Fare Aute Beach

The setting is lovely, but this felt far too basic for the price and badly in need of an update. There’s no air conditioning, just an inadequate ceiling fan and a very old, dusty floor fan that only plugs in one spot; its oscillation knob is broken. There’s nowhere comfortable to sit, indoors or out. The mosquito nets were torn, and the washroom windows had no covers, so opening them meant risking bites. We found heaps of ants around the washbasin, sinks, and living area. The polyester bedding was itchy and unpleasant in the tropics, and the only two towels were old, grey, and stained. The curtains didn’t fit properly, and a pole over the bed fell on me twice. The sole wardrobe for a room sleeping six was falling apart. Other details made the place feel neglected too. The kitchen fluorescent light had a faulty connection and flickered erratically. The freezer needed defrosting, and the crockery was a strange mix of shapes, sizes, and colors, with some pieces not clean. The only chopping board smelled of raw meat, and there was no bread board or bread knife. The toilet sits beside the front door, so it’s the first thing you see. The shower clip was taped so high that the water sprayed across the room. There was no housekeeping or fresh towels during our stay. A gardener raked the sand and cleared leaves, but that was the only cleanup. Rustic or not, I expect more for the money.

Our three-night bungalow booking turned out not to be available, and we only found out much later because the business hadn’t kept its website calendars up to date. At first, the couple on the phone seemed pleasant, but the way things were handled became the worst part of our trip. We were left without a place to stay the day before arriving on the island. We’d booked other accommodation on the far side of the island, so we had to rent a car to go meet Edolie and her husband in person. Even though we stayed flexible and tried to be understanding, they wouldn’t admit the mistake or transfer our money back. They also told us not to cancel through the booking website, and we trusted them and followed that advice. In the end, they would only give us the money in local currency, which was really inconvenient since we’d already converted our budget and had just three days left in Polynesia. They wouldn’t cover the bank fee we paid to convert it to euros either. The fee itself wasn’t the issue. It was the way they treated customers after leaving us without accommodation. I hope this was a one-off, since everyone has bad days.

The location is excellent, somewhere in the world.

You’ll need a car to explore, but rental cars are easy to get, and most companies will pick you up at the bungalow. We had a wonderful stay in a well-equipped place with an incredible lagoon view. Poe greeted us with a lovely smile, made delicious breakfasts with care, and gave us great tips. The owners are charming and attentive to your well-being, and we also got to meet their adorable little dog, Choupinette. The welcome was so warm that we’ll definitely come back.