Review of The Brando

The Brando on Tetiaroa, 50 kilometres north of Tahiti, is a short but spectacular 20-minute flight from the private terminal at Faa’a International Airport in Papeete, Tahiti. Completely private, surrounded on all sides by the South Pacific, The Brando is located on Onetahi, a motu (or coral island or islet) spanning 78 hectares (193 acres). Once landed, a representative of The Brando conducts guests by electric vehicle to their villa.

Over four kilometres wide, Tetiaroa is comprised of a dozen idyllic islands surrounding a spectacular lagoon, a place of beauty, tranquillity and rejuvenation first for Tahitian royalty and later for Marlon Brando who chose it as his personal sanctuary. Motu Honuea has superb white sandy beaches; Tiaraunu, the largest motu, features a swathe of coconut trees; a nursery of lemon sharks makes its home in the very north, where the three motus Tauini, Tauroa and Hiraanae are separated only by small hoa (or channels). On Oroatera there are magical beaches and a natural watering place in the shape of a seahorse. The birds come to nest on Tahuna Iti and Tahuna Rahi, true sanctuaries. Aie is the smallest motu; Reiono is the only islet that has preserved its primary forest and it is also the habitat of the Kaveu, the coconut crab. Finally, it is on Rimatu’u that the first Europeans settled, establishing a coconut plantation, a village and a landing stage.

The serene and classically designed accommodation has been designed with one common thread - that of space and adherence to Polynesian traditions. Conceived by Pierre-Jean Picard in collaboration with designer Gilles Leborgne, every villa has wooden walls and roofs covered with pandanus leaves, built with traditional techniques and materials to meld the interiors to the exterior. Large bay windows offer views out over lush gardens planted with coconut palms and “miki miki” as well as the private swimming pools with the azure blue ocean as the ultimate backdrop. 

Each of the 35 private villas and one private residence offers spacious bedrooms, dressing rooms, living area, media room and a bathroom offering an outdoor bathtub nestled in the heart of a tropical garden. The large outdoor terraces have lounge chairs, parasols and a freshwater shower, a covered dining area and private swimming pools. These all lead out onto the white sandy beach. There are 30 one-bedroom villas, 4 two-bedroom villas and one three-bedroom villa. The larger villas feature a dining room and a kitchen for the chef to do whip up a storm.

The Private Residence meanwhile offers three bedrooms and one staff bedroom and offers around 558 square metres of living space. The large outdoor terrace features a 23 square metre swimming pool. This residence sited just across the lagoon from the main resort is the first of four residential units designed to provide unmatched exclusivity in one of the most preserved places on the planet.

Varua Te Ora Polynesian Spa is a wellness sanctuary, hidden within a lush oasis of exotic plants. Deeply rooted in Polynesian culture, the 2,000 square metres spa offers the best holistic treatments inspired by Polynesian traditions. The spa features, in the middle of an area of century-old pandanus trees, the Fare Manu (bird’s nest) treatment cabin, perched six metres above the ground, offering an extensive view over a freshwater lake covered with lotus flowers. Other facilities include areas for relaxation, energy (Fare Manu), a hammam, a freshwater cascade and an herbal tea room at the water’s edge.

Apart from the pristine white sandy beaches, other resort facilities include a main infinity pool on the beach; The Explorer Centre/library; a Lounge for relaxing with television and internet access, snacks and refreshments; a tennis court; a luxury pearl shop; a resort boutique; an organic garden and orchard and a 24/7 fitness room with cardio and strength training equipment.

Guests can learn more about traditional Polynesian activities such as dance, music, weaving and other craft and cultural experiences whilst the naturalist-guided boat tours and excursions explore the different motu and observe the flora and fauna inhabiting the primary forest and the lagoon.

The lagoon can be explored by traditional outrigger canoe, kayak, paddleboard or simply with a mask and snorkel. There is also scuba diving outside the reef whilst on land, activities including birdwatching and bicycling.

The Lagoon School offers youngsters aged between six to twelve years of age a place to meet and relax. They may participate in a range of educational activities on Polynesian life and more through workshops, treasure hunts and mini conferences prepared by the Tetiaroa Society.

The Tetiaroa is a non-profit making association dedicated to the protection and conservation of the Tetiaroa Atoll, as well as to the understanding and management of marine ecosystems. They are involved in various conservation and research programmes including ocean acidification studies; monitoring green turtles; lagoon protection; ecological restoration programme of Tetiaroa; mosquito population control; mapping and archaeological restoration and the restoration of the villa of Rimatu’u.

Inspired by Marlon Brando’s vision to preserve sanctuaries for future generations and to raise awareness of the fragility of our environment, the Tetiaroa Sociaty was founded by the Marlon Brando Estate, which owns the atoll, and Pacific Beachcomber and is supported by high profile members of the scientific and entertainment communities.

To make Marlon Brando’s dream of a working ocean laboratory come true, the hotel hosts an ecostation dedicated to research and managed by the Tetiaroa Society. The Ecostation, which can accommodate up to a dozen researchers from around the world, includes aquariums, bookstores and above all a laboratory where scientists conduct research in order to protect and safeguard tropical atolls and their wildlife. For guests wishing to know more and to interact with the scientists, the hotel offers a Green Tour.  

The ultimate in carefree luxury and what everyone thinks of when dreaming of being a castaway on a desert island, The Brando is by far one of the most exclusive and protected environments on earth.

Brando discovered the island when he was filming Mutiny on the Bounty and his dream was to retain the island’s beauty and charm and to eventually turn it into a sustainable luxury eco-resort. His dream became a reality in 2014 when Beachcomber Hotels opened The Brando overseen by the family trust who own the atoll. 

Designed with eco-principles with clean, renewable energy sources to protect the destination for generations to come, what a legacy The Brando is to the Hollywood star who had the foresight to imagine a carbon-neutral resort years before the idea became popular. How fortunate it was that he came to the area to film, staying on to become the area’s protector and to put in place a project of this magnitude with Richard Bailey of Beachcomber Hotels. It is a remarkable achievement and a wonderfully stylish resort for a totally guilt-free holiday. No wonder President Barack Obama came here to write his memoirs when he left the White House.

Under the guidance of Executive Chef Pierre Lecorne, the resort’s restaurants showcase Polynesian-inspired dishes, East/West fusion and classic French cuisine. The freshest of ingredients are grown in the hotel’s gardens and orchards such as papayas, bananas, lemons, herbs, cucumbers, zucchini (courgettes), tomatoes and aubergines (eggplant). Vegan menus are available at Les Mutinés, the Beachcomber Café and via room service. 

The Brando’s gastronomic restaurant, Les Mutinés, opens for dinner only and seats just 20 guests. Featuring an elegant design that evokes an inverted canoe, the restaurant offers a French menu with a world-class wine cellar in a carefully climate-controlled glass enclosure. The moat that surrounds the restaurant provides the sensation of floating of a lagoon. 

With amazing lagoon and ocean views, the Beachcomber Café enjoys a more casual vibe with all day dining in an indoor/outdoor setting. It also offers beach seating areas. The café serves a varied menu of Polynesian-inspired dishes alongside classic French cuisine. 

Nami Teppanyaki, headed by Chef Kaito Nakamura, offers a culinary voyage through the flavours of Japan in an intimate restaurant seating just eight guests. There are two menus designed around specialities of land and sea, prepared on a traditional teppanyaki cooking table in front of guests. Alongside, a selection of sake wines, Japanese beers and international wines complement the food.

The Lagoon-view Te Manu Bar is suspended above the beach and features spectacular views of the lagoon, the distant motus and sunsets. In addition to the main lounge, there are several private tree-level seating areas that can be reached by walkways through the palm canopy.

Named for Brando’s factotum on film sets, Bob’s Bar enjoys a casual, funky beach location, next to the main swimming pool, ideal for casual conversations over a drink or two come the evening.

Wishing to preserve the atoll in its original state and wanting to set an example to the rest of the world in terms of luxury, The Brando has taken a focused approach to the entirety of design, materials and services. To achieve their aim of carbon neutrality, The Brando has implemented numerous innovative programmes and use state of the art technologies to attain this goal. The Brando has obtained LEED Platinum certification, justifying the highest possible level of effort in the construction of a low-carbon property.

Initiatives include SWAC (sea water air conditioning) which draws deep sea water to cool the air and provide thermal comfort in all of the resort’s buildings; rainwater feeds swimming pools and laundries, desalinated sea water is used in the bathrooms; and an ingenious wastewater recycling system is used to irrigate gardens and the vegetable garden. Along with the water conservation policy, the hotel has implemented a major waste recycling and composting programme.

Solar energy is produced by 4,000 photovoltaic panels located along the runway and covers 75% of the resort’s needs. Rechargable batteries of solar energy are produced using recyclable materials.

The hotel has a vegetable garden and an organic orchard using ancestral methods to produce exceptionally high-quality fruits and vegetables despite a coral soil. The Brando also produces one of the best honeys from around the world, made from coconut blossoms and other species endemic to the atoll. 70 beehives are spread over three motu and produce 2,600 pounds of honey per year on average. Tetiaroa honey is harvested regularly by the beekeeper and is used by the bar staff and the kitchen brigade with cocktails, dishes and pastries.

The resort is also fully biofuel capable and uses coconut oil biofuel for its power station whenever it can be procured.