Our 2nd Honeymoon in Paradise – Hilton Bora Bora Nui

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Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Emily:  After spending three wonderful days relaxing at the beautiful and modern InterContinental Thalasso, we were sad to leave, but excited to experience the Hilton in Bora Bora! Daraius:  We arranged for a private boat from the InterContinental Thalasso to the Hilton in Bora Bora.  The boat cost ~$250 for the 40 minute ride.  The hotel had initially proposed paying $50 per person to ride the shuttle back to the airport and then paying $50 per person to the Hilton to ride their shuttle boat from the airport to the hotel.

So I decided to pay the extra $50 and get a private boat and save time.  The cheaper option (which I learned about later) would have been to pay $50 per person from the InterContinental Thalasso to the airport.  And from the airport take the free Air Tahiti shuttle to the main port Viatape and then pay ~$8 round-trip for the Hilton shuttle to the hotel.

This would have taken longer, but we would have saved ~$150!  We did do this on our way back and saved ~$90 instead of taking the hotel’s shuttle boat directly to the airport.

Here are the Hilton shuttle boat timings to and from Viatape.

HIlton Shuttle Boat TImings
Hilton Bora Bora Nui
En Route to the Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Emily:   In about 30 minutes we saw our first view of the Hilton Bora Bora Nui.
Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hilton Bora Bora Nui

When we arrived at the Hilton, we were greeted with serenaders…

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hilton Bora Bora Nui Welcome
..and were each given a flower garland.
Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Flower Garlands at the Hilton Bora Bora Nui

We also got a small glass of tropical juice and a cold towel.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Juice & Small Towel

The reception was right where we got off from the boat.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hilton Bora Bora Nui Reception

The reception area is connected to the beach and resort by a walkway.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Walkway to the Reception

The hotel is nicely landscaped, but not as meticulous as the InterContinental Thalasso in Bora Bora.  It also has a much more rustic feel compared to the modern and smartly designed Thalasso.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Landscaping

There were hammocks between the trees,

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hilton Bora Bora Nui

and paved pathways throughout the resort.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Paved Pathways

The hotel had free paddle boats, but the water was too choppy to use them when we visited.  It was very windy on the days we visited, and some of the free activities like kayaking and paddle boats were closed due to the wind.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Paddle Boats

It was a gorgeous sunny day when we arrived and the views were great!

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Nice Sunny Day

The pool area is large.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hilton Bora Bora Nui

And there were beach chairs on the beach and by the pool area.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Beach Chairs

The pool area is very well designed.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hilton Bora Bora Nui Pool

And has some great views.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hilton Bora Bora Nui Pool

Emily couldn’t wait to get in the pool!

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Emily by the Pool

There was a small pond with lotus leaves which didn’t look like it was cleaned often.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Dirty Water and Lotus Leaves

Rooms

Daraius:  I booked 2 nights at the Hilton Bora Bora 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-borabora.pf &  gs.mgr “at” hilton-borabora.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 an overwater bungalow (subject to availability).  They offered the following upgrades, per night:

  • Overwater bungalow – Complimentary as a gold elite member at check-in subject to availability
  • King Deluxe Overwater – 8,000 XPF or ~$87
  • Royal Overwater – 20,000 XPF or ~ $216
  • Presidential Suite – 100,000 XPF or ~$1,082

This FlyerTalk thread suggests that the upgrade rate could be double what I was offered, though some folks were offered the same rates which I paid.

Here’s a map of the Hilton Bora Bora.  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.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui Map (Click for Large Image)

Garden View Villa

The standard award reservation for 50,000 points is a Garden View room.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Garden View Villa

The views are, well, of the garden!

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
View of the Garden

There was a little balcony to sit out and soak up the sun.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Garden View Balcony

You can see the Villas next door, but they aren’t that close to each other.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Can See The Next Villa

Hillside Villa

Above the garden villas are the hillside villas, which are, on a hill!

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hilton Bora Bora Nui Hillside Villas

You can take the stairs up, walk around the curved paths or ask for a golf cart to pick you up!

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Stairs up to the Hillside Villa

But the views were gorgeous.  If I wasn’t staying in an overwater bungalow, I’d want to stay in a hillside villa.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
View Outside Room #409

I walked around the hillside villas and the views were really good!

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
View from the Hillside Villas

The villas appeared to have the same layout as the garden view villas.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Garden View Villa With Balcony

Did I tell you how good the views were from top?

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hillside Villa View

Lagoon View

Even though these are 1 category above the entry level Garden View villas, I thought these were the worst of the lot.  They looked more cramped together than my apartment complex!

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Lagoon View Villas

The entrance didn’t seem particularly nice either.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Lagoon View Villa Entrance

There were stairs leading up to the entrance of the villas.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Entrance to Lagoon View Villas

The view from lagoon view was nice, but didn’t seem as nice as the views from the hillside villas.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Lagoon Villa View

Overwater Villa

These are the villas which are not circled in the map. On the east side, I’d choose #110 and on the west side, room #341 & #342 appear off to themselves.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
View from Room 341

The bungalows in the #300 east wing seemed to have coconut trees and appeared quieter…

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
More Coconut Trees
..though there are more villas on the east wing than on the west wing.
Hilton Bora Bora Nui
East Wing Overwater Villas

Deluxe Overwater Villa

I’d choose #109 followed by #108 as the best deluxe overwater villas on the east side of the resort.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
View from room #109

Room #101 is kind of off by itself and has a relatively private view as well.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
View from Room #101
Hilton Bora Bora Nui
View from Room #102

Rooms #105 & #106 look east and you may be able to see Mt. Otamanu if it is a clear day.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
View From Room #105

The next set of deluxe over-water villas are in the center – #201 to #212.  And the last set of deluxe overwater villas are in the 300s on the west side of the resort.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Hilton Bora Bora Nui Deluxe Overwater Villas

Royal Overwater Villa

There are two Royal Overwater Villas – #107 & #126.  We asked for #107, but were assigned #126.

The villa was very large and had a huge deck with a jacuzzi, but it was overlooking the resort’s dock and we could see (and hear) the boats going to and from the resort.  Royal Overwater Villa #107 is definitely more private!  But we were still delighted with our room.

We will share our pictures and video review in tomorrow’s post!

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Royal Overwater Villa (#126) Deck

Presidential Overwater

These are the most expensive villas at the Hilton.  The retail rate for these are a ridiculous ~$3,800, though you would pay “only” ~$1,000 to upgrade from an award stay.

But these are HUGE!  There are 2 presidential villas – #1001 & #1002

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Presidential Overwater Villa

These 2-storeyed villas have 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 dressing rooms, a  living room, swimming pool, sun deck, and an outdoor living area with a jacuzzi, sun deck, and gazebo.

Hilton Bora Bora Nui
Side View of Presidential Overwater Villa

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