was showing some wear. Some scratches on the wooden floors in areas, worn flooring, jst some overall wear and tear to be expected in facilities that get used almost to the max 365 days a year. So yes, a needed a redo is called for. Being pretty familiar with Forbes criteria I can attest that the service and grounds are full bore 5 star level. Staff knew us by name after day 1. Asked often if we needed anything, if we were enjoying ourselves. Service in the restaurants was very good but not hovering. All very, very we done. We took a day to go to the spa. There is a private beach there on the Lagoon. An idyllic setting, super comfy plunger chairs spotted under the palms. They call the lagoon area a lagoonarium. It is protected from predators with a mesh at the opening of the lagoon and there are quite a few different c-varities and species of fish swimming around. Pretty cool, actually. The day we were there we were literally the only people there. Also a fav for us was the "Oasis", a small adults only pool with a waterfall and 5 gazebos with nice lounge chairs and a private small pool directly in front. Not heavily used when we were there so nice and private. Overall this was a wonderful trip, Zero complaints, lots of great memories and fantastic photos. We were well pampered and fed, were taken care of by friendly people and had a wonderful time. Highly recommend

We had the most wonderful stay here. We came from staying at the Westin for a week. They were sending a boat, but when we arrived at the dock, the Westin manager was there to send us off (very nice guy-Arthur) and he just had a boat bring us since the St. Regis boat hadn't arrived yet. (we actually passed it on the short trip over--keep in mind the resorts are close to one another) First part of our stay we were over the water. Wonderful room. Faced the mountain had a hot tub on the deck. The butlers were wonderful and at your beck and call all of the time. Each villa on the whole property comes with bikes. (one for each person, no matter how many people you have....they have every size bike from ones with training wheels to adult) The pool was nice and we used it twice. One day it was over-run with small children being allowed to run amok. Filling every bar stool and sitting on the bar (inappropriate parenting) The beach is beautiful as is the water. The pictures do look fake and it looks fake in person! Every morning we just stared at it. It's simply dreamy. The second portion of our stay we moved to a island lagoon mountain view. We've never stayed on land in Bora Bora (we stayed at the Thalasso years ago). The land villa is our absolute favorite. We were given the best/private villa that they have and it was amazing. The villa itself is large and outfitted the same as the over the water villas. It's the grounds and big pool that you get that put it over the top. Ours had a huge deck, pool, hammock, covered dining, 4 loungers and an outdoor shower that had access straight into the bathroom. The private lagoon beach here was the best we've ever seen. On 4 occasions we had to contact our butler regarding other guests entering our private grounds. They were very apologetic and after the last and most intrusive unwanted visitor they had a crew come and put up a sign that said "PRIVATE" on it. As well as the Head Butler came to speak with us. The restaurants were very good. The Asian-good, Italian-outstanding, the French- a complete fail for us. It appears to be elevated Polynesian French which we did not enjoy at all. We also experienced children running amok in this "fancy" restaurant. Quite literally being allowed to run from one end of the dining room to another to visit other children tables and children using tablets with the sound turned all of the way up. (no headphones) We were here during the celebration of Chinese New Year. The clientele consisted of a lot of people here for this holiday. Their children and them themselves were the cause of our only irritations during our stay. Quite a bunch of entitled people. They were the cause of our villa intrusions. They do not respect boundaries. We are currently planning next year's trip but not at this holiday time. While here we were planning next years' trip with some of our children/grandchildren and asked if we could tour the largest villa available. It was due to be inhabited that day, but they drove of over and allowed us to go through it before the new guests arrived. We really appreciated that. It helped us decide which villas to book for next year. The villas, grounds and especially the service here is outstanding. They really take care of you. They care. They want you to have the best experience. (The Four Seasons could take some lessons) We also stayed at the Westin and the Four Seasons while here for a month. Reviews on those to follow. Olivia at the Italian Restaurant was absolutely the kindest heart we encountered. We miss her already! Our butlers: Diana & Laurie were wonderful. Simply kind, wonderful and professional ladies who care. Many thanks go out to everyone at The St. Regis for giving us such a wonderful, welcoming experience. To the ladies at breakfast---it was a joy to see your smiling faces each morning. The room service was not only fast....it's delicious! '

We stayed from the 28th thru the 5th of March, 2026. Highly recommended! I want to start with a big thank you to our "butler" Aleandre. He was superb. They use the term butler to mean a person assigned to your room, and others, to help coordinate things you want to do and take care of any issues you may have. He was great and helped make our stay a notch above what we expected. We had an over-water unit. It was beautiful. However, we would have enjoyed any of the units. The place is meticulous and the overall level of service exceptional. The food was very good with a definite french twist. Speaking of french, it pays to know some french. We didn't. Aleandre spoke decent english and this ended up being very helpful. If you love the water, you'll love staying here. We would recommend taking the snorkle packages offered through the resort. Best excursion I've ever been on. The price was suprisingly reasonable. We've spent a lot more on sub-standard cruise excursions. The food at the resort is off the charts expensive. They run a free shuttle once per day into the main island. We'd recommend you take that shuttle in to town and pick up some basic groceries and snacks. There is a mini fridge in your room. Booking this vacation as a package through a travel agent will yield some additional benefits, reduce your cost, and make the trip much easier.

This was our first trip to Bora Bora & the St Regis exceeded expectations! Upon arrival, we were greeted by our butler Jenna. We were pleased to learn that she took the liberty of making dining reservations for us for each night of our stay. Each morning at breakfast & sometimes in passing, she would check on us & make sure our stay was going well. The property has a very exclusive private feel to it. However, because it is such a large property, walking is not ideal. Each villa has two bikes which are yours for the entire stay. We used them to get around everywhere but if you prefer, a golf cart can pick you up. During our stay, we decided to have a spa day so that we could have a break from the sun. The spa is situated on its own private island & has a stunning backdrop. The services that we received(massage & pedicure) were excellent. The spa facilities include a steam room, sauna, & outdoor jacuzzi. The cold towels soaked in tiare flower oil located in the spa were a nice touch. A big topic of discussion is the high price of dining in Bora Bora. However, the food at St Regis is well worth it. The portions were extremely generous at Aparima, Te Pahu, & Bamboo. On some occasions, we would share an entree and order sides to save on the cost and we had more than enough food. Our favorite restaurant during our stay was Bamboo & we wouldn’t have been able to dine here if it wasn’t for our butler’s reservation! During our stay, we were in a reef side garden villa as we split our stay at the Westin in an overwater bungalow. We are very glad to have experienced the reef side garden villa at the St. Regis. It is a 2700 sq ft villa, it has a very private feel to it, it feels like you are staying in a house. We loved the private pool on the patio, it was very quiet and relaxing. On our last night, our butler left a surprise cake in our room for my birthday. It was a very nice gesture. The service & staff at the St Regis were genuine and we can’t wait to return!

Gosh it's been quite some time since I've written a review, but my husband and I just got back from celebrating our 35th anniversary at the St. Regis, and it was so amazing that I couldn't not share our praise! While we tried several of the other major resorts on Bora Bora like Le Bora Bora and the Intercontinental, this was actually our 2nd visit back to the St. Regis. We had thought about trying the Four Seasons, just to really try them all, but every time I saw videos of the OWBs at the Four Seasons, I just couldn't bring myself to do it! Needless to say, we had the most amazing 5 night stay at the St. Regis! The grounds are immaculately kept up and there is beauty everywhere you turn. Customer service is top notch, with your own personal butler who tackles all your reservations and even brings coffee to your OWB each morning if you ask for it! (It might sound crazy, but enjoying French Press coffee on our deck each morning to start the day is one of my most favorite parts of the trip because it's just pure heaven with that view!) The villas themselves are quite large, with extra living space and huge bathrooms. Housekeeping comes twice a day and they keep everything immaculate! Everything is always stocked and you are never in want of anything! The restaurants are lovely as well. Amazing food -- in particular we loved the nicer restaurant, Lagoon, and grill nights at the Aparima Grill. The Asian and Italian restaurants were also amazing, but if I had to pick, the other two were wonderful for different reasons. Breakfast buffet was more than adequate -- the pastries that were available were my favorite, but heads up, if you see something you like, snatch it because these didn't seem to get restocked. The coconut bow tie pastries and the rasperry croissants were my favorites! Above all, the people are so incredibly kind and gracious -- from the spa, to the front desk to the butlers, to housekeeping, to the restaurant staff, to the concierge -- they were just so over the top warm and friendly! I am very sad that Tahiti Nui airlines is discontinuing direct flights from Seattle to Papeete because now it will be harder to get there, but the beautiful island of Bora Bora and the incredible St. Regis will make it worth it! Maruru Team St Regis, I can't wait to come back (again!)!!

My husband and I just returned from staying 3 nights at the Intercontinental Thalasso, 5 nights at the St. Regis, and 1 at the Four Seasons. We enjoyed them all, but we feel the St. Regis offers the best experience overall. What is different? 1. We stayed in a beachside villa with our own pool. There was a lot of space and we enjoyed trying to sneak up on the land crabs that live outside. We got our own piece of beach! Bring floaties for the water whether you have an OWB or land villa with a pool. 2. We liked the variety of restaurants here. We were especially impressed with Far Niente (Italian). Olivia was the nicest server, from France. We looked forward to seeing her. 3. The butler service was a nice touch and the butler who oriented us the first day was great. But to be honest, it felt a little choppy because he was there 3 days of 5 but only in afternoons, and we saw other people on different days. Some days a butler brought coffee and others it seemed like a different type of service person brought it. So it got a little confusing when it came to tipping. But anytime we needed anything, we knew we could pick up the phone and someone would take care of things. And the morning coffee delivery is wonderful. 4. The lagoonarium is a must see, Moana is so big! You can pick up fins and a snorkel at the pool and keep it in your room for your stay. I would suggest bringing reef shoes. Often easier than flippers. We also did one of the paid experiences with a marine biologist where we helped to identify baby fish that they caught to put in the nursery and later release into the lagoonarium. 5. The pastry chef here is amazing! Of all 3 places we visited, pastries here were the best and especially the flaky crispy layers of the chocolate croissant. We looked forward to the juice of the day. Also be sure to try the raw fish and coconut. This was our favorite Buffett overall. 6. On the day we arrived, we joined the wine tasting. It was led by a master sommelier, and there are not many of those in the world. Be sure to attend a champagne sabering for a cool thing to see and a glass of champagne. 7. I appreciated that they acknowledged my Titanium status upon check in as well. This is a great place to spend points for “book 4 get 1 free.” There was a cash up charge for our room but it was a huge savings when you consider the listed rate is about $3400 /nt and we got it for $750 including taxes.

I have been to Bora Bora 13 times but had not been back to the St Regis for a number of years. I forgot what I was missing! The service and food is unmatched at other properties (I will report back after I experience the Westin in September). Everyone remembers you by name, and having a personal concierge is a nice touch. If having varied dining and a large room is important, this is your property. Don’t miss the shark and ray tour and scuba dive if you can. All of this can be arranged by Pacific for Less. I use them every time I travel to French Polynesia because they handle all of the details! This last trip my international flight was delayed 12 hours. One call to Claudia and Cathi and all of the domestic details were adjusted. Invaluable.

Our stay was absolutely incredible. I have traveled to many tropical islands and locations and they all pale in comparison to Bora Bora. The St. Regis resort is nothing but spectacular and feels almost surreal to be on the same planet! From the thoughtful staff (shout out to our butler Julian who was phenomenal), to the breath taking views, and even the Lagoonarium which was the most phenomenal snorkel experience I have ever had. I cannot recommend this stay enough. Thankfully Claudia at Pacific4Less was able to clue us in on this once in a lifetime stay and made sure our trip was nothing less than perfect. If you are looking for a trip of a lifetime, be sure to reach out to Pacific4Less, you wont be disappointed.

The St Regis on Bora Bora was STUPENDOUS in very way. It was one of the most beautiful and special places I’ve ever been. You are greeted at the airport by the hotel staff and taken by boat through the beautiful blue waters of Bora Bora to the resort. The overwater villas are extremely spacious, immaculate and absolutely gorgeous with care taken to provide stunning views and privacy at the same time. Each villa has their own deck complete with lounge chairs, a little table and chairs for enjoying a cup of coffee or room service meal and a fresh water shower on your dock. The bed and pillows were heavenly. Each villa is provided with bicycles to use during your stay. The resort has a tennis court (one of 2 courts on the island I believe)- grass court, well-maintained and of course overlooking the lagoon. The resort has free rackets to use. They also have a gorgeous very large Lagoonarium where you can do all the snorkeling you want without having to book a special excursion- all in calm and crystal clear waters with amazing coral and fish species. We also scheduled a 2 hr session with Lucie (marine biologist from Sea Narea) who was delightful and educated us about coral. Then she took us into the Lagoonarioum where we planted our newly cut coral in the garden coral nursery with a tag (so we can get updates)…how cool is that?! The very handsome ‘beach staff’ attended to your every need - from inflating your floatie to offering ice water to opening a fresh coconut for you - all with extremely friendly smiles and gracious Polynesian hospitality. They were utterly delightful. Hiro was our concierge and created a complete itinerary for our stay that had every detail. He was extremely knowledgeable and patient and went above and beyond in every way to help us (even sharing some insights about how to navigate our next island on our tour). Thank you Hiro! The food at all the restaurants was amazing from breakfast to dinner with incredible service and personal attention. Finally our stay was crowned by our butler Oceane who was gracious, kind and utterly delightful. She came up with daily ways to help and surprise us and very significantly enhanced our stay. From start to finish every single detail of the St Regis Bora Bora was pure excellence at the very highest levels. There are different wonderful places - but nothing could surpass this. Every single person cared that your stay was perfect and did their best to contribute to that goal. I even managed to leave my sweater on the main island at a restaurant one night and multiple people offered to pick it up on their own time. Needless to say I got my sweater back! This was the trip of a lifetime and I’ll return to the St Regis on Bora Bora. I’m so grateful to every single person. Thank you for what you do and who you are.

Dream resort for many years — the region and the property lived up to the hype. We were lucky to have stayed during the Christmas holiday, as it afforded us the chance to experience festive season at the property, which was very well done. The magic of the season was explicated well. Service: World-class professionalism and friendliness exhibited by the staff. Laure — and Chloe when Laure was not scheduled — were impressively attentive and seemed to care very much that guest satisfaction was attained. From personalized gifts to arranging our requests well, the two of them worked tirelessly to ensure a seamless stay. All while balancing the needs of other guests they needed to attend to. Nuuvai and Kennie at the concierge were exceptional. Personable, friendly, and incredibly positive. They assisted us with our activities and allowed us a space to play many games of pool after meals in the concierge center. Always welcomed by name and a personal note. Truly world class! Staff across the resort, from housekeeping to the pool team were always friendly and genuinely interested in the wellbeing of the guests. We heard the same from other guests. The food was thoughtfully crafted, with Thomas coming to check in on us frequently. The staff at the breakfast restaurant was also very welcoming, albeit during a busy set of services through the holidays. Highlight was the Italian restaurant and the vodka rigatoni. The Christmas buffet was also excellent and incredibly indulgent. Other aspects, from transit to the amenities, were clearly well-practiced. The villas were spacious and well placed. We made good use of the golf carts. Overall, the stay was wonderful and helped us celebrate the great occasion of being in such a paradise as Bora Bora.

What a wonderful experience at this resort. From the moment we checked in Maxene at the front desk, was awesome sharing details about our room and stay. We were then greeted by Emma our lovely associate who did an amazing job getting us situated at the resort. She would find us around the property to ensure we had everything we needed. She made our anniversary SO special with a surprise cake in our room, definitely had me teared up. We brought wine and she made sure it was at the restaurant prior to our dinner reservation. Ameretti, Karen and Lola were fantastic at the breakfast buffet. Ensured my son’s nut allergies were taken care of and we didn’t have any issues with food. They all were so friendly and helpful. Resort itself was gorgeous and what truly made it unique was the fabulous staff and awesome customer service. We spent 5 days here and not a day went by where we were not happy about something. From the rooms, to the beaches/pool to the restaurants everything was fantastic. This was definitely a trip to remember and a resort we will be returning to.

TLDR: We absolutely loved our stay at the St. Regis and are counting down the days until we can return. I don’t think I’d want to stay anywhere else! The Lagoonarium is a unique feature and the Butler service is incredible (especially Océane). The service overall is the most high quality, attentive service I’ve ever experienced. It truly feels luxurious, and you feel like the staff really do care about you having a wonderful experience in Bora Bora. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– My mom and I decided to stop in Bora Bora for 4 nights on our way to a wedding in Fiji, and we are SO glad that we decided to visit. From start to finish, our stay at the St. Regis was wonderful. You are greeted at the airport by staff and escorted onto a boat that takes you to the resort — a jaw-droppingly beautiful ride I may add! We were greeted by staff and Teva, the cultural ambassador, who was singing and playing a ukulele when we docked. Our butler Océane greeted us and took us on a tour of the hotel property. Even though we arrived at 10am and our room wasn’t ready until 3pm, we were able to enjoy breakfast, change our clothes, explore the property, and even relax at the private oasis pool. The over-water bungalow was absolutely amazing. It was incredibly spacious with all the amenities you could possibly need: air conditioning, 2 TVs, an iron/board, mini fridge and coffee setup, outdoor lounging chairs and table… the photos speak for themselves! The layout and privacy screens give a sense of privacy and seclusion which is very nice. Swimming off our private dock and relaxing on our porch were wonderful ways to enjoy the morning — especially with the complimentary tea/coffee we had delivered each morning! The bikes were really fun ways to get around, and if it was raining or if we were tired we could always have someone pick us up on a golf cart. Activities we did: - Flower crown making with Teva (free) - Champagne sabering (free) - Played tennis (free) - Snorkeled in the Lagoonarium (free) - Coral cutting & planting activity with the marine biologist on staff - Jet ski tour around the island of Bora Bora + stopping at the Bora Bora Beach Club for lunch - Scuba diving Our butler, Océane, was incredibly thoughtful and had such attention to detail, somehow remembering exactly what our plans were each day and making sure to check in on how each activity went. She really made our stay feel like we were at home. We will always remember her warm smile and thoughtful surprises whenever we think of our stay on Bora Bora. Overall, the staff are incredibly kind, gracious, and attentive. everyone you pass says hello (Ia Orana) to you with a smile. The Beach Boys live up to the hype — they bring a fun energy to the resort while also providing excellent and personalized service. They all remember your name and chat with you throughout the day. I highly recommend asking Tem to open a coconut for you!! It’s very impressive and equally delicious. Teva, the cultural ambassador, was also a wonderful addition to our stay. He serenaded guests at breakfast with his ukulele and hosted some wonderful activities like the flower crown making. Hiro, the concierge, was wonderful and helped us book all of our activities and meals. He even offered us tips for the rest of our travels to Moorea and Fiji. Standout meals/food: - the Pizza Moana at the Bamboo Restaurant - The Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl at the Appertif bar - The Banana Split which we ordered for room service from the Appertif Bar - Fresh coconut opened by Tem on the beach - The breakfast buffet We stayed at the St. Regis in early December during the rainy season. Luckily, we only had little spurts of rain but never for more than an hour. The weather was otherwise beautiful, partly cloudy, but still very hot/humid. APPLY A LOT OF SUNSCREEN. The sun is very strong and we saw many guests walking around with sweltering burns. The hotel offers free sunscreen and aloe that is reef safe, so you don’t necessarily need to bring a lot of your own. (But if you do, PLEASE make sure it’s reef safe!!) Because it was in between the holidays, there weren’t many guests at the hotel. It was nice knowing that no matter the time of day, we could always get a pool/beach chair, cabana, hammock, or water activity. One tip: Don’t buy floaties. We bought one at the gift shop (probably very expensive) and later asked The Beach Boys if there were any spare floaties we could use. Tem found 2 that previous guests had left behind and we were able to use them during our stay.

The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort delivers the experience of a lifetime! Ideally situated on the lagoon, the views of the lagoon and the mountain are stunning, any time of day. The property is expansive, providing space for a family to engage in water sports, tennis, outdoor and indoor fitness, excellent dining, and sightseeing activities. The staff is extraordinary in their commitment to deliver the highest level of service to their customers. They are warm, engaging, and always working to anticipate our needs, beginning with the personal concierge and front desk, but including the poolside team, servers, and housekeeping!

Having travelled extensively in multiple luxury resorts all over the world, my expectations were muted as there is a lot of "build up" on how amazing this destination is. The build up is real. This was one of my top 5 experiences in my travels, and I would encourage everyone to make it a bucket list. We stayed in the 2 bedroom Royal Villa and it was amazing. Perfect views, very spacious and the decor lovely. My only complaint was the lack of a mini bar. When you are dealing with guests that are on time changes, etc there should be an option to purchase food/drinks in the room without bothering room service. They also don't give access to a ton of water. Silly little things, but a premium room such as this should come with an abundance of water and options for snack in the room. The food was excellent, the service we received from our breakfast host each day was a highlight of our trip. Please try the Bora Mary, as it is something I still miss everyday. Lastly, our butler Mena was incredible- a true gem in the hospitality world. A true 5 star experience.

We stayed at the St. Regis Bora Bora after transferring by boat from the Westin. Given its reputation as one of the top resorts in the world, we arrived with high expectations. In many ways, the property and experiences are incredible. In others, it fell short of the standard it claims. Arrival & Check-In We arrived around noon on the resort-recommended shuttle. Check-in was surprisingly underwhelming. The lobby area was crowded relative to the available seating, and our luggage was misplaced for about 15 minutes even though it had just come off the same boat as we did. Instead of being taken straight to our room (which we’d hoped for based on the timing they suggested), we were sent to a dim changing area to dig through all our bags for what we needed. For a property of this level, it felt disorganized and not especially welcoming. Overwater Bungalow We had a standard overwater bungalow with lagoon view. First impression: it’s huge, elegant, and the view of that bright turquoise water is breathtaking. There’s a certain old-world charm to it that we really liked, but it’s clear the bungalows are due for a proper refresh. Some issues: • Several window latches broke off as soon as we tried to open them. • The floor was very creaky. • The water closet had a musty smell. • Most upsetting, I opened a drawer to grab a bathing suit and found a large cockroach on my clothes. I fully understand that older, over-water structures in the tropics can attract pests, but it’s still extremely unsettling at this price point. I spent the rest of our stay obsessively checking my luggage to make sure nothing was coming home with us. Welcome amenities (local rum, fresh mango juice, and a St. Regis beach bag) were a nice touch, but I was disappointed to see only small plastic Evian bottles in the room instead of reusable bottles, especially in such a fragile environment. Property & Marine Life The resort grounds are absolutely beautiful: lush, tropical, and designed around a network of bridges and lagoons. It’s a huge property; most guests use bikes or golf carts to get around, as walking everywhere in the heat would be tough. The lagoonarium is a highlight. There are tons of fish and marine life, with artificial reefs that encourage coral growth. The famous Napoleon fish, Moana, greeted me before I even got in the water and spent a lot of time swimming alongside me (he clearly has many “friends”!). We bought fish food (they now regulate feeding), and the overall experience was really special. Around the property we constantly saw marine life—sharks, turtles, and lots of fish from bridges and decks. However, we were surprised to learn that the two large lemon sharks near the restaurant and some of the OWBs are fed daily by staff to keep them around. It made several couples we spoke with nervous about swimming off their bungalows, and one couple only went in while the other kept watch. It’s worth being aware of if that would bother you. Food & Drink Food quality on property is generally very good: • Our first lunch (fish and chips for me, BBQ fish skewers for my husband) was the best meal we’d had in Bora Bora up to that point. • The Lagoon restaurant served an excellent dinner. We ordered à la carte since the only earlier seatings were fully booked. The pavlova dessert was more of a well-done meringue than a traditional pavlova, but still delicious. • Morning coffee delivery was fast and very good, and the in-room Lavazza pods were perfectly fine in a pinch. The 727 Bar at sunset is magical, with a stunning view of Mt. Otemanu and great cocktails. Service & Butler Experience Overall, service felt inconsistent. Many staff members were lovely, but the resort as a whole felt understaffed; this was later confirmed to us by an employee. Golf cart drivers zipped around the paths quite fast, and in some restaurants the constant rushing (and even stomping on the floors at Lagoon) was a bit jarring. The “butler service” here felt more like a mobile concierge than a classic, dedicated butler experience. Our butlers were pleasant, but they were constantly on the phone and seemed stretched thin. Having experienced butler service at other high-end properties, this didn’t feel particularly exclusive or personalized. Special Experiences This is where the resort really shines: • Sabrage: We love the St. Regis sabrage tradition and were thrilled they offered it here. Anton did a perfect sabrage with Billecart-Salmon, and even let my husband open the second bottle himself. A fun, elegant touch. • Romantic Beach Dinner: Highly recommended, even if it’s cheesy. The setup was beautiful, the food excellent, and our server, Slade, brought a light, joyful energy that made the evening feel genuinely special. He took great photos and videos for us too. • Canoe Breakfast: Another must-do. Watching the canoe paddle over, then being taken for a ride in a traditional Tahitian canoe while our breakfast was set up on the deck, was magical. The breakfast was generous and varied. Major respect to the gentleman doing the paddling—he’s out there in all conditions multiple times each morning, and it was very windy during ours. Overall Impression St. Regis Bora Bora offers a spectacular setting and some truly unforgettable experiences. The lagoonarium, the marine life, the special dinners, and the canoe breakfast all lived up to the dream. However, the underwhelming arrival, maintenance issues in the bungalow, the pest incident, and the sense of understaffing prevent me from calling this a flawless, ultra-luxury stay. For a once-in-a-lifetime or special-occasion trip, it can absolutely still be worth it—but go in with realistic expectations that not everything will be “perfect” at this very high price point. I definitely look forward to returning once they have refreshed their bungalows and filled their staff roster.