French Polynesia: MOOREA

FRENCH POLYNESIA, DECEMBER 27-JANUARY 5, 2012

For 5 years, all my friend, Jose wanted for his 50th birthday was to celebrate his BIG 5-0 with his family and friends in French Polynesia. Jose’s birthday is January 1st (so is my youngest daughter, Cayla…happy b’day CJ!)

We are a 3 generation group and French Polynesia has something for everyone. We are here with Jose, Sherri and their 4 ½ year old son, Sebastien as well as our oldest friends, Steve and Janet and Janet’s parents, Mickie and Tom.

December and January is in the wet season in French Polynesia. Right now, I’m at the wonderful restaurant eating poison cru. There is sunshine in one direction and when I look behind me, I see rain and clouds as they cover the nearby mountain.

This is my 9th visit to French Polynesia. We now are reconnecting with people that we have met over the years. I’ll discuss the Hilton Moorea last.

I have a new friend and someone that I can endorse 100%. Her name is Eva and she is the owner of Eva Perles. Time with Eva is well spent. She knows her pearls and will take the time to patiently explain everything pearl with you. She does not discount her pearls and feels that it is unnecessary because she prices them fairly…I agree! What I admire is that she does not hard sell her pearls.

Eva feels that the pearls need to call to the people. I visited her with my friend Sherri. Sherri was looking for a strand of multi-colored pearls. Eva carefully placed various strands with different hues on Sherri’s arm and neck until Sherri discovered the two she liked the most. The process took over an hour. Eva was lovely to work with. BTW, her English is perfect. She attended university in Wisconsin for 4 years.

Eva was recommended to me by Carole who had a boutique called Carole’s a few doors down. Carole has lived in Moorea for over 35 years. She has unique pieces for the home as well as women’s accessories which are all fairly priced.

During this visit, we revisited a few restaurants. Here are my observations…Our first dinner was at Aito. Aito is the closest restaurant to the Hilton Moorea. I love the feel of the restaurant plus they have local singers performing through dinner. You don’t go to Aito’s for the food…it’s good, not great.

We drove to Legends Resort which is a 15 minute drive from the Hilton Moorea to have dinner at La Villa de Sens.

The restaurant has changed chefs since our last visit. The food and presentation were wonderful.

I would return and hope that the service improves. By the way, the view from the bar on top of the resort on a sunny day is still the best views I’ve ever seen in Tahiti. The wine list was diverse but quite pricey. The service was VERY slow and the assistants need better training.

Our final restaurant was at Mahogany. This is a local favorite. The menu consists of Polynesian, French and Chinese cuisine. EVERYTHING at Mahogany is delicious and I totally would recommend this restaurant to everyone. The portions are generous and you can easily share a meal. Leave room for desserts…our profiteroles and chocolate mousse were perfect!

We’ve been enjoying our stay at the Hilton Moorea. My husband and I have stayed here 8 times over the past 10 years. Oliver Larcher, the General Manager has taken the hotel from a total disrepair state to the wonderful 5 star resort that is the Hilton Moorea Resort and Spa. Improvements have continued. The resort is moving toward a more green footprint. For example, electric carts are being replaced by bicycles and carts. The property sits on one

of the nicest beaches in Moorea. The views are spectacular. Also, all of the rooms and over the water bungalows have been totally renovated and are gorgeous. The service has improved over the years. Changes include daily local themed activities by the pool, improved water sports and a renovated exercise room.

Mr. Larcher has an agreement with Dr. Michael Poole who is a world famous marine biologist in French Polynesia. Starting in late January, Dr. Poole will be giving lectures on the local marine life including dolphins and whales twice a week at the Hilton Moorea. Dr. Poole arranges for educational excursions as well. I strongly recommend this activity.

I need to turn off the computer. We are going to Bora Bora which is a 45 minute flight. My next blog will be about the St. Regis Bora Bora.

Mari