Both the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora and The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, offer luxurious overwater accommodations and a range of amenities. The Ritz-Carlton Maldives stands out with its private infinity pools, extensive dining options, strong sustainability initiatives, and personal butler service for all guests. Four Seasons Bora Bora provides a family-friendly atmosphere, efficient airport transfers, and a unique marine sanctuary, but it has limited snorkeling directly from the bungalows and less privacy in some overwater bungalows. The choice depends on whether you prioritize privacy, sustainability, and diverse dining (Ritz-Carlton) or a family-friendly environment and unique marine experiences (Four Seasons).
| Attribute | Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora | The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Overwater Bungalow Availability | 100 overwater bungalows spaced along two "Y" shaped piers. | The resort features overwater villas set on stilts over the lagoon or ocean. Some overwater villas are located on a ring. |
| On-site Dining Options (Number & Cuisine) | Four on-site restaurants: Tere Nui (breakfast, lunch, dinner), Arii Moana (French Polynesian fusion), Sunset Bar (exotic cocktails and Asian light fare), and Fare Hoa Beach Bar & Grill (casual bar food). | The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, offers seven restaurants and bars. La Locanda: Italian cuisine. Summer Pavilion: Elevated Chinese, Cantonese fine dining. IWAU: Japanese Omakase style. Eau Bar: Lounge style, international cuisine. Beach Shack: Mediterranean dishes. Arabesque: Middle Eastern and North Indian fusion. Tum Tum: Asian-inspired street food. |
| Spa and Wellness Services | Spa with overwater treatment rooms, blending ancient traditions with modern techniques. Teen treatments and kids-only sessions available at the Lagoon Sanctuary. | The Ritz-Carlton Spa offers nine treatment rooms, a salon, and a boutique. Treatments are inspired by the Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang. They offer rejuvenating facials, massages, and body therapies. The spa uses Bamford organic body and skincare collection. |
| Water Sports Activities Offered | Snorkeling, paddle boarding, canoeing, jet skiing, flyboarding, tennis, scuba diving, shark and ray feeding excursions. Complimentary activities: kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Paid activities: waverunner excursions, windsurfing lessons, and kitesurfing lessons. | A PADI-certified dive center and watersports hub are available. Activities include snorkeling, scuba diving, jet skiing, kayaking, windsurfing, and paddleboarding. Guided marine excursions are also available. |
| Proximity to Airport & Transfer Options | 15-minute boat ride from Bora Bora Airport. Resort provides boat transfer. Helicopter transfers available upon request. Private boat transfers are also an option for an extra cost. | Located approximately 40 km from Male International Airport. Speedboat transfer: Approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour (around $1,024 per person in 2025). Seaplane transfer: Approximately 10-35 minutes (around $1,600 per person). Private Yacht transfer: Around $5,000 per charter. |
| Childcare Services & Kids Club | Tamarii Kids' Club for children aged 5 to 12. Younger children are welcome when accompanied by a supervising adult. | The Ritz Kids Club offers a futuristic indoor-outdoor space with playgrounds, napping pods, video games, movies, and a pool with slides and jets. The program is designed for ages 4 to 12. Babysitting services are available upon request, at an extra charge. |
| Infinity Pool Availability & Size | Infinity pool with lagoon views. | Each villa has its own private infinity pool (approximately 5 meters long). There is also a communal pool area. |
| Room Size and Layout Options | Overwater bungalows range from 100 to 147 square meters with living area, large bathroom with double sinks, spacious shower, and separate bath area. Some have private plunge pools. Villa estates range from one- to five-bedroom options. | The resort offers 100 villas, ranging from one- to three-bedroom configurations. Beach Pool Villa: 155 square meters. Lagoon Pool Villa: 150 square meters. The Ritz-Carlton Estate (3 Bedroom Presidential Suite): 1500 square meters. Villas have options for lagoon or ocean views. |
| House Reef Quality (Snorkeling/Diving) | Snorkeling around the overwater bungalows is almost non-existent. Lagoon Sanctuary with over 100 species of marine life and a marine research center. Snorkeling tours are held twice daily. | The Fari Islands chain has a stunning reef. The North Male Atoll offers diverse fish and coral. The resort has a PADI-certified dive center. |
| Excursion Options & Pricing | Resort concierge can arrange lagoon activities like swimming with sharks and jet ski tours. Sunset cruises and private excursions to nearby islands are also offered. | The resort offers a variety of tours to explore the Maldives. Excursions include the Dhoni Sunset Dolphin Cruise. |
| Butler Service Availability | Guests staying at the Beachfront Villa Estate receive personal pre-arrival planning consultation and a dedicated villa host. | Each guest is assigned an "Aris Meeha," a personal butler. |
| Sustainability Initiatives | Dedicated to conserving energy and natural resources. Initiatives include locally produced food and products, a comprehensive recycling program, energy-efficient lighting and cooling systems, use of grey water for irrigation, solar panels, elimination of single-use plastic water bottles, and refillable glass bath product containers. The Lagoon Sanctuary is a research facility dedicated to preserving marine life. | The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands has a Green Globe certification. The resort uses solar power, generating approximately 20% of its electricity. They plan to introduce a Floating Solar Panel System in 2025. Smart energy-saving systems are installed in villas. The resort monitors ocean plastics using drone technology. They have a Coral Regeneration Project. The resort has a water filtration system to eliminate plastic bottles. They compost food waste and use locally sourced ingredients. |