HOTEL REVIEW: FOUR SEASONS BORA BORA WITH KIDS
The incredible lagoon between the overwater bungalows and the main beach.
While it may be obvious the Four Seasons Bora Bora is Instagram and Honeymoon perfection, we also found it to be an incredible hotel to stay at with kids. From the overwater bungalows to the shallow-water lagoons and beaches, and Moana-themed kids club activities, this was an incredible hotel for the entire family. We stayed there over Thanksgiving, and the hotel was actually filled with families enjoying the Holidays together.
Overall ****** (9 of 10)
Value *** (8 of 10)
Food ****** (8 of 10)
Design ******** (9 of 10)
Service ****** (9 of 10)
Location ******** (10 of 10)
Kid’s Club ******** (8 of 10)
PROS:
The location is absolutely stunning
Service was outstanding
Wonderful kids club activities
Overwater bungalows are such a special experience
CONS:
You are somewhat confined to the hotel. In this case, it isn’t a bad thing, but it means it’s difficult to try out other restaurants
Paradise can be $$$$
Arrival
From the moment we stepped off the plane, we were catered to by the wonderful staff at the Four Seasons. They immediately gave us all leis and the girls were gifted hand-woven hats. We were then whisked away to the hotel on a beautiful boat which provided us with our first glimpse of the magnificent Mount Otemanu.
The lobby and arrival area at the Four Seasons Bora Bora.
Service
We arrived very early and our room wasn’t ready yet, so we ended up having an early lunch at their beautiful beachfront restaurant, Fare Hoa. Our youngest was still tired from travel, so our wonderful server made a bed out of chairs and beach towels and she napped while we dined on a delicious lunch of fresh fish. Just one example of how we (and our girls) were catered to the entire trip. They also made sure to leave different cute treats every evening during turndown.
OVERWATER BUNGALOW
Overwater bungalow at Four Seasons
We stayed in a fabulous overwater bungalow facing the beach. The bungalows have a great set-up for families with a king bed in the bedroom and then a pull-out bed in the living room. There was a beautiful bathroom and door that separated the two spaces as well. One of our favorite parts of the room was the huge bathtub that opened up to the beautiful lagoon. The girls loved taking baths in here every day. Of course, the hotel provided mini bathrobes and slippers for them as well. The reason you stay in the overwater bungalow is for the amazing location over the water. We spent so much time on the patio watching the fish or jumping in the water. We could even jump off our patio and swim onto the main beach. At night you can turn your underwater light on to see the sea life at it’s most active—so cool.
Swimming off our patio towards the beach.
Beaches
There are so many amazing beaches on the Four Seasons property. They are all extremely shallow and great for kids to wade into and play. There is also a fabulous lagoon that runs through the property— a great place for paddle boarding and snorkeling too.
Paddle boarding in the lagoon.
Restaurants
We ate at every restaurant during our time at the Four Seasons, but our favorites were the Asian restaurant, Vaimiti, and the beachfront restaurant, Fare Hoa. All the restaurants catered to children with kids’ menus and children’s plates. It was also so nice for the kids to play on the beach between eating.
Sunset at Vaimiti Restaurant
Snorkeling with Blacktip Reef Sharks
Kids Club/Activities
We love to travel with our girls, but we also love a hotel with a kids club so we can have some time to ourselves. This kids club was one of the best we’ve seen. Not only did our eldest love going (our 18-month old was too young for kids club), it seemed like they really focused on cultural activities. They had a Moana themed day, where Maui and Moana actually pulled up on the beach in the traditional boat from the movie. The kids lost their minds they were so excited. The kids also learned a traditional dance and then performed it for the parents by the pool. One day we did hire a babysitter for our youngest so we could enjoy the spa, and the sitter seemed to do a great job with both girls.
Inflatable slide by the kids club.
My family and I had an amazing time at the Four Seasons Bora Bora. This hotel is definitely a must-see destination worth adding to your travel list, and it's not just for romantic occasions like honeymoons. You can (and should) bring your family and experience this breathtaking place together anytime.