Thalasso/St.Regis

With Thanks – from Alex and Paul Kiesling

Intercontinental Resort and Thalasso Spa is a beautiful resort, in every way!  The lagoon there is simply spectacular - turquoise and clear, and it comes in million shades of azure and sapphire, just like in all of the best advertisements of Bora Bora.  The bungalows are amazing, very spacious and with a beautiful view of the lagoon right out of the bedroom window, which was to die for!   We got a complimentary welcome bottle of chilled Champagne and enjoyed it on our deck, while trying to pinch ourselves to see if we were dreaming.

Thalasso's infinity pool is really something out of this world. Located right on the sandy beach steps away from the lagoon, it overlooks the famous Mount Otemanu. For those travelers who appreciate a luxury pool, this is the pool of all pools and makes you feel like you are floating in the actual lagoon.

We did not want to leave Thalasso as we could not imagine another resort that could be better. However, St. Regis resort, with its breath-taking beauty combined with superior service and amenities far surpassed our expectations. We were greeted on the boat dock by a small Tahitian singing band. Our Butler, (they come with each bungalow), offered us refreshing tropical juice and proceeded to take us on a personalized tour of the beautiful property. Later that afternoon, we were surprised with a complimentary bottle of St. Regis's best Champagne, which was greatly appreciated. We were also thrilled with an upgrade to Deluxe overwater bungalow, which came with the breathtaking view of Mount Otemanu.

St. Regis's overwater bungalows were twice the size of the I/C Thalasso's and represented a true definition of luxury.  Tastefully furnished and decorated, bungalows are wired in every room with surround sound Bose system, which can be connected to your personal I-Pod or used with a wide range of CDs/DVDs available at the front desk. Two 40 inch Plazma TVs, very comfortable bed, oversized luxurious bathroom and a huge deck area were simply amazing. 

St. Regis does not have an infinity pool overlooking Mount Otemanu and the lagoon, like the I/C Thalasso; however, St. Regis's pool has an elegant relaxing feel to it and comes with a swim-up bar feature, which we exercised on daily basis. In addition, while I/C Thalasso does not have a spectacular beach, it appears that St. Regis management went out of their way to create and maintain the most beautiful soft white sand beach that is very clean and inviting.

Our MAP meal plan included 3 course dinners at St. Regis's all 3 restaurants: the famous gastronomic "Lagoon" restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten; Sushi Take restaurant; and "Te Pahu" where we enjoyed lobster at the front row table during the French Polynesian show. We found the food to be excellent at all 3 restaurants, however there is a lot to be said about the "Lagoon" restaurant. Presented beautifully, it's fine cuisine came with breath-taking views of Mount Otemanu as we sat at the prime table on the edge of the deck, right above water, and enjoyed a bottle of wine.

Though we thoroughly enjoyed both resorts, if we were to do this again, we would definitely stay at St. Regis. Its peaceful beauty was quiet and grand at the same and combined with superior service, luxury amenities, extravagant 1600 square feet overwater bungalows and bright turquoise crystal lagoon created an ambiance of paradise.