Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa Rangiroa

“Paradise, eventually”

We enjoyed our stay at Hotel Kia Ora despite some initial hiccups. We booked a beach bungalow and were assigned a room at the far end of the resort. The hotel website does not mention that the beach bungalows are open-air/not sealed. It’s a tropical beach destination, so some insects are to be expe… more

We enjoyed our stay at Hotel Kia Ora despite some initial hiccups. We booked a beach bungalow and were assigned a room at the far end of the resort. The hotel website does not mention that the beach bungalows are open-air/not sealed. It’s a tropical beach destination, so some insects are to be expected of course; however, our bungalow was infested with mosquitoes, even in the middle of the afternoon. We killed at least 20-30 of them before giving up. We requested assistance from the front desk, and we were given two mosquito repellant devices that did not seem to have any effect. After dinner that night, we went back to the front desk as it would be impossible to sleep with the numerous mosquitoes in our room. Initially, the receptionist said there was nothing she could do, and we should have requested to switch rooms earlier, because housekeeping was not available at night (this was the same receptionist we spoke to earlier in the afternoon). Eventually, after some pushback, she miraculously found us an unoccupied beach bungalow closer to the restaurant/reception. This new bungalow was unquestionably better, and we did not have any mosquito issues for the rest of the stay. The next morning, a manager found us at breakfast and offered us a free upgrade to a pool villa (which is more modern, sealed, and presumably free of mosquitoes). We decided to keep our new beach bungalow as we preferred to have direct beach access. We appreciated this service recovery, although we were frustrated by the difficulty we encountered the prior night. The rest of our stay went smoothly, and we had a great time. The resort is located in a beautiful setting - truly paradise. The dishes we had at dinner seemed to be of high quality and nicely presented. We were given late checkout, which we appreciated, since our flight left in the afternoon. We would recommend the hotel, but they should note that the beach bungalows are open-air so that guests can adjust their expectations accordingly.

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“4.5 Star. Worth going to an atoll and staying here!”

This was our first stop (Rangiroa, Moorea, Bora Bora), stayed for 3 days/ights. If you can arrange a few days in your itinerary, I'd highly recommend Rangiroa and staying at Hotel Kia Ora! We stayed in an OWB on the far right when looking from the beach (40?) and would also recommend this option. T… more

This was our first stop (Rangiroa, Moorea, Bora Bora), stayed for 3 days/ights. If you can arrange a few days in your itinerary, I'd highly recommend Rangiroa and staying at Hotel Kia Ora! We stayed in an OWB on the far right when looking from the beach (40?) and would also recommend this option. The deck to the ocean and all the sea life is amazing. The rooms are "standard" OWB with a mini frig, bathroom is equipped with double sinks, tub, shower, and fully walled which provided some privacy. House keeping was fantastic! Towel art and spotless. The deck is well covered over the table and chairs and partially covered over the two loungers. This is a great set up, when it rains and even heavy rain, we could sit outside at the table and not get wet. There are "neighborhood" fish that swim up when on the deck, looking for a little food, particularly a yellowmargin triggerfish that is very friendly! Along with the fish we saw a number of black tip sharks. Its a little jarring at first, but normal for the area. There are a ton of fish around the area, two beach areas (its coral rough "sand"), and the pool. Our only negatives would be the pool could use new/unbroken umbrellas, the gym is very small, and breakfast often lacked fresh fruit. On food: included breakfast was good, lots of made to order egg options and service was always friendly. Lunch and dinner provided many options and we enjoyed the buffet dinner and show. I'd also like to note that the staff is amazing and go above and beyond to help. We overslept on a nap the first day, waking 5 minutes before dinner closed. We called asking what to do and they offered to deliver food to our room! So grateful! It's stuff like that which makes a place stand out. The resort offers a number of tours. I did a snorkel tour to the aquarium, it was a 10 minute boat ride and would highly recommend this! I was still getting over my fear of sharks, so that took some enjoyment out of it (but that's my problem). It's accurately called the aquarium! Too many fish to count, giant morey eel, and some sharks. The resort also offers a free van to watch the dolphin at the pass. This was beautiful and a great way to see more nature. Register ahead and take the time to do this! If you're making the trip to French Polynesia, take time to visit Rangiroa and this resort. Its close to the airport and felt very safe everywhere! A great first stop on our trip! It's not the Four Season Bora Bora, but MUCH better than many other islands we visited.

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“Quiet and out of the way!”

If you're looking for a more laid back, out of the way, no glitz and glamour, and a just chill atmosphere, then this is your place. If you want another Bora Bora wow factor, then don't come here. This was the last stop of 3 for us (coming from Moorea and Bora Bora) and frankly this was just what… more

If you're looking for a more laid back, out of the way, no glitz and glamour, and a just chill atmosphere, then this is your place. If you want another Bora Bora wow factor, then don't come here. This was the last stop of 3 for us (coming from Moorea and Bora Bora) and frankly this was just what we needed. An easy kick back resort where you could lay out at the pool, stay at your villa, or head out on an excursion for the day. You're on an atoll so it's very flat and different from many of the other islands yet there is still plenty to do if you want to. Obviously, this is a divers paradise so that's what most visitors do here...but you don't have to eiher. Pro-tip...if you're not going to stay in one of the overwater bungalows, at least stay in one of the Beach front Villas. We chose the Deluxe Beach front because there are only 3 of those that have a plunge pool as opposed to a jacuzzi and they are all on the sunset side of the property. One other note, it's our understanding that this resort will be starting and 3 year renovation in Nov. 2026 and will be closed for that time. So, if you want to stay here, now is the time. That being said, just know that it's a little dated but not horrible as some of the other reviews have suggested. It is what it is...

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“Beautiful Property, But Smoke Significantly Impacted the Stay”

I had a mixed experience staying at Hotel Kia Ora in Rangiroa. The setting is beautiful, with a great location, stunning views, and beachside bungalows that are a highlight. I also really appreciated having the small cold plunge pool at the villa, especially given the heat. The staff overall were … more

I had a mixed experience staying at Hotel Kia Ora in Rangiroa. The setting is beautiful, with a great location, stunning views, and beachside bungalows that are a highlight. I also really appreciated having the small cold plunge pool at the villa, especially given the heat. The staff overall were friendly and welcoming. One of the biggest highlights of my stay was the spa. I highly recommend Mareva for massages—she was excellent, and it was one of the best experiences I had during my trip. That said, there were a few downsides. The restaurant is quite expensive, and I didn’t find the food to be worth the price. I’d recommend going into town to pick up some groceries if you can. The bikes available for rent were also disappointing. They are in very poor condition—rusty, with brakes that don’t work well—and not easy to ride given the condition of the surrounding roads. Despite this, there is an hourly rental fee, which felt out of alignment with the overall experience. The most frustrating issue, however, was the smoke. On multiple days (4–5 during my stay), there was a strong smell of smoke across the property that made its way into my room and did not clear out. By the end of my stay, all of my clothes smelled like smoke. While I understand this may be due to nearby burning and outside the hotel’s control, it was not something I expected at this price point and it did impact the overall experience. I did raise this with the front desk, but it was not addressed during my stay. Overall, this is a beautiful property with some great features, but there are a few areas that could be improved to better match the price point.

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