Introduction
French Polynesia is on the bucket list of most travel enthusiasts, and Four Seasons Bora Bora is at the top of the list. The Four Seasons resort is situated directly in front of Mount Otemanu, and the magnificent views available from any angle at the resort are hard to ignore.
As a top 30 Preferred Partner travel advisory, we were invited by Four Seasons to visit their Bora Bora property back in June. This hotel spotlight details all you need to know about Four Seasons Bora Bora. This includes some privileges you get to enjoy when you book your reservation with Ourisman Travel.
Bookings and Flights
Compared to other overwater resort destinations like the Maldives, whose flight time can consume an entire day, Bora Bora is only eight hours away from LA. Our trip was hosted by Air Tahiti and flew from LAX-PPT-BOB, but you can also fly SFO-PPT-BOB and new service from Seattle SEA-PPT-BOB. For those frequent flier loyalists, United also flies to PPT, and Delta will be adding service beginning December 17 from LAX. We also recommend booking VIP meet and greet in PPT – only $450 roundtrip for up to six people.
Since the recommended length of stay is five to six days, we highly recommend the red eye to arrive and enjoy your first full day on the property to get the most value from your stay. Although it can’t be guaranteed, as a Preferred Partner booking, you are top of the list for an early check-in if it’s available.
As its name suggests, Four Seasons Bora Bora is a great year-round destination. While January and February get the most rain, the showers pass quickly. The Four Seasons starting rates range and depend on your dates and bungalow category, anywhere between $1,500 to $5,500 per night. The nightly rate depends on when you book; the sooner, the better!
Check-In
The Four Seasons hotel is perched on a small strip of land protected from the outer reef while maintaining tiny lagoons that are central to the resort. The sound of waves can be heard throughout the resort and from your bungalow, giving you a surreal experience where all you can see is a calm lagoon.
The check-in experience starts at the Bora Bora airport. Once you leave the airport, you are picked up by an exclusive Four Seasons boat. It’s a swift ride, about ten minutes from the airport, and it’s highly convenient when you land in Bora Bora.
On arrival at Four Seasons, you are greeted by the hotel staff and gifted fresh Tiare (Tahitian flower) lei and a welcome beverage. On departure, guests receive a Polynesian Pipi Shell lei. The entire check-in process is relatively quick, and the hotel staff will take you to your room via tour around the property while you wait for your luggage to arrive. Once you arrive in your room, you are given a tour of the room and all the different amenities in the room.
Rooms
Every overwater bungalow at the Four Seasons hotel is suite-style, meaning you have a separate bedroom and living room. The rooms are spectacular overall, with various options based on your budget and needs. Pro-tip: Mountain View (Mount Otemanu) Overwater Bungalow Suites are most sought after!
The overwater bungalows have a large living room with walls that completely open up to a large private terrace with chaise lounges, lagoon access, and an outdoor shower. The living room features an extensive minibar, seating area, and television. The bathroom divides the living room from the bedroom and features a large bathtub open entirely to the outside.
The king bedroom is what you would expect from a top luxury hotel brand – luxurious and comfy. The whole bungalow has a fresh smell of wood and exudes a spa-like feeling. The interior of the rooms has so many natural wood accents, beautiful rugs on the floor, and incredible lighting.
The accent lighting in the room, the way they have designed their bathrooms, lighting underneath the vanity, and other accent lights on art and around the room are stunning. There are also cut-outs in the room to allow natural lighting, which creates a pleasant atmosphere. We also fell in love with the small details, like the infamous glass bottom view of the lagoon water, coffee table books, artwork, and true feeling of home.
Food and Drink
Booking your Four Seasons reservation through Ourisman Travels gets you 100+ USD resort credits for incidentals such as food, drinks, and the spa. While you can get complimentary breakfast daily at the restaurant (Tere Nui), you can also choose to experience in-room dining, allowing you to enjoy breakfast in your bathrobe from your overwater bungalow. Pro-tip: Start your day with breakfast delivered to the private deck of your overwater bungalow in a ceremonial Polynesian canoe!
The Four Seasons Bora Bora has a full minibar in every room. What better way to apply your 100+ USD credit than from the multiple options available at the resort, from champagne to wine to cocktails. The resort refills the tea and espresso every day and it is complimentary.
With four restaurants plus special dining experiences, there’s no shortage of great dining experiences here! Plus, children four years old and under receive complimentary meals.
Facilities
The Four Seasons hotel has everything you need for a perfect beach vacation in Bora Bora. The hotel even provides a boat shuttle that goes into town; you can either do a private transfer for about $50 per person or join a shared transfer that goes daily from 12:30pm to 3:30pm for about $17 per person.
The resort also has an incredible beachfront with a pool area that is a fantastic place to hang out. The beach and pool service are what you would expect from Four Seasons including daily pool amenities such as chilled towels, ice water, Evian spritz, frozen fruit, and other iced treats.
There is no need to pay for laundry services here, as there are guest laundry services that you can access yourself for free on your pontoon!
Activities
One of the most remarkable features of the property is the beautiful lagoons that have small beaches and sit on the white sand. Another cool thing is how Four Seasons is leaning into the marine biology aspect of their surroundings.
They have beautiful bio rocks that they have created to grow oral out of them, and they’ve actually acquired a lot of fish that have taken over these lagoons. On-site marine biologists are available for snorkeling with guests to view coral, tropical fish, and rays and explain the resort’s coral grafting. You can also borrow kayaks and paddle boards free of charge, as well as snorkel gear, and if you are lucky, you might spot the extremely rare octopus! Other activities include:
- Circle the island by Waverunner
- Scuba diving
- Tennis and ping pong
- Teen program at Chill Island, which also includes marine biology activists
- Swim with stingrays and sharks
- Polynesian adventure with the hotel’s exclusive Kids For All Seasons program for ages 5-12
Book Your Four Seasons Vacation With Ourisman Travel
Ourisman Travel clients can enjoy value-added amenities such as complimentary breakfast daily, resort credits, and more:
- Mornings with free breakfast for you and your preferred partner
- A complimentary room upgrade, based on availability at check-in
- A 100+ USD resort credit towards incidentals such as food and beverage or the spa
- Early check-in/ late check-out based on availability
Exclusive Promotion: Guaranteed room upgrade! Receive a guaranteed upgrade at the time of booking on new reservations for travel from January 6 to March 24, 2024. Applicable upgrades include: from Beach-View Overwater Bungalow to Lagoon-View Overwater Bungalow, and from Lagoon-View Overwater Bungalow to Mountain-View Overwater Bungalow. This offer is also combinable with our Preferred Partner benefits.
Exclusive Promotion: Double your resort credit! Receive double the Resort credit when booking specific accommodation categories for five nights or more on new reservations for travel from June 1 to August 31, 2024. Book a Beach, Lagoon or Mountain-View Overwater Bungalow and receive an additional USD 100 credit per stay. Book a Lagoon or Mountain-View with Plunge Pool or one of the Two-Bedroom Overwater Bungalows or Villa Estates and receive an additional USD 200 credit per stay.
Exclusive Promotion: Additional $500 Credit! Receive an additional USD 500 Resort credit when booking an Overwater Bungalow with Plunge Pool for five nights or more on new reservations for travel from January 5 to March 24, 2024.
Exclusive Promotion: 4th Night Free! Spend more time experiencing the very best of Bora Bora – it’s on us. Book this offer to receive a complimentary fourth night in paradise. Valid for Selected Dates Between Mar 7, 2024 –Apr 30, 2025.
For more information on Four Seasons Bora Bora, reach out to our team at [email protected] or submit a travel request form.
