Rangiroa is principally a dive location but there is some good snorkelling - but in surprisingly few locations. Rooms at the hotel are lovely but for Brits travelling its a bit like being in France. Staff command of english is limited and though there is plenty of local fish on the menu much of the rest of the fare is like being in France (French Onion soup et al). If you book a room on the internet the price isnt bad but you are forced to have the full costly breakfast; transport to and from the airport (terminal just half the runway length away) costs almost 20 pound for a couple (Heathrow express is NOT the most expensive trip on the planet!). With trips to go sightseeing and snorkelling - which you need to do - extras can soon mount up.
So, OK but I would only make the trip out to Rangiroa if you're a mad keeen diver.

We stayed at the Novotel Rangiroa Beach Resort at the very beginning of high season (early June) 2006. The atoll is very beautiful and quite sleepy and peaceful. It has a good location (in the center of the main motu between Tiputa and Avatoru) and the rooms are very comfy and clean. Unfortunately, the rude and useless nature of the staff placed a massive dark cloud over our heads the whole time!

We read that there are several good restaurants on the atoll. Unfortunately, we did not find any to be open. As a result, we were forced to spend US 25-35$ per plate at the hotel's restaurant. At this establishment, we would sit down and have to wait 15-20 minutes for anyone to even look our way. When they finally came over, they would do their very best to cause some type of inconvenience. If you are on a budget, do not let them bring you water at the table. We made this mistake and found a 300 franc charge on our bill! When problems (like this) occurred they would commonly laugh and walk away! This was also the case with the other hotel departments. No one really went out of the way for us at any point during our stay!

Rangiroa is a lovely place to visit, but be sure to avoid this hotel if you are looking for descent service and charm from the staff...try the Pearl Resorts on one of the other islands!

Great staff. "Gabby" coordinates activities there and he tends to use the "6 passenger dive shop" on Rangi.

Good Value. We got a great room rate with breakfast from their Accord.com site. French Polynesia can be pricey and it nice to save a few francs on lodging - on at least part of your trip :) Nearby larger Kia Ora does have the pool plus OWB room option but we had already stayed at a better version of this type of resort on Moorea.

Novotel has 30+ newish, tasteful, simple, clean Bungalows complete with AC and small room refrigerators. nice pier/dock. small common crushed coral sun area. Over all Good use of a smaller space than Kia Ora. Closer to the airport than Kia but did not find that there was much of a noise concern by its proximity.

Clientele mostly French. And Seemed like most everyone came out of their Bungalows for happy hour at the bar and took almost all of their meals at the hotel restaurant. However there's a pizza restaurant across the road from Novotel. Also a Small market is conviently close with a surprisingly large french wine selection (better bottles stored in the cool section). Go for at least one night, preferably for dinner, just down the road from Novotel at Le Kai Kai a nice French lady cooks very good meals on her patio there.

Brand new (less than a year old) small hotel, nice room decor, good swimming and snorkeling from the wharf and the beach, adorable staff, and the manager mixes a great margarita. Exactly what Rangiroa needed between the Kia Ora and family pensions!