PF 2023 (3/10) – Tahiti: Hilton Tahiti Resort

From Saturday evening to Monday morning, we had a great time at Hilton Tahiti. It was a great way to use up our free night certificates, both because the cash price was high and because it was simply a very nice resort.

I was surprised by the resort’s lack of beach access. In my naïve mind, a beautiful beach was a standard feature for a tropical island resort right by the ocean. Turned out the shore line was entirely rocky, a fact that should have been obvious if I considered how the resort was wedged within walking distance between an airport and a seaport.

The Pool

More than compensating for the lack of a beach was a fantastic pool. It was large, looked organic, consisted of a range of depths, and featured a swim-up bar. It had an infinity edge and a beach-like smoothly graded edge. It was surrounded by a variety of seating options, including some in the water. It also lit up gorgeously at night.

The pool was so nice, in fact, that all of us got major sunburn here. That was rather dumb for day 1 of vacation. Oh well.

The Room

The resort staff gave us confusing signals around whether we got an upgrade. Regardless, we loved our room. It was spacious, clean, and comfy. The main downside was the long, dull hallway connecting it from the lobby, but the rest was perfect. In many ways, this resort reminded us of Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi – great lobby, great pool, great room, but tedious hallways.

The Food

In an expensive location like French Polynesia, having free breakfast buffet as a result of our Hilton Diamond status was extremely valuable. It wasn’t just some continental breakfast for the calories, either. It was easily the best breakfast buffet we had seen anywhere outside Asia. Although that title may have gone to Conrad Bora Bora Nui a couple days later, this Hilton had an over-water dining room that further elevated the experience. We were blown away.

We also ate a light dinner at the resort, which consisted of the whole family sharing a burger and a bowl of pasta. It was the opposite of free, and frankly mediocre. The only thing I’d rave about was the tastiness of the beef. But I already said that about McDonald’s burger patties.

In between the overpriced restaurants and the lack of access to outside options, sharing snacks at the resort turned out to be both a necessary and a fun experience for the family.

PF 2023

1. A French Polynesian Spring Break
2. Tahiti: Papeete and Faa’a
3. Tahiti: Hilton Tahiti Resort
4. Bora Bora: Expenses
5. Bora Bora: Conrad Bora Bora Nui
6. Bora Bora: The Bungalow
7. Bora Bora: Food at the Resort
8. Bora Bora: Vaitape
9. Bora Bora: Bora Bora Water World
10. Bora Bora: the Ocean