our stay in August 2008

Guest: Bea & Sash (Switzerland)
Date of Stay: 08/20/08 Review Submitted: 10/06/08

We had a wonderful time in the Black Pearl. We were positively surprised when we saw that it looks even better than on the photos. The bungalow is a dream come true. The terrace is awesome, overlooking the lagoon and you just want to keep on watching what is going on over and under the water ;-) If you are looking for relax away from the big resorts on Bora Bora this is the perfect place to go. We hope to come back one day! Beatriz & Sash

Owner response:Dear Beatriz and Sash, I am so happy that you enjoyed your stay at the Black Pearl. It really is a special place. I hope you will always remember our little piece of paradise and hopefully come back soon. Many thanks and warm regards, Richard and Seiko

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Paradise is the only way to describe the Black Pearl

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/21/12 Review Submitted: 02/05/12

Thank you so very much for sharing your beautiful home in Bora Bora. Each morning we had coffee on the lanai and feed the fish bread from the local store. The water was so very clear. During our waking hours we spent 90% of our time outside on the lanai reading books, laying in the sun, and watching the natives go by on their kayaks. We especially enjoyed the BBQ as we used it every night. Our "entertainment" at night was to lay outside on the lanai and watch the stars. We have never seen such incredible stars in our entire life. We found the Black Pearl to be exactly as described on your listing and especially liked the oversized bathroom. We highly recommend the Black Pearl for folks that simply want to hang out, kick back, and can easily entertain themselves. We will never forget our 25th Wedding Anniversary celebration at the Black Pearl. Thank you again so very much. All the best to you!

Recommended for:Age 55+.

Canuck in Bora Bora

Guest: robert (winnipeg canada)
Date of Stay: 01/08/12 Review Submitted: 01/23/12

Just the above picture should put this on your bucket list as it was on ours. We considered going to the VERY HIGH END hotels and we did visit them so believe me when I say we made the right choice. The high end has all the restaurants and toys but nothing close to the ambience or privacy of your own bungalow. We started with four days of rain..... who knew January is rainy season in Bora Bora. But we came from twenty below and snow so suck it up. The TV may not have worked but if you need TV in paradise then go to Mexico. I thought because it is such a small island that we could walk every where. The Black Pearl is on the opposite end of the island to most amenities which is both its beauty and charm. For what you are saving, rent a car from Nir or rent a bike but don't bike at night ! Four miles toward town is a good dive shop and a new excellent french restaurant. There are two dives on this island on a shark feed dive ( big lemon sharks) and a mantra ray dive site. Both produce what they advertise. The coral is poor and the clarity of the water is average so two dives and your done but next time I will take an underwater video camera. Richard is more than helpful and very quick in responding to questions. You walk in and you know you are visiting someones home. If spending time in a home on the water in a very exotic location with great sunsets and ocean breezes at night then consider the long flight to Bora Bora. I most definitely would recommend this to friends and I already have. It was a very good friend that told me about the Black Pearl.... we still are good friends. We got caught with having to spend a day on the island between check out and our flight home. We went to the Sofitell Hotel and spent the day on their beach and restaurant which was a great way to say good bye. Would I go again..... there are too many things left in the bucket list, but never say never.

Owner response:Thank you so much for your kind words. I' m so glad you enjoyed your stay and That I could help you fill up that bucket list! Hope you can make it back when it's full! Warm regards, Richard

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+.

Our stay in paradise!

Guest: Paradise Lover (KS)
Date of Stay: 04/10/11 Review Submitted: 11/22/11

We stayed in this house in the Spring of 2011. Every detail was fabulous. We enjoyed our trip so much. The house was well maintained and exactly like the listing. Highly recommend staying here. It is a very different experience than an impersonal hotel.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

Black Pearl Magic

Guest: Matt (Whistler BC Canada)
Date of Stay: 09/05/11 Review Submitted: 09/26/11

We just spent the first week of our honeymoon at the Black Pearl. Very nicely appointed, clean, and inviting. The pictures on the website don't even come close to how beautiful a spot it really is. We really enjoyed having our own kitchen and BBQ to prepare meals and the car was an absolute must to have. Nir, the property manager, was there to pick us up and drop us off at the ferry to/from the airport and was super helpful and friendly. Day trips over to the motu's and ritzy resorts are fun, however $30 margaritas would get old and expensive if you stayed there for a week. Private accommodation is the way to go for sure. Richard was very easy to work with and made our stay that much more relaxing. Dinner at the Villa Mahana will cost you a month's pay cheque, but not to be missed, absolutely excellent. Bloody Mary's was fun but the food wasn't great. Swimming with the reef sharks and sting rays is a must. Thank you Richard for making our honeymoon extra special! Matt & Courtney Whistler BC Canada

Owner response:Dear Matt and Courtney, I am so happy you enjoyed The Black Pearl and Bora Bora. It is such a pleasure for me to share this magical place and introduce the paradise that is French Polynesia to new converts! I hope you can come back again someday. Many thanks for the kind review. Best regards, Richard

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children.

Paradise

Guest: Rena (Lindale, TX)
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 08/23/11

My husband and I are currently staying at the Black Pearl and we love it! Our favorite thing to do is wake up each morning and look over the balcony to see what kinds of fish and stingrays are below. Renting a car is helpful since it is located away from the restraunts and stores but Nir helped us out with a rental car and also helped set up what we want to do. Food is a little pricey and like one of the previous posts says, you definately want to buy extra bread to feed the fish. Having internet has been helpful to keep in touch with home. The bathroom is very nice with a rain showerhead and all the nice tile. All in all we are very satisfied with everything. Thanks Richard and Seiko for sharing your little bit of paradise with us! Stephen and Rena

Owner response:Hi Stephen and Rena! I am so glad you are enjoying yourselves. Many thanks for your kind words. Warm regards, Richard

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Top Rate Experience

Guest: Jim and Diana Wort (Vancouver, BC)
Date of Stay: 12/23/10 Review Submitted: 06/13/11

My wife and I celebrated our thirtieth anniversary at the Black Pearl, and it fulfilled all our expectations. The bungalow is well built, well appointed, and does not have any of the usual tropical rot odours. The location on the quiet side of the island was appreciated by us - we'd much rather rub shoulders with the locals than be stuck in a resort! Kitchen excellent, bathroom excellent. Guests should expect to spend more money on bread for the fish off the deck than for bread for themselves... Richard and Nir were both very responsive and pleasant to deal with. We'd both happily stay here again, though perhaps choosing another month than December to avoid the strong winds and rainstorms.

Owner response:Dear Jim and Diana, Thank you so much. I am very happy that you are keeping our fish well fed! December can be rainy or dry, I'm sorry it wasn't sunny all the time for you. I hope to see you again sometime soon. Warm regards, Richard

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+.

Paradise and more

Guest: Nancy D. (Arizona)
Date of Stay: 05/29/11 Review Submitted: 06/08/11

We absolutely loved the Black Pearl. What a beautiful place. Exceeded our expectations. Richard was so easy to work with and Nir was most helpful. Everything was clean and comfortable, well appointed and modern. The bathroom was gorgeous. Need I say anything about the view. Look at the pictures. They speak for themselves. Thank you for a great experience from beginning to end. Highly recommend.

Owner response:Ia orana Nancy! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so proud of our beautiful bungalow and strive to give our clients the very best. I am very happy that you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you again. Warm regards, Richard

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Black Pearl is Heaven

Guest: JPP (Bora Bora)
Date of Stay: 03/13/11 Review Submitted: 05/10/11

Michelle and I spent two amazing weeks at the Black Pearl. The home is beautiful, clean and most relaxing. Of all the beach destination we have been to, this is by far the best. We enjoyed how quiet the home and the area is. Every day, we would snorkel right off the dock. We easily drove to restaurants and shopping (rented car). You will have the vacation of a life time if you stay here. JP Parenty - Canada

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+.

Beautiful place,room for improvement

Guest: traveller (Victoria Bc)
Date of Stay: 10/24/10 Review Submitted: 11/30/10

This was a beautiful place where we spent our honeymoon.Overall,our experience was good,however I don't mean to be a downer but I have to say my expectations were higher given the price.I will focus first on the positives:The condo itself was beautiful.Private and the deck to the ocean was amazing.It was great to jump in the ocean every day at 7 am.The water was beautiful and clear and I really miss it!!We barely had a day of rain although we were there in the rainy season.When it did rain,we still swam which was also pretty cool.We spent alot of time snorkelling swimming,a bit of kayaking.We went on a tour with Nono tours and THAT was amazing.Had a picnic on a motu.The condo had a great kitchen fully equipped and the barbq was great.Groceries were reasonable provided you didn't buy american name brand stuff.Alcohol is pricey but you can still get a bottle of wine for 12USD or so. The bedroom was well situated and the bathroom was amazing.Beautiful rain shower,plenty of hot water and full bath.Beautifully tiled and designed. Let me say that I've worked in 5 star resorts for the past 6 years or so and in service for the past 20,so perhaps my idea of 5 star is pretty high.I worked for a period at the 4 seasons and the 5 star standard is very strict. The biggest problem that we had was that the bed was too hard for us.I realize this is a matter of preference.The way this could be resolved would be to have a pillowtop mattress topper available and determine from the guest upon deposit whether they like a firm ,medium or soft mattress.Have what they like set up upon arrival.Next,the linens should be 300 thread count cotton and soft for what the nightly rental goes for.Instead they were scratchy and thick and didn't fit the bed properly.During the whole 21 days of our we were only offered a change of linens once.To be fair we only asked once but the ones we were given didn't fit properly nor did the ones in the drawer and they were all mediocre quality.The towels didn't get replenished either.The way to resolve this would be to offer weekly maid service if the client wants it and change sheets at that time . The wifi didn't work with the blackberry we had.The Dvd player was great but the dvds there wouldn't work if they were US.THe brochure book was outdated and needed to be updated.These improvements would make a 5 star experience.Currently you get the feeling that its passive income for little effort.If that's not intended,the energy to fix these is needed

Owner response:We appreciate ever one of our clients individual needs, but unfortunately we can't satisfy all of them. Our clients have always been happy with our bungalow (Please read other comments) and we feel we do everything we can to make their trip an enjoyable one. We are not a hotel, we are a private home. The Black Pearl is our home when we are in Bora Bora and we consider it to be of the finest quality. We appreciate the suggestions and will certainly take them under consideration.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.