Tahiti as a destination for me was all about looking after the soul ... so yes, I booked accommodation in a five-star resort and enjoyed my stay there.

But, if I am honest, my time at Vanira Lodge (six nights ... no car) was absolutely paradise. My bungalow (Kava) nestled in the hillside overlooking the lagoon, beautiful gardens, postcard sunsets, even on rainy days was a revelation. The perfect place to escape the rat-race.

Despite the language barriers, I found the staff to be courteous and helpful at every occasion and I can't wait to feast on Tahitian pancakes for breakfast again!!

The kitchenette was practical, the supermarket a short walk, so being self-sufficient for lunch and dinner wasn't difficult.

Whilst the bungalow was open to the elements, it was extremely private and comfortable all at the same time. I found the geekos who ventured inside at night to be wonderful entertainment ... who needs air-conditioning and television, no, not I. Not forgetting lying in bed listening to the waves crash on the reef ... a lullaby for grown-ups.

Despite being told the wi-fi area was in the breakfast gazebo, adjacent to the office ... I had no problem connecting to the internet from my bungalow.

Personally, the only things I would change ... a towel rail in the bathroom and paper towels in the kitchen ... in the scheme of things, very minor.

I have found my slice of heaven here on earth and Vanira Lodge someday soon I will return to you ...

We stayed at Vanira Lodge for two nights and wow is the property gorgeous. There is very lush landscape and it is nestled up on a hillside for spectacular views. The accommodation was very nice and private. The downside is the rain. The two days we were there it poured down rain which made our stay nice but our tour of the area not so nice. If you are into just lounging around or surfing then Teahupoo is perfect, however if you want to do anything active outside such as snorkel, hike, or kayak it is not a good place to visit. For the more active traveler I would recommend skipping Tahiti iti and going to one of the other island such as Moorea for more adventure.

OK, here's the deal - if you want a resort hotel, then book a resort hotel. If however you want to stay in a beautiful hillside location, with sunset views and landscaped gardens, then this is the place.
The bungalows themselves (we stayed in Kava) are basic but have everything you need. The bathroom has a shower made of stone, and the kitchen has hob, microwave, fridge and toaster. We didn't find it to be dirty at all although we did have to ask to have our bin emptied at one point. It was done without fuss, and very quickly. The bungalow is open to the elements. It has windows round the living area but the dining area has an open balcony. We were there in the wet season, and although we were lucky to have only one wet day, as others have commented there was a smell of dampness after the rain. But that's Tahiti. It's hot and humid.
The pool is small, but perfectly clean and the water's a nice temperature. But why swim in the pool when you're surrounded by a tropical lagoon? The beaches are a few minutes drive away, and are not like you'll see in other parts of French Polynesia, but you can jump into the sea pretty much anywhere you can get to it without going through private property.
The only big problem we had was mosquitos. However, once we used all the (supplied) armoury at our disposal (mosquito coils, plug-in insecticide, mosquito net round the bed and aerosol of insecticide) we had no more bother. Make sure to kill any mozzies inside the net before going to bed though...!
The owner, Karine, was nothing other than friendly and helpful on the several occasions on which we needed to speak to her. Yes, she and her family keep themselves to themselves, but that's better than being in your face 24/7 in my opinion.
If you don't like geckos and lizards scampering round your living room, or snails crawling into the shower, then don't come here. But this is made clear on the website, and it didn't bother us at all. In fact, we found the geckos quite fascinating as they snapped up insects for their dinner at the window each evening.
Downsides - you'll need to be quite fit, because the bungalows are up a steep hill from the car parking area (you will need a car, because you're 75km from Papeete), and it's hard work hauling heavy suitcases up the hill. Also, the interior stair up to the bed is very steep and requires care.
But we enjoyed every minute of our stay in Vanira Lodge - come here with the facts and you'll love it.

Vanira Lodge was something very different from any normal hotel or lodge. If you a 4 or 5 star traveller, this place is not for you! The location of the lodge is amazing! Set high on a hill side with amazing views of the sea! We awoke to breath-taking sunrises over the ocean every morning. (Had no choice but to wake up, the chickens 'cock-a-doole-doo' had you awake bright and early.... which got annoying really fast). We were in the Lichee lodge, with 5 adults. (family)
We called it the 'swiss family robinson' lodge. Definately open air! And when you are in the middle of a jungle... open air means LOTS of BUGS!!! If you are queemish of centipedes and spiders the size of your hand, don't go! We watched a gecko eat such spider. Rather entertaining, but still, shouldn't happen in your accomodation. At night, you sleep to the sound of gecko's EVERYWHERE! The reviews about it being dirty are very true. It was disguisting! I would highly recommend bringing your own bedding, cause you feel gross in slipping into what they provide.
Pool was filled with centipedes, you were lucky if it was cleaned out, so you could enjoy the pool... Only one day it wasn't... big disappointment. But on the other hand, whole pool is to yourself, as not alot of people stay here it seems.
If you are looking for a place to crash, and love outdoors, this is an experience.
Glad we went! Won't go back... But glad we experienced it. I would not go longer than a weekend...