Hilton Moorea

After our 1 night stay at the Intercontinental Tahiti, we ventured via ferry to the island of Moorea. The Hilton Moorea is about a 25 minute drive from the ferry service location. The ocean views from this property are absolutely stunning, and they were most definitely the highlight of our trip to Tahiti. We stayed at this property in February 2024, and they were undergoing quite a few renovations at the time. Following our stay at the Hilton Moorea, we also stayed 1 night at the Hilton Tahiti. Be sure to check out all of our reviews and let us know if you book!

First Impressions & Check-In

There is not a lot of fanfare when you first arrive to the Hilton Moorea property. The front could definitely use a refresh. However, we were able to quickly park the rental car onsite, and it is free.

At check-in, we were greeted with flower necklaces and a small juice to sip on while we waited. The check-in process did take quick a few minutes to complete, but the staff was very friendly and accommodating. They even gave our son a stuffed turtle as a keepsake. One thing they made sure we knew was NOT to drink the tap water on the property. Otherwise, it was information overload. Our baby had gotten sea sick on the ferry ride over, so we were ready to get to our rooms and freshen up.

Rooms & Accommodations

We will review 2 different types of rooms at the Hilton Moorea. Two adults stayed in the King Panoramic Overwater Bungalow, and two adults stayed in the King Garden Suite with Private Pool. We wanted a chance to see both of the rooms and decide which we would recommend for other travelers.

King Panoramic Overwater Bungalow

My husband and I stayed in the overwater bungalow with our son.

Inside of the Overwater Bungalow

We were greeted with a bottle of Chardonnay on ice in our room and a note from the Hotel Manager thanking my husband for his loyalty as a part of the Hilton Honors program. Our room had a King bed and a small sitting area consisting of a couch and a chair situated around the porthole. The porthole was a lot of fun to look through, and our baby even enjoyed the view! While we didn’t see a ton of fish or other creatures, it was still fun to look through. We had asked for a baby bed at check-in and didn’t receive it, so a few hours after checking in, we called again and it promptly arrived. The staff set it up for us and made the bed with bed sheets.

The bathroom had two sinks, a claw foot tub, standing shower, and toilet.

The minifridge was stocked with waters, sodas, juices, and beer. Everything was included with the stay, and it was replenished every day with housekeeping. Of course the biggest draw to staying in this type of room is the overwater setup.

Outdoor Area

We had an outdoor area with a table and two chairs and two lounge chairs. The lounge chairs didn’t have any cushions on them. This seems like a simple upgrade the property could make to improve guests’ experience and comfort.

We also had steps down to the platform where you can use the ladder to swim off of your back deck. If you are a big fan of snorkeling, this is a perfect place to stay. The hotel gave us cards to exchange for pool towels and snorkeling equipment. The pool towels must be given back before the end of each day, but you get to keep the snorkeling equipment for the duration of your stay. This is great because once you have the equipment, you can snorkel anytime you’d like!

We thoroughly enjoyed waking up each morning to the ocean, giving our son his bottle on the back deck, and eating lunch at the table while having an amazing view.

We loved this room for our family of three. However, with one more child, the space would be a little tight and we would most likely stay in the Garden Villa suite where two other adults in our party stayed.

King Garden Suite with Private Pool

While we personally did not stay in this room, we spent a lot of time with the other travelers and the pool that they had in their backyard.

Inside of the Garden Villa

This room also has the minifridge and exact components as the overwater bungalow room. However, this room had a wine fridge as well. These guests were also greeted with a bottle of Chardonnay upon arrival.

To the right, this room has a very large sitting area with two couches. Although it wasn’t needed for our stay, they had already made up one of the sodas into a bed. There was also a closet behind the sofa bed for that individual to use. Attached to the sitting area was a half bathroom but it only had a sink. There was a toilet as well, but it was separate from this sink and located across the room by the front door.

To the left, there were two glass doors that led to the master bedroom with a King size bed. This room had two closets behind the bed and a full bathroom.

The bathroom had two sinks, a freestanding tub, and a shower. It should be noted in order to use the toilet that you had to leave the master bathroom and use the one in the hallway beside the glass door.

This was a lot of space for two people. This room would be perfect for a family with two adults and at least two small children.

Outdoor Area

The big perk to staying in this room is the small private pool on the back deck. The pool was a perfect size for four adults and a child.

Overall, the outside of the villa could definitely use some work. The back deck needs to be stained and updated. There were two lounge chairs and an umbrella on the back deck that were worn out. There was also a covered area with a table and four chairs. This villa and the outdoor area are designed to accommodate quite a few people.

The biggest drawback of this room is the fact that you cannot see the ocean at all. Due to the location and high fence surrounding the villa, there is no way to have a view comparable to that of the overwater bungalow. There are definitely many things to consider when choosing which room type is best!

Experience

The experience is always an integral component of any property review. The Hilton Moorea is no exception. The staff was very kind and helpful when approached. On the first day, there were issues with the air conditioning in the garden villa room. The maintenance team was prompt and worked all afternoon to replace the entire unit. While the staff was professional and always greeted us in passing, the staff did not do anything above and beyond to make the stay special. Having previously stayed at the W Maldives which has a very similar vibe with the overwater bungalows and villas, this hotel did not quite compare in that way. In my opinion the staff can truly elevate a stay, and we did not get that with this trip.

Perhaps one of the biggest “issues” we had during our stay was the fact that the pool was closed for renovations throughout our stay. The hotel offered a voucher to be used on site for food every day of our stay. However, it just wasn’t quite the same as having a large pool. The pool is very central to the resort, and the entire area was blocked off. Due to the construction work, we had to walk through the villas and take an alternate route to the overwater bungalows which took a lot longer to get there. I wouldn’t normally complain about the extra steps, but when you forget the diaper bag, you need to be able to get there quickly!

Food & Dining

We had all of our meals except for 1 lunch at the Hilton Moorea. Continue reading for our review on each restaurant.

Arii Vahine

On our first evening, the hotel was hosting a special Valentine’s Day dinner at Ariii Vahine. It was buffet style with a Polynesian dance after dinner for the entertainment. When we arrived at the table, we each had a glass of champagne with strawberry puree in the bottom. It was nice to have something to sip on while we read over the drinks menu. It did take a long time before anyone came to our table to take our order.

We were also never told when “to go” to the buffet. We weren’t sure if there was a specific order or if someone was going to announce it was open. There were a variety of stations featuring local cuisine, sushi, a raw bar, and dessert. The price for the buffet was almost $90 a person. While there was a wide variety of food to choose from, most people in our group did not eat enough food to justify the price. 

Each morning we had breakfast at Arii Vahine. The cold buffet was included with our stay due to our Hilton status, but the hot food buffet was $10 more. The hot food included pancakes, scrambled eggs, potatoes, and a made-to-order omelet station. The cold buffet included a full salad bar with cheese, cold cuts, and vegetables. The cold buffet also included breads, spreads, cereals, yogurts, juices, carbonated water, and bottled water. There was absolutely enough food on the cold buffet to stick with that, but if you are a big egg fan, I would get the upgrade!

Toatea Bar & Creperie

For our second evening, we had dinner at Toatea Bar & Creperie on the property. There was definitely some confusion about where to go for dinner. The restaurant normally functions in the middle of the overwater bungalows. When we made the reservation they told us that the restaurant would be there that night, but that it is sometimes moved for the weather. When we arrived at the time of our reservation, there was no staff to be found. It seemed that we were not the only ones confused because there were other guests also trying to figure it out. We walked to the lobby and were told it was going to operate elsewhere.

Unfortunately once we made it to the right location, the service was very slow. We were definitely staying at the property during the off season, which had its perks, but it seems that the hotel was definitely understaffed. Typically, we wouldn’t be as bothered with a slower dinner service, but we had a baby who was getting awfully close to bedtime. With that being said, the crepes were absolutely delicious. Each one came with a side salad as well. It was a perfect lighter dinner to end the evening.

Room Service

For our last lunch before heading back to Tahiti, we ordered room service and ate on our back deck. We did ask the hotel for late checkout; they were able to accommodate late check-out for the overwater bungalow room. The food arrived promptly, and the staff was great with setting it all up for us.

Things to Do in Moorea

We mainly stayed at the resort during our time in Moorea. However, the single road that goes around the perimeter of the island is only about 37 miles. One morning we did this drive and made a few stops along the way. We found a beautiful lookout point where we stopped and took a few pictures.

We continued our drive in order to make the loop back to the hotel and stopped for lunch at Restaurant Te Honu Iti. We were the only customers there, and the family serving us was very friendly. It took awhile for the food to come out. However, everything is made to order and it was all very fresh and delicious.

The Uncorked Truth

1. If you venture all the way to Tahiti, take a ferry ride over to Moorea. The views are worth it.
2. I would come back to the Hilton Moorea but confirm that the pool is open before booking. 
3. While the staff was very friendly, no one went out of their way to do anything special for our stay. It didn’t feel as 5-star as it portrays.

Thanks for reading our review of the Hilton Moorea. Please let us know if you decide to stay here and let us know what you think!