Island hopping in the French Polynesia has been at the top of our bucket-list for a very long time. For most people, Bora Bora is the first Island that comes to mind when they think of this tropical destination. However, there are so many beautiful Islands to explore in the French Polynesia, including Tahiti!
Tahiti is the main Island that all international flights fly into, making it a convenient starting point. After some research, we found that most travel blogs said that Tahiti is an Island that can be skipped. However, we stayed for 5 nights in Tahiti and we feel like we got the opportunity to begin to immerse ourselves in Polynesian Culture. We definitely recommend adding a few nights in Tahiti to your French Polynesia Itinerary!
InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa
The InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa is the perfect place to begin your French Polynesian adventure. We spent 2 nights at this amazing resort, which was conveniently located just 2km away from the Papeete International Airport. The Resort is close enough the the Airport making it the perfect gateway to the rest of the Islands, but far enough away you still feel like you are in a secluded paradise.
Accommodations
Overwater Bungalows
The InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa is one of the Resorts on the main Island of Tahiti that offer Overwater Bungalows! We stayed in one of the Lagoon Overwater Bungalows which have a luxury King Size Bed, a soaking tub and walk in shower. From the cozy seating area, you can access the large deck and jump right into the ocean! You really can’t get closer to the Ocean than staying in an Overwater Bungalow. We went to sleep with the sounds of the waves crashing under Bungalow, and let us tell you it was very relaxing!
Superior Rooms
The Resort also has a luxury spin on a standard hotel room! The rooms are expansive, have a large soaking tub, a walk in shower, and a large balcony. There are various categories of these rooms for all budgets, but we highly recommend splurging on an Ocean View room. You can watch the sunrise over the Island of Moorea and the ocean as you sip your morning coffee! It’s a surreal experience.
You can check out all of their accommodation options here!
Resort Amenities
The InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa has a traditional Polynesian feel, with open air dining and traditional decor. They have two huge pools and a very special lagoonarium on the property. The Lotus pool has a sand bottom and shoreline which is a very unique touch. It also houses the only swim up bar at the Resort, making it a popular choice for adults on the property. The other main pool area is a massive infinity pool complete with a waterfall feature. This pool has a very shallow entrance, making it a great choice for family’s with children. The infinity edge overlooks the lagoonarium which houses house grown Coral Gardens and hundreds of tropical fish, perfect for snorkeling!
Although there is not direct beach access at this Resort, we definitely did not mind given the abundance of options for swimming!
The Resort itself is large and spread out. We never felt crowded, even thought the Resort was almost fully booked during our stay! We loved that there were so many options for relaxing, whether it be at one of the pools, the Lagoonarium, or on the deck of your Overwater Bungalow.
At the far end of the Resort, they offer some water sport activities like Paddle Boarding, Kayaks which are included with your stay, They also have Jet Skis for rent for additional cost. If you love being active on vacation, there is a Tennis Court and a beautiful Fitness Center on site!
Enjoying our Overwater Bunaglow and Tahiti Sun
Restaurants
The restaurants at the InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa offer some great food options if you opt to stay strictly on the Resort during your stay. They have a variety of choices for every palate.
Te Tiare Restaurant
Te Tiare Restaurant is the main restaurant at the Resort. They offer a Buffet Breakfast in the morning, which you can include in the price of your stay! (We recommend doing this, otherwise it is very expensive). The breakfast options were endless. From the fruit, meat and cheese station, to the made to order egg station, there is options for everyone. Jake’s favorite choice was the Poisson Cru, which is a specialty dish in the French Polynesia! It is raw fish, soaked in coconut milk. We highly recommend that you try it, it was SO good.
Lunch and dinner is provided A La Carte here. They also have specialty nights where the offer an exclusive buffet and a Polynesian show! We recommend catching it once during your stay as they show was incredible.
Lotus Restaurant
Lotus restaurant is the gourmet dining option at the InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa. It is set over the water and offers some beautiful views of Moorea and the ocean. They have a light lunch menu and a set dinner menu with wine pairings.
Tiki Bar
The Tiki Bar was our favorite place to end our night at the resort. They offer a Happy Hour with a revolving menu of cocktails! They also have a snack menu for those looking for some lighter food options in the early evening. We tried the Nachos, which were made with Doritos chips and we have to say we still talk about how good they were to this day! The Tiki Bar is a great place to catch sunset, and they will sometimes have live entertainment.
Resort Location
The Resort’s location is incredibly convenient. As we said above, it is only 2km away from the Airport, making it a perfect start to your vacation in the French Polynesia.
The Resort is also only a 10 minute drive from the downtown market place! We highly recommend visiting here at least once during your stay. They have a large variety of beautiful souvenirs to choose from. Including Tahitian Vanilla which is supposed to be some of the best in the world!
The Resort offers a shuttle for a small fee that will take you to the downtown area and pick you up at set times. Or, if you prefer, there is plenty of parking on site if you choose to rent a car to explore the Island.
Final Thoughts
Tahiti is an Island that absolutely cannot be overlooked when planning a visit to the French Polynesia. The InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa is the perfect place to relax and begin an epic adventure.
Just a short drive from downtown Papeete and the Papeete International Airport, the Resort is conveniently located to get the most out of all Tahiti has to offer. Immerse yourself in Polynesian culture with Resort activities, themed nights and local food specialties at their open air dining facilities. Relax at one of two large pools, or snorkel in a private lagoon filled with tropical fish and Coral Gardens.
Overall, we highly recommend a visit to the InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa when planning an incredible adventure
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