Top 5 Resort Hotels in the South Pacific
The tropical resorts of the South Pacific just might define what it means to be a romantic hotel. In fact, is there anything that screams “honeymoon” more than overwater bungalows, clear blue water, and powdery white sand? All the more impressive, then, that with so much beauty and luxury on offer in the region, these five properties stood out for discerning Travel + Leisure readers.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.
Related: The World's Best Awards 2019
French Polynesia made a strong showing, as always. Two winners, Four Seasons Resort (No. 4) and the St. Regis (No. 3), are on Bora Bora, whose legendary reef and imposing volcanic silhouette are so postcard-perfect they barely seem real. One reader praised the Four Seasons staff as “warm, welcoming, and intuitive,” while a fan of the St. Regis was similarly impressed by the hospitality there: “Best place on earth with the best service ever.”
Nearby Mo'oréa is just as dreamy, and it’s home to our fifth-place winner, the InterContinental Moorea Resort and Spa. Fiji, too, is a reader favorite: Six Senses Fiji (No. 2), on Malolo Island, stuns, with 24 villas, each with a private plunge pool, plus additional residences. “A great place for surfing,” added one fan.
Ahead, see how this year’s winners stacked up, and read more about this year’s top pick.
5. InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa, French Polynesia
Score: 83.16
More information: moorea.intercontinental.com
4. Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Score: 91.28
More information: fourseasons.com
3. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Score: 95.60
More information: marriott.com
2. Six Senses Fiji, Malolo Island, Fiji
Score: 96.44
More information: sixsenses.com
1. Turtle Island, Fiji
Score: 97.78
More information: turtlefiji.com
For the ultimate romantic getaway, there’s no surpassing Turtle Island, according to our readers. This private-island property offers all-inclusive stays for couples, who get one of just 14 villas, or bures, on the resort’s 500 acres. “Lovely quiet, friendly, beautiful place to forget all the outside world,” as it was described by one visitor. “You are lost in time.” Upon arrival, you’ll be introduced to your Bure Mama, a personal attendant who will be your guide to all things Fijian and will ensure that you get the most out of your visit, whether that means arranging activities or showing you around the villages on neighboring islands. Diversions focus on the ultra-romantic: private beach picnics, sunrise horseback rides, spa treatments for two, and more. The bures themselves are warm and well-appointed, with airy canopy beds and furnishings handcrafted from tree limbs found fallen on the island. Best of all, the staff is famous for making guests feel like family, so you’ll be hard-pressed to leave the island without plotting your return. “The staff is over-the-top wonderful, and we met some of the nicest people, whom we continue to vacation with,” another guest enthused. “We have scheduled our return visit and can't wait to be welcomed at ‘home’ again!”
See all of our readers' favorite hotels, cities, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2019.