Skip to content

Top Navigation

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Trip Inspiration
  • Plan Your Trip
  • World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises
  • Travel Tips
  • News
  • Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Explore

    Explore

    • World's Best

      The greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports, and more — as voted by you. Read More Next
    • The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2020

      Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2020. Read More Next
    • Let's Go Together Podcast

      Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! Hosted by Kellee Edwards. Read More Next
  • Trip Inspiration

    Trip Inspiration

    • Trip Ideas
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Spring Travel
    • Summer Travel
    • Fall Travel
    • Winter Travel
    • Solo Travel
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Luxury Travel
    • Beach Vacations
    • Adventure Travel
    • Road Trips
    • Family Travel
    • National Parks
    • Holiday Travel
    • Travel Photography
    • Photo of the Day
    • Culture and Design
  • Plan Your Trip

    Plan Your Trip

    • Travel Guides
    • Flight Deals
    • Travel Deals
    • Ways to Save
    • Hotels + Resorts
    • Attractions
    • Amusement Parks
    • Disney Vacations
    • Festivals + Events
    • Airlines + Airports
    • Buses + Trains
    • Ground Transportation
  • World's Best

    World's Best

    • Top Hotels
    • Top Cities
    • Top Islands
    • Domestic Airlines
    • International Airlines
    • Tours
    • Safaris
    • All World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises

    Cruises

    • Find A Cruise
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • River Cruises
    • European Cruises
    • All-Inclusive Cruises
    • Family Cruises
    • Alaskan Cruises
    • Disney Cruises
    • See All Cruise Vacations
  • Travel Tips

    Travel Tips

    • Travel Trends
    • Packing Tips
    • Points + Miles
    • Budgeting + Currency
    • Customs + Immigration
    • Responsible Travel
    • Travel Etiquette
    • Travel Warnings
    • Weather
    • Mobile Apps
    • See All Travel Tips
  • News

    News

    • Wellness
    • Celebrity Travel
    • Animals
    • Jobs
    • Offbeat
    • See All News
  • Food + Drink

    Food + Drink

    • Restaurants
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Bars + Clubs
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Cooking + Entertaining
    • Food Fairs + Festivals
    • World's Best Restaurants
    • See All Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories

    Travel Accessories

    • Travel Bags
    • Shoes
    • Travel Tech
    • Shopping
    • Style
    • Gift Guides
    • See All Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow us

  1. Home
  2. Worlds Best
  3. The Best Resort Hotels in the South Pacific in 2016

The Best Resort Hotels in the South Pacific in 2016

By John Scarpinato
July 06, 2016
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: ©Roberto Frankenberg
The South Pacific often lands high on travelers’ bucket lists. The views of the ocean, the fresh cuisine, and the simple ease of accommodations are hard to beat. But finding the perfect place to stay isn’t so easy. Do you choose something small near the water or a larger fantasy resort where the staff will cater to your every need?

This year, we asked our readers to rank their favorite resorts and inns based on facilities, location, service, food, and value, for our World's Best Awards survey. It’s clear from the results that the French Polynesian islands have captured their hearts; every property in the top five can be found in this island group.

Three of the top five resorts are in Bora-Bora, where properties are known for their thatched-roof, overwater villas.  The island’s InterContinental, St. Regis, and Four Seasons (home to some amazing plunge pools) all offer incredible spas and private lagoons, as well.

In Moorea, the guests at the InterContinental loved the fact that they can snorkel without even having to take a boat out. Additionally, the resort hosts the Moorea Dolphin Center and Turtle Care Clinic.

It’s The Brando, in Tetiaroa, however, that takes this year's grand prize. The resort, surrounded by white-sand beaches, also prides itself on being eco-friendly. 

Read on for the full list.
Start Slideshow

1 of 5

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

No. 5: InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa, French Polynesia

Credit: Courtesy of InterContinental

Score: 88.14

1 of 5

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 5

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

No. 4: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, French Polynesia

Credit: Courtesy of InterContinental

Score: 90.42

2 of 5

3 of 5

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

No. 3: The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, French Polynesia

Credit: Courtesy of St. Regis Resorts

Score: 91.19

3 of 5

Advertisement

4 of 5

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

No. 2: Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Credit: Courtesy of Four Seasons

Score: 93.68

4 of 5

5 of 5

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

No. 1: The Brando, Tetiaroa, French Polynesia

Credit: ©Roberto Frankenberg

Score: 96.80

The Brando features 35 thatched-roof villas, each with its own private pool and access to white-sand beaches. If that doesn’t impress you, the resort is eco-friendly, too. Air-conditioning comes from a seawater-powered system and a blend of solar- and coconut oil-based energy grids allow for near carbon neutrality. Additionally, each villa is equipped with bicycles, allowing guests to explore the island without using a car. Visitors can access the property via a 20-minute private flight from Tahiti, which lies just 30 miles south.

5 of 5

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By John Scarpinato

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 5 No. 5: InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa, French Polynesia
2 of 5 No. 4: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, French Polynesia
3 of 5 No. 3: The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, French Polynesia
4 of 5 No. 2: Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, French Polynesia
5 of 5 No. 1: The Brando, Tetiaroa, French Polynesia

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap
  • Travel Guide Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletters
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
Travel + Leisure is part of the Travel + Leisure Group. Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Travel + Leisure is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation Travel + Leisure Group All Rights Reserved, registered in the United States and other countries. Travel + Leisure may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.travelandleisure.com

View image

The Best Resort Hotels in the South Pacific in 2016
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.