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On our first trip to Moorea in 2018, we fell in love with the island, the people, the culture – it just fit our lifestyle so much. We spent a few days at the Sofitel Moorea and were ecstatic to return to paradise just a year and a half later.

The Sofitel Ia Ora Beach Resort in Moorea was kind of a let down the second time around. We had high expectations for what awaited us after an incredible journey the first time around. While the property was undergoing renovations, we noticed major lacks in service and facilities that made us question some of the decisions management had made. Listen in to learn more about what fell short!

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Negatives aside, the Sofitel is situated on a pristine lagoon just 5 minutes from the ferry port, making it an incredibly easy property to get to. While the property lacks a fitness center, the oceanfront property caters to all water sports, like paddle boarding, swimming and scuba diving.

For the first night of our stay, we were booked into a Luxury Overwater Horizon View Bungalow, providing pristine views of the beautiful lagoon. The room was pretty much the exact same as the Luxury Overwater Bungalow, with the exception that the villa was located more to the end of the dock, allowing for a more expansive views of the lagoon.

Sofitel Moorea luxury overwater bungalow

Articles to read

HOTEL REVIEW: SOFITEL IA ORA BEACH, MOOREA

Want to learn more about this property? Read our full written hotel review of the Sofitel Ia Ora Beach Resort.

The last two nights we spent in a Luxury Garden Bungalow, which has the same layout as the Luxury Overwater villas. Note that the floorplan of the standard overwater villas is different. The Garden Bungalow was nice – albeit there are more mosquitos since you are on land.

One of the issues we experienced on property was the fact that they cater mostly to locals, with brunches, events, weddings and other onsite activities that hotel guests are not invited to, unless they know about it. It was a bit disappointing to be turned away or wait in long lines.

Jump to what you’re looking for:

00:35 – Location

02:19 – Lobby & Check in

04:02 – Rooms

06:13 – Service

07:37 – Dining

09:24 – Facilities

10:42– Style

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Disclaimer: We were hosted by Accor Hotels on a media stay. Please know the opinions expressed are all our own and may not reflect the hotel’s own views.

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