Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa

We were quite nervous about our stay given the mixed reviews but were more than pleasantly surprised. The service was warm and helpful especially the guest relations at the pool. We splurged for a panoramic bungalow at the far end and it was so worth it. We found our room well maintained and being able to step into the ocean from our deck was beautiful. The hotel feels intimate as there aren’t that many guests. We felt well treated as Diamond members with full buffet breakfast included. Dinners are ok but there are many nice restaurants nearby including the Moorea Beach club which has great food right on the ocean. We recommend it highly. Is it worth the high rates? Well it could be more luxurious but the setting and service were great. We were not at all disappointed. The overwater bungalows are definitely worth the upgrade.

We had an amazing honeymoon at the Hilton Moorea. Our trip was arranged through Pacific for Less, and every detail was handled flawlessly. Everything was organized so well that we never had to worry about a thing once we arrived in French Polynesia. Cathi from Pacific for Less listened carefully to what we wanted from our honeymoon and helped design an itinerary focused on relaxation. Hilton Moorea was the perfect place to start our trip. It has beautiful views and a relaxing atmosphere that helped us immediately unwind after months of wedding planning. They have snorkels, kayaks, and paddleboards that you can rent for free, which allowed us to explore the lagoon around the resort. We opted for the garden bungalow instead of an overwater bungalow and it was still tranquil and beautiful. It was our nightly ritual to sit on the patio and look up at the stars. Our days were spent by the pool and beach, where the attendants would bring us cocktails and food that we ordered. They also had events at the beach around 10:30am most mornings. The one we attended showed us how to tie sarongs. We would absolutely stay here again. The Hilton Moorea was a fantastic part of our honeymoon and we highly recommend working with Pacific for Less when planning a trip to French Polynesia.

This was the seventh stop on our long awaited round the world trip which was organised with help from Turquoise who put together an amazing itinerary. We flew into Tahiti from Rarotonga in the Cook Islands and got the ferry to Moorea. The ferry takes about half and hour, as does the drive from the ferry terminal to the Hilton. It was a scenic drive and we arrived around sunset. Check in was straightforward and we were presented with garlands and taken to our room by buggy. The location is totally stunning (we saw amazing sunsets and mountain views) but the hotel itself is not in good shape. There was work going on to extensively repair / refurbish 4 or 5 of the garden bungalows. The overwater bungalows obviously needed some maintenance / repair – they were looking very shabby from the outside. If anyone thinks the overwater bungalows are private and romantic I would disagree. There were service carts and people walking up and down the boardwalk all day and snorkellers / swimmers / kayakers around them and underneath them most of the time! No privacy! We had a garden bungalow with its own pool which was very nice and had been refurbished and was very private and quiet. Others looked more shabby or were next to the noisy refurb works. The breakfast buffet was varied but not very Polynesian or French. There were some crepes but otherwise it was mostly American style food. We had dinner at the Rotui restaurant but had an issue when we were refused a bottle of wine (because it was the day of French elections and there are restrictions on the sale of alcohol). So we were forced to order a different wine that was available by the glass. Then we noticed another couple being served a bottle of wine. After some tense discussions, where serving staff admitted they had interpreted the rules incorrectly in our case, we were allowed a bottle and had the initial glasses whisked away. Meanwhile our main courses were served while we waited for our bottle to be delivered. Then they tried to charge us for the initial glasses of wine but I insisted they take them off the bill. A romantic dinner watching the sunset was spoiled by poor service. We had lunch at Rotui on another occasion and had pizzas. They were very poor quality (ketchup?) We did try the Polynesian buffet and entertainment evening that was very good. On our last day, to fill the time between check out and our transfer back to the ferry terminal, we tried to hire a car from the hotel to drive round the island and up to the mountains. The first car we were given had a problem and the alarm kept going off. Eventually they found us a car that was ok (if a little shabby), but that left us less time to explore the island. We managed to drive a complete circuit of the island and up to a viewpoint in the mountains which was stunning. Just before we left we were able to us the gym facilities to shower and change before our ferry and late flight to San Francisco which was much appreciated. Overall we didn't experience much Polynesian culture or hospitality at the Hilton. It was very much aimed at the mass tourist market from America. This could be an amazing resort but the condition of the rooms, service and quality of food are definitely not 5 star. I think we'd been spoilt after our experience of Rarotonga...

Overall a great visit. The lagoon is crystal clean and is protected with plenty of fish to see which is great if you are relatively new to these water activities. Plenty of kayaks, snorkel gear and paddle boards for guests. Pool is nice but a bit dirty on the bottom but the lagoon is the main draw which is fabulous. We stayed in an over water bungalow which is fabulous. Pricey but worth it and what you would expect At night there is a plethora of small sharks swimming by the crepe restuarant on the bungalow pier. Some minor points. The lobby is open air but should at least have ceiling fans to help with the heat. For a ‘5 star resort’, they offer no water at the front desk. So when you are waiting in line to check in or out or waiting for a tour or transportation, no water or fans can make it quite uncomfortable. The shop is very nice. Three restaurants on site. Food was good but not great. Overall a great experience in Moorea for our first time.

Just finished an amazing stay at the Hilton Moorea. The hotel and grounds are beautiful and easy to get around. We stayed in a Garden Bungalow with Pool and loved it. It was very quiet since we were in #28 which is a little further out. The room was large and very comfortable. Our only issue was the wifi connection was spotty unless we were in the lobby or beach area. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The beach area is great with plenty of chairs and easy access to the lunch restaurant and pool area. The snorkeling in the lagoon was good - plenty to see and not crowded at all. We were also able to paddleboard which was a nice way to see the area. We did a couples massage which was excellent and actually reasonably priced for a resort. The hotel arranged dinner reservations in the next town including a free taxi to/from. We ate at all of the resort restaurants. The breakfast was wonderful but should be included in the room price. The other restaurants were good but food is quite expensive even in the grill. We really enjoyed our stay at the Hilton and would recommend it to others.