My husband and I spent 8 nights at the Relais Mahana, and could have stayed longer. It's a quiet, easy environment that makes you feel very far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. There is very little to do around the area, but we were wanting time to talk, walk, read, swim, soak in the sun (under the shade of course). The snorkeling is right there and the best coral reef I've ever seen. Better than anyplace I'd been in Mexico, Hawaii, Belize, Cook Islands, and Moorea. The coral is ALIVE and varied, the fish are plentiful, and it is natural, not just swarming fish because tourists put raw meat in the water to attract them. The water is warm and clean.The beach is also clean and plenty of shade. The views are incredible all around the island. We rented a car one day and drove the island and hardly saw another person on the road. My minor complaints are that the food at the hotel got repetitive after a few days, we had to wear DEET at night to avoid mosquitoes, the phone didn't work well in our room and we had to have maintenance look at it a few times, and it was hard to communicate with others because we don't speak French. Very few English speaking patrons there, although the manager at the front desk speaks English and she was very helpful. It felt luxurious without being overly fussy, and I appreciate that we could pretty much be left alone when we wanted to be. No crowds anywhere, no sense of not having the chairs we liked, or the views we liked, etc. It just felt serene and private and understated. The renovations in the cabin gave it touches of luxury and I must say, I've never seen a complementary toiletry kit that included a condom each day. (!!!) I would love to return.
