Hotel Manava Beach Resort & Spa Moorea

We stayed at Manava Beach Resort & Spa Moorea in an overwater bungalow and had a great experience overall. The room was spotless when we arrived and very comfortable. The bed was cozy, the air conditioning worked perfectly, and the bathroom had excellent water pressure and plenty of hot water. There was a smart TV in the room (not very large, but convenient), a daybed, and a beautiful back deck with two reclining chairs and direct access to the water. They had a variety of electric outlets including 1 US compatible electric outlet and USB ports. The service at the resort was excellent from start to finish. Our room was cleaned daily, and the staff were all very friendly and welcoming. We also received a complimentary bottle of wine during our stay, which was a nice personal touch. The concierge team was especially helpful, handling dinner reservations off the resort, booking taxis, and arranging scooter rentals quickly and efficiently. The area around the overwater bungalows was fun to explore. The snorkeling isn’t the best in Moorea, but you can still see plenty of fish, colorful coral, and even the occasional turtle or black tip shark swimming by. The resort’s beach area is quite small, though the infinity pool is large and beautiful. Guests can use the motorized paddle boards, kayaks, and snorkeling gear at no charge. The gym is simple but functional, with cardio machines and a few free weights. Check-in was smooth and easy. We arrived around 8 a.m., and our room was ready by about 1 p.m. In the meantime, the staff stored our luggage and let us use the resort, which we really appreciated. The only issue was a mix-up with breakfast that morning. The front desk encouraged us to enjoy the breakfast buffet, but the restaurant staff said it wasn’t included without a room number, so we ended up paying around $70 USD for two people. The buffet itself was basic with limited variety, so that part was a little disappointing. Food and drinks at the resort are pricey but consistent with what you’ll find throughout French Polynesia. Happy Hour offers half-price drinks from a special menu, and the bar food was excellent. Drinks were well made and not watered down from our experience. They also host live entertainment several nights a week, which adds a nice atmosphere. One evening, the resort held a Polynesian dinner buffet with live entertainment. The meal and performance were both outstanding and ended up being one of the highlights of our stay. The only downside was that the flyers around the resort didn’t mention that it was a paid event, so we were surprised to receive a bill afterward (about $80 USD per person). It would have been nice to know about the cost in advance, but the evening itself was still very enjoyable and worth attending. If you plan to stay here, I’d recommend bringing your own alcohol from home in your checked luggage before you arrive. It’s a great way to save a bit and enjoy a drink in your room. Mini fridge was empty upon arrival so you must purchase your own mixers, which you can get from a store down the street off the resort. Overall, we loved our stay at Manava Beach Resort & Spa Moorea. The setting is beautiful with good mountain and ocean views, the service was great, and the overwater bungalows are absolutely worth it.

They get 3 stars because we were on our honeymoon and I paid for a premium bungalow expecting privacy, there was NO privacy! Dive shop behind us loading the tanks early every morning, then worse the loud local kids!!! DO NOT STAY IN BUNGALOW 401. I am mostly upset at that, then to add salt to the wound bc of delayed flights I paid for a night I never got! And they charged me! No privacy (for a premium bungalow) maybe they should gwt 1 star. Otherwise the place was nice, the service ehhh not what i am used to at that price point! Food was good here though. I can never get those honeymoon memories of kids screaming and playing right next to our bungalow until sundown! It sucked!

We just returned from what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation at Manava Resort, and it was hands-down one of the worst resort experiences we’ve ever had. What should have been paradise turned into a frustrating (and in one case genuinely scary) ordeal. Here’s the breakdown of why we’ll never go back and why we strongly recommend you look elsewhere.||1. Extremely limited dining options||There are basically no real restaurant choices. If you don’t love tuna pizza (the signature dish that appears literally everywhere), you’re out of luck. The buffets were underwhelming, overpriced (easily $100+ per person once you add drinks and tip), and the quality simply didn’t match the cost.||2. No fridges in the Overwater Bungalows||You can’t keep drinks cold, store leftovers, or even chill a bottle of water. In a tropical climate, this is ridiculous.||3. No water stations anywhere on the property||If you run out of bottled water in your room at night, that’s it—you’re thirsty until morning. No 24-hour option, no filtered water stations, nothing.||4. No coffee for early risers||The only coffee machine in the OWB was broken the entire stay, and the resort doesn’t start serving coffee until 8:30 a.m. If you’re up at 6 or 7 like we are, tough luck.||5. Nothing within walking distance||Unless you rent a car (which adds another big expense), you’re completely trapped on the resort with its limited (and expensive) food offerings.||6. No microwaves||Want to save some of that $100 buffet for later? Can’t heat it up. No snacks, no late-night options—your only choice is to pay resort prices all over again.||7. Cloudy, questionable water around the bungalows||The lagoon water wasn’t the crystal-clear turquoise you expect from photos. It was murky pretty much the whole time we were there.||8. Serious health concern – heavy pesticide spraying||This is the scariest part: the resort sprays pesticides aggressively around the property (often in the evenings when guests are outside). My husband had a severe reaction—his organs started showing signs of distress and we ended up cutting the trip short to seek medical attention. We’re still dealing with the aftermath.||Bottom line: Manava feels like it’s cutting every possible corner while still charging premium (or ultra-premium) prices. Between the lack of basic amenities, the trapped-on-property feeling, the terrible food value, and the legitimate health scare from pesticide exposure, we regret booking here at all.||Do yourself (and your wallet, and your health) a favor and book literally anywhere else. There are far better resorts in the area that actually deliver the experience they promise. We wish we had.

This is a wonderful spot on the island. The staff is so incredibly lovely and friendly. Everyone in the restaurant was amazing. The 2 women making eggs every morning were a delight. I was there with a family of 10 from grandma to grandkids, beach bungalows were a great spot to gather. Andy always had a smile 😀 We were there for Christmas Eve/day and the dinner and show was perfect. Maruuru everyone for the memories!!!

My wife and I recently stayed at Manava Beach Resort & Spa and we loved our time there. We stayed for 5 nights and the staff were all very friendly and helpful right upon arrival and throughout our stay. We pre-arranged some activities through the hotel and the concierge was very helpful and easy to work with once we got there to check-in. The food overall is good with a wide variety and the show on Wednesday was a highlight. Our over water bungalow was spacious, with easy access to the main building. The hotel is close to some nearby shops and restaurants too which was nice to get out, walk around and see some of the local establishments. I would definitely recommend Manava!

A pleasant resort not too far from the Ferry Terminal. Pleasant atmosphere with very welcoming staff. The resort is well-kept generally, although some aspects of the rooms need refreshing. i.e. pillows and aspects of the overwater bungalow decks/ladder to the sea. In respect of value, this resort is ot out of line for cost as compared to others on Moorea. If you are looking for a pleasant place to stay, consider this resort.

Only place I have stayed on the island but damn it was awesome! The staff is on it! My last day, I was sick and they helped me and my husband. The breakfast buffet was more than adequate, the bar on property has a happy hour every evening, the restaurant has a Polynesian performance which was entertaining. Within a reasonable walking distance to shops and a small grocery store. The rooms have a kettle, fridge, and some have a coffee maker. You can borrow snorkeling gear and flippers to explore the reefs, and kayaks.

The overwater bungalows were very special. Spacious, comfortable, secluded with a direct view onto the reef and plentiful fish, a resident reef shark, ray and even a turtle. However, the rest of the hotel was good but lacked the ‘wow’ factor to match with the bungalow. There was little difference between the restaurant and bar food and the service was average in both settings as was the housekeeping. Nice to have free use of kayaks, but it wasn’t clear how you reserved one (there was only one double kayak) or where you could go with it around the bay. Therefore whilst good overall, to move up to the level that the overwater bungalows suggests, the Manava Beach needs to sharpen up on its service attentiveness and distinguish its food offerings between the two outlets.