Hotel Review:Le Taha’a by Pearl Resorts
Entryway and arrival dock at Le Taha’a
Our first stop on our French Polynesia adventure (read the full travel guide here) was Le Taha’a by Pearl Resorts. We loved this authentic French Polynesian resort, with its incredible food and laid-back vibes.
Overall ****** (8 of 10)
Value *** (8 of 10)
Food ****** (8 of 10)
Design ******** (8 of 10)
Service ****** (7 of 10)
Location ******** (8 of 10)
PROS:
It felt authentically Polynesian with heavy French influences
wonderful service and attention to detail
the food was delicious
the location (the photos don’t do the beauty justice)
Snorkeling the Coral Garden showed us an abundance of sea life
CONS
The rooms were slightly worn
The vibe is definitely more rustic here than in Bora Bora, which isn’t necessarily a con for all.
Our daughter enjoying the beach at Le Taha’a
Arrival
To get to Le Taha’a you must first fly from Tahiti to Raiatea. From there the hotel boat will pick you up and take you on a 35-minute ride to the resort. The boat was nothing special and you had to ride inside, but once we arrived at Le Taha’a we received a very warm welcome with a wonderful traditional song. There’s something about a Ukele that gets me every time.
Beach area at Le Taha’a
Location
It goes without saying that the setting at this resort is gorgeous. What did surprise us, however, was how abundant the sea life was in this area. From the overwater bungalow, a kayak, or a paddleboard, you were constantly surrounded by amazing sea life. The water is so crystal clear that you can see every detail of every fish or turtle or ray that swims beneath you. The beach here is surrounded by a small rock wall, so you don’t get the beautiful long stretches of sand that you do on some of the other islands in FP. There are no other properties on the island, so be prepared to eat all your meals at the resort.
Dining
The food at Le Taha’a was fantastic. Every meal was elaborate and delicious, usually with fresh local fish as the centerpiece. There was a great treehouse restaurant where we ate most meals. There is also a more casual restaurant on the beach by the pool. We really enjoyed the swim-up bar for tropical fruity drinks as well. One thing to note, there weren’t a lot of snacks or casual/quick options available to eat. This only became problematic on our first night when the girls were jet-lagged and we had to wait until 7pm for the restaurant to open for dinner.
Fresh grilled lobster
Rooms
The rooms were slightly dated, but we enjoyed the Polynesian flair and the beautiful views. We checked out the beachfront room (with a plunge pool) and the overwater bungalows. My advice is when in French Polynesia, always opt for the overwater bungalow if you can. They were invented here after all!
Activities for Kids
While there isn’t a kids club, there are amazing activities for the entire family at Le Taha’a. Most revolve around the water. The coral garden by the resort is shallow enough that kids can stand up, and we spent hours snorkeling here. The snorkeling is so good that almost every day there would be private yachts that would park nearby to explore the reef. The kayaking and paddle boarding here also allows you to get up close and personal with a variety of sea life, including rays and reef sharks, which makes it VERY exciting for everyone. There were also kids menus at every meal which our kids really enjoyed.
Sunset at Le Taha’a
Early mornings at Le Taha’a
Overall, we highly recommend you add a stop at Le Taha’a to your Polynesian vacation. The beautiful Coral Garden experience was definitely worth a visit, and the hotel’s top-notch service made it a wonderful stay.