Society Islands Cheap Vacations

Stayed 6 nights in an overwater bungalow as part of a long trip to the islands of both Hawaii and French Polynesia. Service provided by our assigned concierge, Kea, was better than any butler service I have had over the years at other luxury hotels. The property is lovely and well kept. The bungalow was spacious, updated, and clean. Unfortunately there were a number of things that diminished the overall experience. First, the noise. I’ve stayed in overwater accommodations previously in The Maldives, Indonesia, and Colombia. I am currently at the Intercontinental La Moana in Bora Bora in an over water bungalow. It is serene and wonderful. I anticipated a similar experience of serenity and tranquility in Tahiti. But, instead, I had to listen to very loud music and announcements that went well past 10PM at night. Having traveled the world over the past 35 years I always have silicon ear plugs to dull the noise. Even with the earplugs, however, it was still loud. Some of the noise came from nearby but much of it was from the Intercontinental. In French Polynesia the year round humidity is between 80 and 90 percent. The average daily temperature hovers around 30. The fans in the dining areas were not sufficient to provide a comfortable dinning experience — even in shorts, tank top, and flip flops. The food was mediocre including at La Lotus. WiFi in room was ok but was not available in the gym and other areas of the property. This hotel pales in comparison to many other resorts.