BORA BORA, FRENCH POLYNESIA The Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa, a new from-the-ground-up luxury property, was scheduled to open in phases as of Oct. 1. The $60 million resort is the newest member of The Luxury Collection of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
The Bora Bora Nui sits on a glorious slice of French Polynesia amid a white powder sand beach, a crystal-clear lagoon, a gently rising hillside and impressive views of volcanic formations.
“Our goal is to make this one of the top 50 resorts in the world,” said Jacques Roy, general manager. “We really want to do something spectacular here.”
During a site inspection in mid-September, Roy said 57 of the 84 overwater bungalow suites were ready to open Oct. 1, along with seven of nine beach bungalows, eight of 11 hillside lagoonview bungalows and 12 of 16 lagoonview suites. The 120 units range in size from 1,000 to 1,500 square feet.
Roy said he expected the hillside spa, still under construction, to open by late November. In the meantime, the property will offer spa treatments in a bungalow or in massage huts. Operating the spa is Mandara, the fast-growing company opening Balinese-themed spas in hotels and on cruise ships worldwide.
It should all be open by Dec. 15, Roy said, adding that an official grand opening may take place in March.
Hotel guests will fly into Papeete, Tahiti, and then board a short flight to Bora Bora. The resort will transport guests from the airport to the property on a luxury yacht, on which guests can check into the hotel, unless they choose to simply enjoy the ride.
Guests will be greeted in an overwater reception area the only one in the islands, with a reception desk made of local maru maru wood and an Indonesian marble floor. The roof consists of hand-thatched palm from Bora Bora. The beach’s white sand is vacuumed up from the lagoon floor, which is softer than the ground coral sand on other beaches in the region, Roy said.
The hotel also will feature a 10,000-square-foot infinity pool, with tiles from Thailand in a light blue color so it won’t clash with the lagoon. Beach-goers can raise a flag in the sand when they require service.
A gallery and several boutiques feature walls of woven bamboo and Tongan tapas, paper made from trees and painted with geometric designs.
The decor at the “panoramic restaurant” called Iriatai features coconut parquet floors and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to an expansive terrace. The menu consists primarily of Italian fare, with the rest Polynesian flavored.
The resort also offers a library and business center with three Internet stations.
The stunning overwater bungalows each feature a living room, a bedroom, a big bathroom, a terrace and a swimming platform that leads into the lagoon. The platform also offers a shower to rinse off the salt water. Most bungalows include king-size canopy beds, although 20 have twins. Some have sofa beds.
Though made of thatched palm on the outside, the bungalows’ interiors incorporate local woods, Indonesian mahogany furniture, lots of Italian marble in the bathrooms and Fijian tapas.
On either side of a pillowy couch are two end tables each with views straight down into the lagoon. Another such view of the deep is in the bathroom alongside the double tub. There’s yet another window looking down into the lagoon on the terrace. The resort will provide fish food to attract the colorful sea creatures.
Each overwater bungalow has two TV sets, a minibar, a fax machine, a CD player, an iron and ironing board and snorkeling equipment for two. The units are air-conditioned, and 24-hour room service is available.
The overwater bungalows are connected by wooden walkways that stretch into the lagoon. Guests can decide if they’d like to be above shallow or deeper water; some hover over water more than 10 feet deep.
“We have spent a lot of money making sure that no damage was done to the reef,” Roy said. “There will be no waste rejection into the sea at all, except for rain runoff.”
Roy expects 50% to 60% of his clients to hail from the United States, 25% to 30% from Japan and the remaining 15% from Europe and the rest of the world. Rack rates range from $500 to $1,885 per night. But the Bora Bora Nui now offers 25% discounts on bookings made by Nov. 30 for travel through Dec. 20. The discounts require a three-night minimum stay.
The discounted rates are approximately $377 to $1,423 per night, depending on the exchange rate with the Polynesian franc.
Travel agents earn 10% commission.
Call 800-325-3589. Web site: www.sheratons intahiti.com.
