Overwater bungalows at Maitai Polynesia Bora Bora

I have to say that even if I’m used to traveling quite simply around the islands, often through Airbnb, camping or guesthouses, the idea of being able to spend a few nights in an overwater bungalow in French Polynesia had been on my mind for quite a while. I’ve been living here for 4 years, and I still hadn’t had the opportunity to test the concept. It’s now done, after spending two beautiful nights in collaboration with the Maitai Polynesia Bora Bora.

I have to tell you frankly: this was a first for us (my wife and me), working in partnership with an accommodation. I had never had the opportunity to do so before. You’re probably wondering why I agreed to it? As you know, even though I am more inclined to promote a “simple and authentic trip” to French Polynesia, I can think of at least three good reasons to test accommodations.

1. I receive dozens of emails a day from people preparing their trip, either on their own or sometimes through an agency, asking for advice on itineraries, islands to visit, and very often also for an opinion on where to stay. Even though I know much more about family-run pensions (because that is basically how I travel), some of my readers also look at small hotels and sometimes luxury hotels, especially for a honeymoon. You’d be surprised how many times I’ve been asked: “In Bora Bora, is it better to sleep at the Maitai, the Sofitel, the InterContinental, etc.?” In short, I find it increasingly relevant to be able to give honest feedback to my readers on accommodations where I have actually stayed, don’t you? The main idea is to help you as much as possible when preparing your trip.
2. I also accepted this collaboration with the Maitai Polynesia Bora Bora because the hotel fits perfectly into an “affordable” price range that I think many of my readers can relate to. We are not talking about $2,500 nights as in some hotels. The rates will of course be higher than in a guesthouse (that’s normal), since the range is higher, but I think this type of hotel can perfectly suit some of my readers who would like to treat themselves to a nice place for a few days during a trip to Polynesia. Of course, I sometimes also get requests for information or comparisons with hotels that offer very expensive nights (over €1,500/€2,000).
3. Last personal reason: I really wanted to experience sleeping in an overwater bungalow, and if there is one place to do it, it’s French Polynesia!

Come on, let’s go. So, here’s how I felt about our four nights at the hotel and what I think is worth remembering about it. I will then tell you about the other hotels nearby and about our weekend on the island, where I had the opportunity to discover a few spots I didn’t know yet. As always, the feelings, opinions and writing are my own.

If you have decided to spend a few days on the Polynesian island of Bora Bora, I invite you to take a look at the Manawa website, which lists some activities to do on the island. Among the most beautiful things I have been able to do in French Polynesia is the flight over the island of Bora Bora by seaplane. I also shared my opinion of that experience and how I felt about it. Be careful, continuing to read means taking the risk of booking an excursion 🙂 This activity is unfortunately no longer available, but I suggest taking a helicopter flight over Bora Bora, which should be just as beautiful!

In fact, I’ll give you some activity recommendations at the end of the article to give you a few ideas!

We were frankly welcomed beautifully, with a flower necklace and a little refreshment. To get a more general view of the place, we had decided to stay two extra nights in one of the rooms with a lagoon view (at our own expense). I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the room: big enough for my taste, nicely decorated and, the highlight of the show of course, the terrace with a beautiful view of the turquoise lagoon. It’s really nice and, for the price, I think it’s very good. You should also know that the Maitai has some of the most affordable overwater bungalows in Bora Bora. For those who want to treat themselves in a beautiful place at a “lower” price, it’s a very good option. We loved the room as a whole, with its nice little bathroom and very good bedding. We were over the moon!

The hotel is actually divided into two distinct parts: the garden-view and ocean-view rooms on the mountainside, and the beach area with bungalows on the white-sand beach and overwater bungalows. Access to the rooms is through a small maze of paths, all set in a beautiful, well-maintained and flower-filled garden. It’s a very pleasant place to walk around.

We then spent the weekend nights in a beautiful overwater bungalow. Even though I had seen pictures of the place, I still said “wow” when I entered the room, and especially when I set foot on the terrace, which offers a breathtaking view of the lagoon. I found the feeling of floating on the water really superb, not to mention the sound of the waves at night. The bungalow is really large and well decorated too, the bedding was still excellent, there is air conditioning for those who want it, tea available, and in short, we were obviously fans… There are also some swimming spots at the edge of the beach bungalows, which make it easy to observe the local marine life!

To say a little more about the hotel quickly, it now lists several room and bungalow categories, from garden-view rooms and ocean-view rooms to beach bungalows, overwater bungalows and premium overwater bungalows. As in all hotels in French Polynesia, excursions are suggested to guests. You are free to choose (or not) what interests you. The hotel has two restaurants, one on the beach side (my favorite for the setting) and one on the mountainside.

In a world where people are trying to pay more and more attention to ecology, the hotel really promotes respect for the environment, and this is quite frankly appreciable. It is also largely built with local materials (bamboo, pandanus, local stone, etc.). Efforts are clearly made to remind people that water is scarce on the island and that they need to be careful, with reminders on signs in the rooms, for example.

Another interesting aspect of the hotel to point out is its participation in the Biorock© program, which aims to restore coral reefs. On the beach in the center of the hotel, there is a whole series of explanatory panels (both out of the water and in the water). I was therefore able to go for a swim in the middle of the coral restoration sites (even if the water was not warm enough for me). It’s quite impressive to see how life can resume its course in this way. There is quite a lot of life around, and it’s very nice to see and observe.

A little detail to conclude with, which I found good: the use of cardboard straws! And the Saturday-night dance evening, which includes a small Tahitian dance show.

To summarize things:

• The advantages of the hotel: the ocean-view rooms (rare in Bora Bora) and its location on the main island, which allows you to be more autonomous and not depend on a boat shuttle (as you would if you slept on a motu). The Maitai is also located not far from the car rental company Avis Bora Bora, which is very convenient for those who want to rent a vehicle. You are also very close to other snacks, shops and restaurants, and less than a 10-minute walk from beautiful Matira Beach.
• The small downsides: first, I would say the Wi-Fi, which was more than unstable and non-existent in the bungalows. The upstairs rooms are very beautiful, with a view of the lagoon, but I also found them noisier (sound travels up). The food is generally okay, but could be improved in my opinion.

One of the big advantages of the hotel, as I was saying, is being close to the Avis car rental agency. Coming to Bora Bora is great, but I recommend that everyone rent a car or scooter and go discover the island. I’m not going to repeat all the things to do during your stay on Bora Bora Island because I’ve already written a complete article about it, but I had the opportunity during this weekend to see and do things I didn’t know yet.

With the sea having calmed down, we decided to use the kayaks provided free of charge by the hotel to go on an expedition to the well-known Aquarium spot. This little corner of paradise is located just in front of the Maitai, behind the former Sofitel Bora Bora Private Island, on a small rocky motu. I had heard about this famous spot. After about 10 minutes of kayaking, you literally find yourself in a pool of crystal-clear water. The water is very beautiful, as beautiful as I have rarely had the opportunity to see it.

The trip is easy by kayak, and you can settle at the back of the Sofitel motu to enjoy the snorkeling spot. If you love tropical fish and beautiful corals, you will be delighted. Between us, it’s a pity that some providers passing through by boat are still practicing fish/shark feeding (even though it has been forbidden in French Polynesia recently).

A short and easy return, and we set off to discover the island by road. Yes, my wife and my little one didn’t know Bora Bora, so I was “the guide” this weekend. We left to discover the famous American cannons from the Second World War, the ones located in the northeast of the island, on Fitiiu Point (see on Google Maps). To locate it, it is at the top of the only real slope on the island. There is an entrance fee for site maintenance (500 XPF). This gives you access to a path leading to the two cannons. The path offers superb views of the surrounding bays and the always-impressive Mount Otemanu. The view from the cannons is just as beautiful!

You can then follow the path down to a small beach below and enjoy a nice snorkeling session there. If you are lucky like us, you can sometimes be alone, without all the tourists.

We ended our afternoon at beautiful Matira Beach, the only real “large beach” on the island of Bora Bora. Most of the other beaches are located on the motus. As I mention in my article on Bora Bora, I actually recommend stopping before Matira Point for swimming. It can be crowded and you may not be completely at peace. Coming from Vaitape, stop 200/300 m before, in the shade, and enjoy the seascape! At the end of the afternoon, I advise everyone to go and try a good ice cream in the village at Iaorana Gelato; these homemade ice creams are wonderful.

For those who do not want to rent transportation on the island, the advantage of staying at the Maitai is being able to enjoy Matira Beach just a 10-minute walk away, which is really great. If you want a change from the hotel restaurants, you can go to the excellent Lucky House, a 5-minute walk away. The food there is really good.

I must confess that we didn’t want to choose one of the hotel tours and end up with all the other tourists. So we went with another provider, Manu Taxi Boat, and I must say we were not disappointed. A very nice welcome, and they came to pick us up directly at the Maitai pontoon. The trip to the spot is sublime, with water like you rarely see, and what can I say about the beach on the motu? Wow! We spent the day on this little piece of paradise, just the three of us, since we were the only tourists who had come here for the day. We even had the chance to get in the water with a dozen leopard rays, a magical moment in a breathtaking setting. What more could you ask for?

That’s it, I’m getting to the end of this article. I deliberately did not speak only about the Maitai Polynesia Bora Bora, as that was not the only goal. But in all honesty, I think it’s a very good spot, both for its location, which is close to everything, and for its very good value for money. It’s definitely a place I would recommend to a couple who have spent their holiday in guesthouses and would like to treat themselves for one or two nights in a nice overwater bungalow. The experience is magical and should be lived at least once. Especially since the Maitai offers some of the most affordable overwater bungalows in Bora Bora. You can book here directly.

This article is not meant to give you all the activities to consider on Bora Bora Island, so I won’t do that here, but I thought I would give you a short list to offer a few ideas. Here are the 5 activities that I highly recommend and that you can do during your holiday on the island!

I found it relevant to see an accommodation I had heard good things about and to be able to put a real feeling and experience behind it. I feel that I am now ready to make a legitimate recommendation or compare it to others! In the meantime, you should know that (even if I haven’t been to them yet) there are two other Maitai hotels, one on Rangiroa Atoll and the other on Huahine Island, a Polynesian island I love. Feel free to tell me if this type of article was helpful and if you think it’s interesting, as a reader, to have an honest review of an accommodation?!

I hope to see you soon for another spot to discover!

See you soon,

Sylvain

Written by Sylvain PONS

From 2015 to 2021, French Polynesia was our home, with Mélanie and our children. I'm happy to share my experience and advice to help you organize an unforgettable stay in French Polynesia, based on my in-depth knowledge of the territory.

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