Motu Aotera Guest House

The bungalow was just right, and the staff made us feel like family. They started out as the people looking after us and ended up feeling like friends. With a natural lagoon of your own and no artificial pool in sight, this is a lovely place to switch off. It's quiet, far from traffic and the rest of the world, with fresh air every day. Under the new management, the service was excellent.

There's no wardrobe in the room, and you can't safely leave belongings there because the glass entrance door doesn't lock from outside. The rooms are cramped, dirty, and full of bugs. No hot water either, and the taps are filthy and caked over.

The island is like paradise, which makes what happened as we left such a shame. Stephane was nasty when he charged us again for accommodation we'd already paid for, then threatened not to take us to the airport. My daughter-in-law was six months pregnant and unwell, but stood her ground. Luckily she'd met another woman who came and picked us up. Before that, we'd had an awesome stay: the staff were lovely and helpful, and the meals were good, mostly Tuna. The hot water, though, was cold. We went in March 2023.

The Pacific side stayed crystal clear even in windy weather, and the fish were large, with very healthy coral. Near the bay, snorkeling was easy and there were lots of fish. There's a shark nursery nearby, but the baby sharks leave you alone. Add miles of secluded beach backed by reef, and it's an amazing location. I'd definitely stay again.