The Relais Mahana was recommended to us by our travel agent. It is a lovely hotel, with beautiful modern bungalows with ocean or garden front views. The outdoor bar and tables have a spectacular view over the water. The location is pretty isolated, on the south side of Huahine Iti, but everything on the islands is easily accessible with a rental moped in 40 minutes. We arrived, and there was a strike camped in front of the hotel. Because of the strike (and its been going on for 4 months with no end in sight,) the service was terrible. Restaurant service overpriced and abominable. Would very much recommend you stay elsewhere until this is settled, the Pension Mauarii is a great option and the Dive center there is great - Heremiti Dive. Be sure to have a meal at Restaurant Chez Tara.

As I write this, I wish I was back on Huahine and at Relais Mahana!

General stuff:
Comfy beds, nice sheets, good pillows, thirsty towels, TV, mini fidge, in-room coffee, ample indoor space, great porch, amazing shower. Nice sand beach, and water clarity for snorkerling was fantastic. Fun pier to jump off of. Good food overall.

Particular stuff:
- check your bill very carefully. We were not on a meal plan and that caused a lot of billing confusion. It was all worked out, but be aware to check.
- they have a car/moped/bike rental on site open from 8 to 10am, but one day at 9:30am the rental company had already left (so plan ahead, and go early)
-there is a strike at the hotel at the moment. The upside is that it did not have a large impact on guests, but for me, I would have prefered to know about the strike prior to arrival. It is expected to last a few months. Again, do not let this deter you in general, it is just "a savoir" as the front of the hotel has hand written "strike/greve" signs and it concerned us big time when we arrived.
-the pool was closed the entire time I was there - broken pump. Though I booked this place specifically because they had a pool, it turns out that after the first day (ie conceptually) I really did not miss a pool and was happy to swim in the beautiful lagoon.
- We were there 7 nights, and that was perfect. Rented a car 2 days, which was great. Huahine is beautiful everywhere. To see: Blue Eyed Eels, town of Fare, Pearl Farm on a motu via boat, ancient ruins, the old Sofitel. Very cool stuff.
-Chez Tara next door has excellent food, great service, toes in the sand. Lunch and dinner. Cash only (US $ cash accepted)
-The Pension Mauarii - 15 minute walk - outstanding setting, outrageous prices (eg 2500xpf spaghetti.... which I think translates to $36.... we'll see when the bill comes.... ouch), dismal service. We tried twice. You may want to try it if you stay here and want to see it but beware.
- Kayaks available "gratuit" and they were great fun.
- We were the only English speaking guests (fine by us). Staff did speak English if needed.
-This is not a Resort with a capital R, which again, was fine by us.
-Ice is "hand made" off of an ice block (versus an ice machine), so we bothered the staff a lot with our ice requests (les americans adore les glacons)

Bottom line, we loved this place and would (will) return again. Very relaxing, special spot in the world. I hope the above is not "too much info." The reviewers prior to me were correct in terms of what we saw/experienced as well, so I think this is just a few months more recent and with some additional details that may be helpful as you are planning.

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.

Just got back from a week at the Relais Mahana hotel, at the southern end of Huahine. We had a VERY pleasant visit, despite the fact that they are in the final stages of a major renovation of most of their bungalows. The staff was great, especially Lucy (who speaks English very well), even though they were all being roped in to paint walls and plant shrubs at times. Our bungalow was well away from all the chaos, so no problems with noise etc.

We got a tour of the new bungalows - very nice, with bathroom showers that open out into a little private garden, sleek new fixtures, and tasteful decor done with a lot of nice imported hardwoods. As before, no AC. Not something we care about, but some might...

We knew that the hotel meals are expensive, so we brought our own supples and did not eat there every day, although the Relais Mahana chef is very good. There are also two less expensive restaurants within walking distance - Chez Tara, and Pension Mauarii. You still need to go to Fare for most groceries, the little local shops in and around Parea have a very limited selection. Bring a little electric kettle or coffee-maker if you can...

Snorkeling is decent in the lagoon close to the hotel. If you walk North along the beach about 1/4 mile, then swim out about 100 yards (its shallow), you'll find outcrops of coral that looks to be in pretty decent health to my untrained eye. Swim or kayak across the deep channel opposite the hotel to the shallower water further out and you are likely to encounter manta rays, and I thought I glimpsed a turtle.

For those who like a quiet, secluded, laid back vacation,I definitely recommend the Relais Mahana now that they have finally gotten their renovation done. I would say that they'll be completely finished by early May 2007. Pension Mauarii, just down the road, also looked like a good possibility. It's on the same nice beach as the Relais Mahana.

I have some pics, including a few of the new bungalows, at http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/adavis/Tahiti2007/