The Best Hotels in Bora Bora

A multimillion-dollar renovation has transformed this former Hilton into Bora Bora’s most luxurious new oasis—the first five-star resort to open on the island in a decade. Asia-based BLINK Design overhauled the 28 garden and beach villas and 86 overwater bungalows, on the hotel’s own private islet of Motu Tapu, by knocking down walls, building out decks with nap-worthy catamaran nets, and adding floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that give the spaces added light and stunning ocean views. (Some even have plunge pools or direct beach access.) The biggest reveal? The two-story suites, a first for the island. There are also six restaurants and lounges as well as a mini golf course and a spa, where one of the eight treatment rooms is outdoors and overlooks a lagoon.

Le Méridien was one of the first luxury hotels to carve out space in Bora Bora, so the views from its 99 Polynesian-style rooms (85 of which are overwater) are some of the area’s most spectacular. Along with a private lagoon, there's a large beach and two pools, and while it lacks a spa, we love the on-site turtle sanctuary, which is both a rescue and rehabilitation program.

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This Four Seasons has everything you want in a Tahitian hideaway: thatched-roof bungalow villas with volcanic stone walls and mother-of-pearl detailing, locations on the beach or the lagoon itself, direct access to that legendary turquoise South Pacific water, and stunning views of Mount Otemanu. The overwater bungalows are swoon-worthy and 15 of the 100 come with private saltwater plunge pools. Don't miss a spin in the resort catamaran, and save your appetite for French-Polynesian cuisine (Moorea shrimp with radish and snow peas; seared yellowfin tuna with roasted pineapple) at Arii Moana, one of the four restaurants onsite.

While smaller than its sister property, InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa, Le Moana charms in other ways. For one, its size spells fewer crowds, a quieter atmosphere, and less chance of getting lost on a sprawling resort property. And its 62 thatched bungalows, set on and off Bora Bora’s southernmost coast, are exactly what you’d imagine (think Polynesian touches like hand-sewn Tifaifai bedspreads and Bora Bora musts like glass coffee tables that allow you to peek directly into the lagoon below). Get your breakfast delivered by outrigger canoe, then take advantage of Le Moana’s covetable address on the main island, just steps from local shops and Matira Beach.

Unlike its sister property, Le Moana, the 80 Tahitian-style bungalows at Thalasso are all overwater. But it’s the resort's five-star amenities that standout, including a gorgeous infinity pool and 43,000-square-foot world-class spa, where ritual treatments incorporate mineral-rich deep Pacific water and other ocean elements. If you tire of the property’s three restaurants and two bars, you're welcome to head over to Le Moana for more options.

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This Sofitel is split between the mainland and a private island, which gives guests a lot to choose from. The mainland branch includes a smattering of beachfront and hillside villas and is closer to the action, while the private island set-up is all about quiet romance. Just 21 bungalows are reachable (and attended to, if you order room service) by a five-minute boat ride. In between snorkeling the nearby coral garden and meals at the open-air restaurant, make sure to set out and explore the area: the hiking trails, which crisscross the island, often lead to tiny, hidden beaches.

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You’ll find Polynesian influences at many of the hotels on Bora Bora, but Bora Bora Pearl Beach feels the most authentic. Its beachfront bungalows all face Mount Otemanu and feature open layouts and Marquesan carvings, the restaurant specializes in French Polynesian flavors like coconut-breaded parrot fish, and the spa’s menu focuses solely on Polynesian treatments that use natural ingredients sourced from Tahiti. Of course, you’ll still find the glass-bottomed floors in guest rooms for peeking at resident marine life and plenty of beach and water fun, including diving and snorkeling over the hotel’s own coral nursery.

There is luxury, and then there is the St. Regis, which, when it debuted in 2006, took things to a whole new level thanks to its outdoor showers, a Jean-Georges restaurant, and personal butlers assigned to every suite. The spacious villas look out towards a turquoise lagoon, where guests can snorkel and spot native fish—and if the pool is more your speed, there's a great swim-up bar. Did we mention the spa sits on its own island?