InterContinental Resort Tahiti: Lovely Property with Freezing Pools and Hot Bellhops

1. Back from my epic/insane trip: overall thoughts
2. Business vs. economy: is the mileage upcharge worth it?
3. Assigning $ value to Priority Pass during our trip to South Pacific
4. Our two magical nights in Bora Bora
5. Hilton Moorea resort and spa: spectacular setting, not a 5-star property

As I’ve mentioned last week, our 10-minute flight from Moorea to the main island of Tahiti was delayed.  As a result, we didn’t get to our hotel till 5:30 PM. We were only heading to Tahiti for an  overnight stay due to our early flight the following morning, so it didn’t really matter. In hindsight, it would have been faster to take a ferry.

I decided to burn my annual IHG credit card certificate on Intercontinental Resort Tahiti It was the most logical option since it’s located very close to the airport ($15 taxi ride one-way), and since I only paid $49 for it. Plus, the photos looked very nice.

The cash rate here starts at around $450 all-in for basic room, not something I would pay for essentially a place to sleep. This hotel currently costs 50,000 IHG points per night. It’s not cheap, but almost nothing in Tahiti is.

It is regarded as the best resort on the island, though I can’t vouch for that. This is one of those rare instances where buying IHG points (during their frequent 50% off sales) can make sense. Better yet, consider applying for IHG co-branded Credit  Card.Right across the lobby you see a spectacular infinity pool with the views of Moorea. I was surprised that there was no one in the water (more on that later). By the way, all workers here were extremely professional and courteous, a sharp contrast to  the other islands where service was very much hit or miss.

A quick note on bellhop workers, aka scantily clad, good-looking Polynesian guys. No, I did not take photos, but resort’s website proudly displays them if you are curious.

Oh my! Ladies, look away, you have been warned. Honestly, it felt odd to see grown men walking around in essentially their underwear.

My husband goes: Hmm, I wonder if they would  consider a middle-aged American white guy with a “dad” bod for a bellhop position?

Me: Nope, but only because you are an American, and this is a French territory.

After all these years he still makes me laugh! This is why he got to come to Tahiti with me. 🙂

The hotel has a lagoonarium where guests can snorkel with various types of fish. This seems like a great amenity for young kids. 

Due to IHG Platinum status, we got two free drink vouchers which were used on Coke cans that otherwise run at $6 apiece. Oh, and we actually ate at the airport before heading to the resort. I knew that food prices at Intercontinental Tahiti matched those at Bora Bora, so planned accordingly. Our total bill after one-night stay was $5 or something like that.

The resort is quite large and has several wings. If you don’t like walking, request to be placed close to the lobby. That’s where they put us, and it turned out to be a good thing since I had to go to the reception area  a few times.

Review of our room

We got a superior garden view room, which was recently renovated and appeared to be very clean. I thought it was quite comfortable, though a bit small. It was nice, but definitely not “$450 per night” nice.

Bathroom was well designed and had everything we needed for a short overnight stay.

You could actually peek at the island of Moorea from our patio, though the photo doesn’t show it for some reason.

If you use points and travel as a family of four, you will have to reserve their basic garden unit with two single beds, and then contact the manager about a possible paid upgrade to a room with two queen beds. Do it ASAP because they only have a few of those units and they are in high demand.

According to my research, IHG properties in French Polynesia are quite stingy with meaningful upgrades when you use points or certs. Platinum status does get you some perks and slightly better room, but don’t expect much. I’m not complaining since I get to be an IHG elite for $49 per year, and receive  a free hotel night to boot.

It’s different when you pay cash because a basic garden room may land you in an overwater bungalow, especially if you happen to have Ambassador status.

It wasn’t something I was interested in testing out due to $450 price tag, plus the $200 Ambassador status cost. Besides, it’s not a a guarantee anyway and depends on a whim of a property manager. If you are staying here two nights on a weekend, paying cash is probably the way to go. You will get your second night free, plus confirmed upgrade which may get you an overwater bungalow depending on the category you reserve.

Here is what it looks like on the outside:

There are different types of overwater bungalows, with some costing as much as $1,000 per night.

The water didn’t look as inviting compared to Moorea, but perhaps they had storms earlier that day. Most people stay on the main island of Tahiti for just one night before moving on to Moorea or Bora Bora, or before an early flight  to the States. If we ever go back, that’s probably what I’ll do as well due to my husband’s  limited vacation time.

A huge perk in this property is a complimentary use of laundry room. Up until that point we stayed in 5-star resorts where they charge $10 to wash a pair of underwear. I would rather die than pay that. So, I did laundry by hand and it got old rather quickly. I was thrilled to finally use washer and dryer because I would have to otherwise look for a laundromat in Auckland upon our arrival in New Zealand.

Many beautiful cold pools, but where is the hot tub?

Very soon it became clear why the pools were empty. They were freezing cold. I don’t think it’s common to find heated pools in French Polynesia. We were there during South Pacific winter, so the water temperature was a bit lower compared to their summer.

My husband  and I were not brave enough to swim, so he headed back to the room to take a nap, and I went for a  walk around the property. If the kids were with us, they would be splashing in the pools to their heart’s content.

The resort has a magical feel at night thanks to beautiful landscaping and views of Moorea across the bay.

I enjoyed relaxing in the sandy area by the pool and scheming ways to convince my husband to come back to Tahiti in a near future. Via points, of course.

A kayaker in the distance

I was finally able to locate a hot tub…full of cold dirty water.

Oh well.

Bottom line

This property was more than I could ever ask for, considering the price tag of $49. It’s an absolute steal, so unless you are using your cert on Intercontinental Thalasso Bora Bora (which according to PointsAdventure blog allows you to access more award availability), burn it here.

Everyone with the old IHG card should get one more uncapped certificate, so this resort is certainly a good candidate. You can see many detailed reviews of this property on TripAdvisor 

Honestly, even burning 50,000 IHG points per night here is probably worth it, especially if you have time to enjoy the view. One possible alternative is Le Meridien Tahiti resort. It currently costs 35,000 Marriott points per night, making it eligible for annual certificate on SPG and Marriott co-branded cards.

We mostly needed a clean place to sleep, and we got that, plus so much more. It really is a beautiful resort and I’m very grateful to this hobby for allowing us to stay here for only $49. It would have been nice to be able to use the pools, but it’s certainly not a deal breaker.

Until next time…

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