bora bora | Chicisms

A Stay at the St. Regis Bora Bora

We’ve moved! Read more about our stay on our new site: The Tasteful Traveler.

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A trip to Bora Bora is really nothing but paradise. And if you’re looking for a place to stay, and want to live the overwater bungalow life, the St. Regis Bora Bora is the place to go.

Let’s break it down.

The Resort:

When you think St. Regis, you think luxury. And that’s exactly what you get at the St. Regis Bora Bora.

The resort property is huge and you can get around via walking, biking or by calling for a golf cart pickup/dropoff. The overwater villas are also some of the largest in the South Pacific, starting at 1,550 square feet so space is never an issue.

The property also has a Lagoonarium (pictured below) which is the St. Regis Bora Bora’s protected lagoon that hosts a myriad of fish, including a very large Napoleon fish named Terry. Guests are also able to snorkel in this lagoon so you can experience it all up close.

I highly recommend you go to the Lagoonarium for the scheduled fish feeding – it is informative and so fun to see all the types of fish and experience a feeding frenzy.

Even if you visit the St. Regis Bora Bora at peak time (like we did), you’ll find that it’ll feel like you have the resort to yourself. The most people you’ll see will be at breakfast when every one comes out for a few bites, but after that, you likely won’t run into many people. The beach will feel like it’s all yours.

The Room:

We stayed in the Overwater Deluxe Otemanu Villa thanks to an upgrade, and I just have to say that these villas are gorgeous. These deluxe Otemanu villas are facing Mount Otemanu so you get gorgeous views of the mountain and the sunset.

These villas are very spacious, and have an indoor lounge/living room space that’s separate from the bedroom. Both the living room and bedroom have floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to the outdoor terrace and dining space so you can wake up looking at the gorgeous turquoise waters.

The Amenities:

The St. Regis Bora Bora offers butler service and it is exceptional. From picking you up in a golf cart from the lobby and driving you to your bungalow, helping schedule and manage dinner reservations (and arranging pickup), and even getting your floatie blown up. They’ll check in with you when you’re at breakfast to make sure you have everything you need and talk about your day, and they’ll make sure you’re having a great time. The butlers are so incredibly nice and helpful, and really round out your experience at the St. Regis.

As mentioned above, you can get around the property via bike and that’s because each bungalow comes with complimentary bikes. They’re assigned to your villa number which is great so you don’t have to be on the lookout for a bike to grab at any given point (this is a real thing at some of the other Bora Bora resorts).

The overwater villas also offer in-room coffee/tea service. Just dial the number on the bungalow’s phone and arrange for a french press coffee and/or tea to come over the next morning and they’ll set it up where ever you’d like to enjoy it (highly recommend enjoying out on your deck so you can stare out at the water).

The Food:

When you’re staying at a resort in Bora Bora that’s not on the mainland (whether that’s the St. Regis or elsewhere), you’ll likely be eating a bulk of your meals at the resort. Which means restaurants that offer a variety of cuisines and types of food is good to have so you don’t get tired of eating the same thing every day (especially if you’re staying at that one resort for 3+ days), and good food is obviously always a must have. Luckily, the St. Regis Bora Bora has it all with five restaurants on site.

Te Pahu is an open-air restaurant located right next to the beach, and it’s where breakfast is served. Breakfast is typically a buffet, but in these times of Covid all dishes were on a menu that we could choose from and then they were brought to our table.

The St. Regis Bora Bora also hosts a Polynesian night on Wednesdays and an Indian night on Sundays at Te Pahu. Both are a treat but Polynesian night is great as you get to experience the delicious local cuisine and a Tamure dance show. Get there early for a seat at the front!

If there’s one restaurant at the resort that you absolutely must go to for dinner, it’s the Lagoon Restaurant by Jean-Georges. This restaurant by the michelin-starred chef serves elegant French-Asian fusion cuisine in a dining room that’s set on the water and has glass panels in the floor so you can take a peek at the fish swimming underneath your feet.

The service is impeccable and all of the food is absolutely delicious. Try the five-course tasting menu and opt to be surprised with each delicious course, or choose dishes a la carte (or go twice like we did and get the tasting menu one night, and a la carte the next time. The uravena fish is highly recommended – pictured below). Make sure to make a reservation ahead of time.

(A hot tip: before your dinner reservation, go to the Lagoon restaurant for sunset and sit outside with a cocktail and appetizers in hand. The views are gorgeous from this spot).

Other restaurants on the resort include:

Bam Boo which features sushi, wok and teppanyaki dishes for dinner,
Far Niente which has Italian cuisine for dinner, and
Aparima Bar for lunch dishes, smoothies and more.

Don’t forget room service! If you’re staying in an overwater villa and prefer to lounge in your room and jump off the deck into the ocean all day (who could blame you?), order room service which is just as delightful as eating out at the restaurants.

The Verdict:

Is the St. Regis Bora Bora really worth a stay? If you’re wanting gorgeous overwater bungalows with stunning views of Mt. Otemanu, exceptional butler service, delicious food, and a gorgeous beach to lounge around in, in addition to other amenities – absolutely. I would go back to the St. Regis Bora Bora any day.

Need to think about what to pack for your trip? Check out the packing list here.

Happy traveling!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means if you buy something, my blog will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What to Pack for Bora Bora

Planning a trip to Bora Bora? Outside of the usual things that you already know to pack (like swimsuits, flip flops, your toiletries), there are a few more things that you should definitely bring with you.

Sunscreen – and lots of it!

Many of the resorts have sunscreen available at the beach, free to use, but it’s always a good idea to bring a few reef-safe sunscreen packages with you (depending on how long you’re staying in Bora Bora) so you have it when you go on any excursions, in your room, etc.

My all-time favorite face sunscreen is this EltaMD UV Physical SPF 41 sunscreen. It’s a mineral-based sunscreen (meaning it uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide instead of other chemicals) for UVA/UVB protection, is fragrance free, oil-free and water-resistant. It’s also lightly tinted so is great by itself or under makeup (and yes, the tinted version is totally fine for men).

Some other great reef-friendly options are below.

Insect Repellant

Even if the resorts treat their properties for mosquitos, it’s always a good idea to pack insect repellant for a tropical destination. Especially if you’re going on any land excursions in Bora Bora, like ATV-ing, hiking, etc.

The insect repellant I always pack when traveling is the below Repel insect repellant wipes. It’s so convenient to carry around and apply whenever you need! Plus it really works – it held up in Thailand and the nights I remembered to use it in Bora Bora.

Worst case scenario if you get multiple mosquito bites while traveling, try to hunt down tamanu balm. One of the locals recommended it to me at the St. Regis Bora Bora store on the resort and it helped tremendously with bites, cuts, you name it. Tamanu oil/balm originates in French Polynesia and has been a staple in their traditional medicine. It’s basically good for everything – cuts, burns, insect bites, sunburns, dry skin, and the list goes on.

Snorkel Mask Set

If you’re planning on snorkeling, you’ll find that many of the resorts (and excursion companies) have free snorkel masks and fins that they’re happy to provide. My tip is – bring your own snorkel mask and use the resort’s/excursion company’s flippers. Why? Because having a clean snorkel mask that you already know fits nicely, and has only been used by you and your mouth is key.

I bought the below snorkel mask set and loved it while we were in Bora Bora. The frameless mask gives you 180° viewing, and it is truly crystal clear, anti-fog and anti-leak.

Waterproof Dry Bag

If you’re planning on going on any water excursions (or even land excursions), pack a dry bag. This waterproof bag lets you store all your items away safely, no matter what you’re doing. We took our dry bag with us while on an ATV, a jet ski and our snorkeling adventures. (It also lasted through a trip to Thailand that was spent kayaking so it’s definitely durable). Needless to say, our phones, camera, etc. were safe and sound after tropical rain and a lot of waves.

Plastic Floatie

If you’re staying in an overwater bungalow, bring a plastic pool float in your travel bag so you can hop off your deck, and lounge about in the ocean any time you please. Your resort should be able to blow it up for you when asked, and nothing beats relaxing right off of your bungalow. It’s also a good idea to bring some rope so you’re able to tie the floatie to your bungalow outside when not in use (so it doesn’t float or fly away).

Water Shoes

There is coral everywhere, so it’s a good idea to make sure your feet are protected regardless of whether you’re going snorkeling or just walking from the beach into the ocean. That’s where water shoes come in. The ones I’m about to recommend below were tried and tested over a two week trip, so they’re reliable and get the job done. Not only do they protect your feet in the water, but they’re extremely versatile and comfortable. We wore these all the time while at the beach, when snorkeling, and even when we had an ATV trip followed by jet skis.

For women, these Speedo water shoes were the best. For men, the ALEADER slip on water shoes are also look pretty good. Some other great water shoe options below.

Happy traveling!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means if you buy something, my blog will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.