Manava Beach Resort and Spa Moorea

This was a bucket list stay for us to celebrate our 40th anniversary, and it did not disappoint. I had booked our ferry passage with aremiti ferries on their website before we went. Easy to do and your return tickets are good for a year. I reached out to the hotel, and they helped me secure transfers from the ferry to the hotel and back to the ferry using Albert Travel. They met us off the ferry holding a sign with our name which was great because it's kind of crazy when everyone is getting off and cars are leaving the ferry. The resort was a dream. Check-in was quick. We were taken to our over-the-water bungalow, and it was a dream. First, they had decorated the whole bungalow with fresh flowers and left a couple of small gifts for our anniversary. It made me cry. Then they delivered a bottle of champagne. We toasted at sunset on our deck. The bungalow was quiet, clean, the bed a little hard, but nothing I couldn't deal with. The wifi was great, and the water pressure in the shower was really good. We got towels and free snorkel equipment at the activity booth and snorkelled both days. The bungalows sit over a reef, so there were lots of fish to see. The outside of the reef has a sharp drop and they recommend not to snorkel further than the buoys set a ways from the edge of the reef. The water was so blue, and I could have spent all day every day snorkeling around the area. The resort itself was not busy while we were there, so it was no issue to get a lounger by the pool. We ate breakfast there both mornings. They had a buffet and omelette station, and that was plenty. We had dinner there poolside the last night and that was very nice. I had seen a recommendation to try the restaurant Ke'iki which is just a short walk from the hotel, and it was wonderful. I highly recommend you go there one night for dinner. We went on a Saturday night, the night we arrived, because it looked like it was closed Sunday and Monday. The staff are all very nice. This checked all the boxes for me. I would recommend this resort to anyone. It's not cheap, but it's worth spending a couple of days here if you are vacationing in the area.

Perfect choice, including for families with children. The location is very good - beautiful mountains behind the resort, walking distance to multiple shops and restaurants. I stayed in a family duplex room, which is really perfect for families with kids, since there are two twin beds on the lower level and two others on the higher level. All rooms of this type have a view to the wonderful garden. In my opinion this room type is way better than the overwater bungalows, so I would make the same choice in the future. The pool is really nice, and with a beautiful ocean view. If you have kids they'll appreciate spending time there. Very good snorkeling, especially right next to the overwater bungalows (at the end of the bridge). I saw lots of fish and even a turtle swimming by. The kayaking (free for the hotel guests) is nice, and you can paddle a few minutes to reach an area with shallow water. Just be careful of the currents and winds, they seemed to pick up a bit after 10 in the morning or so. Also, if you get lots of rain you'll see the ocean water turning brown for a few hours after. There's not much of a beach, though, so you may want to drive to the couple of public beaches on the island, if you're interested in that. I went to the one next to Sofitel, about 10-15 minutes away, and it was truly outstanding, both in terms of views and of sea life. The breakfast was excellent, with surprisingly good pastries and yogurt, for example. Very friendly and prompt service, and I especially appreciated getting the room a few hours early, since I had just arrived to French Polynesia, with a really early flight (four o'clock in the morning!). Minor suggestion for improvements: the family duplex room was quite dark, so I had to use a flashlight when searching for something in my suitcase ;) It would be nice if some additional light sources could be added. Everything else was perfect and I will not hesitate to return.

I had a great massage with Lydia and Beline at the spa!!! They were really professional and super nice.

Having previously stayed at the Hilton and Sofitel, I was wowed by everything at Manava. Excellent staff, LOVED our beach bungalow, delicious meals! Great location and easy to walk to shops. Rental car office across the street if needed. Gorgeous beach bungalow with attentive housekeeping staff. Couldn't have asked for anything more, except to stay longer!

Absolutely excellent! Great location, friendly staff, very nice breakfast, and totally relaxing and beautiful. Highly recommend, and we own a travel business! We will be coming back.