Frommer's Review
The last property operated by Moorea's two surviving Bali Hai Boys, this basic hotel has an incredible view of Moorea's ragged mountains across Cook's Bay, a scene that epitomizes French Polynesia. Under a bayside thatch roof, Snack l'Ananas Bleu (The Blue Pineapple) restaurant serves breakfast and lunch. It's also the scene for Muk McCallum's bring-your-own happy hours from 5:30 to 7pm Thursday through Tuesday, when he "talks story" about the good old days on Moorea. It's worth stopping by the club's Wednesday-night Tahitian dance shows, too. A swimming pool with a rock waterfall augments the manmade beach here. Half of the guest units are part of a time-share operation, but that means they come equipped with cooking facilities, which is a plus for budget-minded travelers. The overwater bungalows are the least expensive in French Polynesia, while the beachfront bungalows have huge bathrooms with gardens growing in them, another trademark of the Bali Hai Boys. Most other units are in one- or two-story motel-style buildings. All are simply but comfortably furnished. Note: Some units have air-conditioners in their bedrooms but not in their living areas, and the least expensive "budget units" do not have coffeemakers (bring your own coffee even if they do). This is good value if you don't need a phone in your room or other such luxuries. On the other hand, the view is worth a million bucks. Most guests here are American, so the resort quotes its rates in U.S. dollars.
The Bali Hai Boys -- Californians Jay Carlisle, Don "Muk" McCallum, and the late Hugh Kelley gave up their budding business careers as stockbroker, lawyer, and sporting-goods salesman, respectively, and in 1960 bought an old vanilla plantation on Moorea. Instead of planting, they refurbished a beachfront hotel that stood on their property. Taking a page from James A. Michener's Tales of the South Pacific, they renamed it the Bali Hai and opened for business in 1961. With construction of Tahiti-Faaa International Airport across the Sea of the Moon, their timing couldn't have been better. With Jay managing the money, Hugh building the resort, and Muk entertaining their guests, they quickly had a success on their hands. Travel writers soon dubbed them the "Bali Hai Boys."
Supplies and fresh produce weren't easy to come by in those days, so they put the old vanilla plantation to work producing chickens, eggs, and milk. It was the first successful poultry and dairy operation on the island.
Thank Jay, Muk, and Hugh for overwater bungalows -- those cabins sitting on pilings over the lagoon, with glass panels in their floors so that we can watch the fish swim below. They built the world's first in 1968 on Raiatea. A novelty at the time, their romantic invention is now a staple at resorts well beyond French Polynesia.
Facilities:
Restaurant (breakfast and lunch); bar; outdoor pool; activities desk; car-rental desk; coin-op washers and dryers
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
