BEWARE if you have reservations at Sofitel !!

[ocean.queen]

Due to some web-surfing on my part I discovered the Sofitel on Moorea is closed from October '05 to April '06. The problem is, I am holding a reservation there for March 7 '06 !!!!!!

 

I made my reservation on the Accor Hotels website last April. I got a great rate and a confirmation number. When I log on to verify my reservation with my confirmation #...everything looks in order. I called Accor Hotels and they said they would check to see what happened. That was 2 weeks ago! I called the hotel direct yesterday and spoke to their main reservation office to verify that they will in fact be closed. All I got was "we will be closed until April". When I asked why I got a reservation and if someone was going to notify me...I got "I don't know?". :mad:

 

Thankfully I did get a reservation at the Moorea Sheraton. Sure glad I ran across a little blip on a Tahiti website or we would have been two unhappy travelers when we showed up at the Sofitel on March 7th :eek:

[MichTraveler]

This post is one of the reasons I love this site and the CC members. Always looking out for each other! Thanks Ocean.Queen.

[NEW YORK LADY2]

Kathy, it's a good thing you were being vigilant and checking. Thanks for letting everyone else know about this as others might think their reservations are fine and never even think to check again.

 

Glad you were able to get another hotel. The Sheraton is supposed to be very nice on Moorea as friend that traveled with us in 2003 stayed there and really enjoyed it.

 

Jackie

[travelgirl913]

Due to some web-surfing on my part I discovered the Sofitel on Moorea is closed from October '05 to April '06. The problem is, I am holding a reservation there for March 7 '06 !!!!!!

 

I made my reservation on the Accor Hotels website last April. I got a great rate and a confirmation number. When I log on to verify my reservation with my confirmation #...everything looks in order. I called Accor Hotels and they said they would check to see what happened. That was 2 weeks ago! I called the hotel direct yesterday and spoke to their main reservation office to verify that they will in fact be closed. All I got was "we will be closed until April". When I asked why I got a reservation and if someone was going to notify me...I got "I don't know?". :mad:

 

Thankfully I did get a reservation at the Moorea Sheraton. Sure glad I ran across a little blip on a Tahiti website or we would have been two unhappy travelers when we showed up at the Sofitel on March 7th :eek:

 

I just got back from Moorea a few days ago and I stayed at the Sheraton and visited the Sofitel. I thought the Sheraton was so much better anyway!! You will love it there. The Sofitel has a very rocky beach that is mobbed by locals & tourists. It also had too much shade on their beach for my liking. It was hard to actually find a spot to lay out in the sun it was so crowded. I thought the beach at the Sheraton was nicer and was much more quiet. They have some of the best snorkeling I have ever seen too.

 

We stayed in a premium overwater bungalow and just loved it!! The overwater bungalows were definitley worth the $$ in my opinion. You can read my review of the Sheraton on this board I posted 2 days ago.

 

In the future if you were to book with a travel agent that is a specialist for that destination you would have known right away that hotel was going to be closed. I want to say my agency was notified about that property renovation at least 5-6 months ago. Also, if you did a package with air & hotel you would most likley not only have saved money but would have gotten free transfers and breakfast. Plus other goodies like champagne.

 

I have a copy of the Sheraton bungalow map if you would like to see it to request a certain room. If you would like it just send me an e-mail with "Sheraton Moorea Map" as the title to sales@gerbertravel.com. Then I can e-mail it to you.

 

Have a wonderful trip!!

 

Judith

[ocean.queen]

Hi Judith,

 

Thanks so much for the info on the Sheraton. I know it is nicer than the Sofitel but the OWB we booked was $100+ less a night. I usually always do my own arrangements and I used miles for the air, so no package deal there. I knew the Sofitel was scheduled to close for renovations. It was posted that the dates were Dec-Feb. I thought that would be great!...new, fresh accomodations. When they rescheduled the renovation dates I feel it would be normal procedure to send an e-mail off to those who had made reservations on their website for the effected dates!!! I am glad I spotted the problem and I am very glad to be at the Sheraton but I wasn't too pleased with the reservation agent at Accor Hotels...no idea of any problem, no explanation, and no return phone call.

 

Gee, I wonder if they would have charged me for not canceling my reservation on time????????

[travelgirl913]

I was thinking maybe you were doing miles afterwards. That would have been nice with being first in the new rooms, but usually things do run later than expected. Plus just becuase they open again for accomodations doesn't mean that some construction wouldn't still be going on for a month or so on other rooms or the pool or something. Could be noisy. Usually when places reopen they have new staff and some services issues for a bit too so it was proabably best to switch places. We visted a few resorts on Bora Bpra that had guests there with constant cranes and drills going. I couldn't imagine spending $1,200 a night there to hear that all day. I felt so bad for those guests there.

 

Yes, reservations should have ran a program and contacted you immediatley. It's a shame about the price increase but I think you will be happy with the extra $100 spent at the Sheraton. Really just for the wonderful lagoon they are on and for the great snorkeling alone.

 

What type of room did you book there? How many nights will you be there?

 

Judith

[ocean.queen]

I booked an OWB for 3 nights pre-cruise. I have one at the ICB in Tahiti for two nights post-cruise with quite a few others on our thread (many of us went together in '04). What I am most surprised at is that the Sofitel's (or the Accor's) site has no information about any closure. And when I verify my reservation with the confirmation # it all looks just perfect.

 

My reason for posting was mainly to warn any others that might have fallen thru the cracks like us.

[laurieb]

if you are not set on a resort, you might want to check out some of the pensions on Moorea. a great site for info on lots of smaller places is http://www.thetahititraveler.com . there are lots of options!

[travelgirl913]

I booked an OWB for 3 nights pre-cruise. I have one at the ICB in Tahiti for two nights post-cruise with quite a few others on our thread (many of us went together in '04). What I am most surprised at is that the Sofitel's (or the Accor's) site has no information about any closure. And when I verify my reservation with the confirmation # it all looks just perfect.

 

My reason for posting was mainly to warn any others that might have fallen thru the cracks like us.

 

I understand completley. I'm sure your posting will help others since there aren't that many hotel choices someone else is bound to be booked there.

[dog]

Just to protect yourself you should go ahead and cancel the Sofitel reservation incase they open up part of the resort for your dates. Get a cancellation number and be sure to keep it to verify you notified them.

[calikak]

if you are not set on a resort, you might want to check out some of the pensions on Moorea. a great site for info on lots of smaller places is www.thetahititraveler.com . there are lots of options!

 

laurieb, have you stayed at a pension? We're talking about staying at one on Tahiti but haven't been able to find many reviews. Thanks!

[JulieMill1]

We just stayed here for one night post TP cruise. There is a reason that it is $100. less expensive. There is no AC, and no screens on the windows/doors (mosquito netting over the bed). We had a garden bungalow which was 3 rows from the beach, which meant there was not much breeze. Though it was not really uncomfortable, I can't imagine being there during their warmer/more humid months. It also is not well maintained and marginally clean. I wouldn't choose it for a resort, but was okay for a layover for flights out. Unlike the previous poster, we found the beach very sunny and empty. You do need to wear water shoes as the beach is full of coral.

[JulieMill1]

As we only had about 8 hours before boarding the TP, we opted to stay in a $40. pension, "Chez Fifi". Don't you love the name? It was quite an experience. My college-age daughter said it's pretty typical of foreign hostels, but I found it pretty appalling. Where do I begin...the missing toilet seat, the cold water shower, the lack of hygiene? I worried the whole time about bedbugs. We did laugh a lot, but got little sleep. the owners were very sweet and even picked us up from the airport at 3:00 am.

[laurieb]

We stayed at Pension Motu Iti on Moorea 3 nights precruise in January, and really enjoyed it. we had a fare right next to the water. It was VERY clean and well maintained, and there was a restaurant there with very good, reasonably priced food. The snorkeling there is quite good, and it is only a 10 minute walk to the sheraton if you wanted to snorkel or eat there. We are plannint to stay at a pension next time we go too.

we did stay at the Intercont. beachcomer on Tahiti one night post cruise and it was fabulous! we were able to stay in our room the day we had to leave until late evening, which was very nice.