My husband and I returned home last night from a repeat visit of one month at Moorea Fare Miti. We were there at the same time as the prior reviewer – in fact, they stayed in the bungalow directly behind us for three nights before they left on a cruise – so I feel very well qualified to respond to some of their negative comments about this wonderful place.

Fare Miti is a small family-owned pension, not a resort. The bungalows are built in authentic Tahitian style, with pandanus woven roofs, and air vents to allow trade breezes to cool the bungalow. In such a structure, window screens are pretty useless, as is air conditioning, because the nature of the roof is that it is not “sealed” or “air-tight” – this is how the majority of Tahitian homes are built, designed to allow the breezes to flow through.

March is “summer” below the equator, and any minimal research would have informed a traveler that it is normally one of the warmest and most humid months in French Polynesia. Nevertheless, of the fifteen prior March visits we have taken, this year was the coolest, most sunny, and pleasant-weather March we have experienced. The weather was excellent! In addition, we were surprised this visit that there were very few mosquitoes compared to what is normal during the “wet” season. (French Polynesia is a tropical location, and there WILL be insects, no matter where one stays!) We have never experienced mosquitoes in the grass areas, only around the beach at dawn and dusk, or after a hard rain, and Fare Miti provides mosquito coils for those occasions. Again, a well-researched traveler would have brought some insect repellent to a tropical location. Insects are present even in the five-star resorts!

The bungalows have recently been renovated, and the new bed mattresses are the “memory-foam” type, which we have found to be very comfortable, and more luxurious than most other places we have ever stayed! The tap water is certainly drinkable – we made coffee with it every morning and iced tea several times during our stay, with no problems. There is absolutely no need to boil water to wash dishes; there is a very effective “on-demand” hot water heater in each bungalow that provides adequate and perfectly safe hot water for dishes, showers, etc. There are no “little ants” unless one leaves food out on the sink or counters – again, this is a common occurrence in ANY tropical location. A little research and some care in storing food goes a long way…

We have camped in Mexico for many many years, under all kinds of condition there, and there is NO WAY we would possibly compare this location to that experience! Fare Miti provides a simple, clean, spacious, airy, immaculately-clean and comfortable bungalow, at a reasonable price, at a beautiful location, with wonderful proprietors who do everything possible to assure their clients’ comfort and happiness while there. Family-owned pensions with their simple accommodations are not for everyone; if you are looking for more amenities, you might be happier at a resort, but be prepared to pay a much higher price. But if you want a simple, comfortable little bungalow at an excellent location, and don't mind sweeping your own floor or making your own bed, or providing your own soap and shampoo, then this might be the place for you.

If travelers would properly research their destination before leaving home, and familiarize themselves with the available amenities offered where they are going, there would be less negative reviews on Trip Advisor written by reviewers with unrealistic expectations. We feel that the last review posted here was unfair and inaccurate. Our visit for the entire month of March was relaxing, comfortable, and extremely enjoyable, and Fare Miti is still our favorite place on earth!

The good: Right on the beach. Owners are very nice. Good restaurants nearby. WIFI cheap
The bad: No screens on windows. No air conditioning(hot & humid). Curtains that don't close all the way. Bed is hard! Morning, noon and night mosquitos in the grass. You will get woken up every day by the roosters. You can't drink the water. You have to boil the water to wash dishes in. Little ants everywhere. We likened it to camping in Mexico with a shower and bathroom.

this place is a few small natural huts, thatched roof that when the wind blows, which is does often, leaves you with bugs and bits all over the floor.
Each hut has different appliances, some have a little fridge, some a little stove, so check what you need and if you get the right hut.
There is no AC and it can get pretty hot. there is a fan in the bedroom, as long as you do not mind the noise all night, you will need it on.
Bring one of those mossie repellants that you plug in the wall, great to keep the bugs down at night when you sleep.
It is best to get your own food at the shop down the road and cook as a meal in the restaurant could cost as much as a night for the room.
The owners are recently moved to Moorea from France, so they do not have the same cultural attitude as the locals.
Neighbors have said that they are not very friendly and can be a bit unreasonable at times. We did not stay too long, but that can give an uncomfortable feel which I think new immigrants should make a priority to fitting in and making relationships a priority rather than making enemies.
Note the electricity is 220 volt and uses the 2 round pin plug.

We've just returned from another two-month stay at Moorea Fare Miti, and I just wanted to provide some updates from our prior reviews. As always, this little pension just keeps getting better and better! The proprietors Celine and Laurent have now completed a full renovation of all the bungalows, and there are new mattresses, pillows, and kitchen supplies since our last visit. As we left, they were expanding their reception building, which will provide for one additional renovated bungalow where reception used to be. Laurent is always busy grooming the property, and making improvements, and the improvements are really outstanding! The beach is amazing.

This a terrific place for families! Kids can safely play on the beach, and during school holidays there are lots of them doing just that. Fare Miti has a loyal following of clients now, so if you are planning a visit during either a local school holiday period or the high season, I would recommend making your reservation early! In the low season and during week days, the property is very quiet and tranquil, but I've never seen it completely empty, despite a declining tourist economy on Moorea.

We LOVE it here! And we will be returning again soon.