The Tahiti Ia Ora Beach Resort, formally the Le Meridien Tahiti, is a 149 room resort is located fifteen minutes from the airport on Tahiti's west coast, and is one of the few 4 Star hotels on the island of Tahiti.  Bought in 2012 by the Grey Investment Group (of Samoa's Aggie Grey family), the property is undergoing an extended programme of refurbishment and has just changed managment company (15 Oct 18), and is now being managed by Accor Hotels' Sofitel brand.

 

Located on the beach and set in five acres of lush, tropical gardens, the 3- or 4-story buildings are built in a rough horseshoe shape, surrounding one of the largest and best-landscaped swimming pools to be found in the area, affording most rooms above ground floor level an ocean view.

 

There are 3 main categories of rooms; Standard Guest Rooms, Junior and Prestige Suites and Luxury Overwater Bungalows, which have just been completely refurbished (May2019), plus the luxurious Presidential Suite.  Standard Guest rooms are defined as  Superior Garden View, Luxury Ocean View Rooms, and Luxury Panoramic Lagoon View Rooms.  The ground floor and some first floor rooms are classed as Garden View Rooms, with the ground floor rooms having the advantage of a private furnished patio with direct access into the gardens, and the 2nd floor rooms having a furnished balcony.  Refurbished in 2010 in warm, earthy colours and Polynesian touches, they offer 1 King, 2 Double or 2 Single beds, ensuite bathroom with complimentary toiletries, double vanities, hairdryer, bath tub with hand shower and separate walk-in shower, work desk and chair, occasional table and 2 armchairs, air conditioning, mini bar/fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, IDD telephone, flat screen TV with satellite channels, Wi-Fi internet access (fee), in-room safe and a whole wall of windows with sliding doors opening to your private furnished patio or balcony with views of the lush gardens and the pool.

 

The Luxury Ocean View Rooms are on the 2nd to the 4th floors and have a very modern, contemporary decor, in light neutral colours.  They offer the majority of the same amenities as the the Garden View rooms, but additionally provide modern design furniture, I-Pod dock, single sofa bed and views of the pool, beach and lagoon from the private balcony.  The Panoramic Rooms offer the same amenities as the Luxury Ocean View rooms, but are located on the top floor of each building, and include a complimentary shuttle into town and bottled water.

 

The Junior Suites are nearly double the size of the Guest Rooms, and with the standard amenities, with a spacious bedroom with King bed, ensuite bathroom and large shaded balcony set up as an open air living room, with dining table and chairs, rattan sofas, occasional table and sun loungers.

 

The 2 Prestige Suites are nearly 3 times the size of the standard Guest rooms, and are situated at the very end of the buildings, giving a quieter corner location with stunning views over the gardens, pool and the beach.  They have a large separate bedroom with King bed, flat screen TV and ensuite bathroom with bath and separate shower, and a spacious living room with dining table and chairs, huge corner sofa, armchair and a 2nd TV and sliding patio doors opening to a large terrace with outdoor funiture and sun loungers.

 

The 12 Overwater Bungalows are located on a pontoon stretching out into the shallow lagoon water in front of the resort.  With warm natural wood and neutral colours, the bungalows offer similar amenities to the Deluxe Guest rooms but additionally have a walk-in closet and a private sun deck over the water with sun loungers.  They have just completed a full refurbishment, in May 2019, and guests staying in this accommodation now also get the perks of a complimentary mini bar with soft drinks, water and beer, daily fruit plate and a welcome gift on arrival.

 

The unique Presidential Suite is located on the top floor of the main building, right in the centre of the resort with fabulous panoramic views over the pool, gardens and ocean.  The Suite offers a 4-poster King bed, luxurious ensuite bathroom with bath and separate shower, spacious living room with lounge furniture, dining table and chairs and single day bed, and double sliding doors that open to a large furnished balcony, making the open air area part of the living room.

 

The Resort has two restaurants, a lounge bar and and a Pool Snack Bar, as well as Le Meridien Eclairs, offering a selection of delicious variations on the traditional French patisserie pastry. Le Carré Restaurant serves gourmet French cuisine for lunch and dinner, with fresh local seafood as well as the finest imported meats and produce.  The open-air  La Plantation Restaurant overlooks the pretty water lilly-filled koi pond, and serves a full american breakfast buffet, and a varied steakhouse-style menu for evening dinner, along side special themed buffet nights and a Tahitian Music and Dance show every Friday, on the stage area in front of the dining room.  L'Astrolabe lounge bar is located on the balcony above La Plantation Restaurant, with natural wood and traditional-style woven furniture, where you can enjoy an evening of exotic cocktails, an excellent glass of wine or your choice of any number of beverages.  Le Pool Bar offers a selection of cold drinks and light snacks, to enjoy around the pool, or in the seating area on the lawn.

 

A full range of activities are available in the resort, from traditional live entertainment, wine tastings, Polynesian cookery classes, live music and happy hours, to kayaking, swimming, snorkelling, beach volleyball, tenni, yoga and aquaerobic sessions, as well as the unique (to Tahiti) sand-bottomed free-form pool and beach area with sun loungers.  The actual beach is just a few steps away, and the shallow lagoon waters are full of coral formations and many fish to see.  The Tours and Excursions desk can also book a range of land or sea activities for you, including fishing, diving, helicopter sightseeing trips, hikes and guided walks, and in season, whale and dolphin watching trips.

 

The Tahiti Ia Ora Beach Resort is smaller than the other quality hotels on the island of Tahiti. As a result of this, we feel that this hotel offers pleasant surroundings for clients contemplating an extended stay on Tahiti, or just an overnight stopover.

 

Click HERE to visit the hotel's own website

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