Concierge.com's insider take:

A 20-minute boat ride from the Bora airport deposits you directly at the Nui's unique floating lobby, where grandiose pearl-and-shell chandeliers hover overhead, somehow evoking both traditional Polynesia and Louis XIV. Such Tahitian handicrafts are a passion for Mrs. Wan, the former Papeete shopgirl who now owns the hotel (which became a Hilton franchise in January 2009), with her husband. The Wan family also owns the St. Regis Bora Bora and the Robert Wan Pearl Museum. Accordingly, the interiors of the 120 units here—72 of which are overwater bungalows—all feature tapa cloth, bamboo and shell detailing, and original Tahitian landscape paintings. The South Pacific elements are combined with modern luxuries such as Italian-marble baths, flat-screen TVs, and custom-lit glass floor panels that let you view nature's aquarium swimming below. Two restaurants, a hilltop spa, and a private motu (islet) for picnics mean you'll likely be able to stay on the property without getting bored—but when you need it, there's also water shuttle service to Bora's main town of Vaitape.