Our 2nd Honeymoon in Paradise – Hilton Moorea

Don’t forget to follow me on  Facebook or Twitter!

• Introduction
• Planning
• A Bad Start & a Few Hours in Los Angeles
• Air France Lounge – Los Angeles
• Air France Business Class – Los Angeles to Papeete
• Getting to Moorea
• Hilton Moorea, Panoramic Overwater Bungalow #87
• An ATV Tour in Moorea
• Whale & Dolphin Watching in Moorea
• Eating in Moorea
• Hilton Moorea
  
• Moorea to Bora Bora
• Bora Bora Airport To InterContinental Thalasso
• Emerald Overwater Bungalow #204 at the InterContinental Thalasso Bora Bora
• Jet-Skiing in Bora Bora
• A 9 Hour Bike Ride Around Bora Bora
• Eating in the InterContinental Thalasso
• InterContinental Thalasso Coral Garden Suite
• Around the InterContinental Thalasso
• Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort
• Royal Overwater Villa, Hilton Bora Bora Nui
• Dinner at Villa Mahana
• Eating in the Hilton Bora Bora
• Is Food Expensive in Bora Bora?
• A Day in Papeete
• Air Tahiti Nui and Southwest Flights Home
• Conclusion & Blog Giveaway!

Emily:  The main entrance to the Hilton in Moorea is right of the main road.

We were welcomed with fragrant cold towels and iced tea.  We tried to check in at 8 am, but no rooms were available because there were guests in the room.

So we decided to freshen up at a “transit” bungalow, which is given to guests whose rooms aren’t ready.  We were driven to the room in a golf cart.  Strangely we were told (more than once) that we had only 30 minutes to use the transit room and had to be back before then.

However, we took 45 minutes to freshen up.  No one said anything about the 15 extra minutes!

The transit bungalow had a large bathroom, living area with a sofa and a chair, and a large bedroom area.

We showered and changed clothes, then went out to take some pictures around the resort. Everything was well maintained, and we walked by the different room categories.

The pool was deserted most of the time.

I loved the pretty flowers around the resort.

One end of the pool faced the beach and the overwater bungalows.

The restaurants mostly faced the beach and water.  To the left of Daraius is the main dining room where breakfast and dinner is served.

There are tables set up on the beach if you want to eat there.

The hotel has free kayaks, paddle boats, and snorkeling gear.

Rooms

Daraius:  I booked 1 night at the Hilton Moorea for 50,000 Hilton points.  I then emailed the hotel to ask about an upgrade from the standard garden room to an overwater bungalow.  I emailed info “at” hilton-moorea.pf & fo.mgr “at” hilton-moorea.pf

The hotel acknowledged my Gold elite benefits of free breakfast, free internet, 2 free bottles of water on arrival and a complimentary upgrade from the regular garden bungalow to a deluxe garden bungalow.  They offered the following upgrades, per night:

• Deluxe Garden bungalow – Complimentary as a gold elite member
• Lagoon Bungalow – 11,398 XPF or ~$117
• Overwater Bungalow – 15,958 XPF or ~ $164
• Panoramic Overwater – 23,939 XPF or ~$245
• Garden pool suite – 23,939 XPF or $245

Here’s a map of the Hilton Moorea.  If you are paying for an upgrade, it doesn’t hurt to specify a room preference.  The hotel will do their best to get you the room, but there are no guarantees.

Panoramic Bungalows

These are the highest category bungalows at the Hilton in Moorea.  I had negotiated an upgrade from a garden bungalow booked for 50,000 Hilton points for 1 night to a Panoramic Overwater bungalow for ~$200 per night.

By negotiate, I mean that I emailed the hotel and asked what the rate was to upgrade a room booked on points to an overwater bungalow.  After being told that the rate was $245 a night, I asked if they could lower the rate to $200 for 1 night and they agreed.

This room was selling for 90,000 XPF (~$983) for a randomly chosen date of September 2, 2013 including tax on the Hilton website.

#87 is perhaps the most private because it is right at the end by itself. We stayed in this room and you can read our review here.

The downside is that there are strong winds blowing on the deck since it isn’t sheltered by nearby bungalows.  I’d also choose 86 & 109 on the other wing as the top 3 rooms at the hotel because of the privacy and great views, and because they may be more sheltered from the wind.

I thought room 84 & 83 were also good, but study the map to see what suits you best!

The closer bungalows aren’t that private since you can see the decks of the other bungalows.

Overwater Bungalows

Overwater bungalows were selling for 80,000 XPF (~$874) for a randomly chosen date of September 2, 2013 including tax on the Hilton website.

As you walk down the walkway to the overwater bungalows, you pass by a few bungalows.  I’d avoid these closer bungalows because they are close to the beach and near the crêperie (cone shaped roof in picture) which is open in the evenings so it could get a bit loud.

We liked room 71 because it has a view of the mountains and sea and is right before bungalow 73 which is a more expensive panoramic overwater bungalow.

However, both bungalow 71 & 73 face towards the resort.

 

Lagoon Bungalow

There were 3 lagoon bungalows, 55, 54, & 53.  The lagoon bungalows were partly on the beach and partly overlooking the water.

Lagoon bungalows were selling for 68,700 XPF (~$750) for a randomly chosen date of September 2, 2013 including tax on the Hilton website.

We thought room 53 was the best lagoon bungalow because it is the most private and has the best views since it juts out the most over the water.

54 is also nice, but is right next to a walkway and may occasionally be noisy. These bungalows also have their own private decks and stairs to enter the sea.

After we scoped out the rooms, we had lunch at the seaside restaurant. There are great views of the sea and we relaxed before our meal came.

Deluxe Garden with Pool & Garden with Pool

Deluxe garden bungalows were selling for 57,870 XPF (~$632) for a randomly chosen date of September 2, 2013 including tax on the Hilton website.

Garden bungalows were selling for 48,750 XPF (~$532) for a randomly chosen date of September 2, 2013 including tax on the Hilton website.

The deluxe garden with pools are closer to the beach and the garden bungalow with pools are towards the back of the resort.  The garden room with pool is the standard room at the Hilton Moorea which can be booked with 50,000 Hilton points per night or for 145,000 points for 4 nights using an AXON award.

Since I was a gold elite member, I was upgraded to the deluxe garden room with pool for no extra fee.

The picture below is of a deluxe garden room with a pool – bungalow #47, which is among the closest to the resort pool.

The gardens were well maintained.

I peered in and took a photo of the pool, in case you’re wondering what it looks like.  It was a bit small, but the room is free with points!

* If you liked this post, why don’t you join the 7,000+ readers who have signed-up to receive free blog posts via email (only 1 email per day!) or in a RSS reader …because then you’ll never miss another trip report!