Sofitel Bora Bora Marara Beach and Private Island

Two separate resorts until late 2010, the Sofitel Bora Bora Marara Beach and Private Island, a Tahitian-chic property with a decidedly French accent, is now one property offering two unique settings. One is a vibrant and sociable hub on the main island of Bora Bora, featuring overwater and beach bungalows, and the other is a lushly landscaped and intimate retreat on a nearby private motu with overwater bungalows and accommodations tucked into the hillside (and reached via lots of steps). Guests staying at either have access to both via a shuttle boat.

Guests booking a bungalow at the Sofitel Bora Bora Marara Beach and Private Island can choose from 95 bungalows in five categories. All are on the small side when compared with newer properties, but they are recently renovated with great attention to style and detail - such as sleek, modern furnishings and striking burgundy, chocolate, green and gold fabric accents. All feature air-conditioning, a plasma TV, and a king-sized signature Sofitel MyBed, but their locales vary greatly.

Those who enjoy being close to the resort's social hubs, such as bars, restaurants and water sports centers, can choose accommodation at the Marara Beach complex. Options include a Luxury Bungalow, measuring 341 square feet and offering a garden view; a Luxury Beach Bungalow, also measuring 341 square feet, offering lagoon views and direct beach access; and a Luxury Bungalow, which is located overwater and is larger at 533 square feet and features a terrace and outdoor shower.

On the private motu, two categories are available: the Island Luxury Bungalow - Lagoon View, which measures 420 square feet and offers a lagoon vista and a good deal of privacy since it is set amid thick vegetation - but those who cannot navigate steep stone and wooden stairs should not book this category; and the Island Luxury Bungalow - Overwater, which at 560 square feet is the largest and most expensive category, set overwater with a terrace and sundeck with outdoor shower and direct lagoon access.

Sofitel is based in France and that heritage is evident in this property's two dining venues, which focus on refined French cuisine with a fusion influence. "Latitude 16^o" is located front and center within the Marara Beach complex overlooking the lagoon and features an inviting terrace. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and its menus vary from French-influenced international fare, to theme-night buffets; it also has a Tahitian oven to prepare traditional local dishes for Polynesian Night.

Over on the motu, set up high and offering panoramic views of the lagoon and Bora Bora's signature peak Mt. Otemanu, the Manu Tuki restaurant is open on select nights for a la carte dinners with a gastronomic take on French and Polynesian cuisine.

The center of most of the action both day and night is the airy, circular thatched-roof Hurricane Bar, located in the main resort complex next to the infinity pool. It is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and serves poolside snacks (from noon to 5 p.m.) and tropical cocktails, of course. The smaller and cozier Mako Bar, on the motu, offers a great sunset view and a daily happy hour.

Like almost every resort in Tahiti, the Sofitel Bora Bora Marara Beach and Private Island has a spa with a Jacuzzi, where you can unwind with a massage or body treatment based on Tahitian plants and traditional techniques.

To allow guests to enjoy preferred evening indulgences, the resort also has a cigar cave and a wine cellar.

The landscaping in both resort areas is wonderfully appealing, with a large, well-stocked koi pond meandering through the main property from just behind the restaurant to the lobby area. Over on the motu, paths wind amid a botanical garden, including one that leads up to a vista point (about a 5-minute climb) with benches and a 360-degree panorama of the lagoon and Bora Bora. It is also the spot where many weddings take place.

Many guests simply lounge around the pool or on the motu's private white-sand beach, but active types will find plenty to do. The Sofitel offers kayaking and wind surfing as well a snorkel/scuba center. On-land options include bikes for rent (unlike most resorts in Bora Bora, the Sofitel is located on the actual island of Bora Bora, so there is a road to bicycle, to nearby Matira beach, for example), volleyball and table tennis.