InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa review: our experience
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa is currently temporarily closed due to extensive renovations.
Bora Bora is home to around ten luxury resorts, with prices ranging from several hundred to several thousand euros per night. Choosing a resort you're genuinely happy with is therefore pretty important, as even a few nights can quickly become very expensive.
Although I can't compare all the resorts in Bora Bora because we only stayed at InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa, I can tell you everything about our experience at this beautiful resort. This is not a sponsored post. We planned and paid for our entire trip to French Polynesia and Bora Bora ourselves.
Location of InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa
InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa is located on the eastern side of the outer ring of motus surrounding Bora Bora. From this side of the island, you get incredible views of the iconic Mount Otemanu while being surrounded by Bora Bora's beautiful, crystal-clear turquoise lagoon.
From the InterContinental, you mainly see the narrow, dramatic peak of Mount Otemanu. At other resorts, such as the Four Seasons and St. Regis, you get a slightly wider view of the mountain. It's a little different, but both views are equally beautiful.
Another advantage of the InterContinental's location is that it's right on the lagoon. The water is generally calm, giving you that gorgeous bright-blue water Bora Bora is famous for.
Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts, for example, is located slightly further away from the protected part of the lagoon and can therefore experience somewhat rougher water.
How to get to InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa
Most of Bora Bora's luxury resorts are relatively easy to reach. They generally offer airport pick-up and drop-off services for an additional fee. If you've already spent a few nights on Bora Bora's main island, you would normally need to take a boat back towards the airport before transferring to your resort. Another option is to arrange a private water taxi from the main island and ask them to drop you directly at your resort. Depending on the resort, this can sometimes save you hundreds of euros.
One advantage of staying at InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa is that InterContinental also has another resort on Bora Bora's main island: InterContinental Le Moana. The Thalasso resort offers a pick-up service from Le Moana, which means you don't have to travel all the way back to the airport. The transfer from Le Moana is also slightly cheaper than the airport transfer because the two resorts are located closer together.
Overwater villas at InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa
InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa only offers overwater villas. Other Bora Bora resorts, such as Conrad and Le Bora Bora, also offer garden villas, but at the InterContinental Thalasso, every villa is located over the water.
Most of the villas are very similar inside, with the main difference being the view. You can choose a lagoon-view villa without a direct view of Mount Otemanu, a villa with a partial Mount Otemanu view, or one with a full view of the mountain. We originally booked a lagoon-view villa but received a complimentary upgrade to a partial Mount Otemanu view because we were on our honeymoon.
At the end of each row of overwater villas, you'll find a Presidential Suite with its own private pool and incredible views across the lagoon towards Mount Otemanu.
Our villa was huge, with a living room, separate bedroom and beautiful bathroom. We also had two outdoor decks. The lower deck was located right above the water, making it incredibly easy to step straight into the lagoon from our villa. Exactly what you'd hope for from an overwater villa in Bora Bora!
Restaurants & Bars
InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa has three restaurants: a buffet restaurant, a seafood restaurant and an international à-la-carte restaurant where you can have dinner.
Twice a week, the buffet restaurant hosts a traditional Polynesian show. During our stay, we watched a traditional dance and haka performance, followed by a fire show later in the week. The shows can only be properly enjoyed from the buffet restaurant, and the restaurant often gets fully booked on these evenings. We therefore recommend making a reservation in advance.
The buffet itself offers plenty of choice, although drinks aren't included and need to be ordered separately from the menu. The buffet restaurant is also where breakfast is served in the morning.
The international à-la-carte restaurant is located directly on the beach and offers beautiful views of Mount Otemanu. You can order dishes such as pizzas, salads and burgers here, and the restaurant is also open for lunch during the day.
We skipped the seafood restaurant during our stay, but this is the more upscale dining option at the resort.
There are also two bars, one near the swimming pool and another in the main resort area, where you can order cocktails and other drinks.
And, of course, you can order room service directly to your villa for an additional charge.
Facilities at InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa
As soon as you arrive at the resort, you're picked up in a long golf cart and taken to reception to check in. You're welcomed with a refreshing drink, and the staff take a photo of you which you receive as a souvenir when you check out. We also found massage oil and traditional shell necklaces waiting for us in our villa, which we were allowed to take home.
The resort has a large infinity pool where you can take amazing photos in the evening, especially when Mount Otemanu is reflected in the water.
Complimentary refreshing drinks are served around the pool, and you'll also find the daily schedule of activities here.
You can, of course, swim in the lagoon with Mount Otemanu in the background. The resort also provides complimentary non-motorised water sports equipment, including kayaks, snorkelling equipment and stand-up paddleboards.
Jet skis are available to rent for an additional fee and can be used outside the lagoon.
InterContinental Thalasso also has its own coral garden, a man-made lagoon and a spa. There's also a beautiful tropical garden to walk through and several shops around the resort.
Events and activities
A complimentary workshop is organised every day, so there's always something different to do. Activities include making your own traditional flower crown or learning how to open a coconut in the traditional Polynesian way. There's often live music on the beach in the evening, and you can also book several excursions directly through the resort. So even if you decide not to leave the resort for a few days, there's plenty to keep you entertained.
How much does InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa cost?
A stay at InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa definitely isn't cheap. Prices vary considerably depending on the season, availability and the type of overwater villa you choose. Generally, you can expect to pay somewhere between €700 and €1,500 per night for a standard overwater villa, while villas with views of Mount Otemanu and the more luxurious suites can be considerably more expensive.
Keep in mind that the room rate usually doesn't include lunch, dinner, drinks or excursions. The mandatory boat transfer from the airport is generally charged separately as well. As a result, the total cost of your stay can quickly become much higher than the room rate alone might suggest.
Is InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa worth it?
For us, absolutely. We thought InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso & Spa was a fantastic choice and loved our time here. The resort was large enough to offer plenty to do for several days without ever feeling too busy. The setting is exactly what you'd hope for when travelling all the way to Bora Bora: turquoise water, beautiful overwater villas and Mount Otemanu right in front of you. The main downside is the additional cost. Room service, drinks, dinners, transfers and excursions can all be very expensive, so it's important to factor these into your budget before booking. Despite that, we would stay here again without hesitation.
