Hilton Hotel Tahiti

Every seasoned traveler knows this truth: never trust your departure day to chance. When planning my Tahitian adventure, I followed the golden rule of inter-island travel: arrive the night before your international flight. I did not want to worry about getting stuck on Bora Bora, trying desperately to get to Tahiti for my flight back to Los Angeles.

The Hilton Tahiti presented itself as the obvious choice during my research. Beyond its beautiful design, it possessed that most crucial quality for a pre-flight hotel: proximity to the airport.

Check In

The drive from the airport proved brief – a detail I appreciated as I was hot, sweaty and already just wanting to relax.

When informed that my room needed another hour, I saw a well needed opportunity to dine at the hotel’s lunch restaurant, Taitea Brasserie.  I’d planned to linger over lunch anyway. Now I had the opportunity to relax in air conditioning as I adjusted myself from the relaxed vibes of Bora Bora to the bustling energy of Tahiti.

Room and Stay

Coming from my absolutely blissful overwater bungalow at the Westin Bora Bora, I braced myself for a shift in expectations. I knew I needed to dramatically recalibrate my expectations, as nothing could compare.

The Hilton Tahiti delivers on what it promises. It’s not an overwater fantasy. But as a solid, dependable hotel experience? It absolutely nails it. My room was genuinely comfortable with beautiful wood floors. There’s something so warm and welcoming about wood floors that just makes a space feel more luxurious as my slippers walk on it.

Then came the view from my ocean front room. The Pacific Ocean stretched toward Moorea and the waves crashed at the beach line. I saw kayakers skimming through the water and the ferry boats transporting visitors back and forth.

When the sun began to set, I literally gasped out loud. The colors were so intense, so perfect, that I found myself just standing on my balcony saying “thank you” to the universe.

I also loved watching the sun rise from my patio, the next morning.

The bed was comfortable, everything felt clean. Every TV channel except CNN was entirely in French. As someone who adores French programming and still harbors romantic notions about my long-dormant college French, this was actually fun. I spent the evening half-watching shows, desperately trying to catch familiar words and phrases, my rusty language skills getting their first real workout in years.

Activities

I was only able to catch one activity during my stay – the Atelier de Tressage (Weaving Workshop) – as the ukulele class took place while I was resting in my room after arrival. Still, this workshop turned out to be an unexpected highlight.

The instructor, with graceful, practiced hands, wove a stunning hat for me from palm leaves as I watched in awe. Her artistry was mesmerizing, and the experience felt deeply rooted in tradition and culture.

I wanted to hang it on my wall at home as a personal memento – a symbol of my time in Tahiti and the quiet beauty of learning through observation. However, United States Customs had other plans, as they classified my hat as a plant because it was still green and hadn’t dried completely.

While the resort itself lacks direct beach access, snorkeling, or kayaking – something I did miss – I knew I could’ve hopped a ferry back to Moorea and returned to Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea for another full beach day.  However, I did not want to mess around and miss the ferry.

The Intercontinental Bora Bora also offers a day pass with lunch included, though my friend Sefora mentioned it’s not quite as good as Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea.

Restaurants

I enjoyed lunch at Taitea Brasserie, dinner at San and breakfast at Moevai.

Overall

Overall, the Hilton Hotel Tahiti was a smart and reliable choice for a one-night stay. The view of the South Pacific and distant Moorea was stunning, and the strong, business-friendly Wi-Fi made transitioning back to real life a little smoother.

What stood out most, though, was the warmth and professionalism of the staff – every person I spoke to was kind, helpful, and full of thoughtful recommendations.

That’s hospitality at its best.

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