If you’re travelling to Moorea or Bora Bora, or any of Tahiti’s islands, you’re likely to face the obligatory overnight stay in Papeete. International flights often land at Tahiti Faaa International Airport late in the night and since Air Tahiti does not operate any night time transfer flights to the islands, there is no choice but to stay in one of the many hotels in the capital.
When we holidayed at Le Méridien Bora Bora, our package included overnight stays at Le Méridien Tahiti in Papeete on arrival and departure nights.
Le Méridien Tahiti in Papeete
The four star hotel is situated in the midst of the Punaauia region, a quiet and secluded location, a few kilometres south of the capital Papeete and Faaa airport. Being away from the bustle of the airport hotels where we had stayed in the past, the trip takes around twenty minutes by shuttle bus, stopping at various other hotels to drop off other travellers.
Garden View rooms
Our room
Spacious interior
Large single beds
Check-in was efficient for and welcoming by the friendly front-desk staff. Our garden-view room is very spacious with a modern Polynesian décor and bright colours. Blues, whites and yellows bring in the outside and complement the bare wooden floors. Although we had requested a queen sized bed at the time of the booking, we were given two large but comfortable single beds. Other facilities include a safe, a minibar, coffee and tea making facilities and paid internet access.
The bathroom is quite roomy and features trimmings in natural timber. The toilet is separate and is accessed by a sliding door. There is a walk-in shower, a separate bathtub and adjustable timber louvres that can look onto the bedroom.
Bathroom
Bathroom, Toilet and interior
The hotel is a resort within itself. There are garden-view rooms, lagoon view rooms and 12 Polynesian-style over water Bungalows. There is a white sand beach overlooking the overwater bungalows and a sandy-bottomed swimming pool to laze around and forget about the world.
The place to laze with a cocktail
Sand-bottomed pool at sunset
La Plantation Restaurant is where the buffet breakfast is served early in the morning before the transfer to Bora Bora. Overlooking the lagoon, Le Carré Restaurant offers a fine dining experience in a more intimate setting. There are two bars, Le Pool Bar and L’Astrolabe Bar where we enjoyed a couple of cocktails on departure night.
La Plantation Restaurant
Overnight stays with jetlag on arrival and 2 am flights out of Papeete on departure don’t allow time to explore the resort or enjoy the facilities. But when holidaying in the luxurious Bora Bora, staying Le Méridien Tahiti in Papeete makes a pleasant transition.
Overwater bungalows / Cocktails at Sunset
If you choose this hotel for your overnight stay, make sure your package includes the cost of transfers to and from the airport, the relevant meals such as breakfast the day after you arrive and dinner on the night of your departure. Tahiti is an expensive holiday destination regardless of where you stay, and as magical as the islands are, the capital Papeete pales in comparison.
Sunset at Le Méridien Tahiti, Papeete
You may begrudge these mandatory overnight stays in Papeete as I do but watching the sunset over the lagoon with a cocktail in hand is a befitting way to end any memorable vacation in Tahiti, be it swimming with turtles or a traditional Tahitian wedding.
Le Méridien Tahiti
PB 380595
Tahiti # 97718
French Polynesia
[…] Bora lies 268 kilometres northwest of Papeete. After an obligatory overnight stay at Le Méridien Tahiti in Papeete, the island is reached by an hour long scenic plane ride over turquoise waters. The airport lies on […]
I look forward to readings posts about places I haven’t been as much as places I have. But, now I just have to add one more destination on my list of places to visit! Actually, I’ve been wanting to get to Tahiti for awhile…don’t see it happening anytime soon, so I’ll console myself with your fun posts about it instead! 🙂
Forest, I can’t get enough of Tahiti, and not only because Mr G and I have a lot of history there including our Tahitian wedding. I Hope you get a chance to visit soon, but in the meantime, I’m more than happy to regale you with my stories and images 🙂
Hmmm, when we went to Tahiti in 1989, we did not have a stopover in Papeete, we went straight to Moorea. This looks like paradise though…
That is lucky! Every trip, we’ve had to stay overnight both ways, whether it was to Moorea or Tahiti. Papeete is not a very nice place in comparison so it helps to have a good hotel for the stopovers.
[…] This is the actual text that is linked. For example Sewri Fort, Mumbai or overnight stay in Papeete, Tahiti. (You’ll notice that the second link isn’t the name of the specific post but my own […]
Mardi, you did the right thing.
This hotel is overrated, as Papeete frankly does not have much to offer. However if you have a 1 night stopover it can be ok. I strongly recommend that if you have a stopover you extend it a day or 2 (no cost) and make it to Moorea. The island is WAY better than Tahiti and has accommodation for all budgets, including a kick-ass camping!
Have fun, the islands are some of the most beautiful in the world
Federico
Federico, I admit that I hardly enjoy Papeete on my visits to Tahiti. Give me Bora Bora or Moorea, now that’s paradise!
[…] like our stay at Le Meridien Bora Bora and to an extent Le Meridien Papeete, we did not want to leave. Le Meridien Mina Seyahi remains a highlight of a most enjoyable stay in […]