When Dreams Come True: Sleeping over water in Bora Bora

I cried real tears leaving my overwater bungalow in Bora Bora.

Have you ever counted down the minutes in complete agony?

I just remember pacing around the room. Walking from the inside to the outside. Thinking why is time going by so fast?! It’s 2:15 check out is at 4 o’clock. What do I do? I have less than two hours left. How much money is in my savings account? Should I just put another night on my credit card and don’t think about it. Why me lord, whyyyyyyy!

I just did not want to leave. How could any place be so perfect?

And I’ve been a lot of places. But Bora Bora was just everything I imagined it to be times ten.

It was always number one of my list of places to go, who knew I’d be so emotional – going and coming.

Ok, whew, no more tears. Get it together.

My trip to Bora Bora was actually made possible by my job, I know right? I was staying in Los Angeles for a few months at a hotel. During that time I racked up a bunch of Marriott Bonvoy points. In my mind those points were going to go to an incredibly fancy suite somewhere tropical. I never dreamed it would be Bora Bora! As luck would have it, I got an email from the theflightdeal.com. My absolute favorite travel website that sends out daily emails with airfare specials. On this particular day, Delta had flights to Papeete, French Polynesia for around $650. When I tell you I ran to my wallet for this deal. Usually I procrastinate and flights go back up, but not this time.

I had the flight to Papeete, French Polynesia booked and then I had to book another flight to Bora Bora. It was only a forty-five minute flight and it’s like $149 each way. After that I had to worry about finding places to stay. That’s when my points came in and they were absolutely depleted. For each night in the overwater bungalow it was 170,000 points plus $900. For the garden villa, I was able to use only points no cash for 85,000 points. Once everything was booked I was left with 5400 points. I was left broke and pointless, it was the most I’ve ever spent on a hotel in my life, but it was absolutely worth it. I spent three days in Bora Bora and 3 days in Tahiti, but I’ll write about that later.

After arriving at the Bora Bora airport, which is so tiny and cute, there are booths for the hotels right by the baggage claim belt. I was staying at the St. Regis and they have a shuttle boat that takes you to the hotel which is fifteen minutes away. Once I arrived at the hotel, I had my own personal butler for the course of my stay. Like seriously? I rode around in a golf cart to check-in, afterwards I rode around the property on a tour and then finally to my room.

How is this possible right now? What did I do to deserve this. It’s just not realistic. I felt so incredibly blessed and so many different emotions walking into that room. The normal rate for an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora is around $3500 a night during low season. Who can really afford that? And here I was in this room all alone for two nights. Like what?! When I think back, I’m so mad at myself for not bring any of my family along with me. The memory of staying in the room overwater will stay with me forever. I’ve had the same picture of the bungalow on every vision board I’ve made since being a middle schooler. Words cannot explain the feeling of finally making it there.

I wish that I could tell you more about the resort and my time on the island, but I spent every moment that I could in that room. Each morning I woke up, went to breakfast and returned to my bungalow. I think I might have had all my other meals to go and finished them in my room, I just did not want to leave it. My days consisted of soaking in the tub, diving in the ocean from my balcony and spending all day taking in the views and daydreaming. I had two excursions plan, I only did one which was snorkeling and I remember being so mad about leaving my room to go! Like who’s mad about going snorkeling? Craziness.

But anyhow, the garden villa was ok, I’ll add some pictures of it too. But, of course the bungalows are way better. I also found out from a few people staying at the St. Regis that Costco travel has really good deals on Bora Bora vacation packages. If Bora is on your vision board and you’ve always dreamed of going – DO IT. I’ve been to a lot of places and done a lot of things. But my stay in Bora Bora comes to second to only going a safari in Kenya. I didn’t even do much there, it was just so amazingly beautiful and experiencing it was a dream come true.

The Garden Villa