Hotel reviews: Tiare Tahiti Noa Noa

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

The public beach nearest the hotel is Lafayette Beach, a black sand beach at PK 7 (Arue, on the east coast), whilst the nearest white sand beach can be found at Punaauia, at PK 8 (on the west coast). These beaches can be reached by taking a bus or truck from behind the hotel, the ticket costing between €1.30 and €2.60.
Accommodation tip:
There are only a few family rooms: one triple room and two quadruple rooms. The rest of the accommodation is made up of double and single rooms.
For prices and reservations, contact the hotel. Tiare Tahiti Noa Noa, 417 boulevard Pomare, Papeete. Tel.: 00 689 50 01 00, Fax: 00 689 43 68 47, E-mail: hotltiaretahiti@mail.pf

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

The Tiare Tahiti Noa Noa was built overlooking the sea on boulevard Pomare in 1997, and it is well-located for exploring Papeete on foot. The crafts market is 3 streets from the hotel, some 984 ft away and the cathedral - one of the symbols of the town - and harbour (for ferries leaving for Moorea) are a similar distance away. In the entrance hall, the reception leads to the lift - or stairs - that can be taken up to the rooms. On the first floor can be found the breakfast room and a lounge area under a conservatory roof, with a vending machine selling cold drinks and chocolate bars.

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

The 38 rooms are spread between the 2nd and 5th (and last) floor of the building. Depending on their position in the building, they may overlook the boulevard and seafront (the most distinctive view), the Post Office building in the neighbouring street, or avenue du Général-de-Gaulle, behind the building. Given its town-centre location, a certain amount of traffic noise can be heard in all the rooms, but things get quieter at night. The building's sound-proofing is pretty average, so if you have sensitive hearing, ask for a room at the end of the corridor on the top floor. In terms of surface area, the double rooms measure about 215 sq ft. The decor includes the local feature of a plaited niau covering the wardrobe door. The rooms overlooking the bay have a perpetual balcony which means that you can step outside, although you won't wish to linger out there for long with the noise of the town all around you. The facilities here are perfectly suitable for a stopover (between flights) or for exploring the town of Papeete; they have air-conditioning, a telephone and a television with a medium-sized screen. There is a safe at reception. As for the bathroom, it has a shower, and the hospitality products consist of a small bar of soap.

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

The only meal served at the Tiare Tahiti Noa Noa is breakfast, which comes at a charge of €10 per person on top of the accommodation fee, but this is a bargain compared to the usual price of a meal in Polynesia. For something cheaper, you should head to one of the little snack bars in the crafts market, where fruit juices, hot drinks and pastries are served. The hotel breakfast is served in a first-floor room overlooking the lounge area with its conservatory roof, and it consists of bread, butter, tropical preserves, a croissant, a plate of fresh fruit, fruit juice and a hot drink. There are no views giving onto the outside, but the room is peaceful and air-conditioned (a blessing in the hot season that runs from November to March). For the other meals of the day, head out of the hotel to the crafts market. A picturesque lunchtime option is a quick bite at the snack bar on the first floor of the market, where basic but cheap sandwiches are prepared, starting at €3. In the evening, the famous 'Roulottes' set up stall on 'place Vaiete' square, by the harbour. These mobile canteens serve a whole range of dishes from 6:00 pm onwards, including spit-roasted meat, mahi-mahi (dolphin-fish) in sauce, chicken and chips, sauteed noodles and sweet and savoury pancakes. The dishes can be taken away or eaten sat on a plastic stool at one of the folding tables set out on the square. A typical dish will set you back around €13, although you can also ask for a bowl of rice for €2 or a portion of chips for €5.