Sofitel Bora Bora Private Island

Very clean and relaxing resort. Have stayed here in the overwater bungalows several times and the service is always consistent. Love watching the fish at night going under your overwater bungalow. The resort has beach cruisers and you can bike to get fresh baguettes. There’s a nice little fish taco stand serving mahi mahi tacos and cold Hinano. Def do the sunset catamaran cruise, the motu picnic and swimming with the reef sharks.

Fantastic location, ideal for couples as children below 12 are not allowed. Only 60 people max on the motu, which makes it a pretty quiet place. Great outdoor area (no swimming pool though) with an amazing coral garden just 4 minutes snorkel or canoeing time away. Overwater bungalows with direct access to the lagoon are good but don't expect them to be modern. If you get one with a bathtub, showering without splashing the whole bathroom will be a challenge.The hotel will be fully renovated in 2 years. If the weather is windy, you will hear it! Breakfast is comprehensive with a mix of continental, French and Asian flavours. Food at the restaurant (only one on.the motu) is good in general but not consistent (some days, they will overcook your meat or fishes), and not very diverse. After 3 days, you probably will have to select the same dishes again. Count at least 150 EUR for 2 people for a 2 course dinner and wine. Staff is very friendly though not efficient (there is nearly always something missing ) and slow (as in most resorts in French Polynesia by the way). Not an issue as we were on holiday but your patience will be welcome. ;) We had pleasant surprises of having a bottle of Champagne and macaroons waiting for us in the room on arrival (we mentioned at reservation that we were on a honeymoon trip). And we got every evening nice gifts (hat, t shirt, cakes etc) in our room. The arrival with the ukulele and the coconut drink are memorable. The romantic dinner (around 330 EUR for 2) is worthwile! I would typically give 4 stars for the room and value for money overall but I kept 5 in my overall evaluation due to the exceptional location and the boutique style, which is not common in Bora Bora. We felt really good in this hotel!

I cannot say enough good things about the Sofitel Private Island! My mom and I visited Bora Bora to celebrate her milestone birthday and we could not have been more pleased with our stay. Here a few things that made it so memorable... Service: The service here is WORLD CLASS. I have never experienced anything like it before. Every single employee treated us like royalty and felt like our friends by the end of our stay. There are too many people to mention by name, but they truly made our experience that much more special. Location: I mean, come on. You're staying on a private island! In Bora Bora! Does it get much better than that? It's also conveniently located less than a 5 minute (free) boat ride to the mainland. There's so much to do at the resort though that we only visited the main island once. Amenities: Our overwater bungalow was private and comfortable. It even had a small patch of a glass bottom floor to watch the fish from inside! How cool it that? (Pro tip: if you book an overwater bungalow, bring an inflatable to float around in the lagoon!) The concierge worked with me before we arrived to assist in arranging a special birthday lunch in Pomare chairs on the beach for my mother and I cannot thank her enough time and help. It was an amazing experience. Also, make time during your stay to enjoy the free kayak and stand up paddleboard hires since there's a great coral garden on the other side of the private island. And don't forget to catch a sunset (with a glass of champagne, of course) at the mount. As mentioned in other reviews, yes the bungalows are a little dated, but don't let that detur you from the magic of this place. Thanks to the incredible staff here, this will be a vacation my mother and I will remember for the rest of our lives. We look forward to returning when we can!

We stayed here for 4 nights as a surprise for my wife as she has always wanted to come to Bora Bora. It was wonderful! We stayed in an over the water bungalow which I highly recommend since you can jump right into the water and snorkel and our room had the best view possible of Mount Otemanu. The room itself was nice which had a big bathroom and plenty of room as well as snorkeling gear, and life jackets already available. My only complaint is that sometimes the remote for the AC didn't work and that the safe was on low batteries, but other than that it was splendid. It is wonderful looking out and seeing the lagoon and ocean right in front of you. You also have a deck which you can jump in and then go directly into the water and there were fish as soon as you got in. We stayed in room 129 as I wanted something that was in the shallow end of the water instead of the deep end and I was granted the room I requested. I liked the fact the Island is private meaning basically adults and no kids, which certainly added to our stay. Not to mention the free rides to get to the main island at the sister hotel. The wifi was great, and the breakfast was one of the best I could have anywhere. Eggs any way you like, french toast, awesome bread options and lots of fruit, bacon, fries, etc. The dinner and lunch options was great as well as well as the drinks. The staff was wonderful especially Martin (from Switzerland who is interning for 6 months) who went out of his way to make the guest feel welcomed. Snorkeling in the coral garden is awesome! So many activities to choose from as we Kayaked over to the Coral Gardens. We also did a dinner on the beach, it was neat and lovely as we watched the sunset first and then went down to beach for the dinner. You can also walk to the top of the island and it has a wonderful view and also this private Island has it's own Botanical Gardens.

BEST location in Bora Bora, hands-down, plus we loved the small resort atmosphere (I think there were only 20-30 rooms on the island). If you're looking for good snorkeling, this is the best since the Coral Garden is just behind you, and for great sunset views, walk to the top of the island and enjoy all the sitting areas amongst the natural beauty. What this resort does not have is a beach (at least not one that is maintained), pool, or the full-service staff attention you would get at the bigger resort... and the attention to detail in the rooms was a bit lacking since they're showing their age (thus the 4 out of 5 star rating I gave), however I would trade that any day for the quiet, private atmosphere. And the waterways near the hotel are much less congested than the bigger resorts, plus you get free transportation to the island anytime, and a restocked minibar for free. Just be aware, the partner Sofitel resort on the main island has stalled construction so there are no available amenities even though they say you can use the pool, etc.; if this had been open, I think the additional dining options, beach and pool would have made this a five-star plus review, but I guess we'll have to wait till next Dec when it was supposed to re-open to find out.

This resort is really cool, incredibly relaxing, and surrounded by stunning, unbelievable beauty. It is nourishing to the soul. But it needs a little work. First the good: Staff were incredibly helpful and friendly. We were super happy with the service, and everyone was super attentive to any request we had. We were welcomed with flowers and coconut drinks, and had a personal check in on the cliffs over the beach. The grounds are incredible. A private island! There's a path to the summit, and a few small beaches (small is not a bad thing here - bespoke is the name of the game). Water activities abound (paddle boarding, kayaks, etc) and snorkels are provided in the room. Regular ferry service goes to and from the mainland multiple times daily, but you should really be staying on the island. The snorkelling is spectacular. The number, variety, and color of fish and coral is jaw dropping. I definitely recommend an over water bungalow for instant ocean access! Food is good and wine selection is great. We happened to catch the Polynesian buffet one night for dinner, and it was excellent. You'll spend a decent bit of money on food and wine, but it's comparable to going out for an evening in a city, and it's good food and wine! Now the bad: communication was a bit of an issue. I was told when I made my reservation to book a transfer from the airport to the hotel, but it took me a lot of effort to book. The email address provided is either wrong or unmonitored, and eventually I had to call the hotel directly. It's not a huge deal, but my travel booking relies heavily on email and it was frustrating to have emails going unanswered. The grounds need some maintenance. There are several areas with buried utility wiring becoming exposed (not dangerous, just unsightly). Rooms, while beautiful, need some work. Our bathroom mirrors had cracks, some wooden windows wouldn't operate or seal properly. The sheet over our bed was dirty with dust and some dead bugs. No single thing was a big deal, just altogether they gave the vibe that some work needs to be put into the place. Do be sure to bring bug spray - you're on a barely inhabited, lush island. While it wasn't a big problem most of the time, we got bitten pretty badly one night by something that got into our bed. Altogether, it's a lovely place and you should go. I cannot stress enough how gorgeous Bora Bora is, and how nourishing the private island is to one's soul.

Overlooking one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world, this awesome place is located in the heart of the exceptional Matira Bay, nestled on a private islet facing the main island of Bora Bora. A secret hideaway where you can enjoy a peaceful and romantic retreat, regenerate yourself and savour the exquisite feeling of being at home on your own private island. This boutique hotel is emphasizing privacy and intimacy to create a unique experience in the heart of native vegetation surrounded by turquoise water and beautiful coral gardens. We were passing by during our island tour and had the chance to stop and take some pictures of this wonderful place!

Staying here for our honeymoon was a dream come true. They traditionally greet you with lei's and they blow into their conch horn on arrival and departure. We actually arrived earlier than schedule, and without a hitch Dyanne (our amazing concierge) made sure a room was ready ASAP while we ate breakfast. There were only a few hitches that we noticed (but not deal breakers). Our bungalow was beautiful, clean, and luxurious, however it is probably time for some updating. There were small piles of occasional random sand spots, apparently from sand bugs? However they come in to clean the floors etc daily and they always leave little treats and refill the fridge with beer and water. HUGE plus! The company is updating the other sister property (right across the water), and this resort is probably next in line. However, they did such a great job with design, that even though it needs updating, the look is timeless. The food was pretty good for a resort, and the breakfast buffet is totally worth the investment since the island is.....an island.....and why trek somewhere to get breakfast, just get it there. The breakfast had a huge assortment of items, and an egg station for fresh eggs or omelets etc. We also had the traditional Tahitian dinner with dancing, and the pork was to die for. The island itself is also pretty amazing. It is right next to a local hot spot for snorkeling that you can literally swim over to (it's that close), or use one of the FREE kayaks/stand up paddle boards/snorkel gear to get over there. I think one of the big bonuses was that because it's a private island, you do have a ton of privacy and intimacy with the resort. The con is that to get anywhere else, it is a short ride to the main island of Bora Bora, but definitely don't let that hinder you from staying here. The shining star of this resort truly has to be the staff. From the waitresses with my daily coffee, the bell hops/activities desk, and maids who cleaned our messes, I was always greeted with a smile, they are kind and courteous and the concierge's (Dyanne and T-something) were responsive, charming, and attentive. A huge thank you to the staff and the island of Bora Bora for a week to remember! We love you!