Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora
The only Four Seasons in French Polynesia: a hundred-odd overwater keys, four restaurants and a lagoon sanctuary on one motu.
Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora opened in September 2008 on Motu Tehotu, a reef islet on the north-eastern rim of the lagoon, a short boat ride from the airport — published times range from fifteen to twenty-five minutes and the resort's own site gives none and facing Mount Otemanu across the water. It is the company's only property in French Polynesia, built new by developer Thierry Barbion to a design by Didier Lefort and Pierre-Jean Picart, with interiors by BAMO. Almost the entire inventory stands on stilts: roughly a hundred overwater bungalow suites, a portion of them with plunge pools, plus seven beachfront villa estates of one to three bedrooms, the largest set on about an acre of sand with its own pool and outdoor kitchen. Sources disagree on the exact count, and the register carries the disagreement rather than choosing.
The completeness is what the brand guarantees, and here it has to be delivered on a motu with no road out. Four restaurants cover the day: Arii Moana for fish and wine, Tere Nui for all-day dining, Fare Hoa on the beach, and the Sunset Restaurant for sushi and small plates. Te Mahana Spa sits on the highest point of the islet. The Ruahatu Lagoon Sanctuary is an enclosed, planted lagoon with a resident marine biologist, so that snorkelling is an organised programme rather than a swim off the deck. Children are held by the Tamarii Club with its playroom and splash pad; teenagers have their own strip of sand. There is an infinity pool, a tennis court and a fitness centre open around the clock. Nothing a guest might expect of the brand is missing because of the geography.
A brand standard delivered at the end of the supply chain. Four kitchens and a spa are run on an islet where every ingredient and every staff member arrives by boat, and the guest is meant not to notice.
Family infrastructure in a honeymoon market. Bora Bora sells couples; this resort also runs a children's club, a teen beach and multi-bedroom villas. The completeness includes the people the destination usually forgets.
Who it is not for
Four Seasons Bora Bora is wrong for guests who want an intimate island of a dozen keys: with more than a hundred bungalows this is among the largest resorts in the lagoon, and the boardwalks are busy. It is wrong for anyone seeking a class above the luxury norm, a house with an author and a price to match; that is Fashion Resorts, and Bora Bora has no such house yet. And it is wrong for travellers who want to walk to Vaitape: the resort is a boat ride away. For the motu itself as the story, read Private Island Resorts.
Sources
- fourseasons.com/borabora — Motu Tehotu, overwater bungalow suites with plunge pools, beachfront villa estates, dining and spa
- Wikipedia (Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora) — opened September 2008, developer, architects, 100 overwater bungalows and seven villas, four restaurants, Ruahatu Lagoon Sanctuary
- tahiti.com — Tamarii Club, Chill Island teen beach; pleasantholidays.com — restaurant names
Verification
- Official source
- Checked
- Inventory
- Awaiting confirmation
- Sources disagree
- inventory: 100 overwater bungalows + 7 villas (Wikipedia); 108 overwater suites (beachresort.net); 121 rooms (Michelin Guide). Confirm against fourseasons.com before publication.
- Property confirmation
- Pending
- Last verified
- —
Booking
Luxury Resorts arranges each stay on request, quoting the rates available for the property and dates. No benefit should be assumed unless it is confirmed in writing for the individual reservation.
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