Leaving in a few days for FP. Can't wait. After several days in Huahine, will be 3 nights on Rangiroa, staying at Relais Josephine. I recall from 10 years ago, Denise at Josephine put on a really good dinner. I also remember eating a wonderful dinner at le Kai Kai, which apparently is still open. Are there other options for dinner on Rangiroa?
Thank you.

I'd love to find out how the food is at the newly re-opened Kia Ora...

Ooops. Yep, kinda forgot about that one. Sure is an option. If we get there, I will report back. I opted out of Kia Ora in favor of Josephine due to cost. Figure dinner will be more $$$ than I want, but we'll see. Thanks for reminding me.

If you do go and feel the urge to take a stroll, have a look around. The very few reports coming in on other sites are that the construction is still on-going, even though they did a "soft opening" in September. We're considering going, although the price has gone from "one of the best bargains in FP" to OMG, but there's no way I'll consider it if even one person is still swinging a hammer.

Oh, I am sure we will visit the property. Curious to say the least. Stayed there 10 years ago in an O/W. Will report back our impressions and if there are still hammers swinging.

Thanks!

OK, staying at Relais Josephine 3 nights, ready to leave today (Sat - 3 Mar). Visited Kia Ora, was not able to see into one of the new bungalows. Reception area seems about the same, but all wood either redone or replace. Looks beautiful. In fact that is the word for all public areas. The dining room, bar and dock look new, and the infinity pool is, WOW! and OMG!
The outside of the bungalows look really nice, especially the ones along the beach with a private little pool.
Got a price list from reception. You can get an up to date by emailing them. They also have a stay 3 pay 2 deal now. The receptionist said they are full for the "summer months" ( I take it that meant June - Sep) but many vacancies now.
Tourism in general to FP is down considerably, with an almost "disappearance" of Americans, according to many I've talked to over the last 10 days.
Will file trip report, probably end of march.
PS: no sign of construction activity or hammers swinging, though we visited about 4 PM.
Bill.(wannago)

Did you take some pictures of it?

When we flew into Papeete the end of January, we were sitting waiting for our taxi when an American walked up to us and asked if we were American. When we said no, he started walking away & then turned back and asked if we were Canadian. Yes, we said. He offered us his adaptors for North American current and we gladly accepted them (we had 2 iPod touches and an iPad we needed to keep charged). He was on his way home and was looking for someone North American who could use them. He asked, "Why are there so many Canadians here?" (he said he kept meeting Canadians on his trip). I told him it was probably because the terrible world economic crisis hadn't affected us as much as Americans. Half the guests at Club Bali Hai were Canadian and I expect that's unusual (not having stayed there before, I can't be sure, but I'll bet it's closer to the normal 10:1 population ratio between the countries--or even higher because we're farther away).

Actually at this time (Jan-Feb) of year it is not unusual to find lots of Canadians in FP....I always do. (I also used to see large numbers of Canadians in Mexico this time of year)...a good reason is the weather. Many Canadians take their annual vacations to coincide with the nasty winter weather months...they want to get the heck out during the cold months!!! They don't mind staying home in the summer when it's nice. While Americans tend to take their vacations during the more traditional summer vacation months.

Aha, Patti! Now that makes sense. Of course we'll travel to the tropics in the winter (why didn't I think of that?).

Epilog: The three nights we were on Rangiroa at Relais we were on half board, which included breakfast and dinner. Breakfasts were nothing special, just breads fruit, etc. Though they did let me scramble my own eggs, since I am a little persnickety about that.
As to dinners, no need to go out. Mareta, the chef is an outstanding chef. Our dinners were excellent, especially the sauces. 2 fish dinners and a beef dinner. Deserts were fruit torts. They were great dinners, and if you are staying elsewhere, you might consider coming to Relais Josephine for dinner on one of the nights. Just make sure Mareta is the chef for that night.
Dinner is served family style, fixed menu. Large platters are passed around.
Delicious!

Stayed at Kia Ora at the end of April, was fantastic, food was very good. Our stay included a meal plan of breakfast and dinner. We didn't eat anywhere else. We biked to a local store and picked up some snacks, beer and wine and kept them in our room. We stayed in a beach bungalow with the private jacuzzi. If I close my eyes and concentrate, I can still hear the water. There was no hammers flying when we were there and everything looked perfect and the staff couldn't do enough to please us. Complimentary wine for our 25th Anniversary awaited us too.