Unlike upscale resorts on the nearby motu, Bora Bora itself is a place of almost rustic simplicity. This wonderful bungalow makes that simplicity homey and comfortable. The snorkeling right off the veranda is a lovely introduction to the more exotic options off Bora Bora's south coast. The kitchen has the necessary basics, and we used the grill almost nightly. You'll want to rent a car to get groceries, drive around the island, and visit various destinations. Both Richard and Nir were consistently helpful.

My husband and I decided to travel to Bora Bora from Australia to celebrate our 30 th wedding anniversary.
Bora Bora has been number one on my hubbie's bucket list since before we married so of course we just had to do it.

I researched through TA (as I do before every holiday or trip) and we decided against staying in a resort as we like the freedom to dine independently and many resorts in Bora Bora are on motus (little islands) so exploring the main island and going to restaurants is more challenging. We also didn't want to pay the prices of the large resorts and then the cost of the meals there.
I contacted Richard ( the bungalow owner who lives in the USA) over twelve months before we went. Richard replied very quickly to any and all questions and we booked soon afterwards for two weeks this February/March. I was very impressed with Richard's efficiency and recommendations. When it is your first time visiting a place and you want to make the most of it, you want to go armed with all sorts of information. Bora Bora is VERY expensive so any ways to cut costs will leave more money for fun things.

On arrival into Bora Bora, Nir (The most wonderful and friendly local manager) met us and rented us our car. We had this for the full two weeks and I can't recommend hiring a car too highly. Yes, it does add a significant cost onto your trip but you aren't paying overinflated resort prices either.
The bungalows are on the north of the main island and look across to the airport ( we loved sitting on our verandah watching the shuttle boats collecting arrivals and the little planes landing and taking off). There are no shops or restaurants at this end of the island so car rental is a must. We used our car every day and it lends a real sense of freedom.

Bungalow:
I had printed out the photo of the bungalows (Brandos and Marlons) that is at the top of the Tripadvisor page for these properties and pinned it to my office door last year! Sad, I know but it built my excitement over the months until we went.
We were so excited when we arrived and the bungalow was just as it is in the picture....only better! A little boardwalk leads from the road to the front door. Immediately we knew we had made the right decision. We had privacy, independence and the most amazing vistas.

The bungalow is very accurately depicted in the photos on Tripadvisor so you won't get any nasty surprises. Previous guests had left some pantry items for use and snorkel equipment. We bought our groceries on the way to our bungalow in town (Chin Lee). This was our regular haunt during our stay and we loved calling in daily for fresh (and often still warm) baguettes. We learned to love these when we travelled to France a few years back.
Kitchen:
The kitchen is fairly well equipped. We are Australian so drink tea like many British people. There is no kettle. We spoke with NIr and he very kindly suggested that if we found one in town we could purchase it and he would reimburse us. It seems only 2 previous guests ( both British and Australian) had queried where the kettle is. Seems guests from the US drink coffee so don't need a kettle.
We didn't buy a kettle as we found the cook top very fast and we boiled up water in a saucepan. That was fun. Kind of 'roughing it but not'. Of course, we didn't expect to find the kitchen to be filled with every modern appliance as it is a holiday home. All the basics are there and seriously, if you are going to complain you must be hard to please.
Bathroom:
One bathroom (no ensuite). Not a problem for us. Could be if you had 2 couples all vying for the one toilet and shower. Lovely and clean. Lots of towels and starter pack of toilet rolls. Not enough for a two week stay so we ended up buying more in town. Shower excellent. Hot water any time you wanted it.
Bedroom:
We only used the main bedroom and as it was humid due to being the wet season we did use the air con at night. Lovely breezes night and day on the verandah but they don't flow into the bedroom. If there had been a ceiling fan we most likely would just have used that.
My only complaint was that the bed is very firm. If that is your preference you won't have any problems. I do suffer some back problems and found it uncomfortable. My creative husband moved the cushions from the day loungers onto our mattress and we both slept well with the extra padding.
Living room:
Well furnished and TV ( which is just a DVD player as there is no TV connection. If this is a problem for you then bring some DVDs. There is also a mini library so if you forget books you can select something while chilling on the verandah.
The lounge chair padding (mentioned by another TA reviewer) is poor. The cane/rattan base can be felt when you sit down and is generally uncomfortable after a short time. We ended up using pillows and scatter cushions to pad the seats. All it would take to make it perfect is some thicker, and better quality seat cushions. Wouldn't cost much. We went to the Mai Kai restaurant and sat on their patio chairs....so comfortable! A small change that would make a huge difference.
There are lots of glass sliding doors and picture windows so there is an ever changing vista from the lounge.
Verandah:
The star of the bungalow. The verandah is HUGE and you can step down four steps to the jetty where you can jump into the amazingly clear and beautiful lagoon. Other than sleeping, we spent the majority of our time on the verandah while in the bungalow. I would recommend taking two of the dining chairs from the verandah and putting them on your jetty, filling two tropical cocktails and sitting with your love watching the sunset. This truly is a romantic and beautiful place.
You can feel safe to get into the water off the jetty at any time day or night (which we did). No sharks or other nasties in Bora Bora. There is better fish variety than we saw in many snorkelling spots over the island just under your bungalow. I loved watching the fish and holding bread out to them while,I was in the water. At night, put the spotlights on (he little lights on the corner of the verandah roof) and a myriad of gold/ orange coloured fish come out to play. We were lucky enough to see a moray eel in the bom mine out front of our bungalow, several really large and colourful fish and a turtle swimming past one night. I can't tell you how much I miss the verandah!
I didn't read this in previous reviews but didn't realise that the water around the bungalows are not where all of the amazing turquoise and aqua colours of the lagoon are. Mostly they are where the expensive resorts are. Matira beach at the other end of the island is really stunning for the amazing blues of the lagoon. My only minor disappointment is that I didn't realise this and had been expecting those colours out front of the bungalow. The water is still crystal clear and lovely but not aqua.
If you intend to snorkel take your own equipment. From previous reviews I was under the impression that snorkel gear was provided. This isn't so and only equipment that other guests have left behind is available. Unfortunately only one set of fins was in working order. We were informed that due to insurance purposes snorkelling equipment cannot be provided. This must be an American thing because we haven't heard of this in Australia.

We live in Australia so are used to huge cockroaches and geckos. There are several geckos that race around the bungalow. They won't harm you but they do have a habit of jumping into any juice or sweet drinks or food left around. I'm sure ours got a little tipsy as we found them in our cocktails if we put them down and walked away for a while.We managed to kill the 2 cockroaches we saw but there is lots of insecticide in the kitchen cupboard so shouldn't be a problem.

I would comment on another thing. We realise it is a private rental bungalow but I would really have like to have been provided with some cleaning products to clean sinks, toilets etc. we stayed for two weeks and I don't really want to pay for toilet cleaners while on holiday. If this is an expense that the rental price does not cover then could I suggest adding a few dollars onto the cost?

Overall impression:
If you are going to Bora Bora and want the high end luxury of resort pampering and extras then this is not for you. If you want the luxury of a huge 2 bedroom overwater bungalow with the independence to explore the island and still enjoy your privacy then Marlons is for you. We loved every minute and would not hesitate to recommend Marlons.

PS. If I could just add another recommendation here it would be to check out Rohotu Fare. Also on Bora Bora but up the hill a little and has glorious views of the harbour and little town. We were privileged for Nir ( and his lovely family Tiare and Navaa) to be invited to visit his own rental accommodation and their home. If we travel back to Bora Bora we will definitely add on a few nights to stay here for an entirely different experience. It is very romantic and GORGEOUS.

So....you won't find better for the price anywhere on Bora Bora. We would go again in a heartbeat and the money you save with the very reasonable rental cost (compared to resort overwater bungalows) can be used for day trips, meals in restaurants or extra cocktails!!!
Bora Bora is the place of dreams. No wonder the mutineers loved it!

Mauruuru and Merci Bien Richard and Nir from the Aussies.

My husband and I traveled to Bora Bora to celebrate our 15th anniversary and did not want to stay at an overly expensive resort but we still wanted to stay over the water. I found Richard's properties on Trip Advisor and was so happy I did.

This is a beautiful little home over the water. We found it to be spacious, comfortable and VERY affordable. The kitchen was well equipped, plenty of clean towels and a BBQ on the deck. Everything about the place was great.

We rented a car through Nir (Richard will give you contact info) and were able to check out the island and get groceries not too far from the Bungalow. You def need the car rental if you want to get around the island.

Also, there is great snorkeling right off the deck. I loved sitting on the deck in the morning, watching the beautiful water and feeding bread to all the fishes. It was so nice & relaxing.

I would def come back to Bora Bora and stay at this same location- no doubt about it!!!

We used Bora Bora as a reunion point for meeting up with our daughter who resides in Australia. It was a reunion of sorts since my husband and I and our adult son had not seen her in 14 months. I was looking for an alternative to the luxury hotel scene on Bora Bora and was looking for a larger area where we could all spend time together yet still have our own space if we needed it. We hit the jackpot with this rental. From the start of the rental process, Richard, the owner, was prompt and willing to work with us to get our needs met. I was thankful for all the info he provided to us prior to the visit to help us get our bearings once we arrived. I wasn't sure that we needed a car everyday while we were there, but we did end up taking it for the week and we were glad we had it. Everyday we did a tour of the island or did a grocery run and utilized our rental. We snorkelled all over the island and it's surrounding motu's and discovered right outside our deck was the area that had the most species of fish to observe. What a treat it was to do an early morning snorkel and see all that was right under our deck's ladder! The snorkel gear that was on the deck was truly appreciated since our bag of snorkel gear was stuck at LAX for the week ! If you have a sense of adventure and want an alternative to the luxury hotel route sold as the Bora Bora experience, this overwater bungalow will meet and exceed your expectations. I am a travel agent and after visiting one of the luxury resorts for supper one night my husband thanked me for renting Marlon's Overwater Bungalow. He said he never would have handled staying at a resort very well. We loved the freedom of exploring the island on our own. Kudos to Karl at MykiMyki Jet Ski Rentals too. He was a fantastic tour guide of the island and allowed us to explore his own island too. It was such a great tour and you cannot believe the colours of the lagoon from the jet ski perspective. Extra bonus was the DVD "Mutiny on the Bounty" which we watched to see Marlon in action! Thanks Richard .....we hope to make it back to paradise again someday and will be looking to return to your bungalow for a repeat stay.

If you want to have an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora and you do not stay here or at its sister property next door you are missing out on the best bargain in all of French Polynesia. This is a large, recently renovated overwater bungalow originally owned by Marlon Brando that is located on the northwest coast of Bora Bora (about 4 miles north of Vaitape) in an absolutely beautiful location. I do not even know where to begin.

Large living room that transitions into a dining area and then a kitchen---a big kitchen. Full-size refrigerator, washing machine. incredibly modern four (or was it five) glass stove top, double sink, blender, coffee machine, microwave, toaster oven, toaster and all the china, silverware, glasses, pots and pans, etc. that you could want. If I could come up with a complaint it would be that the chef knives need to be a little sharper and there should be a bread knife. That's the best I can do.

Two bedrooms. The master has a queen (or is it king) size bed and is air conditioned (The only room in the house that is air conditioned, but we froze to death before we turned the air conditioning way down.). The second bedroom has two twin beds and a REALLY good fan. The bathroom has double sinks and a huge shower with both a rain head and a hand held shower.

And then there is the porch. Huge. A table and four chairs. Two lounge chairs. A day bed. A dock with a ladder that can be lowered so that you walk into the lagoon (which offers good snorkeling) and an outdoor shower for when you come out of the salt water. Oh, and a propane gas grill!!!!

In the living room is a TV with a dvd for movies (selection quite limited but you certainly could bring your own dvds) and music. On the porch there were fishing rods (we left a nice selection of lures as our gift to the house), snorkels, masks and fins and some great tubes for just hanging out on the water. Missing. There should be some rope to tie off the tubes to the dock although they did have short tethers. No kayaks.

********The manager rents cars for $100 a day. That may seem incredibly expensive until you try to rent from Avis, etc. where lesser cars start at $125.**************

We cannot recommend this property too highly!!!!! It is fabulous. For 1/3 what the resorts want for an overwater bungalow you get twice what they offer. Pick up groceries at Chin Lee's or Super U for breakfast and snacks (and whatever other meals you want to fix) and definitely have a meal or three at the Bora Bora Yacht Club (the closest restaurant) as well as the St. James Restaurant and Mai Kai's. You will not want to go home.

Overall a FANTASTIC experience!!! We traveled with our 3 children (2 boys and 1 girl ages 7, 11, & 13) and 2 other couples. We rented 3 of the 5 bungalows. Finding large enough accommodations that don't cost a small fortune when traveling with 3 children is always a challenge and this set up was fabulous. Twin beds in the 2nd bedrooms made for great brother/sister sleeping arrangements and a separate bedroom for mom and dad is always a plus. Only the master bedroom had air-conditioning, but with the windows open and a fan on the tropical breezes flowed through the home, cooling it nicely. SInce Bora Bora is a huge honeymoon destination, finding a spot that graciously accepted children and offered 2-bedrooms was a plus!

The bathroom was nice and the oversized shower with rainfall showerhead was wonderful! Being over the water keeps things quite humid, so towels and bathmats stayed damp unless put on the railing in the sun. A clothes washer in the home was a bonus as was the free WIFI. It is an older group of bungalows, so there are things that have worn over time. The furniture was clean and stylish. Feeding the fish and snorkeling off of the back deck was a daily activity!! I was a tad concerned about the ease of access to the water for my youngest, but there is a gate on the deck that can be closed, so that wasn't an issue at all. Plenty of float toys, bug spray and sunscreen were made available for our use. One thing we found amusing was the tour boat driving by showing tourists the "former home of Marlon Brando" we felt like extra special famous guests!

Tiare (Nir's wife) was a gracious and excellent hostess, helping with booking excursions and tips for eating out and where to shop as well as picking us up and dropping us off at the ferry. She provided rental cars for a reasonable fee and they were a fantastic addition to the experience. The bungalows are about 15-20 minutes from town by car, so you really do need them for restaurants and grocery shopping. We drove the loop around the island several times going out to explore and felt very connected to island life by being out and about on our own and not tied down to a resort. Tiare also provided cell phones for us to use to contact her for any need or concern.

I would definitely stay at this home again. Thank you for a fabulous and memorable visit!!!