What's To Like?
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Meet Teresa, one of our travel experts for French Polynesia.
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Teresa is a Certified Tahiti Travel Specialist and works with the Tahiti Tourism Board making sure her guests enjoy a fabulous holiday in Tahiti.
Teresa lives on the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii. She's been a Travel Advisor for 20 years, specializing in tropical islands around the world but her true love is the South Pacific.
Teresa has traveled throughout the South Pacific Islands and is on a first name basis with many of the resort owners. She has visited Fiji 7 times as well as Tahiti, Australia and New Zealand. Her speciality is multi-country holidays. Her agency, Luxury Hideaways, is rated A+ with the Hawaii Better Business Bureau.
Testimonials from Teresa's clients:
"We had the absolute best person to plan our trip for us. Her name is Teresa. She knows everything about this part of the world and took care of every little detail and it was free!!!! I highly recommend her!"
- Anne
"You were incredible!! I can't say enough how awesome of a job you did. I am a very deliberative person, and I was leery to a point because I didn't not have my hands in any of the scheduling/planning of the trip. So, I might have been on edge a few times until we got to the resort. I was very impressed with your service! So, thank you for all you did."
- Josh and Heather
"We were trying to plan our honeymoon in Fiji and were so confused and overwhelmed by the number and variety of resorts there. But then we found Teresa! She is very helpful and knowledgeable about Fiji and several different resorts there. When we were specifically trying to decide between two resorts, Teresa was able to help us decide as she provided us with specific differences between the resorts. Whenever we had questions, she responded quickly, even with the huge time difference. We are excited to have finally booked our honeymoon! She sent us a package with helpful information and tips, such as what to expect upon arrival and items to pack. We are looking forward to our honeymoon and to continue working with Teresa."
- B Kurian
"When we first started communicating with each other I wanted a Honeymoon that was going to be unforgettable and something that would be truly special, you certainly delivered plus more. Koro Sun was paradise on earth and of course we enjoyed the environment but what we loved the most was the staff and all the happy people we were surrounded by. We didn't know what to expect coming into Fiji but with all your wonderful planning and helpful notes we got through our entire Honeymoon with ease. Our Edgewater Bure was breathtaking and my wife literally had a grin from ear to ear since the moment I told her where we were going till our departure. You gave us an unbeatable capstone to our marriage and for that I can't thank you enough. Again thank you so much for helping me plan the honeymoon and it was a pleasure working with you."
- Devin & Jared Chambers
"Your help was AMAZING! I can not express how easy it was working with you when we were looking at different resorts and itineraries. You put so much effort into accommodating us- form budget to activities to an overall idea of what to expect in Fiji. We changed our minds several times and you were so tolerant, a real pleasure to work with. Your knowledge of the islands was a HUGE help in picking our honeymoon spot. I am not going to hesitate recommending you if any family or friends are looking to plan a vacation. Thanks again!"
- Chris
"Bula bula Teresa!
You provided my wife and I with outstanding personalized service in preparing our trip (that due to unexpected wedding budget overruns, we were unfortunately unable to take at that time). It was so outstanding that when my friend Mike said that he was planning his honeymoon to Fiji, I told him that he MUST contact you to plan a trip.
My wife and I still plan on getting to Fiji within the next 2 years, and I promise that you will be the first person that we contact for travel reservations and trip planning.
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- Bryan
"I wanted to say again thank you this is absolutely amazing we are having a blast and the upgrade to the honeymoon bure was completely unexpected we have been treated amazingly and even got to fly to the island with the owner of the resort who was super nice to us. You were absolutely right about this place and I am so happy I found you thank you again!!!"
- Mark
"Thank you for the most amazing honeymoon! Wadigi was perfect in everyday! There are no words to express how incredible everything was (the food, the staff, the grounds, the accommodations...and everything in between!) We will definitely be back for our anniversary :-) Vinaka!"
- Bilal & Parisa
"Hello Teresa,
Thanks for your expert help in planning out trip to Tahiti.
After less than 48 hours after leaving Denver we are now at out beach bungalow at the Sofitel Hotel in Moorea Atoll.
The Air Tahiti flight from LAX was less than 8 hours and the service was incredible; 2 nice meals and great service.
Upon arrival in Papeete, Tahiti, we had the private car to the Ferry terminal and then a great ferry ride (30 min) to Moorea Atoll. We got here at about 10 am.
Staying at the Sofitel hotel…………..what can I say: it is French and the service is impeccable.
Your suggestion to spend our first few nights ‘on the beach’ was sterling………..here are pictures from out bungalow. Fortunately we got our bungalow at about 11 am and we went right into the water.
We snorkeled for about 2 hours and it was the very best !!! I bought a new GoPro camera and it is a life-renewing experience to be able to film under water like this, especially in crystal clear water!
Tomorrow we are on a 6 hour snorkeling tour to a ‘private island’ where we are to snorkel with manta rays and sharks..
What a hoot! So far, this is one of our very best trips ever (and we have been to 75 countries)
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- Walt Whatley
"It's been more than a week since we've been back but I just wanted to let you know that we had a great time at Tahiti. Thank you for arranging our wonderful trip. My kids are already saying they wanted to go back.
Teresa, I wanted to thank you for you assistance for this wonderful trip.
Don't think we'll be going back to Bora Bora anytime soon, but we may seek your help for some of our future trips and cruises."
- Barry
"We wanted to give you a summary of our Tahiti trip. In a word, just fabulous. We have never taken such a purely luxury, relaxing type of vacation in the past and it was an absolute delight.
Probably our favorite experience on the trip was the shark and manta ray feeding trip. I thought this would be somewhat hokey but it was great fun. Swimming with the sharks was a novel experience and even Debby with her limited swimming abilities had a great time. I was actually able to dive down and bat one of the lemon sharks on the tail. The mantas were like puppies in the way that they crowded around us, swimming over our shoulders in order to get to the food. We laid out the money for the video of the trip and its been the most popular picture of any trip that we have ever brought home. And we would recommend that anyone who goes to Bora Bora take the opportunity to eat at "Bloody Marys", a superb place to get the fresh seafood that we were looking for and it was very reasonably priced.
I could gush further but suffice it to say that it was a fantastic trip and just the type of relaxation that we needed at this busy time in our lives. Thanks for planning a wonderful trip for us!"
- Ken and Debby Richmond
"Hi Teresa,
Chris and I are back from our trip, and I just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed it!! The islands were beautiful, and each hotel worked out great!
Our beach bungalow at the Sofitel was the perfect location, close to the beach bar and looking directly out at the beach (#411). Just to give you some feedback, not complaining--The Sofitel was not as plush as I thought it would be and looked a little more worn. I thought the grounds would be more manicured and service a little better, considering the ranking it had. If we went back to Moorea, we would probably stay there again or recommend it to friends, because from other people that we met, it sounded like the Intercontinental there was similar and not necessarily a better option. The location was great though—near both the ferry dock and airport!
The Intercontinental Bora Bora and Thalasso Spa was spectacular!! The room was very tastefully done with beautiful finishes, our hut (110) was in the perfect location, very little construction noise if any, as I think most of the exteriors are finished, and every part of the property was so upscale. The water was so beautiful, and the resort was exactly as I hoped it would be! So glad we went there last!
We were able to meet up with friends from California who happened to be staying at the St Regis Bora Bora. We hadn’t seen them for over 20 years, so it was such a treat that we were all there at the same time. We didn’t realize there wasn’t a road that could easily connect both hotels, and a private water taxi would have been about $200, so we all met on the big island at Bloody Mary’s for dinner. Due to differing ferry location drop offs and times, we were only able to see each other for just over an hour, but it was great to catch up in person!
All of our transfers were so easy, and we were very well taken care of during each one, whether transport, ferry or by plane! Each of the vendors made it easy to find them, and they all had our information down correctly! That was a great feature of the trip!
Thanks again for all of your help with planning our vacation! We thoroughly enjoyed every minute!! Now back to reality...
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- Vicki Daltorio
"Hi, Teresa! Never got around to telling you how great a time we had in Hawaii. You did a great job! We enjoyed every minute, even the nerve-wracking Hana Highway. It all went smoothly, without flaw, and we have taken away with us precious and unforgettable memories.
Thanks again for your splendid assistance in helping us plan this vacation!
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- Jeffrey
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Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa
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Welcome to the Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa
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Photo #1 of 15
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The Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa is located on the northwest part of the atoll of Rangiroa, between the passes of Tiputa and Avatoru. Nestled in the heart of a magnificent coconut plantation, bordered by a white sand beach and a turquoise lagoon, the hotel boasts an elegant and refined architecture in perfect harmony with its environment.
Photo copyright Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa.
See thumbnails of all photos for this point of interest.
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Hotel Kia Ora Resort
Video copyright Hotel Kia Ora Resort.
Overview
The Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa is located on the northwest part of the atoll of Rangiroa, between the passes of Tiputa and Avatoru. Nestled in the heart of a magnificent coconut plantation, bordered by a white sand beach and a turquoise lagoon, the hotel boasts an elegant and refined architecture in perfect harmony with its environment.
Since its complete renovation in 2011, the Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa includes 60 villas and bungalows with exceptional style, scattered throughout the coconut grove, on the beach and overlooking the lagoon. A spa with a rain shower and a fitness room complete the hotel facilities. On the waterfront, two restaurants including a gourmet one and a bar on stilts surround a swimming pool with Jacuzzi.
For travelers in search of a Robinson Crusoe hideaway, the hotel also features five traditional style bungalows located on a private island, just an hour away by boat. There the Kia Ora Sauvage greets you in a mini version of paradise and reserves its charm to ten guests, who can discover the true Polynesian art of living, in a perfectly preserved nature.
To put you in the mood for a delectable feast, we have two restaurants: the Te Rairoa Restaurant combining tropical flavors and aromas with international dishes and the Gastronomic Restaurant Te Poerava to surprise your taste buds.
The creative design of Miki Miki Bar, is a great opportunity to get together with friends for a drink or an exotic cocktail while admiring one of the most amazing tropical sunsets over the lagoon of Rangiroa.
Within the Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa, take care of your body in our center Poekura Spa. Thus, you will be able to enjoy the pleasures of a traditional massage or an original version in our Vichy Showers installation.
For the most motivated, we provide a gym with all the modern amenities.
At the Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa, you will find many various activities to punctuate your stay with unforgettable memories.
The atoll of Rangiroa is certainly one of the most suitable place for fishing and diving with one of the most magnificent lagoons of French Polynesia. You will also be able to discover its wild islands with our excursions or simply by renting one of the vehicules we can provide.
Finally, we can suggest to engaged couple a complete wedding service executed following the polynesian tradition in the most romantic place in the world.
Google Reviews
About Google Reviews: recently Google has converted their review system to require reviewers to have a proper, identifiable Google+ profile.
This is a good thing, as it tends to cut down on bad reviews, both from people unwilling to stand behind their comments and fake positive reviews from
the businesses themselves. Old, pre-Google+ reviews are still in the system, and will appear below as written by "A Google User".
More info from Google is here.
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November 27, 2017 5:21AM |
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We were there one night for a couple of dives. The whole time we were there they were burning leaves/ garbage. It was bad. Eyes were bloodshot by the end and 2 of the 6 people with us couldn't leave the hotel room. When I mentioned the issue to the reception they didn't seem to care. even our scuba masked smelt like smoke. The rooms were nice but please take your leaves/garbage and burn them off the grounds or not on a windy day up wind......
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Todd McClenaghan |
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December 31, 2017 7:35PM |
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I struggle with writing this review. I'd like to give 3 stars. I just can't justify it.
Let's start with the main issue, deferred maintenance at the property. We reserved an over water bungalow, which is advertised on their website as air conditioned. There is an air conditioning unit, and it was running; however, average daytime temperatures in the room were 83 degrees (28c) when it was approximately 86 (30c) outside. The average nighttime temperatures in the room were 79 degrees (26c). Immediately upon arrival, we requested someone from engineering to come look at the a/c unit. No one came. Several hours later, we made a second request with the front desk. Finally, that evening someone came, looked at the unit and left without fixing anything or communicating with us. The next day, I stopped by and asked to speak with the general manager about the problem. I was told that he was not available. I requested again that someone look at our a/c unit. While I was out, someone did stop by and told my wife that "it was working properly." We were never offered alternative accommodations or contacted by anyone from the hotel staff or the general manager to see if our issue was resolved. It most certainly was not. We were extremely uncomfortable in our room and no one seemed to care. So, we made arrangements to leave the property after 3 nights of a pre-paid 6 night stay. When the staff were made aware of our plans, they did not bother to attempt to solve our problem, they only made sure to quote their "no refunds" policy. I attempted to visit the GM again on the morning of our new departure date, he was again, not available. So, I emailed him and explained my concerns. His response was polite, but unsatisfactory in my opinion. He explained that he would have been happy to move us to other accommodations, given the opportunity. Well, why wasn't that offered while we were still on property? They had 3 days with us on property to resolve our issue. I'm not going to make any assumptions about how much or little they care about guest comfort. I can only speak to what did and did not happen.
In my email to the GM, I offered to share some additional concerns regarding other deferred maintenance items, if he was interested. He did not indicate any interest in the additional feed back. If he had been interested, I would have shared with him my photographs of the rusty hardware in the bathroom, the dark moldy/mildewed grout in the bathroom shower, the multiple rips and tears in the wallpaper all over the bungalow, the fresh air vent window screens in the bathroom that were totally clogged with dirt and dust, and the generally poor state of repair of the bungalow.
The pictures on the Kia Ora website must have been taken soon after the 1998 opening. They do not remotely resemble the actual condition of the unit we experienced.
As a result of our experience, I asked the GM for a refund of the 3 unused nights. (Without asking any compensation for the 3 very uncomfortable nights we experienced) He offered a refund of 2 unused nights. I explained to him that I thought 3 nights refund was more than a fair compromise from our perspective since we had a serious unresolved issue that left us very uncomfortable for the 3 nights we were there and was the whole reason we felt we had to leave the property. He disagreed and said 2 nights refund was "more than fair." In fairness to the GM, his written correspondence was not confrontational, albeit tone deaf. To recap, beware the website does not accurately depict the overwater bungalows condition and do not expect the staff to be proactive in helping you resolve any issues. We were not treated rudely at anytime. I would say it was more that we were treated with indifference not befitting the expected level of hospitality of a "4 Star" property.
Rangiroa is a beautiful place and the scuba diving is absolutely amazing! With a hospitality focused management team and some additional maintenance budget, this property could be special. I wish I could have given it a better rating....
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Private Member |
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