The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa

We had a wonderful family trip to the Westin in Bora Bora. We stayed in a 2-bedroom Villa on the lagoon beach area. It was very private, had ample outdoor space with plunge pool. We selected the Westin as we knew it was entirely brand new and 100% glad we made that decision. Rooms were clean, ample outlet options and the decor was very light and refreshing. What truly was the best - the staff at the Westin. All the workers whether they are international borders or stay on site, or local Tahitian from the mainland of Bora Bora - all of them were so kind throughout our stay. Arthur gave us a great tour right after we checked in and got us situated with all our questions. Lucile was fantastic with food options as we have a few allergies in our family. Florie served us breakfast a few days. I wish I could remember all the servers, waitresses and housekeeping names - as all were great during our stay. We did jet skis, spa, kayaked lagoon, booked a boat tour of the Lagoon and rented a car one day on mainland of Bora Bora to explore. Concierge was helpful in arranging everything. Boat to/from airport is super easy, and they handle all your luggage and coordinate with your flight times. Yes - bring your wallet. Food is very expensive. I do wish the restaurants had more variety. Tipanier is closed 2 nights a week for Poly Show (which we didn't do). Maere is a "set tasting menu" only a few nights a week. Due to having the boys we elected not to do. We dined at Varavara several nights and for lunches. It is good, just after 3-4 days you are looking for more options. I hope to one day return and stay at the Westin again. Thank you to the team of people making that resort a fantastic experience for our family!

This was one of the best resorts we have ever stayed at. We stayed 7 nights. We are lifetime platinum with Marriott and used NUAs. The NUA cleared from a base level bungalow to a premium overwater Mountain View with plunge pool villa. They cleared at exactly 5 days. Arrival- we had no issue and were presented with water bottles at the airport. It took a few minutes to get our luggage and checked in and it's a 20 minute boat ride to the resort but the process was seamless Check in- check in was great and we got a fantastic tour Room- our upgraded room was the best room we have ever had. The plunge pool was much needed with the windy weather but the room had housekeeping and turndown service and the espresso machine was great. They did frequently forget to leave us beach towels to use on the deck. We loved the room and spent most of our time here! Food: Tipanier- breakfast started to get stale at 7 days, some things rotated (juices and pastries) but most was the same. For dinner we ate twice and I had the linguine (super heavy but good) and my husband had the Mahi (says it was great, I'm allergic). The second time we both had the tenderloin and it was solid. Mana was our server both nights and he was amazing. Made the meals extra special. Varavare- we ate here 5 nights. The food was fantastic. We loved the ribeye, pizzas, pastas and nightly specials. The food was pretty solid, I have food allergies, and they made me feel safe. While repeatedly noted it was my birthday, no one acknowledged it on the day of, we went back two days later and our previous servers remembered it and inquired about it and brought out desert and apologized to make it special a few days later. A huge shoutout to Ani and Moetata who made up for the previous bad experience. They served us several nights and remembered our preferences and made up for bad service on my birthday. They are absolute gems. Pool bar- we had pizzas and burgers here which were great Maere- we never ate here as I have food allergies and when asking repeatedly from the manager (starting weeks ahead of trip and continuing during our trip) if it would be doable the response was "it will be fine" but when asked what the alternative menu would look like (did not want to pay premium prices for a vegetarian menu when I am not a vegetarian) I did not get a real answer. When the meal price is $140 per person and you are allergic to most things but they say they can make accommodations ( but won't tell you what they would be) it's hard to justify. This is probably the only sore spot on our trip. Bars: The French and Italian wine selections are extensive and we truly appreciated this as we are big wine drinkers. We went to O'A most nights and cannot say enough good things about Quintin the bar manager. He made great recommendations and was always willing to answer questions. He took great photos for us (much needed when traveling as a couple) and made the trip extra special. On site activities: Turtles- we did the turtle experience and it was a thousand percent worth it just to support the turtles. We did later see turtles under other bungalows Paddle boards- we attempted to paddle board a could have days but bad weather prevailed. We were finally able to do so but the winds got bad and we were summoned back after 30 minutes. You can't control Mother Nature but appreciated they stopped us from going out into bad conditions! Wine/ Rum tasting- we attended both. The wine tasting was a pineapple and those tasting. Both local and was a fun experience even though not our preferred taste. The rum tasting was a light and dark rum and fun experience Cabanas- we were able to get a cabana late morning when we had down time. They absolutely patrol the pool and prevent the normal "chair game" which we appreciated Excursions: We did jet skis and snorkeling through an outside vendor (half the price) but they were able to come pick us up at the resort with no problem! We forgot to carry cash on one of the excursions and we were able to leave a tip with our concierge for him. All in all the resort was amazing and e have very high standards. As someone with food allergies, that was the only place I feel like communication was scary. Excursions: Service:6

Exceptional 70th Birthday Celebration

We had a memorable stay at the resort, but it could and should have been so much better. The Westin Bora Bora was the “newest” resort on the island, the former Le Méridien Bora Bora having been taken over by Marriott/Bonvoy and extensively renovated. It had been reopened not quite 1 year earlier. in September 2024. Our expectations were accordingly quite numerous and high. Unfortunately the resort did not live up to all those expectations. Let me start by stating the obvious; the magnificent location lived up to the hype. We had excellent weather for 3 of our 4 days with a storm passing through one evening. Try to catch at least one sunrise, if possible. Mount Otemanu dominates the landscape; it was frequently shrouded by low-lying cloud but would not remain that way for long. The sunsets seemed designed to accompany a couple of cold beverages, enhancing the enjoyment of both. The hard product or physical plant of the resort was as expected new, contemporary, well-designed. We thoroughly enjoyed our overwater bungalow which was airy and bright. All common use buildings were clean and did not yet show signs of weathering nor wear and tear. The on-site Eco Center /Turtle Rehabilitation Center was worth a visit. One aspect of the physical aspect of our stay was the state of the vaunted bicycles, a lack or poor distribution of the and the poor condition of the ones we could find. We enjoyed looking at the varied plants in the landscaping. We managed to spot a few birds on the motu as well as out on and over the water. The eco-center/turtle rescue center was definitely worth a visit. Reservation at the concierge and an additional fee were required. Where the experience did not live up to our expectations was primarily in terms of the soft product, specifically service which turned out to be surprisingly inconsistent and even outright unwelcoming at times. We started off very well with the airport arrival and hotel transfer process going smoothly. Check in was frictionless. We enjoyed the introduction to resort given to us by Hamdi and Kanji. Sarah at Varavara was kind enough to accommodate us for dinner without our having made reservations the first night and recognized us on a subsequent dinner. Most grounds staff and housekeepers greeted us with a friendly “Ia Orana!” whenever we met during our frequent walks around the resort. We were happy with Raihou at Te Ava. The same could not be said of some of his colleagues, however. The service during breakfast at Tipanier, while friendly, was hit-or-miss. The wheels truly came off the bus at the water activity center where service was poor, to put it mildly. Of 3 encounters the first was OK, the second impolite and the third almost didn’t take place as staff was missing in action. It was not acceptable for a resort of this reputation and price point. Here are the details of our stay. The Westin Bora Bora experience started off well. The pickup/transfer process from airport to resort was an efficient one. We quickly found their counter, one among many other resort counters at the terminal. Upon confirmation of our reservation the staff welcomed us with flower leis and handed us metal water bottles for use during our stay. They accompanied to our water taxi/shuttle. It started to rain during the transfer but it did little to dampen our awe at the scenery surrounding us as we rode through the inner lagoon to the Westin. It was still raining on our arrival. The rain also clearly did not dampen the spirit of staff who welcomed us with song accompanied by ukulele. We were met at the deck by staff in golf carts who took us on the short drive from dock to the main building for check in. Another staff member singing and playing the ukulele was waiting for us and accompanied us to the 2nd floor to the reception area. The arrival drink and cold towel were very refreshing and paved the way for a smooth check-in process. We then proceeded with a walking tour of the main, central complex with Hamdi (apologies if my recall of the spelling is not as it should be). He was a pleasure to talk to. After we were done Hamdi handed us over to Kanji who took us on a golf cart tour of the resort and took us to our bungalow. He was likewise very personable and welcoming. Our overwater bungalow was bright and clean. Kanji showed us the ropes on where the necessary controls were and how to use them. Even though the design was contemporary there were touches in the decor to remind guests of their being in French Polynesia. Everything worked as advertised and we enjoyed the availability of indoor/outdoor Bluetooth speakers. The bed and beddings were very comfortable. The water flow, both hot and cold, was strong. It was nice to have a large bathtub to soak in. The glass window in the floor was a nice touch; unfortunately there weren’t too many fish that passed below us. We enjoyed the chilled welcome bottle of sparking wine and packaged snacks. The wood deck had 2 loungers and a relatively decent view of Mt. Otemanu. The only hiccough in our bungalow was the towel rail that came off the sink; we let the concierge know in the morning and it was fixed that afternoon. It was fun to be able to snorkel right off the deck. Unfortunately there were no corals and very few fish to be seen. I did spot a stingray farther out in the lagoon between the “arms” of overwater bungalows. As a whole we enjoyed the buffet breakfast at Tipanier. At our 1st breakfast we arrived early and found lots of available tables. Nobody was around to check us in but when staff finally paid attention they were very friendly and got our coffee orders fairly promptly. We appreciated not having to sign for the breakfast buffet. The selections of Tahitian, Asian and Western food was appreciated. At our 2nd breakfast we ordered sunny side up fried eggs. My wife got her eggs, I did not. Young gentleman who seated us and took our order was extremely busy, did not check on us again, and I decided not to bother him. I did not attempt another made-to-order egg dish at our 3rd breakfast. Tipanier faces an internal lagoon with a swimming platform in the center. At breakfast the water right by the deck was teeming with fish clearly accustomed to being fed. One morning we also observed a pair of Pacific Reef herons fly in and hang around for awhile. Surprisingly the herons did not feed on the many fish available in the small lagoon. Our experience at the Te Ava pool bar was inconsistent. We had no issues with a late lunch at approx 2pm on our first full day. A tall gent took our orders efficiently and politely. He got us our drinks fairly quickly. The pizza took more time but it wasn’t an issue. We had drinks another day when Raihou attended to us; he was very welcoming and would check. Supposedly open until 6PM. Sat down just after 5pm. Tall gent who served us efficiently 2pm previously barely glanced at us. But he approached another couple who asked him for 2 beers. We chose not to ask him for service as he clearly did not want to serve. He did not even approach us to say they were shutting early. So we went to ‘O’A very friendly Te Ava was supposedly open until 6PM and when we sat down just after 5pm we still expected service. Tall gent who served us efficiently 2pm previously barely glanced at us but approached another couple who asked him for 2 beers which they received. We chose not to ask him for service as he clearly did not want to serve. He did not even approach us to say they were shutting early. So we went to ‘O’A and got our sundowners there. Even here service left something to be desired. The staff member was polite and got us our drinks quickly. He later informed me that my 2nd drink was no longer at a Happy Hour price. Wife asked for a glass of water. My 2nd drink was delivered but not my wife’s glass of water. The gorgeous sunset helped soothe our irritation. Our worst experience was at the Water Sports and Beach Hut. The our arrival day we decided to swim and headed for the water activity center; we needed flippers (we brought our own masks/goggles/snorkels). We were greeted politely and handed our flippers. We were reminded to use sunblock; a large dispenser was available at the counter. My flippers were too tight and I changed them without any issues. We enjoyed the swim off our nearby overwater bungalow, there wasn’t much to be see in the water. So far so good. Towards the end of our first full day, I decided to try out the SUP. The male staffer brusquely reminded me of the rules; it was 4pm and he kept emphasizing the 5pm return. He reviewed limits of where one could go but stated that with 1 hour on the SUP I wasn’t likely to get far anyway. While that might have been a truthful statement the manner in which it was delivered was downright hostile. He clearly wanted to be out of there by 5PM and no later. This person did not even bother with “Ia Orana” on our arrival nor “Maururu“ upon return of the paddles. On our second full day there was not even a person on station. No sign stating “Will be back in —- minutes.” Another couple joined us in waiting. After a while we resorted looking in at nearby Dive Center for help. The woman staffer said she would call someone over. When the staffer finally arrived there was no apology, no greeting, and he was clearly unhappy at being there. Just as his colleague the day before, this man was gruff in his interaction and lacked basic politeness. The were no friendly reminders to use sunblock, no inquiries as to how we enjoyed our time was on the water and no thanks for dragging the kayak back up onto the sand. While feeling cared for would have been nice at this point we just needed someone to help us get gear and simply be polite. Third day we stayed on the beach near the water gear shack. By now we were fed up and had no intention or interest in dealing with beach center staff. However, we observed another male staffer wearing a pandan leaf hat taking care of fellow guests. He appeared extremely friendly and helpful, even assisting them into their kayak and launching them into the water. We also spotted him on morning paddling an outrigger canoe delivering breakfast with a woman staffer. I related my experience to the concierge who took notes, offered apologies, and stated the center was managed by an outside contractor. If true the Westing needs to get a new contractor or train the staff better.

I returned from the Westin Bora Bora 1 week ago. I also stayed at the Hilton in Moorea and highly recommend both if you’re doing a week in French Polynesia. I booked the Premium Otemanu Overwater, 1 Bedroom Villa, 1 King, Premium Otemanu view, Lagoon access, Terrace and stayed in Room 258. I booked directly in the Marriott Website as a Marriott Bonvoy member (it’s free to join) and booked the package that included breakfast and 200,000 XPF credit (equivalent of $200) per night. Overall this was the most expensive and best vacation of my life, but there were a few minor things that are just good to know before you spend all of the money. Pros - Arrival/Departure was well organized by the hotel and super easy. We felt very welcomed when we arrived. - Resort is incredible with best view of otemanu. We did a snorkel tour that drove around Bora Bora, so we saw every angle of the mountain and both agreed the Westin had the best view. - The upgraded room with the plunge pool was worth it and amazing - The pool and beach were also incredible, so we spent the mornings and evenings in our room and the day at the pool and beach - The food was excellent. I’m a vegetarian and there were plenty of healthy and tasty options for me! - We had breakfast at Tiptina every morning, this was the buffet breakfast included with our booking. The breakfast also included eggs made to order and drinks. You should definitely make sure to get the breakfast included. Note: it took them forever to make coffee every morning, so order that right when you sit down. - We ate at the casual beach side restaurant Varavara for lunch and dinner. All of our food and drinks (we don’t drink alcohol) was covered by the nightly $200 credit as part of our booking and was so key. - Service at restaurants and pool were good. I would describe it as normal good service and not like 10 people or a butler waiting on you or anything like that, which is my preference. - If you hang at the pool they do nice touch of cold towels, fruit or live music throughout the day - They deliver a snack and fresh juice to your room everyday and they were so tasty! - Turtle eco tour was excellent and definitely worth going to if you like animals Good to knows - Bungalow 258 was end of pier and beautiful, but the trade off for having an unmatched view of Otemanu is that it was at the edge of the resort and there is boat traffic coming by with people who can look into your room. At first we considered a room change, which the hotel was happy to accommodate, but we just got used to it and stayed because the view was too good - The farther out your bungalow is, the deeper the water, so it wasn’t really a lagoon. Coming from the Hilton in Moorea it was quite different. On Moorea we spent the whole time in the lagoon water by our bungalow. In Bora Bora we didn’t go in the water by the bungalow for more than a minute. So the bungalow was more aesthetic than utilitarian. I brought floaties that others had recommended and we never used them. - The plunge pool system in our room worked just fine but there was a spouting leak. For a room that had just been renovated it wasn’t 100% perfect. - The umbrella on the deck of the room was heavy and basically can’t move and doesn’t tilt so for most of the day there was no shade at our room’s deck - they have free bikes that are first come, first served and they are essential because the piers are very long, but there are not enough bikes for everyone. This seems like an easy thing the resort could fix. Just get enough bikes for the amount of rooms. - we usually finished our breakfast by the time our coffees came out. It seemed they have 1 guy working 1 espresso machine at breakfast. Something they could easily fix. - Our room was cleaned very late in the day, and 1 day it didn’t get cleaned at all, though they did come for turndown service. So if you really care about a cleaned room make that clear. - The resort is aesthetically modern and not Polynesian, so if that will bother you, don’t book, but in my opinion it was beautiful and tasteful and kept the focus on the natural surroundings Con - I booked 1 tour thru the Concierge and she booked it for the wrong day so we didn’t get to go on it. She said she tried to call the room to let us know, but wasn’t able to reach us. The resort has a digital messaging system on the TV and also left notes at our door for other things, so really no effort was put in to fix the issue. The resort did not take responsibility and tried to blame it on me for booking the wrong day. Takeaway: do not use the concierge and book your excursions directly with the tour providers