Reviews of Va'a i te Moana 3 stars
Avatoru, 98775 Avatoru, French Polynesia
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Reviewed: 30 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewThe location was very convenient for diving Tiputa Pass. Breakfasts were excellent and included in the price.
Reviewed: 24 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 8 March 2025 · Stayed in March 2025
Verified reviewReasonably good location close to the Tiputa pass. Free bikes in decent conditions to ride to the pass, the small stores and the 2 good snacks and 1 restaurant.
All buildings are concrete rather than timber which accumulates heat at day time and makes for pretty hot nights that the multiple fans cannot alleviate. The property being well sheltered from the wind there isn’t much air flowing through so the heat stays and mosquitoes are well at home.
Reviewed: 27 October 2024 · Stayed in October 2024
Verified reviewsuper friendly staff
the dormitory is to expensive for a sharing room, its super hot inside the rooms and just 1 ventilator for 3 person its not enough..
Thank you for your feedback. However, we’d like to clarify a few points. Our dormitory offers budget accommodations in an authentic Polynesian setting, where prices reflect both the local economy and the challenges of maintaining such services in a remote island location. Comparing our prices to mass tourism destinations may not be relevant. As for the heat, we are in a tropical climate, and higher temperatures are a part of the experience in Polynesia, especially in the Tuamotus where islands are flat and don’t benefit from mountain breezes. We provide a ceiling fan and a floor ventilator in the dorm, which is a reasonable setup considering the accommodation type. Choosing a dormitory means understanding and accepting that you’ll share the space and facilities with others. Thank you again for your feedback, but please consider these factors when choosing accommodations in unique locations like ours.
Thank you for your feedback. However, we’d like to clarify a few points. Our dormitory offers budget accommodations in an authentic Polynesian setting, where prices reflect both the local economy and the challenges of maintaining such servi… Show more
Reviewed: 22 October 2024 · Stayed in October 2024
Verified reviewVery nice guest house , but the best thing there is Rosiane , she is so helpfull and kind women.Thank you once more to her
non
Reviewed: 29 September 2024 · Stayed in September 2024
Verified reviewGreat location close tiputa pass.
No AC, tons of mosquitos but no mosquito net. Bikes are old and full of rust. Bad smell. And it’s not even cheap. Really bad quality / price ratio.
Reviewed: 22 August 2024 · Stayed in June 2024
Verified reviewReviewed: 26 June 2024 · Stayed in June 2024
Verified reviewRosine, the housekeeper, was very nice and friendly. The Internet worked very well well.
The property needs a lot of maintenance and repairs and it is overpriced for its appearance and state of disrepair. The photos do not reflect the true state of the property in any way. The bungalows are in very poor shape, there is a lot of rust everywhere which does not allow to open all the louvers of the windows because the hinges and handles are rusted all over resulting in poor ventilation and a bad smell in the bathroom despite the ceiling fans. There are also a lot of mosquitoes and no mosquito nets are provided. Some of the windows had fly screens, but the one in the kitchen had a whole so it was useless. The cooking facilities are substandard. One of the two electric plates was totally rusted, there are no cooking implements like cutting knives, chopping board, ladles, etc. We have been in French Polynesia for seven weeks, have visited 13 islands so far and all the other bungalows we rented had far superior cooking facilities and amenities and general appearance. This property was the second worst. The outside shower was fully rusted too, the decking needs revarnishing, the paint on the external walls is peeling. I wrote to the owner Cinthia the day after we arrived via Booking.com about our disappointment. She never replied.
Dear Lucia We apologize for any inconveniences you experienced during your stay. We are located near Tiputa Pass, a magnificent location that offers spectacular views and proximity to dolphins jumping in the pass. However, this idyllic position also means we are extremely exposed to salt spray, which cause much rust problems. In Polynesia, there are mosquitoes everywhere due to the tropical climate. We understand that this can be bothersome, and we do our best to minimize their presence with mosquito nets installed around the windows, I can assure you that ALL of the windows have a fly screen and that there is no hole. Our kitchen is equipped with basic items for preparing simple dishes like in any hotel or lodge, it is not a full kitchen. However, we strive to accommodate our guests' needs and If you had needed additional kitchen utensils, we would have been happy to provide them to you. We can confirm that among the provided tools there is a chopping board and a cooking knife, unlike mentioned in your review The outside shower is not rusted but is a copper shower and the brown color is just its color It is possible that during your travels to 13 islands, you may have primarily stayed in resorts rather than guesthouses, and especially not on remote islands like the Tuamotus. Conditions and amenities can indeed vary significantly between these types of accommodations and different locations. If the equipment of the kitchen and cooking full meal was so important to you, I feel like you should have ask us about the cooking amenities beforehand We never replied because after questioning Rosine about the issues, she told us that everything was good with you because you told her that your stay was perfect Your feedback is valuable to us as we continually strive to improve our services. We hope you still enjoyed some of the unique aspects of our location. Best regards, Cinthia
Dear Lucia We apologize for any inconveniences you experienced during your stay. We are located near Tiputa Pass, a magnificent location that offers spectacular views and proximity to dolphins jumping in the pass. However, this idyllic po… Show more
Reviewed: 17 April 2024 · Stayed in April 2024
Verified reviewThe people running it were very kind and helpful. Our room and bathroom were large. It felt like home.
More variety for breakfast such as eggs or fruit would be nice. The coffee was excellent.
Reviewed: 14 March 2024 · Stayed in February 2024
Verified reviewIt’s at the Tiputa end of the island. Close to the pass where the dolphins can be seen jumping. Within walking distance of two shops and 4 snack places. Free bicycles.
The dorm room is hot in the afternoon, evening-it’s gets the afternoon sun. It is in a garden so there can be mosquitoes but bug spray can solve this.
Reviewed: 1 February 2024 · Stayed in January 2024
Verified reviewOwners are very dear. Location, if you are diver.
Price/quality ratio
Reviewed: 30 December 2023 · Stayed in December 2023
Verified reviewBikes availability
Close to the Tiputa pass
Reviewed: 25 December 2023 · Stayed in November 2023
Verified reviewReviewed: 4 December 2023 · Stayed in December 2023
Verified reviewClose to the ocean to see the dolphins, port and bounty road for swimming, large room, ok bed and pillow, traditionally sown coverlet, locker, light, electric sockets, good shower with toileries, kitchen, filling breakfast possibility, lovely family, daughter spoke perfect English and arranged diving, île aux récif, blue lagoon and Les sables roses-all superb
My Italian expresso maker too small for range, very hot even with fans at night (will be installing ac in the near future), garbage cans need covers, rambunctious puppy and docile cat if allergic.
Reviewed: 27 October 2023 · Stayed in September 2023
Verified reviewThe property was stunning, even better than I could have expected. I stayed in the 4 person dorm and it was so comfortable, beautiful, and clean! It was in very close proximity to the local restaurants, the dive shops, and they had lots of bikes for us to use to get around! The owners were so friendly.
Reviewed: 27 October 2023 · Stayed in October 2023
Verified reviewVery friendly and helpful hosts, they organized the transfer from/to the airport as well as an excursion for me. The daughter, Mana, also speaks very good English, and provided me with lots of useful information about the island on check-in. The dorm has only single beds (no bunks!), and is quite spacious. The outdoor area is quite large as well - and there are even some hammocks in the shade. The free bikes offered are a great way for exploring the island - just do not expect them to be in perfect condition. I had to fiddle with the chain after it came off at least once a day.
It can be quite hot in the dorm, even despite the fans (as there is no A/C). I still slept quite well, though.
Reviewed: 3 October 2023 · Stayed in September 2023
Verified reviewThe overall stay was amazing. It is very close to the Tiputa Pass for diving and all of the dive operations. We rode bikes to our boat. The room was very clean & comfortable. The hospitality of the operators was 15 out of 10. The hosts Anapa, Matiata and Mana are absolutely amazing. They will take care of you soooo well. You really feel the Polynesian hospitality with them.
Everything at the stay was awesome. Keep in mind you are on an atoll and there isn't much food open or available. Most of the time the grocery stores are closed as well as restaurants. So make sure you go to the grocery store and get supplies for food to be in the fridge and available when you need them.
Iaorana Todd, Thank you so much for your review, we appreciate it. We hope to see you soon in the Polynesian islands! Next time you come back, we will try other local food together! We hope you are doing well, Anapa, Mate and Mana
Reviewed: 27 September 2023 · Stayed in September 2023
Verified reviewMana and her family could not have been more welcoming. From morning till night, they were there with smiling faces to help us with our every need. They felt like family by the end of our 7-day stay. We had booked a double room with a private bathroom. The bedroom was a good size for the two of us, and the bathroom was lovely and spacious. Breakfast (included) was very good. Everything was homemade, and the pancakes were delicious. When we had early excursions, they kindly served it to us at 7:00 AM instead of 7:30 AM. Our water bottles were refilled whenever we requested it, and we requested if a lot! You can not do laundry at the guesthouse, but the laundry thet Mana recommended was wonderful. For 2,590 xpf, they washed, dried, and folded a 5 kg bag of laundry and returned it the same day. The free bikes were invaluable. One day, we cycled to Avotura via the Pearl Farm (excellent explanation in both French and English), Ikimisho Pearl Shop (highly recommended), and Chez Rua (great lagoon-side food shack). Another day, we took the bikes on the ferry to Tiputa and cycled around there. Our favorite excursion by far was DD's drift snorkeling. We ended up doing it 3 times! It was an excellent value for 6,000 xpf. We drifted down the Tiputa Pass 2 or 3 times, snorkeled in the aquarium, and got to swim with dolphins (the highlight!) The Blue Lagoon trip was good, too, but you have to pay cash if Mana books it for you. If you book it online, you can pay by credit card. We under-estimated how much cash we would need and had to bike to the ATM at the airport for more! We ate well at both Puna and Chez Lili. Cards are accepted if you spend a minimum of 2,500 xpf at Puna and 3,000 xpf at Chez Lili. Our favorite restaurant, however, was Reira Lagon, where Mana made reservations for us twice.
For an honest description of the rooms at Va'a i te Moana, go to their website. Booking.com's description of the room we booked was very misleading. It stated that there was both a garden view and an inner courtyard view. In fact, the room had only one small window overlooking the garden (and a small window in the bathroom). There is no sea breeze, so the room got very stuffy. The fans were a godsend! It claimed the room had a coffee-maker, which it didn't. It failed to mention that the 'kitchenette', (which is in the hallway outside the room), is shared with the room on the other side of the hallway, as are the terrace and patio furniture. None of this impacted the enjoyment of our stay in the end, but it was an initial shock. I shall put less trust in Booking.com's descriptions of properties in the future.
Reviewed: 19 August 2023 · Stayed in August 2023
Verified reviewThis property stands out for customer service. The property manager Mana is amazing. She was like a personal concierge and really made sure everything was great on our trip. She was extremely helpful solving a problem with an excursion that we booked. Her dedication and attention were unsurpassed. The accommodations are basic but perfectly fine. They are clean. The tent was was also quite comfortable. Breakfast was delicious an cooked fresh each morning.
Air-conditioning would have been great, but the fans were helpful.
Reviewed: 19 August 2023 · Stayed in August 2023
Verified reviewReviewed: 8 August 2023 · Stayed in July 2023
Verified reviewContact with the nature.
They didn’t offer lunch and dinner (only because an special situation)
Reviewed: 5 August 2023 · Stayed in July 2023
Verified reviewEverything good, staff super nice and helpful, place very quiet and the tent was a comfortable accomodation. They provide free bikes to get to shops, restaurants, beaches. Good breakfast.
Nothing.
Reviewed: 2 August 2023 · Stayed in July 2023
Verified reviewEverything and Mana is the perfect host. She is so caring and lovely.
Reviewed: 28 July 2023 · Stayed in July 2023
Verified reviewMana and the rest of the staff are incredible! We stayed in one of the tents for three nights. The breakfast is decent, and although there was a bit of a problem with our tent we were given a very generous discount and some free refreshments, which more than made up for it. Mana also gave us detailed information about, and helped us book activities on the island. Thank you so much for the great hospitality, mauruuru!