Hiti Moana Villa

We arrived at Hiti Moana for our honeymoon from the UK at around 11.20 - we had luckily rented a car - the gates were shut and it was in pure darkness even though we had emails confirming our later arrival. There were no signs of life anywhere in the...

We arrived at Hiti Moana for our honeymoon from the UK at around 11.20 - we had luckily rented a car - the gates were shut and it was in pure darkness even though we had emails confirming our later arrival. There were no signs of life anywhere in the complex, we luckily found a room that was unlocked so after about an hour and being absolutely exhausted we decided just to sleep in the room (was not cleaned or made up for guests) We ensured that we were up early so we could formally check in - at around 6am the gardener (who was a very polite chap) went and found the owner? She asked who we were and was very confused - we produced the emails showing the confirmation but she had no idea that we were due. We checked in eventually and were given the room we had ‘crashed’ in the night before. It was a good size with basic equipment overlooked the pool / lagoon. The room was in need of some updates but was not terrible. Although very very warm at night with the ceiling fans not doing a great deal. We also both fell victim to mosquitos suffering countless bites (even with repellent) there were also ants and cockroaches (didn’t bother us) On booking it states free WiFi but it does not work in the room so we had to sit in reception to use it (lots of biting insects here also!) Cleaning also was a bit hit and miss with our room not being cleaned a few times and rubbish not being taken out. The lagoon was stunning and the water crystal clear to see a large array of fish and even sea snakes. We watched a great sunrise! The pool and gardens were maintained very well by the young chap who was very smiley and friendly. The restaurant is only open Wednesday to Sunday and is run independently but the owners seem to use it as their entertainment hub, good food and service though! (On the expensive side) YOU NEED TO HIRE A CAR if you want to do anything here as otherwise it will be impossible- we chose this location as it is out of Papeete and the hustle and bustle, and with a hire car it worked well. Overall - Good location out of the city and you get what you pay for. If you want high end customer service then this is not the place It needs a bit of money spending on it as the rooms are very tired and old - but for a base it was OK!

The bungalows are a little bit old but nothing special. The surroundings are amazing and the place are small so there are not really many people around all the time. The owner are really sweet and can help you with the most. The only bad thing to say is that...

The bungalows are a little bit old but nothing special. The surroundings are amazing and the place are small so there are not really many people around all the time. The owner are really sweet and can help you with the most. The only bad thing to say is that the place are fare from the market and other sights and it's difficult to travel around the island without a car.

Well it was best place we have been in Tahiti, the owners Steve his dad & mom are Fantastyc people, friendly , knowledgeable , on our arrival we stayed 3 days and 5 weeks later we come back , Steve's dad was our guide for whole day around the island...

Well it was best place we have been in Tahiti, the owners Steve his dad & mom are Fantastyc people, friendly , knowledgeable , on our arrival we stayed 3 days and 5 weeks later we come back , Steve's dad was our guide for whole day around the island , we have seen places which normal Turist will never see. What a treat , his knowledge is fantastic , greatest guide we ever had, his restaurant and young lady cook , need a Michelin star , just for the start , best meals we had in whole French Polinesia, also you can purchase black pearls , they Doughter have a Pearl farm and prices , you will be shock , nowhere in Tahiti anybody can get close, great quality . We will be back next year , that's for sure. Tanks a milion Tony & Mary

This place has a superb setting but its villa accommodation is tired and in need of an update. No a/c which is OK but the ceiling fan couldn't be set to a high enough speed to be of any use. The room accommodation itself was basic but OK but the...

This place has a superb setting but its villa accommodation is tired and in need of an update. No a/c which is OK but the ceiling fan couldn't be set to a high enough speed to be of any use. The room accommodation itself was basic but OK but the ensuite facilities were very crude. No evidence of cleaning whilst we stayed. The swarm of ants around the basin which we had killed the day before were still there. Hotel reception was OK but not particularly welcoming. The restaurant, which is run by different staff, was great. Good/very good food, prompt service and very timely and friendly staff.

Great bungalow with the lagoon as a front yard. Nice sized pool, good restaurant on site. Steve specks perfect English. Long cab ride from the airport, rental car is a must. Fabulous sunsets from the dock on site.

We had three nights here and the view from the room was just amazing. Steve and his family were very helpful. People spoke minimal English but overall pleasant experience. Room could have been a bit cleaner (had dust and dead spider in the room). It was accessible to public transport....

We had three nights here and the view from the room was just amazing. Steve and his family were very helpful. People spoke minimal English but overall pleasant experience. Room could have been a bit cleaner (had dust and dead spider in the room). It was accessible to public transport. Restaurant was only open one of the days during our stay and it is expensive but worth it. Thank you Hiti Moana :-)

Our swecond time here and it was even better. Steve and all the crew are so friendly and helpful. The rooms are quaint and lovely and kept nice and clean. We stay in one with a kitchen so we can choose to eat in (big grocery store not far away)...

Our swecond time here and it was even better. Steve and all the crew are so friendly and helpful. The rooms are quaint and lovely and kept nice and clean. We stay in one with a kitchen so we can choose to eat in (big grocery store not far away) or out. Now there;s the KiaMoana restaurant, right at the hotel alongside the lagoon. Fresh fish every day. You can watch the catch coming off the boat. It's awesome and delicious. Can't wait to come back. Must add the this is in Papara, outside of Papeete, a really tranquil experience. My husband enjoyed golfing at the world class course nearby. HitiMoana is right on the lagoon and there's white sand beaches and surfing real close. Best of both worlds!Thank you Hiti Moana !!!

We had two nights spare so thought we'd stay at beach away from Papetee. Very pleased with our choice but had not anticipated what we thought was quite a high transfer cost from the airport - 3,000 Pacific francs per person each way, which made this stay quite a bit...

We had two nights spare so thought we'd stay at beach away from Papetee. Very pleased with our choice but had not anticipated what we thought was quite a high transfer cost from the airport - 3,000 Pacific francs per person each way, which made this stay quite a bit more expensive than anticipated. Had lagoon view unit with balcony and view was lovely. Also very good snorkeling out beside restaurant. Restaurant was closed during our stay but good supermarket just up the road and had coffee , a microwave with a few plates, etc so we were happy looking after ourselves.

Communication was severely lacking with this hotel. Tried to communicate via email but the hotel never responded. When we checked in the owner was very frustrated that we arrived early although I had the copy of the email that we sent a month prior. The room was great, pool was...

Communication was severely lacking with this hotel. Tried to communicate via email but the hotel never responded. When we checked in the owner was very frustrated that we arrived early although I had the copy of the email that we sent a month prior. The room was great, pool was clean, but during the three days we stayed we never had our towels replaced or received any maid service. When we asked for towels we were met with attitude. The WIFI only worked in the front office area, although it is advertised that it is throughout the compound. The restaurant on site is not affiliated with the Villas and it was closed much of the time we were there. There was no notice of the hours either at the restaurant or given by the front office. We were hoping to have dinner there but found when we arrived they were closed and were not opening for days. Without a car this hotel will not work for visitors. Luckily we rented a car but again I asked via email about this but never heard back from the hotel.

We stayed at Hiti Moana Villa in one of the self catering units. THE GOOD POINTS Staff are very friendly and the grounds, pool & board walk areas are lovely. There's a restaurant/bar on site too if you don't want to venture out too far at night. Snorkeling is EXCELLENT...

We stayed at Hiti Moana Villa in one of the self catering units. THE GOOD POINTS Staff are very friendly and the grounds, pool & board walk areas are lovely. There's a restaurant/bar on site too if you don't want to venture out too far at night. Snorkeling is EXCELLENT as they feed the fish off the board walk. Loads of fish to see - the water is clear and warm. Sunsets were incredible while we were there. Hiti Moana is well located if you have a car but if you're there for more than a few days, I'd say you need one as there's not much close by. There was a safe to use which was free of charge. THE NOT SO GOOD POINTS The accommodation we had needs some serious up-dating. The counter tops/kitchen units were badly stained, the old cooker had faulty knobs and one missing, meaning you couldn't use the oven at all. The self ignition for the gas didn't work and there were no matches. The fridge was rusty inside and out. There was a lack of dishes/utensils and we had to go to reception to 'borrow' a can opener! There was a random selection of items (salt, jam and various packets & bottles - some of which were 'sticky' & I couldn't identify!!) I can only assume were left behind by previous guests. The place just felt a bit grubby in general. Having said that, the bedding was crisp and clean. The bathroom had a gas hot water heater that worried me somewhat (see pic). Our accommodation was right by the terrapin pool and the cafe/bar, which resulted in a certain amount of noise from children constantly dropping by to see the terrapins and the staff arrived at the cafe early to start breakfast service. We were jet lagged after a long haul from the UK, so it did cause us problems. Wifi is not free here either. IN SUMMERY For the money we paid, I think it was OK, but only just OK. Our research when looking for accommodation in French Polynesia made us think there's a gap in the market for mid-priced accommodation. It seems to be either very expensive or relatively cheap. I don't want 5* accommodation, I would rather have reasonably priced clean, well kitted out and basic given the choice and would have happily paid more, had Hiti Moana offered that.