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Sofitel
Bora Bora Beach Resort |
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Overview
On the edge of a private sandy beach,
the newly opened resort features Polynesian architecture in a
setting of unparalleled beauty, to provide an unforgettable
experience for every guest. Make yourself comfortable in one of
the resort's deluxe brand-new bungalows over the water, on the
beach, by the lagoon or in the garden. Make the most of its
completely redesigned and refurbished facilities, including a
new beach bar, infinity pool and Japanese restaurant.
Originator of the famous shark feeding excursion, the hotel
features a wide range of activities or total relaxation in the
new spa, swimming, diving among the tropical fish in the coral
garden or a trip in a dugout canoe.
Activities
Snorkeling gear, kayaks, and swimming
pool. Evening entertainment takes the form of Tahitian songs and
dances, fashion shows or Polynesian folk stories. |
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WEDDING CEREMONIES
Sofitel Motu Bora Bora and Sofitel
Bora Bora Beach Resort are excited to launch their new “Wedding
Ceremonies.” Wedding Ceremonies are organized on request, and they
include:
- Arrival of the bride in a traditional Polynesian canoe
- Flower crowns and leis for the couple
- Two white pareu (traditional attire)
- Tahitian musicians and dancers
- Wedding ceremony*
- Marriage certificate
- Video cassette or DVD of wedding ceremony
- Two fruit juice cocktails
- Two dinners with wedding cake
- Bottle of Champagne served either in the bungalow after the wedding
ceremony or during dinner
- Honeymoon gift
*This wedding ceremony does not constitute a legal marriage; it can be
considered a celebration of a wedding, an anniversary or a renewal of
wedding vows. |
Traveler rating:
Bora Bora:
Sofitel Bora Bora Beach Resort: "Love the Sofitel Hotels"
Cape Coral, Florida Apr 4, 2007
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My experience with this property took place in:
March, 2007
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
My ratings for this hotel are:
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check in / front desk
Service
I recommend this hotel for: An amazing honeymoon,
A romantic getaway, Older travelers, Great pool scene
I selected this hotel because ... Beach / Sun,
Outdoor / Adventure, Shopping, Other
My age: 50-64
Traveling group: Spouse / significant other
My visit was for: Romantic getaway
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This is a magnificent hotel-Great
location...free private boat shuttle from airport is just
breathtaking..views of Bora Bora beyond your imagination-truly
a Jurasic Park! Great rooms-definitely do the over-the-water
here!!! Be sure to get an outside one either facing the dock
or the ocean and their motu-read the reviews. Take lots of
French Francs...lots of nice restaurants close by-Pizza down
the street - fabulous, Le Matai Polnesia the best for burgers
and dinner. Rent go cart down the street and enjoy the entire
island in 3 hours! 19 miles around pure fun!
Take a suitcase with snacks & credit car everything for better
rates. So private with your own enclosed over water
bungalow...truly a tropical paradise. 5 minute walk to Water
and Beer at the local market. Bloody Marys very nice! Stop at
Mom's
gift shop....great prices. Buy your Pareos at the hotel gift
shop & jewelry on a table by the bar. Pearls are expensive!
Loved this hotel the best! Convenient to eveything but town!
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Traveler rating:
Bora Bora:
Sofitel Bora Bora Beach Resort: "Paradise"
Calgary, Alberta May 14, 2006
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My experience with this property took place in:
May, 2006
My ratings for this hotel are:
Value
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
I traveled to this hotel with: family members
I recommend this hotel for: An amazing honeymoon,
My visit was for: extended vacation
Would I stay at this location again: absolutely!
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The hotel re-opened (after undergoing renovations) two days before
our arrival.
Upon arrival from Tahiti (definitely sit on the LEFT side of the
plane- the views were breathtaking!) we were immediately greeted
by a representative, who gave us traditional flower Leis. We then
boarded a boat, which took us directly to the hotel. It was a
beautifully scenic and relaxing ride. Our friends, who were
staying at the Novotel next door, had to lug their bags onto a
ferry, then catch a taxi in town to get to their hotel.
We were welcomed at the dock with cold, fragrant washcloths and
serenaded by Tahitian drums. We were then taken to the bar for a
free fruit drink and given a tour of the hotel. They took our shoe
sizes, and snorkels, masks and fins were delivered to our rooms
(we had brought our own snorkel gear- the mask/snorkel was worth
it, but I’m never hauling my fins again).
We had requested two beach bungalows next to each other, so were
perturbed to see that we had been assigned rooms 3 and 62 -which
were at opposite ends of the hotel- until we found out that one of
our rooms had been upgraded to a deluxe over-the-water bungalow
for free.
Both rooms were very nice, but the room over the water was
something out of a dream. It had a private, bamboo screened, two
level balcony complete with a thatched roofed dining area (which
provided ideal cover for the light and brief rain), chaise lounge
chairs, a coffee table, a small dining table, and an outdoor
shower. There was swimming and snorkeling right off the dock into
warm, deep, clear blue water filled with colorful and interesting
fish.
The furnishings were beautiful. There was a glass viewing panel in
the floor, and there were always fish (particularly spotted box
fish) swimming in the aqua water. The bathroom was large, had his
and hers sinks, wonderfully lit mirrors, and an absolutely amazing
shower with a head as large as a dinner plate, as well as a
detachable hose.
The bed was incredibly comfortable. There was plenty of roomy
cupboards and drawers, cleverly built into the back of the king
sized headboard. Ample closet space, stocked with comfy slippers
and robes.
The food was pretty good- although no fresh vegetables. It was
expensive, but not outrageously so. The cocktails, on the other
hand, were $15 US each. The Novotle next door had delicious
lunches. We also ate at Bloody Mary’s twice (HIGHLY recommended),
and La Bounty, which was great as well. The tap water was a bit
chlorine-ish for my tastes, but bottled water was relatively cheap
at the grocery store. We bought most of our food at a super market
in town and at a smaller grocery store that was a five-minute walk
from oru hotel. This really cut down on costs and helped us stay
with in budget.
You could also purchase phone cards at these stores. It’s $15.00
US for 40 minuets. Payphones were about a fifteen minuet walk from
the hotel (there were aslo many in the town). The booths get
extremely hot, but it beats paying $13.00 a minute in your hotel
room.
On two separate nights the hotel held a “reception” at the bar,
with free drinks and hourdervs- the best I’ve ever tasted.
The beach was gorgeous, and the water was warm. The infinity pool
was situated so that when you’re in the water it seems like you’re
in the ocean. It was the perfect temperature. There was no
shortage of lounge chairs or towels (beach towels were also
available in the room).
Approximately ninety percent of the guests were honeymooners.
The atmosphere was very serene and spa like. I had and would
highly recommend the hot and cold shell massage. It was
incredible, and at $100 for an hour, well worth the price.
If you can afford it, I would DEFINITLEY recommend staying in a
deluxe over-the water bungalow. It was the experience of a
lifetime. I've never stayed anywhere so magnificent. I don’t think
it would be worth the extra money to stay in a regular over the
water room, since they were only partially over the water (and it
was shallow, murky water at that), they only had a small deck, and
your view would consist of the other over-water bungalows. Go for
the beach bungalow instead. It too has a private deck with lounge
chairs and a coffee table, and you are right on the sand in front
of the ocean.
Oh, and avoid heels if you are staying in the over-water
bungalows- you have to walk for along time on raised decks to get
to/from you room, and the boards have spaces in between that would
wreck havoc on anything smaller than a wedge. I normally don’t
travel without at least three pairs of heels, but on the advice of
other trip advisor members, I only packed two pairs of flip-flops
for a two-week stay and didn’t regret it for a second (which I was
sure I would). Everything is super casual and seeing as there are
no sidewalks and the road is narrow and un-paved in most places,
fancy shoes will get wrecked and be totally impractical.
This place was heaven on earth. The staff was friendly and the
scenery was to die for. I now hope to have my honeymoon here, and
would love to stay in the same over-the water bungalow. Over all,
this was one of the nicest places I’ve ever been, and would highly
recommend it.
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Traveler rating:
Bora Bora:
Sofitel Bora Bora Beach Resort: "Perfect Honeymoon!"
California Oct 26, 2006
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We were taken by boat to the Sofitel from the airport. At
the dock musicians were waiting for us and we were given a cool
cloth and drink and taken to the bar to fill out paperwork. Once
again we were given a coupon for free drinks at the bar. I was
surprised that our room was ready and we were taken to our over
water bungalow. I had already heard that the Sofitel had the
largest OWB in Bora Bora, but I was still shocked to see how large
they were! The sundeck was half the size of the room and had a
sheltered section which housed 2 lounge chairs, a coffee table, 2
chairs, and a table. Steps led down to the lower deck which had a
ladder into the water. Under every bungalow was coral which
ensured a plentiful array of colorful fishes. Inside the king bed
looked out over the water and the bathroom was separated from the
bedroom by a sliding wooden door. It was perfect!
Food
Once again we had a meal plan which included breakfasts and all
but 2 dinners. The food was good, though dinners were not as good
as on Moorea. We got to choose between the Marara, and the Sofitel
Motu, which is on its own private island which was nice for
variety.
I selected this hotel because ... Beach / Sun
My age: 25-34
Traveling group: Spouse / significant other
My visit was for: Honeymoon
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Bora Bora:
Sofitel Bora Bora Beach Resort : "Wow! This place is beautiful
after the remodel!"
Los Angeles, CA Sep 6, 2006
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My experience with this property took place in:
August, 2006
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
My ratings for this hotel are:
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check in / front desk
Service
Business service
I recommend this hotel for: An amazing honeymoon, A
romantic getaway, Older travelers, Great pool scene
I do not recommend this hotel for: Young singles,
Girlfriend getaway, Pet owners, Families with young children,
Families with teenagers, Tourists
I selected this hotel because ... Beach / Sun
My age: 25-34
Traveling group: Spouse / significant other
My visit was for: Romantic getaway
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Ignore pictures of this place with cheesy bamboo rooms that look
like tacky 70s Vegas rooms. After the remodel this place is
wonderful. Understated luxury. I can't speak with regard to the
garden or beach bungalows but the new over-the-water ones are
fantastic. We stayed in the same room as a previous reviewer (No.
62), it was very nice. You can tell which bungalows are new
because the cement stilts that hold them up are different. I don’t
know if the old over-the-water bungalows have been remodeled to
match the beautiful new ones – hopefully they have.
The staff was wonderful. I can’t say enough how friendly,
courteous, and professional they were.
Get ready to take the advice of others and get croissants in the
morning from the local market a couple days to save money. We also
got grapes, cheese, and fresh bread to save for a nice dinner.
This was necessary as breakfast was about $62.00 (I am not
kidding). This was also the perfect place for a 6-pack of Heineken
or some wine for mid-day drinks on your patio/balcony.
La Bounty was right down the street and a great place if you want
to save some cash as well. They had great pizza for only about
$17.00 and they are really nice.
When you are ready to splurge, go for Bloody Marys and Top Dive.
Both will pick you up for free. Bloody Mary's is really fun and
the food is pretty good. Top Dive is more formal and their food
was excellent.
Sofitel Marara was a dream - wish our weather was a little better
(we had unseasonably gray skies and powerful winds). Oh, and avoid
the pina coladas - they are about $17.00 and taste horrible (they
are not even blended). All of the frou-frou drinks were bad so we
had to order simple stuff like Jack & Coke or beer (did I mention
the local market - that is the place to go for the mid-day
alcohol).
When you are ready to splurge go for Bloody Mary's and Top Dive.
Both will pick you up for free. Bloody Mary's is really fun and
the food is pretty good. Top Dive is more formal and their food
was excellent.
Sofitel Marara was a dream - wish our weather was a little better
(we had unseasonal gray skies and powerful winds). Oh, and avoid
the pinicoladas - the are about $17.00 and taste horrible (not
even blended). All of the foo-foo drinks were bad so we had to
order simple stuff like Jack & Coke or beer (did I mention the
local market - that is the place to go)
Liked: Wonderful environment and room
Disliked: Bora Bora is very very expensive
Tips/Secrets: Visit the local market and stock up - then
have fun and relax.
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