Lodging in Tahiti — Blog — The Grains Of Paradise

French Polynesia is truly stunning. Obviously, this is no secret but every time I go, it still blows my mind. Moorea is the last place we went before the world shut down in 2020 and I was worried at the time that it would be several years before we would be able to get back. Luckily, this wasn’t the case and Moorea is up and running and very open for business.

In fact, this was the busiest I’ve ever seen the islands. Nothing compared to what I’m used to on Maui but definitely busy for Tahiti. Hotels and pensions had been booked up for months this time. We grabbed what we could, but unfortunately, we were not very happy with what we saw when we arrived. So, on the first day, we spent hours looking for alternative lodging but had no luck. Everything was booked. Not the biggest deal but it was a bit of a bummer. That being said, we didn’t let it ruin our trip because we really don’t spend much time in our accommodations anyway.

Some big plus points this trip…

We had a chance to check out two new properties on the island that were really beautiful, The Moorea Lodge and the Island Beach Hotel. We’re really looking forward to possibly staying at one of these on our next trip down to Moorea. We also spent a lot of time at the Hotel Hibiscus dining at their restaurant, Le Sunset. Always a favorite place of ours. We’ve stayed and dined at the Hotel Hibiscus on previous trips and the staff there is seriously the best.

Eimeo Clothing - I typically don’t shop much in Tahiti because so much of what I see there is easily found in Hawaii. However, I have to say that I was very impressed with the selection of island-style clothing at Eimeo. Luckily they will ship internationally because I definitely need more of it.

Favorite ways to spend our days…

Temae Beach - I can’t get enough of this place. You have to see it in person to see what I’m talking about but there’s something magical in the water there. Absolutely stunning snorkeling and the color of the water is what South Pacific dreams are made of.

Paddling around the Motus - Directly off the shore near the Les Tipaniers resort lie a few small islands that are easily reached by kayak, SUP, or small boat. We typically rent some SUPs from the Tipnautic and spend a few hours cruising the lagoon.

Driving around the island - We rent a car from Avis every time we go to Moorea. I love having the convenience of easy transportation, and the ability to grab groceries at the supermarket when we need them. The Avis rental agency is across the street from the ferry dock which makes things super easy when you arrive on Moorea. Other places worth checking out, are the Haapiti area, Mount Belvedere, Cook’s Bay, and Ta’ahiamanu Beach at Opunahu Bay.

Photo Journal…

Casa Vincenzo. Incredible Italian food in the middle of the South Pacific.

Before you leave

Check with your local bank to see if you can order some local cash ( XPF ). I found this to be super handy for a few reasons…

Most international flights arrive fairly late at night. On this particular trip, 4 jumbo jets arrived within 1.5 hrs of each other ( ugh ) and customs took almost 2 hours to get through. That being said, we would have taken a chance with ATMs at the airport and we needed cash immediately for a taxi. I usually take at least $500 US in XPF ( Pacific francs ) for a week. A lot of small local businesses have a minimum $ purchase requirement for credit cards. I’ve also found on past trips that the ATMs on Moorea frequently run out of cash.

Arrival Night

If you are not planning on staying on Tahiti Island and are planning on traveling to an outer island the next day, you will need to book somewhere to stay the first night on Tahiti Island. As I mentioned before, most international flights get into Papeete pretty late at night and for the most part, you just want to get somewhere quick so you can get to bed. If you are flying out of the Faaa airport the next morning, a lot of people opt for the Tahiti Airport Motel. I have yet to stay there but it is literally across the street from the airport so it’s really convenient. If you decide to take the ferry, I highly recommend staying at the Hotel Kon Tiki in Papeete. It’s nice and modern and right across the street from the ferry building.

Other places to stay near Papeete

The Hilton

Tahiti la Ora Beach

If you are unable to arrange an airport transfer with your hotel, you can catch a taxi at the airport. When you exit the airport, you will see taxis lining up to your right. A taxi to downtown Papeete was approx $25-$30 this time.

Getting to Moorea

When I’m traveling on to Moorea, I prefer to take the ferry vs flying on Tahiti Air. By taking the ferry, you avoid dealing with the airport again for just a 15 min flight and the ferry gets you to Moorea pretty quickly ( 25 min fast ferry or 45 “slow” ferry )

Ferry options - Armeiti or Terevau

***I have never bought tickets in advance for the Aremiti Ferry and I have never had any issues getting them just prior to checking in. There is also a nice cafe at the ferry building ( closed on Sundays I believe ) as well as a cafe on board the boats.