The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

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.

My husband and I returned to the St. Regis Bora Bora and it was just as amazing as we remembered. So many fond memories from our honeymoon a few years ago, and new ones made during this trip. 😃 We booked with Claudia from Pacific For Less this time. We loved eating at Lagoon and grabbing a pre-dinner drink at 727 Bar and watching the sun set each night. Oceane was our butler and was fantastic; even going above and beyond by giving us a stuffed turtle (honu) to take back home to our son who absolutely loves turtles. The Beach Boys were always smiling and so attentive; truly infectious with their joy for life and the Polynesian spirit. We took advantage of the great onsite gym and snorkeling in the lagoon. Cannot wait to return again!