We originally booked a beach bungalow here for a 3 night stop on our honeymoon. When we arrived, the front desk staff told us that we were upgraded to an overwater bungalow as a congratulations. In addition, we also received a pareo and tshirt, as well as a round of free drinks! The staff here was probably our favorite and least favorite part. They were the friendliest hotel staff we encountered overall and they remembered our name and room number everywhere we went. The main issue was that there was not enough of them. It took us almost two hours to get drinks at happy hour one night and there were several meals when the restaurant only had one server. The beach here was amazing and provided wonderful views as well as snorkeling. The hotel is close to a market where you can stock up on water and beer. The restaurant on the beach had amazing pizzas, salad, and seafood. We were less impressed with the restaurant next to the bar, but loved the Polynesian show they put on. Overall, we very much enjoyed our stay here.

I walked into my lagoon view room and was gobsmacked. A million dollar view (see the photos attached) with a vivid palette of blues and greens was mine without the hefty price tag for which Bora Bora is infamous. My modern room with a balcony did not disappoint either. After many days staying in thatched roof Polynesian bungalows, this room - which I could hermetically seal from all the geckos, spiders, mosquitoes, mayflies, roaches and other creepy crawlies that adore this garden of eden - was exactly what the doctor ordered. I was as happy as a clam in my room. Housekeeping was extremely efficient and took good care to ensure that my bathroom was amply stocked with towels and toiletries. The hotel’s tiny beach was very peaceful and relaxing, as was the gorgeous lagoon.

Paradise is rarely perfect and sure enough, I have two big criticisms:

- Breakfast was by far the most unhygienic buffet I have ever seen, extremely surprising in these Covid-19 times. In its infinite wisdom, the hotel has eliminated all serving cutlery from dishes in the buffet. All this would be fine if guests were given single use tongs (as at the Intercontinental in Tahiti) to serve themselves and then leave in a tray for used serving tomgs. Instead, small quantities of cutlery, each set wrapped in a napkin, were laid out at the start of the buffet with not cutlery laid out at tables. Guess what? Nearly all the guests I observed went back to their tables with the cutlery they used to serve themselves, they then ate with the same cutlery and went back with their used cutlery to serve themselves again from the buffet!!! Few people thought of using another clean set of cutlery to serve themselves on return trips to the buffet. I mentioned this to the restaurant manager, Myreille, who just shrugged and blamed guests for not being responsible. I blame the hotel for having a dumb system that is not intuitive and that is far less hygienic than even a pre-Covid buffet. At least in the old days people didn’t wander back to buffets with spoons, forks and knives they had already used to eat with and plunge them into dishes meant to be shared with others! One day this buffet will be a super spreader of Covid-19 if this system is not changed.

- WiFi was very poor as several other guests have noted. It worked rarely and for only very short intervals in the room. It worked much better near the reception, but anything that went beyond the basics was often impossible even there.

All said and done, I enjoyed my stay, but I was very uneasy about the breakfast buffet and the lack of action on the hotel’s part even after I pointed out how dreadfully unhygienic it was to Myreille, the manager.

I spent two days at the Maitai over New Years. Very reasonably priced for Bora Bora with a wonderfully friendly staff. They really go above and beyond. Just as friendly and responsive as the staff at the 5* motu resorts in which I have stayed. Only a short walk to Matira Beach, shops, and restaurants. Great option for those who are on a budget or want to stay on the mainland for a night or two to stock up on alcohol, snacks, and other supplies rather than paying the huge mark ups charged by the motu resorts. I would not hesitate to stay here again.