Westin Bora Bora vs. St. Regis Bora Bora: which is better?

I just got back from my fourth trip to Bora Bora, where I stayed at and reviewed Bora Bora’s two Marriott properties — The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa and The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort. While you can read my full reviews by clicking the links in the last sentence, I wanted to write an article comparing the two resorts, as I’m sure many people (particularly Marriott loyalists) would like to know which hotel to stay at.

(Side note: a few years ago I compared the Conrad Bora Bora Nui to the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, which you can read about here.)

Below are my thoughts on the Westin Bora Bora vs. St. Regis Bora Bora.

Basics

The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa is the new kid on the block in Bora Bora, having just opened in September 2024. Being a new resort, the Westin Bora Bora has sparkling new villas (so new that some villas are still not yet open for guests). The Westin Bora Bora property is situated on 17 acres and has 142 guest rooms, with base overwater villas starting at 441 square feet.

In comparison, The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort has been open since 2006. The hotel is spread out over 44 acres but has only 90 guest rooms, making it arguably the most intimate resort on Bora Bora. The St. Regis Bora Bora has the largest overwater villas in all of French Polynesia, starting at an impressive 1,550 square feet, which is more than three times the size of the base rooms at The Westin Bora Bora.

In general, the St. Regis Bora Bora is more expensive than the Westin Bora Bora. Here’s how much a 5-night stay at each property would cost in the lowest-price room at each resort in October 2025 (I used the lowest-price dates for each resort):

• Westin Bora Bora: $6,560 or 342,000 points + $2,772 (there were no points-only rates available at the Westin Bora Bora for October)
• St. Regis Bora Bora: $10,420 or 546,000 points (note that this is for a Reef Side Garden Villa with a Private Pool)

Generally speaking, I think they are both wonderful hotels and there is no bad choice here — if you stay at either property, odds are that you are going to have a memorable and enjoyable trip. That said, below is my overview of which property is best (and it really depends on what you’re looking to get out of your stay):

Choose The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa if:

Here’s when I think you should choose the Westin Bora Bora over the St. Regis Bora Bora:

• You’re more budget-conscious and/or would prefer to spend less on your trip. As the Westin Bora Bora is generally cheaper than the St. Regis, if you’re looking to spend less on your trip, you should probably stay at the Westin Bora Bora.
• You want the best views of Mount Otemanu. Arguably no resort has better views of famous Mount Otemanu than the Westin Bora Bora, and while you can see it at the St. Regis Bora Bora, the view of the mountain is prominent throughout almost the entire property at the Westin Bora Bora.
• You’re traveling with kids. The Westin Bora Bora, overall, seemed much more kid-friendly than the St. Regis. I think this is because the St. Regis Bora Bora is a smaller and more intimate resort (including an adults-only pool), whereas the Westin Bora Bora seemed to have an environment and atmosphere that would be more enjoyable for families traveling with kids, including a larger pool and beach area.
• You want to stay in a newer villa. The Westin Bora Bora has brand new villas, which include bluetooth sounds systems (so you can listen to your music throughout the room and in your outdoor area) that also includes a glass floor panel so you can see into the ocean from inside the villa itself.

Choose the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort if:

Here are the travelers that I think would benefit by booking the St. Regis Bora Bora over the Westin Bora Bora:

• You want a more luxurious experience. Each villa at the St. Regis Bora Bora comes with your own butler, who will bring your coffee or tea in the morning, set up dinner and activity reservations, and who checks in frequently to make sure you’re having a wonderful stay. This, along with other small touches from the St. Regis, make for a much more luxurious stay.
• You enjoy snorkeling and swimming with fish. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort has a beautiful Lagoonarium filled with coral reef and fish, whereas the Westin Bora Bora doesn’t have much, if any, coral (I didn’t even bother getting snorkel gear at the Westin Bora Bora since there weren’t really any fish to swim with, whereas at The St. Regis Bora Bora, I’d try to snorkel every day).
• You want a larger villa. With base villas starting at 1,550 square feet, the St. Regis Bora Bora is the best resort in Bora Bora if you value having a spacious villa.
• You want to have a bike to use throughout your stay. The St. Regis Bora Bora gives every villa their own dedicated bike to use throughout their stay (compared to the Westin Bora Bora where guests have to find available bikes scattered around the property and either walk or call for rides if you can’t find one). To me, having your own dedicated bike is a huge benefit as it’s a fun and easy way to get around the property.
• You want a more intimate experience. Given that St. Regis Bora Bora is a significantly larger property than the Westin Bora Bora with only 90 rooms (compared to the Westin with 142 rooms), the St. Regis Bora Bora is perfect for guests who want to stay at a resort that feels more private and intimate. For instance, I think the St. Regis Bora Bora would be a better honeymoon property than the Westin Bora Bora since the St. Regis Bora Bora feels more private, adult, and intimate.
• You don’t want to stay at a partially-open resort. While this will hopefully change in the next few months, right now there are still rooms, restaurants, and areas not yet open at the Westin Bora Bora. So if you want to stay in a fully-open property, then the St. Regis Bora Bora is for you.

Bottom line

If you’re deciding between staying at the Westin Bora Bora or the St. Regis Bora Bora, first take a deep breath and remember that there is no bad choice here. That said, there are differences between the two hotels and in general, the Westin Bora Bora is better for budget-conscious travelers, families, and guests who want the best views of Mount Otemanu. The St. Regis Bora Bora, on the other hand, is best for travelers who are looking for a more luxurious and intimate experience (including having your own butler), who enjoy snorkeling, and who would like access to a bike to use throughout their stay.