Vaianae Lodge

I love it here. The rooms and kitchen are clean, the hospitality is excellent, and Tama and his family can't be beat. This is the only place I'll stay on Moorea.

For the price, this place is GREAT! Maybe the person who wrote the review before mine stayed somewhere else or expected a 5* hotel!! 🤣 Tama and his family are wonderful, helpful, kind, and easy to talk to. There are free bikes, SUPs, and kayaks to explore with, and hiking trails nearby. It's a great base for exploring Moorea's wilder southern side. The sunsets are amazing and the stars at night are lovely. Highly recommend trying it out! And yes, there are two lovely cats, a dog, and lots of ducks wandering around the gardens and outdoor space.

We left after two days of a five day stay and lost the cost of the other three. We didn't feel comfortable with the setup anymore and didn't really feel welcome, more like a source of income. The room was clean, though there were some bugs. If all you need is a place to sleep, you have a gas scooter, don't want to engage, and don't need WiFi, it might suit you. The host wasn't responsive, and I only met him on the second day. WiFi barely worked in the common area and there was none in the rooms. There was also an issue with charging our electric scooter. His mom kindly agreed to charge it, but it wasn't charged the next morning. The host said he'd unplugged it “a few minutes ago,” then later admitted he'd unplugged it the night before. When I asked why, he got defensive and said he had “better things to do,” in an elevated tone of voice that continued. And now Tama pretends I didn't stay at his place. Oh well. First he was aggressive, and now he's denying it. Interesting. I stayed there with a friend, and I'm sure you remember the story :) I won't come back. Cheers.

Tama is a great innkeeper: personable, helpful, and full of useful information. Just ask him if you need help or recommendations. This is good value on the quiet, local, even rural side of the island. It isn't a touristy resort experience; for that, head to the north side. If you'd like a quiet, authentic feel for life on Mo'orea, direct access to the water, few other guests, stunning sunsets, incredible stars at night, and good value, I'd recommend it. A scooter is handy to rent, and it's 20-30 minutes from the ferry landing. There's a little market 2 kilometers west. Also check out "Snack DJ (pizza Daniel)" 7 kilometers west. They make great handmade, wood fired pizza right in front of you for only 1500xpf, an excellent takeaway to bring back to the Inn and enjoy while watching the sunset.