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How to Book Bora Bora & Moorea Hotels on Points (Hilton Guide 2026)

ByLauren

If you’ve ever looked up hotels in Bora Bora and immediately closed your laptop after seeing $1,200+ per night…

Same 😅

But here’s the thing most people don’t realize:

👉 You don’t need to pay those prices to stay in places like Bora Bora or Moorea.
👉 You just need the right strategy.

We’ve now done this two years in a row using Hilton points—and I’m going to walk you through exactly how we did it so you can do it too.

⚠️ Note: This post is currently being updated with new card links and current offers. Check our Best Offers page for the most current recommendations.

Step 1: We Opened the Right Hilton Credit Card (Twice 😉)

The foundation of this entire trip?

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.

Learn More HERE!

Here’s why I love this one:

  • Big welcome bonus (we earned 130,000 Hilton points each)
  • Sometimes the Welcome Offer comes with a Free Night Certificate
  • Points add up quickly with everyday spending

And yes…
👉 My husband opened one too.

Because in this game:
Two players = double the points, double the free nights

Step 2: We Used Normal Spending to Earn Luxury Travel

No crazy spending. No debt.

We simply:

  • Put our everyday, budgeted expenses on the cards
  • Hit the minimum spend requirement
  • Earned the full bonuses

That alone gave us:

  • 260,000 Hilton points
  • 2 Free Night Certificates

Already enough for multiple nights in French Polynesia 👀

Step 3: Booking Bora Bora (Our First Trip)

Last year, we stayed at the
👉 Conrad Bora Bora Nui

Cash price? Easily $1,000+ per night

Here’s how we booked it:

  • 2 nights = 100% FREE (used our 2 free night certificates)
  • Booked as standard room rewards (this is key!)
  • Cost: $0 out of pocket
  • Our next 2 nights: we were able to book them at 120K pts per night (so 240K total)

💡 Pro Tip: Hilton releases a limited number of “standard rooms” for points. That’s what you’re looking for—not premium rooms.

What About the Overwater Bungalow?

Because let’s be honest…that’s the dream.

What we did:

  • Booked standard rooms with points
  • Then paid to upgrade to an overwater bungalow (for 2 of the nights)

This is one of my favorite strategies:
👉 Use points to get in the door
👉 Upgrade only if/when it makes sense

Step 4: Why We’re NOT Booking Bora Bora This Year

Here’s where strategy really matters.

The same hotel (Conrad Bora Bora) we stayed at last year is now:
👉 200,000 points per night

That’s almost DOUBLE what we paid. So this is where those Free Night Certificates come in SUPER handy because of their uncapped value!

👉 Points are a currency—and values change

So instead of forcing it this year…

We pivoted since all I had left was points (and I was out of Free night certificates)

Step 5: Booking Moorea Instead (Even Better Value)

This year we stayed at:
👉 Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa

And the value here is so much better right now.

  • Standard room rate: ~110,000 points per night
  • Still an incredible, bucket-list property
  • Same turquoise water, overwater bungalows, dreamy vibes, and honestly, I loved being able to rent a car and drive around the island to explore on our own!

But what about the 5th night? ….Ahhhh that’s the beauty of holding the Hilton Honors Surpass Card. When you book 4 nights, you get the 5th night free when booking with points.

Step 6: How We Booked 5 Nights (Without Paying for 5 Nights)

Again….a reminder why Hilton status comes in clutch with THIS CARD!

Because I have the Hilton Surpass card, I get:
👉 Hilton Gold Status

Which unlocks:
👉 5th Night Free on Award Stays

So we booked:

  • 5 nights total
  • Only paid points for 4 nights (380K points total!)

💡 That’s a built-in 20% discount just for having the card.

Step 7: The Exact Strategy (Simplified)

If you want to recreate this, here’s the play:

  1. Open a Hilton card with a strong welcome bonus. The Surpass is great, but keep in mind, The Elite also gives the same status & free night certificate (just a higher annual fee, but better benefits)
  2. Have your partner do the same
  3. Use normal spending to hit the bonus
  4. Combine your points
  5. Look for standard room availability
  6. Book 4–5 nights to maximize the 5th night free
  7. Upgrade selectively if you want the luxury overwater bungalow experience

Final Thoughts: This Is Why I Love Points Travel

We’re talking about:

  • Bora Bora / French Polynesia
  • Overwater bungalows
  • 5-night tropical vacations

And instead of paying $5,000–$10,000…

We’re leveraging:

👉 Credit card bonuses
👉 Smart booking strategies
👉 A little bit of flexibility

Still need Help Doing This Yourself?

This is exactly what I teach inside my guides – how to turn your everyday spending into luxury travel.

Because once you understand the strategy…

These kinds of trips stop feeling “out of reach”
…and start feeling normal

Here’s my FREE guide to getting started with points & miles. And join the waitlist for my ADVANCED guide…coming soon!

Lazy Lauren

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