Long review- you’ll be grateful for reading - My husband and I stayed overnight at the Intercontinental Papeete, Tahiti and regretfully paid the stated rate of over $500 plus taxes to ensure a great night of sleep prior to an early flight and a long day of travel. Sadly this did not happen. We arrived around 4pm to a nearly empty pool- of patrons and staff. We couldn’t get anyone to wait on us for an appetizer and a drink. I asked a restaurant waiter and was told to ask the towel boy who was absent. We wanted to read and enjoy a the pool a few hours before dinner and ended up leaving not enjoying the pool at all due to lack of service. Fail one. Dinner at Le Lotus was highly reviewed and so we reserved a table and arrived a few minutes early. We and one other couple were seated and despite and the empty restaurant we didn’t get seated on the area to see the fish swimming below but on the edge. Service was marginal, portions were small and quite honestly the food was pretty bad. The attempt was there but significantly missed the mark. We had a complementary sushi appetizer which I didn’t have my husband even try because it was “fishy” and then a complimentary zucchini “shot” which was not for us. I’m not sure what it was. My tuna was covered in a “rice foam” which was an unfortunate texture and choice. It was flavorless. The bread and dessert were good and we were grateful for that. Dinner was just over $150. Fail two.
Prior to dinner as I was getting ready I was hot in the room.
It was muggy and there was no overhead fan. I attempted to adjust the control and noted it was “locked” with a small key at 23 degrees Celsius - 73 -74 F. It felt warmer due to the humidity and I was uncomfortable. I attempted to adjust, was unsuccessful and called the front to request some assistance on cooling the room. I was told by the lady in reception that in a effort to be “ecologically sound” the air conditioner was fixed at that temperature - comfortable financially, no doubt, for the hotel ownership without regard to the person paying the rate of over $500 for a night. She suggested that she send a fan, which we travel with, and I declined. I told her I wanted it lowered. She sent maintenance who did not lower it but “looked” at it and when we returned from dinner it was cooler. During the night however, despite our fan blowing the room was muggy, we were both hot and I was sweating. Neither of us slept all night and we got up an hour early at 330am just to leave the room -fail three. We had a 5 am car service which was, by the way, excellent to and from the airport - I believe it was Blue Paradise-$80 round trip.
At bedtime, in my own home I keep the AC at 69 or 70 F to sleep comfortably and I expect to be able to do the same in an establishment charging this nightly rate for a room. On this same vacation we stayed in the over water bungalows at the Four Seasons on Bora Bora and the Hilton on Moorea and were quite comfortable in both locations - able to adjust the thermostat to our comfort level and I guarantee they would have done whatever it took to provide satisfaction to their clientele. Costs were definitely high but the service and comfort was there to support that cost. Obviously, the IHG hotel line/owner cares little about the comfort of their patrons and this will affect my decision of hotel lines moving forward not only in this location but in our other future travels. I have serious questions about the chain given the Moorea strike which resulted in last minute cancellations of some of our friends. I regret my choice of the Intercontinental and their “ecological” support when other friends of ours stayed in Tahiti so comfortably in an air b & b for $144 per night and had a great spot and a comfortable stay.
I recommend this as a superior alternative choice, or any other hotel and a great car service.
Why pay excessive cost for marginal/bad food, mediocre staff and lack comfort with a hot night of sleep at the intercontinental?
I do want to say that our checkout staff member and experience was very pleasant. I chose not to share this detail on my dissatisfaction with him because it was not his decision to rob the patrons of comfort. My dissatisfaction had already been noted and documented by the lady at reception.
Also, the gentleman at the breakfast bar who offered me complimentary coffee and pastries was very pleasant. These gentleman should attempt to seek employment at the Four Seasons where excellent service is a fulfilled expectation.