Manea on Muri

The host's hospitality and how easy it was to get to the lagoon made up for the basic accommodation and facilities that aren't the newest. We enjoyed our stay.

Wendy, the cleaner/Manager, was very helpful, and our room was clean. Still, the place needs maintenance and doesn't really meet the standard I'd expect for budget accommodation in Muri Beach. The TV remote had flat batteries and several lights didn't work. There are two one-person kayaks and one two-person kayak, but only one good paddle and another that's broken. The mini safe wasn't bolted down, so it could easily be taken. Moving the pool shed that's blocking the view from the rooms would improve it a lot.

Villa 1 was near the beach, and the location right by the lagoon was great. The villa had a queen bed, toilet, kitchen and living room, plus aircon, a toaster, microwave, fridge and other basics. There's a pool beside the beach, and kayaks, snorkel equipment and life jackets are free to use. Wifi isn't included, but you can buy data from a Vodafone hotspot for $10 for 2GB for 7 days. Google Maps is a little off. It's better to enter that way, then turn right when you reach the beach and go in via the stairs, since there are some aggressive dogs along the correct road. If nobody's there when you arrive, ring them using the phone in the common area. Instructions are on the whiteboard.

The owner was really nice and helpful. She let us leave our belongings in her office until check-in, which made things much easier. Our room had a decent amount of space, a kitchen, lounge, nice bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom air conditioner was handy in the heat. From the balcony, we had beautiful views of the beach and garden. There are chairs along the beachfront, plus snorkel gear and kayaks, and the pool beside the beach is good for a swim any time of day. Muri beach is right there with easy access. The roosters made some noise in the mornings, so I'd probably bring ear plugs, though we had noisy roosters at other places too. They're all over the island and can't be avoided, so it's not specific to manea on muri. I would stay here again.