Hotel Tieti

This resort looks amazing in the photos, but in reality it is tired and in need of renovation. There were many things which needed fixing and listed amenities were either broken or not present - table tennis, pool table etc. The pool area is nice but the beach is not great for swimming. The rooms were clean and large but lacking character or generosity. The restaurant was expensive and had only one vegetarian option at $50. We only ate there one night during our stay and instead went to the local supermarket to buy food. The hotel is not very helpful when it comes to organising local activities and none of the staff speak English other than at the most basic level. This is overpriced for what it is delivers which is a shame as the location is great and there is great potential here. There is also a lot of tension with the local Kanak people outside of the resort which did not make us feel welcome.

L'Hotel Tieti is an absolute gem of a place hidden 300kms north of Noumea on the West Coast of New Caledonia. Built in the mid 1980's, it is looking a little bit aged in some places but apart from that this hotel is superb. It is about a 4 hour drive north from Noumea and the roads are of a reasonable standard all the way. We stayed in a beachside bungalow and the staff and management (especially the Manager Yves) fell over themselves to make us feel welcome, safe and looked after. We were literally 15 metres from the white sand beach and the warm tropical waters. This hotel is very affordable and certainly popular with many folks, especially on long weekends. The accommodation is clean, well maintained and comfortable and everything is provided. Cooking facilities in the rooms are limited as the hotel restaurant is so well patronised, accessible and provides everything you could need. We did make our own breakfast, but other than that we generally dined at the hotel restaurant where the food is superb, plentiful and affordable. There is a fantastic pool by the restaurant and parking is in front of the reception with access to the bungalows by a system of boardwalks. This hotel is very well priced and affordable, by both New Caledonia standards and internationally. It is very near to a township called Poindomie which has several smaller supermarkets, ATMs and a pharmacy so everything you may need is very close. There is also a well regarded Dive business nearby. This hotel is a good base to use to explore further North (but the roads do get a bit rocky up there), as well as simply relax on the sand or in the water (but stay about waist deep in the sea). We highly recommend L'Hotel Tieti for an amazing New Caledonia get away.