More Photos (4)

Though it takes a little effort to get there, Le Taha’a, a private island just across from Raiatea and directly east of Bora Bora, is worth the 35-minute boat ride from the latter. Built in 2002, Le Taha’a was named a Relais & Chateaux property at the end of November 2003. As a result of the constant upkeep necessary in the South Pacific climate, the entire property was refurbished in March 2007. Arguably the most Polynesian in appearance of all the resorts I visited, Le Taha’a has forty-eight over-water bungalows, or fales, and ten beach bungalows made of bamboo siding. Interiors are furnished in rosewood carved by artists who managed to make each piece look unique. The pillars holding up the walls are made of stone imported from Moorea. The over-water bungalows have boat-shaped double tubs and wraparound decks with private dining areas. The garden fales are a bit larger, 1,000 square feet, and have private gardens, small plunge pools, outdoor showers and mosquito-netted beds. The resort has been so perfectly laid out for privacy that even when it’s full, you feel you’re alone in the world. The magnificent gardens include more than 12,000 species of local plants and flowers.

Though the lagoon is outrageously gorgeous throughout this entire region, the one surrounding Le Taha’a is even more so because its coral gardens are largely untouched by anchors, as ships aren’t allowed to visit the private island. Encircling the whole resort is the longest uninterrupted stretch of white sand in all French Polynesia. The Manea Spa is small but has a full range of services. The treatment rooms are open air, and the therapists are locals. There is also a small fitness center that opened in May 2007. Tennis players will appreciate the only court I saw during my entire stay in the islands.

Like all Relais & Chateaux properties, this one has a fine dining room. The gourmet Ohiri is a lovely cathedral-like structure with only nine tables. Guests choose among a fusion of French and Polynesian dishes from a tasting menu or à la carte. The main restaurant, Vanille, is all open-air splendor, with a moderately gourmet menu that includes everything from the catch of the day to pasta. As the name suggests, vanilla is used in many of the dishes. Though as many as 180 staff members are on hand during high season, the resort cannot accommodate 24-hour room service. This apparently caused some problems when Tom Cruise came to visit and had to eat every four hours to bulk up for a film. Still, the staff will at least attempt to fulfill every request, and the main concierge, who has been with the resort since it opened, is knowledgeable and accomplished. Rooms from $1,200.

Rooms to Get: Most in demand are eight romantic over-water units (from $2,500 a night) with the best views of Bora Bora sunsets. There are also two royal beach villas, which are essentially two beach villas linked together. Each does have a large living room and can accommodate three couples.

More Photos (7)

Anyone who likes to be cocooned in the safety of knowing exactly what they are getting should know that the famous brand’s first foray into French Polynesia is officially the most luxurious property on Bora Bora (at least until the Four Seasons opens, sometime in 2008). The 44-acre expanse of the St. Regis, which opened in June 2006, sits within a lagoon on five man-made motus with bridges linking them. The 91 over-water villas, all suites, were put together for the price of $1 million each. Each is constructed hale style, as as thatch-roofed huts. On the outside, the effect is a bit like army barracks, with the huts lined up side by side. Once you’re inside them, though, the 1,550-to-13,000-square-foot suites are exotic and intoxicating. The St. Regis spared no expense with the interiors, using wood floors; rattan furniture; cushy mattresses with Pratesi linens; enormous bathrooms, including oversized tubs; and stone showers with rainfall fixtures. Some of the larger suites have an outdoor deck with a private Jacuzzi or a swimming pool. Each has, at a minimum, double lounge chairs and a small dining area. All face either the inner lagoon or the ocean, with its background shot of the green and jagged peaks of Mount Otemanu. The St. Regis also claims the best service in the region. It’s the only resort to offer butler service, although I never saw mine until the day before I left, when there was a problem with items disappearing from my minibar that I hadn’t taken. The resort has one of only two swim-up bars in French Polynesia. Besides the main pool, there is a more private one for adults only that comes with curtained cabanas, a favorite of honeymooners, who make up most of the visitors.

The St. Regis’s Spa Miri Miri, a 13,000-square-foot masterpiece that certainly ranks as one of the most dramatic in the South Pacific, sits on its own motu off to one side of the resort. It is all open air, has lots of couples’ treatment rooms for honeymooners and offers exotic-sounding treatments, from a Polynesian Taurumi Massage with a volcanic coffee foot scrub to the Tamanu Green Balm Sunburn Relief Wrap, for those who have imbibed too much sun.

Room to Get: The 13,000-square-foot Royal Estate is posh enough that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban spent their honeymoon there. Perfect for larger families or couples traveling together, it has three bedrooms, five bathrooms, a boudoir, a private pool, three living rooms, koi fishponds and a full-sized kitchen with touches such as green Versace plates. It is decorated with art from the Marquesas Islands, and for complete privacy, it has its own separate white sand beach. $15,000 a night.

Restaurants: While French Polynesia has never been famous for gourmet food, the St. Regis is close as it gets. Be prepared, however: meals at this and other resorts can be devastatingly expensive ($60 for a buffet breakfast). Its three restaurants include the upscale Lagoon, a Jean George outpost. Sushi Take, Bora Bora’s first sushi restaurant, opened in July and is headed by world-acclaimed chef Kioshi Ogawa. The more casual Te Pahu was actually my favorite, serving an incredible poisson cru, tuna tartare marinated in coconut milk and a fish burger that is arguably tops on the island.

INDAGARE TIP: Until a few years ago, it was considered an insult in French Polynesia to leave tips for service. The locals felt that if they wanted to do something for you, they would; if not, they wouldn’t. Things are changing now that more luxe resorts are built. The idea of tipping is catching on, as locals who work in these resorts realize that being nice all the time is a good way to make extra money. Still, the typical 20 percent left for service in the States would be a bit excessive here. Leaving 10 percent will make you a popular guest.