Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort

They say Moorea is paradise. And when you see it from the air, that's what it looks like. A real jewel box, shimmering in the Pacific. We booked the Sofitel because it had the name, the brand, the promise of that old-school luxury. The kind of place where they know your name, where the details matter, where the beauty outside is matched by the soul inside. We were looking for paradise. What we found was the end of the line. The minute you walk in, you can feel it. The gloss is gone. The rooms, once probably the height of style, are now just tired. Scuffs on the walls, furniture that's seen one too many honeymoons, a lingering sense of being forgotten. The spectacular view from the bungalow is still there, of course. The mountain doesn't change and the water doesn't fade. But it feels like a beautiful oil painting hanging in a dusty, neglected hall. And the service... forget about it. In the old days, a place like this would have run like a Swiss watch. A quiet word here, an anticipated need met there. It was an art. Here, there's no art. There’s no host. There's only a void. Trying to get a simple question answered is a journey into the abyss. Emails go unanswered, calls ring out. You feel like you're bothering them by simply existing. There's no care, no sense that you're a treasured guest. Let’s not even talk about the bizarre towel situation, a card which I never got, fighting for one skimpy, tired towel, had to start hoarding them. You're just the next number in the queue. Don't even get me started on the food. It was soulless, mass-produced fare served at prices that would make a Michelin-star chef blush. It wasn't cuisine; it was product. Shoveled out to the masses who don't know any better, or are too captive to go anywhere else. It’s food designed to be forgotten, served in a place that’s supposed to be unforgettable. The lobster and chicken so over cooked you can bounce it off the table. After a while, I finally figured it out. I had it all wrong. This wasn't a luxury resort anymore. It had been taken over by the bean counters, the corporations. They squeezed the soul out of it and turned it into something else. It’s an airport. That's all it is. A beautiful, tropical airport terminal. The view is the flashy duty-free shop that gets you in the door. We're all just passengers on a layover. They process you in, take your money, and process you out. There's no hospitality, just logistics. It’s a turnstile. We're coming and going, another planeload tomorrow, another set of faces next week. They don't have to care, because we're all leaving anyway. The paradise we were promised is gone. The town will never be the same. They replaced it with a checkout time. And in the end, that's all this Sofitel is now... a beautiful place to leave.

A very nice property, we stayed in an overwater bungalow. From the bungalow you could go snorkeling directly and we saw very nice fish, this is a truely added value. The snorkeling gear rent is included in your hotel bill anyway, they have a very good choice including whole face masks (at additional costs). The food is excellent. The themed dinner show with buffet was also very good.

This resort met all expectations. It is a beautiful property. We stayed in a beachfront bungalow, and it was a dream come true. Service was friendly. The food in the Pure restaurant was very good. Loved the beach bar for lunch. This is truly a special place for a once in a lifetime trip.

Excellent stay at the Sofiel. We loved the Polynesian feel of the resort. We stayed in room 209 over the water bungalows for 3 nights post cruise. The snorkelling was outstanding however I would rather stay at the garden or oceanfront villas as they were closer to the pool/ restaurant and considerably more reasonable . The grounds and setting were stunning here. We felt we were in Polynesia especially with the Luau which was on site. Food is a bit limited and expensive . Breakfast was terrific . I would stay here again.

Really friendly staff ,great location ,great luxury garden bungalows ,very nice beach ,great food ,like the idea we were able to rent cars right at the resort through the enjoy app that was really convenient .We were able to use paddle boards and kayaks ,the water is turquoise it was so nice !