Te Moana offers a peaceful alternative to downtown Papeete, with stunning views of Moorea, immaculate landscaping, and friendly, helpful staff. The rooms are impressively spacious, more like small apartments, with beautiful ocean views. The swim-up bar and oceanfront restaurant add to the appeal, and on-site activities like kayaking were a nice bonus.
However, the resort is in urgent need of renovation. The pull-out couches were stained and worn, the fridge didn’t close properly due to a loose cabinet, and there was a persistent sewer odor when running water. Housekeeping was another disappointment. For a hotel that charges a resort fee, you would expect at least basic amenities like complimentary soaps and shampoo, but those were not provided. More importantly, the room was not cleaned thoroughly. Sand from the beach remained on the floor, suggesting it was not vacuumed, and though the bed was made, sand left all over.
Bar drinks were $20 to $25, likely due to local alcohol taxes, although off-site venues didn’t charge the same. Renting a car was $80 per day with a surprising $1,200 deposit.
Travel Tip: Taxis are cash only and overpriced, with no ATM on-site. Expect high costs and limited dining options. Ferries to Moorea can be expensive with a car, about $300 for four people. Tahiti is beautiful, but heavily geared toward extracting tourist dollars. Te Moana has potential, especially being locally owned, but wait until renovations are complete.
