Sofitel Moorea Ia Ora Beach: A Review Of Our Stay In An Overwater Bungalow

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(Last Updated On: August 2, 2020)

Sofitel Moorea Ia Ora Beach Resort is located on the island of Moorea and was one of the handful of choices we had when choosing our honeymoon vacation package through Costco Travel.  

After our arrival and stay here, I can without a doubt say that we made the right choice in staying in an overwater bungalow in Sofitel Moorea.

Arriving in Sofitel Moorea

In our case, when first stepping off the bus upon arriving at Sofitel you immediately know that you have just stepped into paradise.

Lush green vegetation, beautiful vibrant flowers and meticulously landscaped grounds.  Due to arriving at such an early time in the morning, we could not check into our bungalow.  So our luggage was held by hotel staff and we were invited in the open-air lobby of the hotel. 

There we were both presented fresh tropical flower lei’s and a much-needed glass of fresh fruit juice.  A host graciously prepared our necessary paperwork and explained to us the amenities that were included in the honeymoon package that we had ordered. 

Since our overwater bungalow was not ready, we were welcome to explore the resort, the beach and everything the hotel had to offer.

Complimentary meals

Surprisingly we were given a complimentary breakfast buffet for two at the resort’s Pure Restaurant for the morning of our arrival. Normally at most resorts the complimentary breakfast will not be offered until the morning after your check in.

I will add that we were also given one complimentary lunch to be used during our stay.

We decided to relax on the couch in the lobby, hydrate and charge our phones.  We were kindly offered an outlet converter from a guest host since we did not bring one.

There we remained for a couple of hours before heading to the restaurant for breakfast.

Sofitel Moorea amenities

As we walked along the paved path from the lobby to the restaurant, we passed by the Le Jardin Spa. Since it was still early, the spa wasn’t opened yet.  Opposite of the spa was a large pond with a water feature and many blooming lilies so naturally we took pictures.

Before getting to the restaurant, we stopped to take some scenic pictures at the beautiful infinity pool. The pool faces the beach and the overwater bungalows.  After appreciating the view for a couple of minutes, we passed through the Vue Bar and arrived at the restaurant.

We had the option of sitting inside or outside. Katie and I easily chose to sit outside because of the fresh tropical air and the amazing waterfront view of the ocean.

The breakfast buffet offered a wide variety of choices, you just pick up a plate and load it up. I enjoyed the water and juice bar because of the wide selection freshly squeezed tropical juices, yum.

And let me mention that you have the option to have your own French press coffee at your table.

The wait staff was very friendly and very punctual with any requests that we made. A wonderful way to start off every morning.

After breakfast, we strolled the beach and took some more photos. After a while, we headed back to the hotel lobby to wait for our room to be ready.

Our overwater bungalow stay

Once we received word that our room was ready, we boarded a golf cart to be driven by a porter. We were then driven to our overwater bungalow.

When we opened the door to our bungalow, we were expecting nice, but it was beyond nice and anything that I expected.  I found it to be one of the nicest tropical vacation hotel rooms I had ever stayed in.

It was spacious, comfortable, immaculately clean, and well decorated. The best part is that is what located just a few feet above some of the clearest, bluest ocean water in the world.

All we had to do is open the large sliding glass doors of our overwater bungalow, step onto our deck and step down about four steps to a lower deck and our feet could be in the water.

This became our daily routine because of the easy access to the water for our daily snorkeling adventures. The resort will provide you with all the complete snorkeling gear you need, but for this trip we had already purchased our own in the US brought it with us.

Of all the places in the world that I have snorkeled, I’d have to say this location provided some of the most fascinating looks at sea life I have ever seen, and the coral was absolutely beautiful.

If we were at our overwater bungalow, the outside desk is where we spent majority of our time. 

Mornings at Sofitel Moorea

In the morning we would make coffee with our provided Nespresso machine and sit in our lounge chairs and watch the sunrise over the bungalows facing us.

I found this to be some of the most relaxing and “pinch me, is this a dream?” moments. In the evenings we would shower and then come out to the outside deck to chillax, hydrate and soak up what the day had provided us.

I truly miss starting my morning waking up to and my nights going to bed breathing that fresh, warm tropical air.

The best vacation ever

The Sofitel Moorea la Ora Beach Resort is as beautiful in person as it is in the pictures on its website.  The staff is very friendly and accommodating.

Some of the staff service excellence included our mini fridge being restocked daily, exceptional room service during the day, a second visit in the evening to provide us with additional water and anything we need in our room(including turning down the bed), assistance with calls outside the resort and a departing shell necklace for us both when we checked out. 

We normally travel on a budget but on our honeymoon, we decided to spoil ourselves.  A stay in an overwater bungalow in Sofitel Moorea is a one of a kind experience.  

It was one of the best vacation decisions we ever made, and I guarantee if you make the same choice you will not be disappointed.

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Click HERE to read our post about the overwater bungalows in Moorea.

What to pack

• Sunscreen
• Insect Repellent
• Dry Bag
• Reusable Water Bottle
• Action Camera

Booking tips and tricks when planning your trip to Moorea

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