We experienced a variety of accommodations during our time in French Polynesia and I am SO glad that we saved the best for last.
Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa, part of the Relais and Chateaux family, was both our last and best stop! While many people opt for Tahiti, Mo’orea and Bora Bora during their French Polynesia circuit, we decided we wanted to visit a more remote island so we decided on Taha’a which is just 20 minutes by plane to Bora Bora. Without a flicker of hesitation, I would recommend you do the same.
If Le Taha’a and Bora Bora were sisters, Le Taha’a would be referred to as the cooler and more interesting sister. Yup- I said it! The resort is on it’s OWN island after all!! Don’t get me wrong, Bora Bora is stunning but none of the 5 star hotels there can say they have their own island! The tranquility, peace and beauty that you feel upon arrival is something that you can’t put into words and we feel truly lucky that we got to experience it!
Planning a trip to French Polynesia or Maldives? You might enjoy these other posts too:
- Maldives VS French Polynesia: Comparing the two most exotic places on Earth!
- The #1 Hotel In The Maldives: Review
- The Ultimate Mo’orea Travel Guide: Everything you need to know!
- How To Travel to French Polynesia On a Budget
HOW TO GET THERE TO LE TAHA’A RESORT & SPA
To get there you must land at the Raiatea airport and then take a 40 minute speedboat to the resort (speedboat is arranged through the hotel). On our boat ride back to the airport, we were lucky enough to witness our favourite sunset of the entire trip. So while some people might think of the journey as a bit of a trek, it did not feel like that at all. How to get to Le Taha’a isn’t easy overall obviously but we felt lucky to see the island from the boat
THE GROUNDS AT LE TAHA’A RESORT AND SPA
What I loved most about this resort was the blend of luxury and sustainability. The resort stays true to the roots of what Tahitian culture is all about and crafted a space that reflects not only that but also the island’s love for nature and traditional Polynesian design .
You have little details like the inviting aroma of Vanilla that can be smelled throughout the grounds. This is such a subtle, yet comforting detail as the island of Taha’a is actually known for just that: vanilla! At the same time, you have luxurious amenities like the beautiful cascading infinity pool that is surrounded by spacious, modern beach loungers. And lastly, let’s not forget about the main restaurant which makes you feel like you are eating in a 5 star treehouse overlooking the property. Heaven!
The food at Le Taha’a Resort and Spa was something to write home about as well and we could have spent hours enjoying our coffees and breakfast each day ( and well-not to throw my husband under the bus or anything- but I did practically have to drag him out of the buffet one day! He claimed the croissants there were the best he has ever had- and he just wanted oneeeee more!)
The food was not only a hit but so were the cocktails! Each night we tried a different cocktail at the beach bar and each one was hand-crafted with a lot of thought! “I want something fruity but light- not too sweet either”- I said on the first evening there. Without hesitation, the bartender whipped me up the best concoction and the icing on top was the colorful ceramic Tiki glass it came in!
Pro tip: Hit up happy hour there every night from 4-6 where cocktails are 2 for 1!
Now of course we had to work off all of the calories we burned so we enjoyed the complimentary activities that the resort offered: kayaking, paddleboarding, the fitness center, snorkelling but the BEST ONE EVER was the coral garden that sat adjacent to the resort. It was sincerely the most unique water experience we have ever taken part of!
You start off at the top of the lagoon and “drift snorkel” back towards the hotel. The current from the lagoon area naturally guides you through the coral garden so you almost feel as if you are on a ride at an amusement park. The marine life was ENDLESS and we saw everything from clown fish to sea anemone to blue clams! This is a must do activity in Taha’a!
THE ROOMS AT LE TAHA’A RESORT AND SPA
With 57 rooms, there are lots of room options at your fingertips at Le Taha’a! The biggest decision you will have to make though is: overwater bungalow or beach villa!
Not the worst decision you will have to make in your life that’s forsure. Both offer something special but we couldn’t resist waking up every morning to the open air deck over the water. There are a few different room types for the overwater bungalows in particular.
These include: Bora Bora View ( which is just how it sounds- views of the incredible Bora Bora), Taha’a Island View (lush mountain views of the close by main island of Taha’a) or the Sunset View bungalow (best sunset view in the house).
We had the Bora Bora view and we were not mad about it. We got to see the sun peak up from behind the mountain of Bora Bora and it felt like MAGIC. I get chills just thinking of it!
Our room itself felt incredibly spacious which isn’t always the case when travelling with a baby ( and having a crib in the room to boot). We had a King bed and it was made up of the softest sheets imaginable.
We spent the mornings lounging in the bed in our robes and we felt like we were in our own little house. My favourite part of the room was the real life aquarium that sat at the foot of the bed. You could open up the glass chest and literally see fish swimming underneath you.
Each morning we would feed them some bread and it made it hard to not sit here for hours watching them swim by in little groups. The minute you stepped outside on the expansive deck though, you quickly forgot about the inside and were transformed into what felt like another dimension.
IMPORTANT TIDBITS ABOUT LE TAHA’A RESORT AND SPA
| PRICE | Rooms range from $1000 CAD and upwards depending on room type and the season | MINI BAR | Yes! And all items are free and re-stocked daily. Chocolate bars included |
| WIFI | Yes ( and free) | YEAR OPENED | 2002 |
| POOL/GYM | Pool, gym and two yoga classes twice weekly | LOCATION | Located off the main island of Taha’a. The resort offers a free shuttle to the main island every hour! |
| CHILDREN | Yes! There is tons of kid friendly activities on site. They also offer babysitting services which we took them up on! Shoutout to Candice!! | RESTAURANTS | Yes. 2 full service restaurants. Room service all day. Also a pool bar! Every Tuesday they also offer a Polynesian night |
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Would like to receive a brochure if possible. Thanks!
Hi Sandy! You can reach out to Le Tahaa directly for more information! Check our their website which I have linked within this article 🙂