Manava Suite Resort, Tahiti

Manava Suite Resort Tahiti
Janelle and I chose to spend the final night of our March 2010 French Polynesia trip at Papeete's newest resort, and were very pleased with our stay! We were in a Lagoon Suite with an incredible view over the infinity pool and out to Moorea off the large balcony (equipped with 2 chairs and a table).

 The perfect place to enjoy a few Hinanos, Tahiti's local beer!

The suite featured a separate bedroom, spacious living area, and small kitchen, as well as a smallish but very nice bathroom with separate tub and shower.

The decor is very modern but with some local touches, including dramatic black and white photographs of Polynesian people, fabrics that utilize traditional designs, and even a tiki guarding over the double vanity in the bathroom. The room was a bit modern for my taste, and I would like to see some lounge chairs on the balcony, but overall the suites at Manava (there are also rooms with the same layout with a garden view) are an excellent option for couples or small families who plan to stay for a reasonable length of time and would like to have space to spread out and a kitchen to cook some meals.

Manava also offers standard guestrooms (your basic hotel room with a bedroom with queen-size or twin beds and desk & chair and a full bathroom), that are small but offer a great value for a quick overnight stay. Lagoon and Garden Studio Suites offer more space than the guestrooms for a bit more cost; these do not have the living area or the kitchen you'll find in the Suites, but do have a small sitting area in the bedroom and a good-sized balcony or terrace. One and two bedroom Duplex Suites and 1, 2, and 3 bedroom Manava Suites are also available for those who would prefer a different layout or more space.

The resort grounds are fairly compact, but do offer a gorgeous infinity pool with views to Moorea, a small sand beach in place of a pool terrace, and 2 tiny "islands" where you can lay out or get a massage.

A pool bar serves a very limited menu of salads and sandwiches along with a much more extensive selection of beverages. In the main building of the resort you'll find the main restaurant where 3 meals a day are served. There's also a bar with an intimate feel and cozy seating which serves a short list of tapas. Manava's on-site spa  offers some massages and other standard spa treatments, but focuses more on aesthetic treatments. A few shots from around the hotel...

 Beautiful black and white photographs decorate the hotel's common areas and rooms.

 The 2-story lobby

Entrance to the bar

To top off a great stay, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset!

Overall, I would recommend Manava for: a short overnight stay (as it is currently the best value of the resorts near the airport), for those who really prefer resorts with a modern feel; or for those who want to have a kitchen and/or a lot of space/multiple bedrooms.

For those who are planning a longer stay and want more convenient access to downtown Papeete, a larger resort with more to see and do, and a more traditionally Polynesian feel, the Intercontinental (as seen from the plane in the photo below) is still my favorite resort on Tahiti!