InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa (French Polynesia)

Wednesday newsletters all the time characteristic a resort or flight assessment.

Today: Review of the InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa (French Polynesia)

The InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa is the biggest luxurious resort on French Polynesia’s foremost island of Tahiti. Located simply 5 minutes from the airport, it is usually probably the most handy. Despite its proximity to downtown Papeete (French Polynesia’s capital metropolis) and the airport, the resort offers a pleasant Polynesian oasis with a number of the greatest views of Moorea on the horizon. The rooms and overwater bungalows are tastefully adorned and provide all of the facilities of a deluxe worldwide resort. Although not extremely fashionable, this solely provides to its conventional Polynesian appeal. The InterContinental Tahiti Resort options two freshwater infinity swimming pools and offers an intensive vary of actions and eating venues. Elegantly engulfed by tropical gardens, that is the best resort to start or finish your go to to French Polynesia.

The InterContinental Tahiti options in my high 10 listing of the greatest resorts in French Polynesia.

Have you ever stayed on the InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa? If so, what was your expertise? Leave a remark.

In this assessment (extra information and images under my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

• The InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa is the greatest resort on Tahiti, the primary and largest island of French Polynesia. While most vacationers will spend solely little time on Tahiti and instantly proceed to the paradisiac islands of Bora Bora or Moorea, the island of Tahiti is extremely stunning and a vacation spot in its personal proper. Tahiti’s mountainous inside and wild shoreline is adorned with mystical valleys, jagged peaks, thundering waterfalls, coral reefs and crystal clear waters. Highlights of any go to to Tahiti embrace swimming with humpback whales (August to September) and observing surfers who trip Teahupo’o, one of many world’s most well-known and heaviest waves (May to October).

• With dramatic volcanic peaks and an aquamarine lagoon backdropping its expansive resort gardens, the InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa is about on the northwest coast of Tahiti, on the outskirts of the bustling capital of Papeete. The property lies simply 2 km (1.3 miles) or 5 minutes from Tahiti’s Faa’a International Airport and never way more than 10 minutes from downtown Papeete. This tremendous handy location means the resort is usually booked as a one-night cease for these starting or ending their stays in French Polynesia (because the inter-island flight inside French Polynesia – which principally function throughout daylight solely – don’t all the time join nicely with the worldwide flights arriving in or departing from Tahiti).

• The resort opened in 1974 as a Travel lodge, was later rebranded into Parkroyal and Beachcomber, and in 2001 was once more rebranded as an InterContinental resort. Since then, the property has been absolutely refurbished thrice, the final one completed in 2018. It incorporates a typical French Polynesian design, which is obvious the second you step contained in the massive tropical foyer house, full with its stone Tiki statue, woven grass Pandanus roof, and carved wood columns. The foyer opens to a big terrace, which provides a spectacular view of the luxurious resort gardens, the primary pool space and the magnificent silhouette of Moorea island on the horizon. The foyer can also be dwelling to 2 outlets – a boutique promoting souvenirs & Polynesian handicrafts and a jewellery store.

• The InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa is a Polynesian-style resort options 246 rooms & suites unfold out between overwater bungalows (at each ends of the resort grounds) and several other three-story buildings. All rooms include a terrace or non-public balcony and broad sliding glass doorways permitting in loads of pure mild. During my vacation, I stayed in a Premium Ocean & Moorea View Room, geared up with two queen-size beds. Featuring a heat and welcoming atmosphere, the room opened to a spacious terrace with panoramic views of the tropical gardens, Le Lotus infinity pool, the Pacific Ocean and the island of Moorea within the distance. The ensuite rest room was geared up with a deep soaking bathtub, two basins, and separate rest room and bathe cabins.

• The InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa provides two standard eating places and three vigorous bars:
  • The all-day eating Te Tiare Restaurant with its open kitchen has been conceived as an amphitheater in genuine Polynesian styling. Hosting stunning dinner exhibits with Polynesian dances, this restaurant provides a theme night two occasions per thirty days on Friday and a wealthy Tahitian Brunch each Sunday. The venue serves a wide range of worldwide meals from snacks and salads to seafood and meat dishes and every morning, it additionally provides a superb breakfast buffet.
  • Le Lotus Gourmet overwater restaurant – referred to as one of the best eating venue on the island of Tahiti – provides a refined service for lunch and dinner, in an intimate ambiance close to the sand-bottom pool, revealing an impressive view of Moorea.
  • The classically styled Tiki Bar is known for its dwell bands at sundown each weekend. Popular with each vacationers and locals alike, it serves signature cocktails in hollowed out coconuts and pineapples.
  • The Lobby Bar is handy for late arrivals or early departures. It provides a number of drinks and snacks and lovely sundown views.
  • Le Lotus pool swim-up bar provides tropical cocktails and refreshing drinks.

• The InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa boasts two beautiful freshwater swimming swimming pools. Set in entrance of the foyer constructing is the primary pool, referred to as Te Tiare pool. This huge pool options cascades and a Jacuzzi, and provides views of the lagoonarium and the Pacific Ocean past. At quick distance from the Te Tiare pool, in entrance of the room wings, is one other, extra intimate and oceanfront pool space. Called Le Lotus, this sand-bottomed infinity edged pool enjoys awe-inspiring views of Moorea. Offering a serene setting for stress-free and sunbathing, the freeform pool comes with a swim-up bar and a Jacuzzi, and is surrounded by a synthetic white sand seaside with loungers. Both swimming pools are serviced by attendants from 8 am till 6 pm.

• The InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa is constructed round an enormous lagoonarium, which is situated subsequent to the Te Tiare pool. The pure aquarium, referred to as Fare l’a Reserve, was constructed to assist resort visitors respect the wonder, range and fragility of Tahiti’s reef setting. It homes a reef ecosystem rigorously monitored by a staff of scientists that recreates the pure underwater situations for greater than 200 aquatic species, together with parrot fish, Picasso fish and angelfish. Here, visitors find out about a wide range of corals, shells and sea creatures and snorkel in managed setting among the many tropical fish. Guests may also be a part of the resort workers at 9 am and three pm day by day for an exhilarating picture alternative once they feed the fish.

• Nestled within the coronary heart of the huge tropical gardens, the resort’s Deep Nature Spa is the supply of pure island bliss, specializing in holistic Polynesian-inspired pampering. Deep Nature is the alliance of French well-being know the way mixed with Polynesian methods. The spa lately reopened following an intensive refurbishment and provides a menu of stress-free and rejuvenating therapies. Signature therapies embrace the Bora Bora Bliss Massage, a calming full-body rubdown utilizing native Monoï oil and tropical scents, and a Polynesian Taurumi Massage, a multi-faceted remedy that restores internal wellbeing by combining contact and petrissage methods. A steam tub and chilly plunge pool can be found to visitors, too. Meanwhile, exercise buffs can train within the resort’s health centre.

• The property is managed by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, the main chain of luxurious resorts in French Polynesia and one of many first to maneuver into the archipelago. This early arrival meant that the InterContinental resorts secured a number of the most spectacular spots within the Society Islands and Bora Bora. Though every property has a definite persona, the three resorts of the InterContinental model in French Polynesia all embrace the identical philosophy. Each suits in flawlessly with its pure environment, with overwater bungalows, and makes nice effort to guard each the setting and native traditions. The different two InterContinental properties are each situated on the island of Bora Bora (a 50 min flight from Tahiti):
  • The InterContinental Bora Bora Moana Resort is flanked by two lengthy seashores and set within the shade of a splendid coconut plantation. This distinctive boutique resort on the primary island of Bora Bora options direct entry to one of many world’s most beautiful lagoons.
  • The InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, located on a barrier-reef coral island, provides solely villas over the water, standing on stilts between the ocean and the lagoon. Its spa is the primary Thalasso spa on this planet to faucet into the advantages of deep-sea water and minerals in all its signature therapies.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

• Unfortunately, as a result of native regulation, the InterContinental Tahiti doesn’t present free airport shuttle, regardless of the aiport being solely a 5 min drive away. There are two choices to get from the resort to the airport:
  • The first possibility is to order a personal switch, the speed of this service for one individual is 4500cfp plus 100cfp per piece of bags. The price for 2 folks is 6000cfp plus 100cfp per piece of bags. With this feature a driver will look ahead to you outdoors the customized space holding an indication together with your identify on it.
  • The second possibility could be to take a taxi. Taxis are discovered simply outdoors the arrival gates and no reservation is required. The price of a taxi from the airport to the resort, is roughly, 1500cfp plus 100cfp per piece of bags. Taxis will solely take native forex. There is an ATM machine on the airport or a forex alternate on the airport.

• Since the resort is lower than a mile from the beginning of Tahiti’s Faa’a International Airport, there may be some occasional noise from plane actions. When a wide-body plane takes off from the runway finish close to the resort, the engine sound is clearly audible, even contained in the rooms (which aren’t soundproof). It’s nothing too unhealthy although since Tahiti’s Faa’a International Airport is a moderately quiet airport with just a few worldwide departures per day (which – sadly – principally happen within the early morning or within the late night).

• One of the Intercontinental Tahiti’s biggest belongings is its location. Due to its handy proximity to the airport, many visitors select the InterContinental as a transit resort, staying right here for one evening both at first or the tip of their vacation (because the home flight schedules doe not all the time align nicely with worldwide departures). The resort additionally serves as a crew resort for a lot of airways which might be based mostly outdoors of French Polynesia. As a outcome, the resort is usually absolutely booked and may really feel busy, particularly after the arrival of a global flight when many passengers proceed to the resort (with typically lengthy queues on the check-in desks within the foyer). Also remember the fact that the resort will not be inside strolling distance of native outlets or eating places.

• The InterContinental Tahiti options stunning and expansive seafront gardens however it lacks an actual seaside. There is a small seaside close to the watersport middle, however it’s removed from French Polynesia’s greatest, with a small rock wall separating the water and sand. There are additionally some synthetic areas of sand by the artifical lagoonarium in addition to across the serene and quiet Le Lotus pool.

• Being virtually 50 years outdated, the InterContinental Tahiti is in no way a contemporary property. There isn’t any denying that the resort is exhibiting its age and it does really feel slightly dated in sure areas (regardless of a number of refurbishings), though every little thing may be very nicely maintained. While this may be a difficulty for some visitors, I really didn’t have any drawback with the charming, considerably older decor because it displays French Polynesia’s conventional design, creating a way of place.

• While the InterContinental Tahiti is gorgeous resort with a handy location, it’s not a vacation spot resort, just because the island of Tahiti ought to by no means be the ultimate vacation spot of any vacation in French Polynesia. I extremely suggest to journey from Tahiti to certainly one of French Polynesia’s different 118 islands, corresponding to Moorea and Bora Bora which rank among the many stunning islands on this planet and that are a much better place for having fun with a calming seaside vacation. That stated, the InterContinental is value greater than a in a single day keep, because it’s a stupendous property and it’s an excellent introduction to French Polynesia. Also, Tahiti island provides some chic points of interest to not be discovered on different islands (as talked about above).

MY VERDICT

• Location: 7/10
• Design: 7/10
• Pool: 9/10
• Rooms: 8/10
• Food: 8/10
• Breakfast: 8/10
• Spa: N/A
• Service: 9/10
• Value for cash: 8/10
• Overall expertise: excellent 8/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

• Save cash: learn right here my suggestions for getting one of the best deal at a luxurious resort like InterContinental Tahiti (and/or obtain many free perks).

• Save cash: IHG has a loyalty program which I reviewed right here and which lets you gather factors and alternate them keep at no cost stays at IHG properties, such because the InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa.

• Room tip: one of the best rooms are the premium rooms on the primary and second flooring in one of many two buildings close to Le Lotus pool. Couples might choose the overwater bungalows

• Read my suggestions for making ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

French Polynesia is greatest visited between June and September when the local weather is at its driest and the climate is balmy (however windy). However, that is excessive season, so it is going to be busy and the resort charges are skyrocketing. The months on both facet of this era (May & October) are referred to as the shoulder season and provide snug climate too, however with decrease costs and fewer wind. Although French Polynesia may be visited year-round, the months of November to April carry extra humidity and cloudy days, with tropical showers passing at larger frequency than different occasions of the 12 months. However, they’re typically interspersed with durations of sunshine. This is a damp time of 12 months, although, which may be uncomfortable and I like to recommend selecting a resort with A/C if visiting throughout these months. The islands not often endure from tropical storms besides throughout years when El Niño impacts ocean currents.

HOW TO GET THERE

Airlines from all over the world provide direct flights to Faa’a International Airport in Papeete, Tahiti. From the airport, it’s a brief 5 min drive to the InterContinental Tahiti Resort & spa.

PHOTOS

Below is a number of my images of the InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa. To view extra images (together with breakfast and dinner), click on right here.

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