The Brando

Character and identity

Set on the private atoll of Tetiaroa, a 20-minute flight from Tahiti on the resort's own air service, The Brando occupies an island once owned by Marlon Brando and run today as a Platinum LEED-certified eco-retreat. Thirty-five villas thread through miki miki, pandanus and coconut groves along Turtle Beach and Mermaid Bay, each with private pool and a stretch of white sand. Restaurants, bars and the spa cluster centrally, with two acclaimed kitchens anchoring the dining. Service is warm and sincere, drawing on Polynesian hospitality and the conservation-minded staff of the Tetiaroa Society.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you are paying for here is true isolation combined with a serious environmental operation, not a varied resort scene. Two restaurants and two bars are the extent of the dining, so the value lies in the villa, the beach and the excursions. Book the all-inclusive rate to neutralise the on-island spend, target July to October for drier weather, and request a Turtle Beach villa for sunset.