The St. Regis and The Conrad: 2 Distinct Experiences on Bora Bora

Guests can sit and relax at the resort’s expansive infinity pool or on the beach. Dual lounge chairs are nicely spaced out in the sand, allowing for privacy. Guests can also sit inside a comfy, cushioned wicker cabana for no extra charge, a feature I appreciate.

The Conrad offers five distinct dining spots. We enjoyed sumptuous breakfasts and lunches at the Beach Grill, served at the pool and on the beach. The staff really aims to please—even politely lobbying a bit when you steer off course. Our breakfast waitress, for example, looked crestfallen when I declined the fresh-squeezed juice. I’m just not a juice person, I explained. Second morning, same reaction. But this time she just couldn’t stand it. “You have not experienced the fresh juice here!” she exclaimed, setting down a glass of fresh papaya juice. Just to make her happy, I took a swig. OMG! Ordered juice every morning from there forward.

We also loved our dinner at the plush, open-air sushi eatery, Upa Upa Lounge, which overlooks the water. The meal was simple in the best way: unbelievably fresh fish that needed no adornment, served atop perfectly steamed rice. We also ate one night at the property’s terrific modern Chinese restaurant.

The spa, perched dramatically on a hill overlooking the resort, recently adopted the entire high-end Biologique Recherche skin care line. The products boast “botanical, marine and biological extracts” as well as higher-than-average active ingredient concentrations (20% in most products). The company espouses some unusual practices, which for me is a positive; I like new experiences. For example, estheticians use ice water for facials, which they believe better stimulates blood circulation and permits deeper product penetration.

Whether you do one of the packages or opt for an à la carte treatment, I suggest visiting the spa. If you are with your partner, I suggest a couples massage right before sunset. Then luxuriate in a hot tub—infused with an exotic fragrance—and sip champagne while you watch the sun go down over the water. Oh, my. R-E-L-A-X indeed.

conradboraboranuiresort.com

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St. Regis Bora Bora

The St. Regis is more than twice the size of the Conrad. Getting around its 44 acres, though, is easy. The villas come with bikes, or you can ring anytime for a chauffeured golf cart. It is meticulously landscaped throughout with enchanting lighting that makes a bike ride home the perfect nightcap.

The St. Regis is the only resort in Tahiti with its own private, man-made lagoon, called the Lagoonarium. One afternoon we headed over for a tour with the naturalist who presides over the delicate ecosystem. The lagoon, roughly the size of a soccer stadium, is home to 23 varieties of fish and a stunningly beautiful array of coral and anemones. All predators, and anything else scary looking, have been removed, so it is perfect for families.

Just as we were about to hop into the water with our snorkeling gear, butler Paul pulled up on his golf cart sporting fresh towels. “I’ll bet you forgot your towels!” Indeed we had. Another time we rode bikes to breakfast. We ended up running into the Saads, and afterward took off on foot with them, sans velos. When we got back to our villa late that afternoon, there were our bikes.

The Iridium Spa is dramatically situated on its own island in the middle of the lagoon, offering a selection of Polynesian and Asian treatments. My masseur intently listened to my preferences and fully delivered with his hands, complemented by premium, deliciously scented products.

Guests can check out a number of toys from the beach attendant without additional fees. My husband, Charlie, and our friend Jeffrey were like two teenage boys taking out the catamaran every day, laughing uproariously as they tried to make it go faster. One day, it was quite windy. From the beach, Nadia and I watched them drift farther and farther out, struggling to get the sail up and catch the wind to bring them closer to shore. At one point it looked like they had it, and I went back to reading my book. A few minutes later Nadia exclaimed, “Uh-oh!” Our boys had caught a lofty gust of wind that suddenly lurched the catamaran in the opposite direction. Charlie was propelled upward, ricocheting across the bow into the middle of the sail, slicing it half. While Nadia and I wondered if we’d be dining alone that night,  we spotted the beach attendant in the distance. He swiftly boarded his tricked-out jet ski, rescuing the guys—and the boat.

 I did hop in the water, though, when we arrived at what our captain described as the “most beautiful coral reef in the world.” We were entranced by the vibrant fish and bright purple, pink and turquoise figure-8-shaped bivalves. At one point the captain dove deep, motioning for us to follow. Out of a cave snaked a 7- or 8-foot black eel. Incredible sight.

As far as dining goes, the St. Regis has several eateries, the most exquisite of which is Lagoon by Jean-Georges. It is a dramatic structure, suspended out over the water, with a glass floor. We’d been advised to have a cocktail first out on the deck, simply telling the mixologist our alcohol preferences and offering an adjective or two—i.e., sweet, sour, etc. We did exactly that, and it was just delightful to experience his creative concoctions. Similarly, we let our superb waiter guide us through the Asian fusion menu, which highlights local produce and fresh catches. In short, the entire evening was extraordinary.

As we walked out of Lagoon—the very last guests to leave—my husband suddenly dove onto the glass floor. I thought he might have tripped but instead, clad in his white dress shirt and loafers, he started doing a break dance-like spin on his back. Suffice to say, even for a guy well known as someone who likes to have fun, it was unusual behavior. I chalk it up to the intoxicating magic of Bora Bora. I hope we get to experience it again someday.