Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa

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.

TL:DR Beautiful snorkeling, poor service, profit over people. Pool/beachside guys are the best people there. We returned for an anniversary trip to the Hilton Moorea for a vow renewal. The location is magical, everything else is average at best. We were traveling with family and requests NON adjoining rooms, but close by if possible. At check in we were given adjoining rooms with no mention of our preference that was sent. After seeing that that both the deck and inside doors adjoined, we requested a move. To the positive, they immediately found a room for us. So, did they just miss the request? Unknown. Also very little to no information was given about the hotel other than a map. The new room was smaller and much much more outdated than what we were in previous, so perhaps they just didn't want to put us there initially? Multiple outlets were non functional. From there forward they continually mixed up who in our party was in what room sending items to the wrong place. When we moved rooms we left a welcome bottle of wine behind. No big deal, hope the next guests enjoyed it. But then one afternoon we returned to the room to find a bottle of champagne on ice! We were excited and called the front desk to see who had sent it (the hotel b/c of our vow renewal, family, friends etc) so we could thank them. They said they would check. A few min later they called back and said it was delivered by mistake and they were on the way to come collected it immediately. Feels like some low budget hotel behavior more than a 5 star. The vow renewal itself was beautiful, but it's just an add on for the hotel. They treated it the same as if we had booked a jet ski. Nothing special, don't pretend to care or try to make you feel special in any way. You are an afterthought, thanks for the money. We knew the food is expensive, but the quality of food and the service is appallingly bad for the price. Wait times are high (even for a drink order or water), dishes are delivered incorrectly, most staff seems to be going thru the motions and doesn't much care. At zero of the meals were we asked if we wanted a second drink. The menu is small and unchanging, quickly becomes repetitive. One night we were unaware/informed the dinner show was on ($100ish/person add on), and the beachside restaurant was closed. We walked out to the creperie and were told they were full and we could not dine there tonight. Which left...room service only. Called room service number which actually connects to the front desk. They transferred me to room service and no one answered. Tried a second time, same thing occurred. On the third try I explained my problem and the front desk said "oh well you should probably go to the creperie, room service is very busy on show nights." Eventually we connected with room service and the food came relatively quickly (a pizza). I asked how their night was and they responded "oh its been super slow, always is on show nights". For a special few days they were refinishing the check in desk, sidewalks and other exterior repairs. Extreme harsh chemical smells from the desk work, sidewalks closed for patch and painting forcing guests to walk in the driveway or the road out front. Then, once completed, a special table was set out one morning and Hilton executives dined. Asking a few employees they said there was an inspection/visit happening from their boss's boss. Luckily for them they didn't have to order and dine in any of the available options for us guests. The nicest and hardest working people there are the guys working the beachside/poolside area. You can check out snorkel equipment, SUPs, kayaks. They also will take drink and food orders. All four of them should be promoted to management and given massive raises. On the way to the airport we had dinner at the Hilton Tahiti. That hotel is 10 times better than this one. Staff is attentive and kind, food is outstanding, facilities are great. Same pricing for food, but feels like you are treating yourself. Hard to even believe they are both Hiltons. The snorkeling at the beach is hard to beat in size and wildlife. But the rest of the hotel has gotten much worse and likely has discouraged our return. At this price point I would say its a 3 out of 5, but only because of the snorkeling and beachside experience. Take those out, at this price point its a 2 out of 5 on a good day.

Excellent service moeava was amazing made our night wonderful