#75521 - 08/09/08 04:02 PM
Summer 2008 in FP Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
|
vaitape
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/09/02
Posts: 1387
Loc: socal
|
Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
Summer 2008: Papeete, Moorea, Raiatea, Tahaa, Huahine, and Rurutu
30-31 May: Took the ATN red-eye from LAX to PPT. Our departure was a class 1 SNAFU. Wonderful John from whom we purchased our plane tickets came to the rescue. Usually we do our own bookings but our itinerary made things too difficult for me to do this time and man, I heartily endorse the benefits of going through a travel agency. The agent at the check-in counter was not helpful. She had us sitting in separate cabins and would not budge. The gate agent was much more accommodating and got us seats together. How hard was that? Baggage check-in at Tom Bradley is a nightmare too. Be sure you get into the correct line to do that after you have checked-in. The ATN cabin crew were excellent! I have been a big critic of ATN in the past so I want to be sure to compliment them on this journey. Both out-and in-bound flights were great. The plane was fairly full on the way out I think because other ATN flights had been either cancelled or very delayed. On our return flight, I doubt we were more than 1/3 full. Food so-so but not bad-bad. AND, we did not roast nor freeze. I think they could have more current movies than Fargo for pete’s sake but that is a petty complaint.
Lessons learned: A friend in need while traveling is a travel agent indeed! AND, things can change for the better ie ATN cabin crews.
Stayed at the Sheraton Papeete, our favorite Papeete hotel. We’ve stayed there 4 times before and have always been treated well. We like the proximity to both town and Le Truck (130 xpf per person one way, 200 after dark). The little man-made beach is good for sun bathing and fish-watching. We’ve never gone in the water there but many do.
Accoms: We were able to check-in early which was nice. The front office manager Christophe is very personable and very helpful. The superior lagoon room and bathroom were large and fairly well-maintained (some mold around the tub caulking and the lamp shades in the sitting area were a bit tired) but the bed was great!! Plenty of hot water and fluffy bath towels. Coffee and tea in the room. Fridge and ice machines with plenty of cubes whenever needed. We didn’t have a full view of Moorea but we did have one of the lagoon (as advertised) and could watch the comings and goings of the ships, ferries, and canoes from our balcony.
Food: Food and drinks at the Sheraton are reasonably priced and delicious. Decent house wines by the glass at 480 xpf, pression petite 300 xpf, grand around 450. We split a burger and fries for lunch for around 1500, more than enough for the 2 of us. No problems with splitting an entrée.
Dinner was at Lou Pescadou’s by the cathedral in town, a favorite with the locals for years. We had fabulous lasagna and spaghetti bolognaise, split a green salad which was huge and a full carafe of house red for $52 USD. We were sad to learn that the owner Mario is malade and has returned to France. The place is now run by his son Marino. We have been going here since 1985 and have enjoyed the consistently good food, good service (same wait staff for all these years!), and acceptable prices. Lou’s also has terrific pizza feu du bois and other entrees besides pastas. This is the only place where we each order our own entree. Usually there is plenty left over but I don’t care; I won’t share my choice (piggish but never mind).
1 June: Caught a cab from the hotel for 1700 xpf and took the ferry to Moorea without a hitch. We’d rented a house for 2 weeks but after 5 nights, we found that we and the house were not simpatico. That’s all there is to say on that subject.
We went around to some of the hotels and found that many were running at 90-97% occupancy which surprised us to say the least. We could stay several nights in one hotel but then we would have to shift to another. Somehow we just lucked out at the Sheraton Moorea. We arrived after a cancellation so we were able to stay there for the rest of the time on Moorea. We weren’t feeling very adventuresome by this stage; otherwise we probably would have done the “hotel shifting routine” just to experience the other hotels. We did shift from an OTW to a garden when one was available but the change was very easily accomplished while we were having lunch. We were very comfortable in the garden. The floor plan is the same as the OTWs, just without the fish and the view. If your budget allows or if this is the only visit you will ever make to FP, go for the OTWs. Otherwise, book a garden. We sat on the beach in front of the spa and activities shack or on the dock with our wine most nights for sunset anyway.
Lesson learned: we are over the OTW need, finally.
Accoms: We’ve stayed at the Sheraton Moorea several times previously and we were quite happy with the bungalows, the food and most especially the staff. The bathroom wood surfaces could stand refreshing and we had a herd of palmettos on the OTW deck our first night. Maintenance arrived promptly the next day and voila! no more palmettos. The beds were the same as at the Sheraton Tahiti......comfortable mattress, crisp linens topped with fluffy duvet, and fresh smelling pillows. Fridge worked and so did the ice machines. In-room coffee and tea set-up. No problems with hot water.
Food: Hinano Pressions were 310 xpf at the Sheraton. House wine by the glass was 600xpf. We usually shared a hamburger and frittes 1600 xpf, Poisson cru 1700 xpf, or buffalo wings (wow, really good!) 1100 xpf for lunch and a pizza 1400-1700 xpf for dinner when we ate at the hotel. Most expensive was the pasta with shrimp in alfredo sauce 1800 xpf (very large serving with lots of shrimp!), most disappointing selection was the chicken Panini.
We never did eat at the creperie at the pontoon bar. It was super windy while we were in FP so eating there most nights was like eating in a wind tunnel. However, this place gets raves for its food, drink and the entertainment: a huge (as in the largest we’ve ever seen in FP) moray eel that lives in the rocks by the bar AND 3 sharks that come cruising in every evening around about Happy Hour.
On our first night on Moorea, we ate at Aito’s. There was only 1 other couple in there. The fish was good. Husband had meka in a ginger sauce and I had mahi with a basil sauce, we split an order of Poisson Cru as well as a bottle of Chardonnay. The bill came to $160. That was the most expensive meal we had in the 2 months we were away. Our meal at Aito’s was very good; however, we found that we just weren’t that hungry to finish an entrée each (especially if we ordered an appetizer!) and we were able to keep our costs down as well. Believe me, we never left a resto hungry!
We “found” Allo Pizza in Cook’s Bay and ate there for 3 nights because the food was that great and reasonably priced. The pizzas are super, done in the feu du bois (wood-burning oven). Much of Allo’s business is take-out and they will deliver to hotels if they aren’t too busy. They also have about 8, maybe 10 tree stump stools to dine “in” and 2 or 3 tables. We discovered the steak au feu du bois………oh my!!! Beautiful steak cooked in the wood-burning oven along with sliced potatoes that are finished with crème. A nice salad of sweet and tender Moorea lettuce, tomatoes, and Somers’ (the chef) homemade vinaigrette is included for a mere 1950 xpf. We shared this and barely had room for dessert. OK, about dessert: We don’t usually eat dessert because well, we just don’t need the extra calories heaped onto the day’s Hinano and baguette consumption BUT, these desserts are special, truly, and made daily by Somers. The chocolate mousse (made with Belgian chocolate) is as good if not better than any other we’ve tasted anywhere, including France. BUT, the banana pizza is beyond description. Somers makes a sweet pastry pizza crust and adds bananas and brown sugar which is then carmelized in the feu du bois, then tops that with home-made Chantilly crème and chocolate sauce....Amazing!!! BTW, BYO beer and wine as they are not on Somers’ menu.
If you drive around the island, you will come upon the Manon patisserie at pk 12.5 near Afareaitu. By all means STOP!!! Rachel and Jean-Paul are a very nice French couple and can they make pastries! Try their quiches and small pizzas, great for making a picnic at nearby Temae Beach.
Snorkeling, Weather, Shopping,etc: Windy, windy, windy. Cool water and strong current. We had 2 days of rain throughout the day in the 14 days we were on Moorea and some rain during the night but not every night.
We rented a car from Albert’s and found that we really didn’t need a car much after we left the house. If you are staying on Moorea in a hotel for a week or so, a 2-3 day rental would be good to get you out to the other beaches, local eateries, and the Belvedere which is a must-do. Take the “pineapple road” from Cook’s Bay and then finish going down the mountain past the Ag College (where you can buy honey and jams)to end up in Opunahu Bay.
We’ve been to Moorea many times and didn’t feel like we needed to take an excursion, other than our self-guided drives around the island. Nor did we need any pareos, etc so we really didn’t do much shopping either. We did frequent the grocery stores though. Thought the Champion (accepts credit cards) was ok but preferred the Are market (no credit cards accepted) in PaoPao which was closer anyway. Supermarche has a terrific selection of fresh fish and meats for those of you with cooking facilities and also deli selections and fruits and vegetables. We did keep beer in our room (200 xpf plus 60 xpf deposit per 50 cl bottle of Hinano) and also discovered a rather ok box of wine from Argentina called Zamuva that was available on all the islands we visited for 600-795 xpf per liter carton. Not the best most certainly but for sipping at sunset over ice, just fine! Good selections of wines from France in most stores from 800 xpf and upwards, of course.
Parking at the shopping center in Maharepa is a nightmare. Nice folks at the post office but be prepared for a wait. Carmeline’s was a disappointment; their casse-croutes have even less stuff in them than we remember and the counter staff can be very surly, especially the French lady there. Went there twice and had the same experience each time. Wasn’t worth our time or money but others have had good experiences there.
The ATMs do work!!!
Most valuable lesson learned: Through thick and thin, friends from Tahiti Eplorer are steadfast,supportive, resourceful.....Mauruuru roa!
Next installment: Raiatea, Tahaa, Raiatea
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75523 - 08/09/08 05:00 PM
Re: Summer 2008 in FP Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
[Re: vaitape]
|
Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2460
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
|
Well, that was a nice little teaser.....can't wait to hear all the rest.
58 days? Man oh man...I can only dream.....
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75525 - 08/09/08 05:52 PM
Re: Summer 2008 in FP Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
[Re: Patti.]
|
holte
Expert Advisor
Registered: 11/19/04
Posts: 2417
Loc: Duluth, Minnesota
|
What a fabulous report. Excellently written and great details. I can hardly wait for the next installment!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75526 - 08/09/08 06:07 PM
Re: Summer 2008 in FP Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
[Re: holte]
|
travelintom
Member
Registered: 05/06/04
Posts: 469
Loc: california
|
great report Brooke!!!! looking forward to the rest....
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75538 - 08/10/08 02:30 PM
Re: Summer 2008 in FP Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
[Re: travelintom]
|
BarbiJKM
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 02/14/07
Posts: 6150
Loc: Mesa, AZ
|
Eager to hear the rest!!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75540 - 08/10/08 03:02 PM
Re: Summer 2008 in FP Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
[Re: BarbiJKM]
|
DenverJoe
Expert Advisor
Registered: 09/10/02
Posts: 1878
Loc: Denver, Co.
|
Keep em' coming Vai.
_________________________
Nothing better than a Hinano in hand and toes in the sand.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75548 - 08/11/08 09:22 AM
Re: Summer 2008 in FP Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
[Re: DenverJoe]
|
spotbeagle
Member
Registered: 09/11/06
Posts: 365
Loc: California
|
Nice report. Can wait for the rest.
Glad to hear someone else besides us likes the Sheraton in Papeete. Although we've only made one trip to FP, we stayed there 3 separate times - our first night, a night before our flight to Easter Island, and 3 nights after our return from EI and heading home to LAX. The 3 night stay was originally supposed to be one night, but a flight cancellation just before we left for our trip added the extra two nights. We had no service problems, and there was even a bit of a strike while we were there. Food was decent, room was nice. Le Truck was very convenient for getting into town.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75549 - 08/11/08 09:29 AM
Re: Summer 2008 in FP Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
[Re: spotbeagle]
|
islandboyatheart
Expert Advisor
Registered: 07/19/05
Posts: 1376
Loc: Florida
|
Thanks for the report Vai - excited for Taha'a and Rurutu.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75561 - 08/11/08 08:26 PM
Re: Summer 2008 in FP Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
[Re: islandboyatheart]
|
vaitape
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/09/02
Posts: 1387
Loc: socal
|
ok folks.....thanks for the comments! Rurutu and Tahaa coming soom.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75562 - 08/11/08 08:28 PM
Re: Summer 2008 in FP Part 1: LAX-PPT-Moorea
[Re: vaitape]
|
vaitape
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/09/02
Posts: 1387
Loc: socal
|
oh need to ask you spotbeagle, we have EI on our short list. Did you post a trip report here on your experience?
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: BarbiJKM, hamara, DenverJoe, Poehere
|
6922 Members
15 Forums
10259 Topics
91469 Posts
Max Online: 118 @ 04/08/12 01:59 PM
|
|
|
