We had no problem reaching the hotel.we used the free boat shuttle from the airport then a driver was waiting for us. If you make your own reservation, make sure you also plan your transfer to the hotel. The one problem we had (and only reason why I rated 2) was that the hotel had overbooked family rooms, on top of this, instead of telling us right away, they let us check-in, send out bags to the rooms, then discover that there were 2 completely separate rooms, not suitable to lave a 5 and 3 years old on their own. After I spent 3 hours of my day discussing with the travel agent and the hotel, we found a settlement on that little issue. Apart from this little issue, the hotel was really a great value. Rooms were large enough, nicely furnished and clean. I would recommend that you ask for a room far from the road since it is small but can get pretty noisy at night with the older cars and mopeds. All rooms have a nice garden view, you'll get a better view on the second floor though. The beach is nice,shared with the Sofitel next door. The pool is small but nice as well. The hotel staff was generally friendly and helpful. Expect delays at the reception desk, specially if there are a few people checking in at the same time. The restaurant is good and the staff was very nice and welcoming. Expect the service to be very slow, specially if you're used to the service in the US. We took all our breakfasts and dinners in the hotel. The hotel is conveniently located near a couple of snacks and even a small grocery store, all within walking distance. You can easily walk all the way to the Intercontinental in less than 15 min and try the beaches, bars and restaurants of the other hotels. Expect a little shock while leaving the hotel to walk along the road, litter is everywhere as well as stray cats and dogs. Locals housing is nothing near your typical US neighborhood. Not that people there live in poverty, they just don't care as we were told.

This seemed like a good deal for Bora Bora. Unfortunately it turned out to be horrible. The room had hair balls and dead spiders over the floor and was generally filthy. Also, and of no fault of the hotel, it is on mainland Bora Bora, and when we visitied it was wet and windy and cold. However, the weather was much better on a different hotel on the sheltered Motu, so if you are planning a trip around the shoulder season, you are better off staying in a hotel on the surrounding Motu.

For years we wanted to visit Bora Bora but were always put off by the £300+ per night hotels. The we found the Novotel and read the favourable reviews on this site. Having read some of the other reviews we were worried about the pick up at the boat quay. No worries a woman was waiting with the Novotel board as soon as we got off the boat. If you can ring the hotel before you arrive and tell them what flight and time you are arriving so they can pick you up. We arrived at the hotel at 9:15am and to their credit they had our room ready and let us check in that early. Combine that with the fact they give us a late checkout (1:00pm) on our last day we were well impressed. The rooms across the road from the beach were excellent with nice views of the lush vegitation from our balcany. Rooms were spacious and clean with tea/ coffee making facilities and a fridge. The staff were friendly and helpful. The hotel has a nice beach and they offer free use of snorkling equipment and kayaks. You can see loads of multi coloured fish by snorkelling just off the beach. We did not actually eat at the hotel. Their is a small market/ convenience shot about two minutes from the hotel. You can buy bread, cheese, coisants, spring rolls, milk and make your own breakfasts / snacks. For evening meals we used the nearby Sunset Pizza which served excellent pizzas either eat in or take away for about $15 each. Another restaurant we used was the Bounty which was a bit more pricy but still cheap by Bora Bora standards. A trip you can book at the hotel is the Lagoonarium trip which I would recommend. You get a full boat tour right around the island, you get to snorkel with manta rays and sharks as well as snorkeling on the coral garden as well as a visit to the Lagoonarium on a mutu with turtles, sharks, mantas and fish. We did the half day trip. You can do a full day which includes lunch on the mutu. Also available from the hotel is boat hire. All in all I would completely recommend this hotel if you want to do Bora Bora on a budget.

Most importantly, this is truly the best "budget" luxury resort on Bora Bora. I doubt you'd find another place at this level that's as affordable as Novotel Bora Bora. That said, the accomodations are average, and the staff isn't the most helpful. New guests clearly take precedence, and front desk clerks often make you wait so they can check in and assist new people, even if you were there long before. They're also often out-of-stock on currency and internet cards, neither of which they seem to be that worried about. For what it's worth, get your money exchanged at the market down the street (pay for your groceries in dollars, euros, pounds, etc. and get francs in change). The exchange rate at the market is much better! The rooms are of average quality and the beds and pillows are definitely not the most comfortable. Take advantage of the Novotel's connection to next door Sofitel, which has a nicer beach and pool. Don't stay at the hotel beach, walk for about 10 minutes clockwise around the island, towards the Intercontinental Hotel, and you've reached Matira Point, the most beautiful beach on the main island itself (nothing compared to the motu beaches, which are easily the most amazing in the world). Stay away from the hotel restaurant. What's great about this hotel is it's location. It's about a 10-minute walk from the best beach on main Bora Bora. The main market is just down the street, as is the restaurant Snack La Bounty, which is superb. Also, don't be put off by the pizzaria inside a shack just further down the road, their wood oven pizzas and fresh crepes are delicious! Overall, I'd recommend the place to travelers on a "budget," especially since you don't spend that much time in your room. Try to spulrge for at least one night in an overwater bungalow at nearby Sofitel Motu.

Prepare for humidity, pack lightly. The hotel was very nice. We loved the shaded balcony for watching the rain (a downpour or two -- don't last long). No ice machines; however, take a plastic bag and ask at the kitchen. They will fill the bag! It kept our refrigerator colder and was great to put in an insulated bag for a walk. Food is VERY expensive. You can take most of your own food -- boil in bag rice, foil packed salmon. The water temperature does not reach a max!! It can scald you! We filled the bathroom sink and cooked microwaveable containers in there! It is all worth it when you are in paradise! Do the full day shark feeding trip! Fabulous! I can't wait to go back!!