You’ll find the best budget accommodations in French Polynesia in this blog!
Yes! How special ?! You are going to French Polynesia! Perhaps one of the most unique places in the world for swimming, snorkelling and diving! The beaches are extraordinary: the water is turquoise, the sand is pearl-white and surrounded by perfectly shaped palm trees! French Polynesia is truly a paradise on earth!
French Polynesia hotels: the best (budget) hotels
In case you didn’t know yet. Travelling through French Polynesia is not exactly cheap. This applies not only to the expensive airline tickets but to the cost of accommodations as well. In French Polynesia, you might think of the famous overwater bungalows! These nice accommodations easily sell for €600 and €3000 a night! Yes, you read that right, per night!
French Polynesia is perhaps the most expensive place we have ever visited. We like to travel on a budget ourselves, and we tried to travel French Polynesia on a budget as well. This was not always easy.
A hotel guide with hotel suggestions for three different price ranges
Below we have listed the nicest places of French Polynesia to sleep in. There is often a budget accommodation (hostel, basic guesthouse or accommodation which costs no more than €60 a night). You will find mid-range accommodation in the middle of each hotel section. Often this is a hotel with a swimming pool, nice breakfast and a price range between €60 and €140 a night. Finally, you find luxury accommodation in French Polynesia for every destination. These are beautiful hotels where you will be pampered and spoiled. These hotels range from €140 to €350 a night.
Last but not least, we have added fancy resorts where you can stay in very luxurious overwater bungalows! These hotels are located in unique locations in French Polynesia! These accommodations easily cost more than €500 per night!
Simplified map of French Polynesia
For your convenience, we created a basic map of French Polynesia. French Polynesia consists of more than hundreds of islands. These islands are spread over an area as big as the continent of Europe! French Polynesia is therefore not a destination that is suitable for spontaneous travel. No, you plan all flights and hotels way ahead! In this way, you keep the costs of accommodations affordable and you will not be confronted with high domestic flight prices.
Where to stay in French Polynesia?
Most people visit some of the Society Islands. This is the island group where you can find Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea. We have made a selection of beautiful islands that are easy to travel to by boat and by plane. In this hotel guide, we have found the best spots for Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Rangiroa and of course the honeymoon destination: Bora Bora! Fakarava is not on this list but is definitely worth a visit! This seems to be one of the best diving spots in the world alongside Rangiroa!
What can you expect of accommodations in French Polynesia?
Are you sleeping in a budget guesthouse or hotel in French Polynesia? Then don’t expect too much in terms of style and design of the hotel rooms. Don’t get us wrong. Most accommodations have a good bed and a nice room with excellent facilities. But everything else is very simple. French Polynesia is not a country like Sri Lanka, Indonesia or Thailand, where you can sleep in beautiful hotels even with a small budget.
French Polynesia doesn’t get many tourists a year (except for Bora Bora). Going to this place in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is very special! You can make it even more special by staying in the best (budget) hotels and bungalows! Hopefully, this hotel guide will help you to get to most out of your trip!
Have fun planning your holiday to French Polynesia!
The ultimate 2-weeks French Polynesia itinerary can be found in our itinerary blog!
Hotels in Tahiti, French Polynesia
Your trip to French Polynesia starts in Papeete, the largest city on the island of Tahiti. Often you will spend the night here before taking the boat or domestic flight to one of the other islands of Polynesia the next day.
A full day is enough to explore the island of Tahiti. You can easily rent a car and drive around the island while enjoying all the beautiful things Tahiti has to offer. Papeete itself was not that special to us. However, in this city, you have the most choice for hotels and hostels. Hereby our recommendations for sleeping in Tahiti:
Mahana Lodge Hostel €
Located in the centre of Papeete, this hostel is perfect with a small budget! You can also easily go to the airport by bus. This hostel is a good spot for meeting other travellers. You sleep here from €48 in a private room (two people).
Fare Nukumai €€
Do you want to experience true French Polynesian hospitality? Stay a night in this homestay and be pampered by this family! They are happy to show you the island! You sleep here from €77 (two people).
Tahiti Airport Motel €€€
This hotel is nothing special. The only reason why this is a nice hotel to stay for one night is the location. You are only 300 meters from the airport, perfect for an early flight. From €97 per night (two people).
How much does it cost to travel through French Polynesia? Read more in our French Polynesia budget blog!
The best hotels and overwater bungalows in Moorea
The island of Moorea is close located to Tahiti and you can reach the island in just 10 minutes by flying or 30 minutes by boat. Moorea means “yellow lizard” and is known for its many pineapple plantations, beautiful beaches and green hills.
Moorea is a wonderful place to relax and to cool off in the turquoise water. The island is relatively small and easy to explore by scooter or car. Three days is enough for Moorea. Below you will find three fine (budget) hotels on Moorea:
Fare Manureva €€
Looking for a bungalow near the beach and where you can cook yourself? Then this is the perfect accommodation. The host is very friendly and the kitchen is well equipped! You sleep here from €68 a night (two persons).
PainaPaopao Backpacker €€
This property offers both bungalows and beds in a dormitory. This location is suitable for travellers who want to be in a central place to explore the island. From € 76 a night for a private room (two people).
Moorea Beach Lodge €€€
The most beautiful beach on the doorstep, wonderful lodges and a small-scale resort. Moorea Beach Lodge is a real dream destination! How convenient, the supermarket is nearby! You sleep here from € 216 a night (two persons).
Still not sure if you should travel to the “end of the world”? Read about why French Polynesia, 5 reasons to visit!
The best hotels on Huahine, French Polynesia
Huahine is known as the “stubborn” green island. The residents have always been against large-scale hotel chains here. And they succeeded, here you will only find small-scale guesthouses and resorts. Perhaps, Huahine is one of the most authentic islands of Polynesia. However, that does not mean that people are not hospitable! Because, dear how warm are the people here!
You can rent a car, scooter or bicycle to drive around the island and visit the vanilla plantations. The underwater world of Huahine is beautiful, you can dive, kayak or snorkel here. You will also find a number of Polynesian ruins on the island. Here you will find three delightful (budget) hotels on Huahine:
Pension Te Nahetoetoe €
Looking for a simple bungalow by the beach and in a quiet area? Then this is the perfect place. Also do: have an evening dinner, the hostess can cook delicious! You sleep here from €55 a night (two persons).
Pension Tupuna €€
Sleeping in an authentic bungalow that is nicely furnished and located close to water? Then you are at the right place at Pension Tupuna! Both breakfast and dinner are very tasty here! From €70 including breakfast (two persons).
Maitai Lapita Village €€€
Looking for luxury bungalows in the Polynesian style? Then book Maitai Lapita Village. The swimming pool of this resort is located directly on a pearl-white beach and close to the island centre! You have a hotel room from €351 (2 persons).
The best budget hotels in Bora Bora!
Many people are not familiar with French Polynesia, but as soon as you mention Bora Bora, a bell rings! Bora Bora is the most visited island of French Polynesia, a tourist destination and especially popular for honeymoons. This ‘picture’ perfect island should not be missing during your trip through Polynesia! It is the most beautiful island we have ever seen!
We cycled around Bora Bora, made a boat trip where we swam with sharks and rays and enjoyed the beautiful blue water. You can also do excellent diving around Bora Bora and the hike up to the volcano is really worth it.
Read more on Bora Bora: we wrote an extensive travel guide on Bora Bora!
Bora Bora is actually a large volcano surrounded by a reef with small islands on it (motus). The most expensive overwater bungalow resorts are located on these small islands. However, what most people don’t know is that Bora Bora also has affordable accommodations on the main island! Below are our favourite budget hotels for Bora Bora:
Oa Oa Lodge €€
Looking for an affordable overwater bungalow? Then this is your spot! The lodge is located on the beach and also has its own swimming pool! You can rent a bike and book island excursions here. You sleep here from €91 (three persons).
Fare o’Eden €€
This villa is a short walk from the beach but has a large garden with a beautiful view of the mountain tops of Bora Bora. Everything is available to cook yourself. You can rest and relax here! From € 160 per night (two persons).
Villa Rea Hanaa €€€
Want to stay a night in a beautifully decorated villa with fantastic views of Bora Bora? Then quickly book this amazing villa before it is sold out! Laura, the hostess, really makes you feel at home! From €165 a night (two persons).
Nice hotels in Rangiroa
Rangiroa is an atoll, a very narrow ring of land with a large clear blue lagoon in the middle. On a few places, this lagoon is connected to the ocean, where the sea flows into the lagoon and vice versa. The currents are strong here.
Rangiroa is known for the great dives that you can make here. Because the sea flows in and out of the lagoon, there are many (large) marine life in the “canals” such as dolphins, whales, sharks and rays. Ries made two great dives here. Furthermore, the island is very relaxed. There is so little to do here that you have to relax. A bit of cycling, eating pizza and snorkelling. That’s it! We stayed on the main island, Avatoru. The best budget hotels for Rangiroa are:
Chez Sand €
This accommodation is ideal if you want to be close to the beach and plan to cook yourselves. Chez Sand has a large kitchen, the rooms are comfortable and the host is very friendly! You sleep here from €49 per night (two persons).
Poe Guesthouse €€
This guesthouse is close located to the Tiputa pass and therefore also close to all dive shops! You can really relax in this simple but cosy stay. The host will gladly show you the island. From € 109 including breakfast (2 people).
Le Coconut Lodge €€€
Need more luxury and comfort? These beautiful bungalows with sea view are also on Avatoru. The host takes care of everything: renting bicycles, tours, free shuttle service etc! Price starts from € 176 including breakfast (2 persons).
The most unique and absurdly expensive places to sleep in French Polynesia!
When you think of French Polynesia, you might think of Bora Bora with its “overwater bungalows”! Sleeping in luxury wooden bungalows above crystal blue water where you can see all kinds of fish swimming beneath you is a unique experience!
This last selection of hotels is only for the wealthiest travellers among us. Big chance that you will encounter a celebrity in these beautiful overwater bungalows! Or you might have seen these dream accommodations on Instagram. The most expensive overwater bungalow costs more than €20,000 per night, which is bizarre! Below, the crème de la crème of hotels in French Polynesia:
Hilton Resort €€€€
Want to sleep in a luxury overwater bungalow on Moorea? You have your own private terrace and can jump directly into the sea! The only downside, there is no slide from the lodge into the water ;-). You sleep here from €773 a night (two persons).
InterContinental €€€€
Is a ‘mediocre’ overwater bungalow just not enough? Do you also want a private pool at your overwater bungalow? Then book these luxury water lodges on Bora Bora! The only downside, you must bring your own snorkel gear! From € 1218 (2 persons).
Four Seasons Resort €€€€
Do you really want the luxury vacation experience in French Polynesian? Choose this modest house! On New Year’s Eve, you have to go to the mandatory gala dinner of the Four Seasons! So much for a holiday . . 😉 From €1591 per night (two persons).
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