Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa

We just came back from a six night stay at this resort. We were delighted! Very sorry that we had to leave. We were in a villa with pool and loved it!|Already at the airport , we were warmly greeted with a |Lei and did not have to care about our luggage at all.|At our arrival at the resort , we were |Welcomed with a big smile , a fresh towel and a fresh juice!. The staff is great, friendly and will do everything to make you feel at home. The villa was fantastic, nicely furnished and gave us privacy, to hear our music and my husband could smoke his cigars without disturbing anyone. Outdoor bathtub and outdoor shower, how awesome! The room is big and spacious and you have your own sunbeds and a separee with couch and chairs to stay in-the shade or to sit nicely, safe from the rain. Coffeemaker in the room and everyday fresh water in-the fridge. The restaurant is great, food excellent. We had a romantic dinner on the beach. Exceptional! Food and service as well! The staff is so friendly and heart warming. Buffets are great and many varieties of different dishes, very yummy and for each pallet. The dances ( Polynesian nights) a must to see. The bar at the end of a jetty, just wonderful with great sunsets and glass bottom to see the bountiful fish and little sharks.|Drinks are pricey. It would be great, if there would be a happy hour to save your budget. The resort is very remote and the street full |of holes and in my opinion not safe at dawn or in the dark to drive or ride a bike. So going|to another restaurant is not really an option. We would come again and can only recommend very warmly, the Kia Ora. Dive shop is on -site and also here the people are very friendly and professional. The pool is top and beach is stunning and great to swim. Direct access from the beach or from the ladder of the jetty. The colours of the sea - unbelievable and too good to be true. We were very happy and had our best wedding anniversary in 29 years!

Unfriendly, inefficient, outdated. I came there with my family for a relaxing vacation, only to be disappointed by the outdated rooms and unprofessional staff. We ordered drinks that took over 30 minutes to arrive. The dinner was endless as staff looked like headless chickens running around attempting to match orders to tables. What might have been a phenomenal hotel in 2005, now looks like a hotel with limited budget (you wouldn’t be able to tell this from the prices). The hotel does not look like the pictures. Management was not open to our complaints and met it with slight aggression…

Doesn’t look like the pictures. Sunset was not bad at the cocktail bar but that’s about the only positive thing I can say. They ruined the view with white LED lamps at night, so you could not see the stars. I got sick from the overpriced food afterwards at the restaurant. When mentioning it to the staff they were very unfriendly and unhelpful. Please don’t go. Go to Relais Josephine instead! 🩵

We just got back from our honeymoon, and I will say first and foremost what an excellent place to begin your stay in French Polynesia. The resort was gorgeous, the breakfast was so incredible, the staff were friendly and knowledgeable, and the room we stayed in was exceptional. I do have a few notes on things that didn't exactly live up to expectation. We got snorkel equipment for the snorkeling trip we booked, but my snorkel was broken when I tried to use it. The first breath in after we got in the water had me breathing in salt water. I had to hold the life preserver while I coughed and tried to clear my lungs. After we got back I explained that the snorkel was broken and I didn't actually get to do any snorkeling but I was still charged for it at the end of our stay. There were a couple hiccups with the taxi we got from the front desk also, the driver said he accepted card when we asked at the start of the trip but Said cash only after we returned, and he stopped at the wrong location at first. I understand that there is a language barrier there though, and it was no trouble to get cash, but as a warning make sure you exchange your cash for local cash so you can pay for things like taxis! All in all I would recommend this place to friends and family with the caveat that you do your research before you go, and make sure to bring your own snorkel equipment!

We stayed at the Kia Ora 7 years ago. We loved it so much that we wanted to stay here again. The first time, I booked through a travel agent, but this time I booked directly with the hotel and Sylvia was amazing. She was so accommodating and helpful, even when we had to change our dates. When we arrived at the Kia Ora it looks just as beautiful as we remembered. We stayed in the pool villa and yes, the villa itself is dated and some of the deck is deteriorating with age, but that did not take away from our incredible experience! The hotel is aware and we actually met Gerry, the hotel manager. Somehow he knew exactly who we were when we ran into him in the reception area on our last day! Don’t even ask how that is possible, they are that good :) Back to the pool villa - the room is outstanding with its private pool, bathtub, seating area and lounge chairs. If you stay here, make sure you book enough days to actually enjoy the room! We spent several days diving, but one day we did rent bikes from the hotel and rode into town. We also went to watch the dolphins at the pass when we were not underwater watching them play. If you love dolphins, you mush come here! The food at the restaurant is delicious despite being the same menu each day, and the bar has the most beautiful ocean views. With all this beauty however, it is their staff that truly make your stay remarkable. Everyone is kind and pleasant and incredibly helpful, especially Teapua, Moerava and Tania at the front reception. When we left, it was like saying goodbye to family! Thank you Kia Ora for another wonderful stay. We will be back again :)

When you travel, thanks to advance in technology, we can now take pictures and videos and save them. We check them later to see the experience. However the act of kindness and genuine care cannot be stored on a physical memory. We came to Kia Ora as guests but left with so many memories in our heart. Special thank you to Kiki and Mihi, you left your place in our hearts. Your simple acts of kindness, hospitality and big heart left a mark in us. Thank you Poe for making tea for me.

Horrible resort, there are way better resorts in French Polynesia, it is not like in the pictures! What you get for what you paid, is awful. Service is horrible and arrogant, do not go here!! Waste of your money and time, especially for a location so remote, go somewhere else!!

Disclaimers:||On our recent trips to Tahiti we have stayed at:||IHG Thalasso, Le Bora Bora, and Le Taha’a. Weekend trips at the Hilton in Papeete||Our room experience was limited to our specific duplex beach bungalow. It appeared that the villas off the beach had already undergone some sort of upgrade, so if you are booking that category, discount the mentions below related to that.|||The good:||Let me start by saying that our party of 4 had an outstanding time at the Kia Ora. The staff is exceptional and accommodating. We thoroughly felt at home during our visit. The restaurant had a wonderful varied menu, and the buffet breakfast was a great way to start the day.||The property is spread out nicely along the shore with adequate spacing between the units I would absolutely recommend the beach or overwater bungalows. The views over the water and the sunsets are spectacular. The walled villas obviously do not have that available. While totally relaxed, the property did have a bit of an “abandoned summer camp” vibe to it since most divers are out on excursions during the day, and the common areas and pathways can become very quiet.|||With apologies to management, the not so good:||The bungalow we stayed in had many deferred maintenance items. The bathroom door didn’t close properly, the shower fixtures were loose, the hot tub leaked badly and lost about a foot or so of water daily. It ran 24/7 as the controls were non-functional.||The furniture in the common area consisted solely of 3 wooden side chairs. ||The refrigerator was of the vintage college dorm room variety.||Just an electric kettle and some instant coffee packets in the room. Coffee purists may prefer a nespresso/coffee maker||If you are looking at one of the 2 duplex units on site please note that the upstairs was oppressively hot. The a/c ran for the entire time, but did not have the capacity to cool the room. |||Some other issues:||No water readily available throughout the property including the pool. Water bottles are too tall for the in-room sinks, so it requires a visit to the bar to refill. The property does provide a few bottle of water in the room daily. ||No towel service at the pool. A towel is provided in the room and must be managed during the day||No ice machines on the property. You must carry your bucket to the bar to be filled||The water toys were limited to a lone dual kayak and 2 outrigger canoes. (paddles are found at the main lobby) No single kayaks, nor stand up paddleboards. ||The Gym was, to put it kindly, limited in its work out options. And similarly, no water within. (entry key at front desk)|||Summary:||I understand that everyone has different expectations of what a 4 star resort is, and I also acknowledge that the majority of people staying at this property are there for the diving and not present during the day and using the facilities.||However, for those that are looking for a comparable property to those found on other islands, I think it is appropriate to mention the realities of the Kia Ora. I get that the management company is not wanting to spend any money to correct or update the deficiencies since it is shutting down next January for a makeover.||Ultimately, any holiday is what you make of it. We adapted to the quirks of the property and thoroughly enjoyed our time on Rangiroa. The staff is absolutely 5 star and fills in the gaps that the infrastructure can’t. I am sure we will make a return visit in the future.||Things to do:|Take the day excursion to the blue lagoon|Dinner at Josephine’s must reserve 1 day in advance