14 Best Hotels in Bora Bora with Maupiti, French Polynesia

If you're looking for the ultimate getaway, and are not concerned about breaking the bank, then this is the place to come. The villas, most of which are overwater, have spacious living rooms, a sundeck and terrace, and a personal butler. Some of the overwater bungalows have Jacuzzis, others have private plunge pools. The resort has drop-dead beautiful views of Mt. Otemanu, four restaurants (including one by Jean-George Vongerichten), and 24 hour butler service. It was also the first resort on the island to have a kids' club. Tip: For a once-in-a-lifetime splurge, the Royal Estate Villa is set away from the others and has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a chef's kitchen, a private spa area, and a private beach.

At the southern tip of Motu Toopua, this resort is considered to have one of the best beaches in Bora Bora and amazing snorkeling right off the bungalows. It's a large resort with expansive gardens; electric carts are available for those who don't want long walks by the shore or through the coconut groves. Bungalows are elegantly furnished with Indonesian mahogany canopy beds swathed in net and Italian marble baths. A regular shuttle ferries guests to and from Vaitape throughout the day and well into the night for those who want to dine on the mainland.

If you're seeking a Robinson Crusoe experience, this quirky owner-run resort may be the place for you. You'll revel in the solitude and mix and mingle with just a handful of other guests, happy in the knowledge that the resort is completely solar-powered and has fully embraced other eco practices such as recycling and composting. Walk along the quiet beachfront or check out the roaring surf on the ocean side of the motu. There are limited activities (windsurfing and kayaking are free); however, the friendly owner, Vlada Zydek, can organize the usual excursions and motorized sports. Complimentary boat transfers ferry passengers to the village of Anau. All bungalows are by the beach or in a garden setting.

This pleasant little pension has a mountainside location at Paofai Bay, 5 km (3 mi) south of Vaitape. There is a dining room onsite, and a TV and VCR in the common living room, along with a communal kitchen and washing machine. This is place to save big bucks on accommodation if you don't mind the simple life.

You'll have handy access to historical sites when staying at this pension on the motu of the same name. There are six cute bungalows with private bathrooms (some have hot water) and little terraces from which you can watch incredible sunsets. There are also fully equipped kitchens if you feel like cooking, although a communal dining room does provide all meals.

The island's newest resort opened its doors in mid-2008. Like other luxurious resorts on Bora Bora, it's location on an eastern motu provides guests with stunning views of Mt. Otemanu. This is also the island's first resort with a club for teenagers, Teen Island, which has its own beach. There's also a club for younger children. All 100 overwater bungalows, eight of which have private plunge pools, can accommodate two adults and two children, or three adults, with children under 18 free. There are also six two-bedroom villas and one three-bedroom villa.

This beautiful and innovative resort features virtually all overwater bungalows, except for three two-bedroom family villas on the beachfront. It's the first in the Southern Hemisphere with a Thalasso spa, which uses deep seawater and seaweed in a long menu of therapeutic treatments. Another unique feature is the charming wedding chapel (the only resort chapel in French Polynesia) complete with a glass aisle—you can see coral and fish below—that the happy couple walks on from the door to the altar. The resort has adopted several energy-saving practices including using seawater pumped from 2,500 feet (762 meters) below to cool the air-conditioning system. The beds in each bungalow are situated right in front of floor-to-ceiling windows so you wake up with a view. Decor includes Paul Gauguin prints and Polynesian artworks. A free shuttle runs between the motu and the sister property, the InterContinental Moana Resort, at Matira Point.

This pension is about as remote as you can get on Maupiti. It's on Motu Tiapaa, has four bungalows and miles of beach to explore by snorkel or canoe, which are provided. Each solar-powered bungalow has ensuite bathrooms with hot water. The tariff includes breakfast, dinner, and airport transfers.

This mid-range resort is about a 10-minute walk from Matira Beach, and 6 km (4 mi) from Vaitape. Accommodations are a mixture of air-conditioned hotel rooms in two-story wings and beachside and overwater bungalows. Hotel rooms have balconies and views either of the mountain or the lagoon. A recent upgrade widened the beach and added 20 new air-conditioned rooms, nine overwater bungalows, and a second restaurant—Tama'a Maitai, serving Polynesian and seafood dishes—right on the beach.

One of the original hotels on Bora Bora, this is the place for those who love water activities and marine life. The hotel has its own private lagoon that has developed as a turtle sanctuary since the first injured turtle was brought there for rehabilitation in 1999. Today Le Meridien plays host to the Marine Turtle Protection Centre; guests can swim with the turtles and watch babies being cared for. The resort has a brilliant position—on Motu Piti Aau—with Mt. Otemanu looming directly in front of it. One of its biggest draws is the Miki Miki Bar, designed as a prow of a ship, and an ideal place for sunset cocktails. The majority of accommodations are overwater bungalow, graced with romantic four-poster beds.

This ocean-side pension is a hit with surfers and those who like their holidays to come with an adrenaline rush. The owner of this small place will teach you how to kite surf—a fast-moving sport similar to snowboarding where you're attached to a harness and hang onto what looks like a parasail. Each bungalow can accommodate five people and the bathrooms are spacious but there's no hot water. Meals are available on a half-board and full-board basis.

This guesthouse is quite a departure from most island accommodations. It comprises two newish houses on the south coast of the main island about 2 mi from the main village. One has four bedrooms each with private bathroom with hot water and terrace, and one room with a shared hot-water bathroom. The other has two bedrooms with similar facilities and a shared living area and terrace. All meals are offered at an extrra rate and the owners will provide take-away picnics at 1,500 CFP for those who wish to go exploring all day.

This three-bungalow lodge at Paofai Bay is unique in that guests can stay in one bungalow or make an advance booking and rent out the entire property for eight family members or friends. It is situated on the hillside, a few hundred yards from the lagoon; however, the owners provide free shuttles to the beach and free transport to nearby restaurants and grocery stores. Each bungalow has a balcony with view of the lagoon or mountainside, a queen-size canopy bed, and a large bathroom with outdoor garden shower flowing from a statue of a Tahitian woman! Each has a kitchenette with refrigerator, microwave, and coffee machine, perfect for preparing your own breakfast each day. The lodge provides free bicycles and free airport transfers and will rent out kayaks and arrange paid activities such as lagoon excursions. There's a communal lounge and library bungalow with hammock and free Internet in the lobby. Local artwork adorns the bungalows and stone tikis are dotted around the grounds.

The resort's 12 bungalows are serviced daily and have double beds, private bathroom with hot water, a ceiling fan, fridge, kettle, and terrace. Two are located on the beach and all the others in the garden. Three are designed for families and have kitchens. A breakfast basket of croissants, jam, tea, and coffee is available each morning for 945 CFP (about US$10). Tours such as round-island canoe trips with lunch, glass bottom boat trips, jet-skiing, sailing and diving can be arranged.