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Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows
End of Salamumu Beach Road, Salamumu, Upolu Samoa
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About
#1 of 1 resort in Salamumu
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
We are a boutique 3.5 star beach hotel located at the end of the Salamumu Beach road (about 6km track off main road). Our simple colorful wooden bungalows are all absolute beach front with their own private outdoor lava rock bathroom, private deck and of course fabulous beach and Pacific Ocean views. We are the perfect location for active families, couples and singles who want to totally switch off from the World for the length of their stay, be "Off The Grid" and see the real Samoa. We have an all-day Tiki bar and restaurant serving fresh, locally sourced ingredients in a varied menu and lots of seafood (try the Coconut Wahoo!) Comfortable deck seating for a sunset cocktail, good music including traditional Samoan tunes and great vibes. All our friendly staff from the local village can share their knowledge of the best places to visit, and the stories of the real Samoa. Car hire recommended! We also have , SUPs and Kayaks free for in-house guests. Snorkeling out front is fantastic!
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Property amenities
Free parking
Wifi
Pool
Infinity pool
Free breakfast
Bar / lounge
Beach
Snorkelling
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Room features
Private balcony
Seating area
Refrigerator
Bath / shower
Room types
Ocean view
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Family
Location
End of Salamumu Beach Road, Salamumu, Upolu Samoa
Getting there
2 Restaurants
within 10 kilometers
1 Attraction
within 10 kilometers
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We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
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Detailed Reviews
Visited with family and we stayed in 2 Family Lofts and The Beach House.
Felt like we had resort to ourselves some days as guests are out alot in the day. Kids loved the island beach life, snorkeling, in the pool, kayaking.
Walked down to survivor beach which also has great snorkeling.
Staff happy to set up a big table for us all to sit together at every meal.
Good choice of food, lots for the kids and nice cocktails for sunset.
Hire a car to get out and about.
Felt like we had resort to ourselves some days as guests are out alot in the day. Kids loved the island beach life, snorkeling, in the pool, kayaking.
Walked down to survivor beach which also has great snorkeling.
Staff happy to set up a big table for us all to sit together at every meal.
Good choice of food, lots for the kids and nice cocktails for sunset.
Hire a car to get out and about.
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Date of stay: November 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I nearly cancelled this trip after reading recent reviews on Sa'Moana but very glad we didn't. I don't think we have ever enjoyed a Pacific Island holiday as much as this one. It is the most stunning location and has wonderful, wonderful staff. The resort is undergoing renovations and within the next few months it will be a good 4 star venue, even now as it is it is magic. Half of the current fales have composting toilets and they are in the process of being converted to flushing loos. If you do get a composting loo and are uphappy about it the resort will try hard to move you. Our family viewed it as part of the adventure and within a few days had got used to using it. Beds are also currently being replaced, we were very happy with what we had. Sa'Moana is about 45mins from airport (and Apia), our plane arrived in the middle of the night and we were taken to a welcoming fale. Unfortunately the next 3 days we had terrible wet and windy weather but we used it as an opportunity to catch up on sleep, read those books you pack just in case. Once the weather cleared we hired a car for three days and saw all the sights. The last two days were just perfect so we spent it at the resort getting a tan, enjoying the infinity rock pool and snorkling. I have read the other reviews saying that the resort was expensive but we found it quite good value. We had a deal where basically paid for 5 nights and got 2 free, but in reality we were not charged for the first night where we arrived at 2am, nor were we charged for the half a day we had at the end where we did not leave the room until 1pm. We visited a few resorts while we were there and found them all as expensive. We have returned home and my family would say that this holiday was one of the best we have had in the Pacific Islands (we go every year). We enjoyed the beach, pool, staff, and the feeling that we were having a wee adventure. I do recommend you pack some card games as our teenagers enjoyed playing games for a couple of hours every evening. No TV and very limited internet access was a welcome relief!
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Date of stay: June 2012Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Ask for an outside shower and flushing loo if composting toilet not your style. Take card and...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trip of a life time! Words or even photos can't do justice for how strong we feel & how hard we fell in love with our holiday at Sa'Moana Resort. Absolutely perfect.
Anticipation & expectation consumed us when we arrived on our very early morning flight from Brisbane. But as soon as we were met by the amazing, to say the least, Tala at Apia airport, we knew we were embarking on a special experience. As the sun appeared over the too-good-to-be-true infinity pool & revealed the resort in all it's natural & authentic glory we knew we'd landed in paradise.
Our beach fale suit us to a tee. Highlights being; the outside lava shower, complete with large bamboo drying rack & star gazing opportunity. And the private balcony overlooking the resort & Pacific Ocean.
Although leaving the resort was hard our experience would not have been complete without a couple of amazing day tours. Cheers Farani & Tala again, you bloody legends.
The food is amazing. We've never eaten so much seafood! Special mention to the wait staff; Fale, beautiful Mountain & absolute gem Tua. You guys rock. Thanks also for serving us out endless cocktails & Vailimas!
Hands down the most relaxing & enjoyable holiday we've ever had. Hard to fault. (Bring snacks & plenty of bug spray).
Samoa in it's natural beauty & it's amazingly genuine, welcoming & inspiring people have stolen our hearts. We'll remember it forever.
Thank you Sa'Moana & it's people.
Faafetai & see you again soon!
Meghan, Jenna, Sarah, Zoe & Jodi
Anticipation & expectation consumed us when we arrived on our very early morning flight from Brisbane. But as soon as we were met by the amazing, to say the least, Tala at Apia airport, we knew we were embarking on a special experience. As the sun appeared over the too-good-to-be-true infinity pool & revealed the resort in all it's natural & authentic glory we knew we'd landed in paradise.
Our beach fale suit us to a tee. Highlights being; the outside lava shower, complete with large bamboo drying rack & star gazing opportunity. And the private balcony overlooking the resort & Pacific Ocean.
Although leaving the resort was hard our experience would not have been complete without a couple of amazing day tours. Cheers Farani & Tala again, you bloody legends.
The food is amazing. We've never eaten so much seafood! Special mention to the wait staff; Fale, beautiful Mountain & absolute gem Tua. You guys rock. Thanks also for serving us out endless cocktails & Vailimas!
Hands down the most relaxing & enjoyable holiday we've ever had. Hard to fault. (Bring snacks & plenty of bug spray).
Samoa in it's natural beauty & it's amazingly genuine, welcoming & inspiring people have stolen our hearts. We'll remember it forever.
Thank you Sa'Moana & it's people.
Faafetai & see you again soon!
Meghan, Jenna, Sarah, Zoe & Jodi
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Date of stay: August 2014Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kirstin M, Manager at Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows
Responded 8 Dec 2014
Talofa Meghan and all the girls! Thank you so much for your wonderful review. Our location, service and staff really make this place and we're very lucky to have 'it' all! Sorry for the late response BTW, we've been extremely busy! Take care and hope to see you back here really soon. Kirstin
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Is this resort still operating? We paid for our accommodation in full before Covid and have heard nothing from them since. I’ve made enquirers about rebooking but to no avail. I’m sad for them if they have had to close but would like to know if this is the case so that I can research other options.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are a family of 4 who have just returned from a stay at Sa Moana. Some aspects of our holiday were great with the highlight being the Fia Fia night, other areas were a real disappointment. I have not commented on Trip Advisor before but feel that I must this time to perhaps help future guests whilst making a decision to stay at this resort.
We arrived at Sa Moana on a Sunday as the resort had let our travel agent know that there was no accommodation available on Saturday night. We had to stay elsewhere for the first night of our holiday. When we arrived at Sa Moana for the 6 nights, I found out that there had only been 8 guests in house the night before. This was the start of the mis-representation of resort room type and availability.
We were also told that there was not any accommodation which could cater for 2 adults and 2 young children, except for the family fale. The family fale works out at approx. AU $500 a night. This had a double bed upstairs on a mezzanine/loft floor and 4 single beds downstairs. We all slept downstairs but because of the design, the room was quite hot as the fan could only cover a quarter of the room, and the high ceilings which the design is so suited to the Samoan humidity, was useless because of this loft above the beds. Three of the mattresses downstairs were so old and thin that your hip bone would touch the bed base. They need to be replaced. The linen covering the beds were disgusting, we took these off every day. We were aware there were toilet and bathroom facilities in our fale, but did not expect a pit toilet (rot-a-loo) as found in many national park camping areas. All these factors about the room, would have been okay and acceptable had we been paying AU$150 a night for the fale but for AU$500, it was outrageously over-priced.
We had tried to book a Frangipani or the Hibiscus Fale, which were nearly half the price but were told these were not available and also could not accommodate our family. We did however inspect these types of accommodation during our stay, and both could easily accommodate us and also that in fact some were empty throughout our stay of 6 nights. They may not have been available the entire time for a 6 night block but with juggling rooms to accommodate guests requests, which is fundamental to all hotel/resort accommodation, this would have been possible. So I felt unjustly ripped off as we were made to pay the much more expensive rate, when we were just after, beds for 2 adults and 2 small children -- a small fale would have sufficed. We were not expecting something real luxurious, but did not expect rotting floor boards, covered by a woven mat and a "thunder box" for the money we paid. Basically from what we could see we paid the most expensive rate for the worse fale in the resort - a sweat box with a "thunder-box".
The meals were also way over-priced for what you actually received. Basically all meals cost Australian restaurant prices for sub-standard meals. The menu was the same every day, except the one night of the Fia Fia. We expected to find a menu with lots of fresh local produce, it was so disappointing to find this was not the case. Also I understand paying for bottled water, but thought it was quite rude to be charged for filtered water, particularly when we were advised to not drink tap water.
The resort is advertised as a family friendly surf resort. I do know what they meant by family friendly, when they had a resort dog (puppy of Rhodesian ridge-back breeding, or something like this) that was able to roam the resort grounds at will. This provided some stressful times for myself and our young children as soon as the kids ran, the dog who just wanted to play, would run off after them, jump up on them, and it wasn't until it actually bit one of my kids, that the operation manager said he would keep it away, at my request. I was told not to worry though as the dog had been vaccinated.
As for catering for children, the resort had one old volley ball, that the dog punctured after the kids first game of soccer, one golf putter, one old cricket bat, a tennis ball and thankfully a pool table. The resort owners should seriously purchase more, even just a couple of soccer and rugby balls for kids use. A table tennis table would also make sense. This is not hard and not expensive!
The resort grounds were well kept. The majority of staff were very friendly. Two notable mentions are to Jimmy and Loui who really tried to look after us, given the limited resources at their disposal. We really appreciated their efforts and they provided a positive highlight to our stay.
The snorkelling in front of the resort was quite good for marine life with lots of tropical reef fish. That was definitely a real positive of staying at Sa Moana.
Samoa is a beautiful place, the Samoan people seemed to live a really happy, peaceful and rewarding lifestyle. I have only really positive comments for the island and the people.
The resort however, is just way too over-priced and I feel they were trying to make as much money out of the resort guests as possible and not really caring about whether the guests would return or even if they would recommend their resort. The location had really lovely aspects but the negatives of not being value for money by far overshadowed the positives of our experience.
We arrived at Sa Moana on a Sunday as the resort had let our travel agent know that there was no accommodation available on Saturday night. We had to stay elsewhere for the first night of our holiday. When we arrived at Sa Moana for the 6 nights, I found out that there had only been 8 guests in house the night before. This was the start of the mis-representation of resort room type and availability.
We were also told that there was not any accommodation which could cater for 2 adults and 2 young children, except for the family fale. The family fale works out at approx. AU $500 a night. This had a double bed upstairs on a mezzanine/loft floor and 4 single beds downstairs. We all slept downstairs but because of the design, the room was quite hot as the fan could only cover a quarter of the room, and the high ceilings which the design is so suited to the Samoan humidity, was useless because of this loft above the beds. Three of the mattresses downstairs were so old and thin that your hip bone would touch the bed base. They need to be replaced. The linen covering the beds were disgusting, we took these off every day. We were aware there were toilet and bathroom facilities in our fale, but did not expect a pit toilet (rot-a-loo) as found in many national park camping areas. All these factors about the room, would have been okay and acceptable had we been paying AU$150 a night for the fale but for AU$500, it was outrageously over-priced.
We had tried to book a Frangipani or the Hibiscus Fale, which were nearly half the price but were told these were not available and also could not accommodate our family. We did however inspect these types of accommodation during our stay, and both could easily accommodate us and also that in fact some were empty throughout our stay of 6 nights. They may not have been available the entire time for a 6 night block but with juggling rooms to accommodate guests requests, which is fundamental to all hotel/resort accommodation, this would have been possible. So I felt unjustly ripped off as we were made to pay the much more expensive rate, when we were just after, beds for 2 adults and 2 small children -- a small fale would have sufficed. We were not expecting something real luxurious, but did not expect rotting floor boards, covered by a woven mat and a "thunder box" for the money we paid. Basically from what we could see we paid the most expensive rate for the worse fale in the resort - a sweat box with a "thunder-box".
The meals were also way over-priced for what you actually received. Basically all meals cost Australian restaurant prices for sub-standard meals. The menu was the same every day, except the one night of the Fia Fia. We expected to find a menu with lots of fresh local produce, it was so disappointing to find this was not the case. Also I understand paying for bottled water, but thought it was quite rude to be charged for filtered water, particularly when we were advised to not drink tap water.
The resort is advertised as a family friendly surf resort. I do know what they meant by family friendly, when they had a resort dog (puppy of Rhodesian ridge-back breeding, or something like this) that was able to roam the resort grounds at will. This provided some stressful times for myself and our young children as soon as the kids ran, the dog who just wanted to play, would run off after them, jump up on them, and it wasn't until it actually bit one of my kids, that the operation manager said he would keep it away, at my request. I was told not to worry though as the dog had been vaccinated.
As for catering for children, the resort had one old volley ball, that the dog punctured after the kids first game of soccer, one golf putter, one old cricket bat, a tennis ball and thankfully a pool table. The resort owners should seriously purchase more, even just a couple of soccer and rugby balls for kids use. A table tennis table would also make sense. This is not hard and not expensive!
The resort grounds were well kept. The majority of staff were very friendly. Two notable mentions are to Jimmy and Loui who really tried to look after us, given the limited resources at their disposal. We really appreciated their efforts and they provided a positive highlight to our stay.
The snorkelling in front of the resort was quite good for marine life with lots of tropical reef fish. That was definitely a real positive of staying at Sa Moana.
Samoa is a beautiful place, the Samoan people seemed to live a really happy, peaceful and rewarding lifestyle. I have only really positive comments for the island and the people.
The resort however, is just way too over-priced and I feel they were trying to make as much money out of the resort guests as possible and not really caring about whether the guests would return or even if they would recommend their resort. The location had really lovely aspects but the negatives of not being value for money by far overshadowed the positives of our experience.
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Date of stay: May 2012Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My experience of Sa Moana was not of a disappointing time, it was that of leaving with a "bad taste" in my mouth feeling that I had been ripped off. Basically you pay 5 star prices for 3 star quality and service. Now I don't have a problem in staying in 1, 2 or 3 star accomadation, I have stayed in this this type of accomadation all over the world and have had a great time. However when you stay in this type of accomadation the price matches your expectations and in many cases exceeds your expectations. At Sa Moana this is the exact opposite. The price you pay does not come close to your expectations.
For instance, when paying 5 star prices you would not expect a pit toliet in your room!! You would not expect all the mattresses to be so old and thin that your shoulders and bum are touching the bed boards. You would not expect to sweat all night because the ceiling fan in the room only covers a quarter of the room. All of the above you could deal with and be happy if you were paying in the order of $100 per night, however this is a 5th of the what we paid.
The location itself is very pretty and well kept. The staff were very friendly. The snokeling out the front was good on high tide. The Fia Fia night from the local village was excellent and one of the best cultural nights (singing, dancing, fire-dancing, etc) I have seen.
There were many little things that could be improved that would make the stay all the better as well. For a start the Australian owners could introduce themselves on your arrival, make you feel welcome, give you an orientation of the place. How hard is that! We basically had to figure things out for oursleves or ask other guests who been there of a few days. The only time we met the owners was when it was time to settle the bill at the end of stay. This is a very small resort, so not hard to meet all the guests and show some hospitality and passion for your resort.
I could rattle on here about many other things that were missing or lacking, however the biggest factor is the price to stay and prices to eat. You are somewhat trapped at this resort and I just felt that every step I took I was being squeezed by the Australian owners...sometimes it is better to "leave a little salt on the table" so to speak and you will be rewarded in 3 fold. Not the case here.
This resort could be very good, however a lot of money needs to be spent to get it there and this is not going to happen anytime soon......
For instance, when paying 5 star prices you would not expect a pit toliet in your room!! You would not expect all the mattresses to be so old and thin that your shoulders and bum are touching the bed boards. You would not expect to sweat all night because the ceiling fan in the room only covers a quarter of the room. All of the above you could deal with and be happy if you were paying in the order of $100 per night, however this is a 5th of the what we paid.
The location itself is very pretty and well kept. The staff were very friendly. The snokeling out the front was good on high tide. The Fia Fia night from the local village was excellent and one of the best cultural nights (singing, dancing, fire-dancing, etc) I have seen.
There were many little things that could be improved that would make the stay all the better as well. For a start the Australian owners could introduce themselves on your arrival, make you feel welcome, give you an orientation of the place. How hard is that! We basically had to figure things out for oursleves or ask other guests who been there of a few days. The only time we met the owners was when it was time to settle the bill at the end of stay. This is a very small resort, so not hard to meet all the guests and show some hospitality and passion for your resort.
I could rattle on here about many other things that were missing or lacking, however the biggest factor is the price to stay and prices to eat. You are somewhat trapped at this resort and I just felt that every step I took I was being squeezed by the Australian owners...sometimes it is better to "leave a little salt on the table" so to speak and you will be rewarded in 3 fold. Not the case here.
This resort could be very good, however a lot of money needs to be spent to get it there and this is not going to happen anytime soon......
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Date of stay: May 2012Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First we were quoted in AUD, which we paid, but because the resort owners didn't get a favourable exchange rate on the days we paid they actually had the gall to charge us an extra $200!!!
We paid about $520AUD per night for our cabin (which is about $1,150 WST). For this I would expect some luxury. Brand new family rooms in Apia near everything in 5 star resorts are $150AUD per night (which is about $325WST). BOY WAS I DISAPPOINTED BY SA'MOANA.
The room had a pit toilet, which was constantly surrounded by flies. The beds were the cheapest you could find anywhere - thin and very uncomfortable. Everything including the linen looked like it was about 20 years old. And there was no airconditioning.
The resort barred you from bringing any food back to your room, so we were forced to pay through the nose for every meal at their restaurant.
What this resort had going for it was a nice salt water pool - which is closed for cleaning for a full day each week (Friday).
And lovely staff, who are being totally exploited by the Australian owners. The weekly wage for a staff member is about $100WST. For each single night we stayed there it kept 5 staff members employed for a week - not to mention how much they made off us with the food.
The owners of Sa'moana must be making a PACKET.
I would never recommend anyone stay at Sa'moana. Just because they charge very high prices does not indicate that you will get what you pay for, It was a huge rip off and a terrible place to stay.
Samoa is a lovely country to visit, but shop around, there are plenty of far more luxurious and far more value for money places to stay at.
We paid about $520AUD per night for our cabin (which is about $1,150 WST). For this I would expect some luxury. Brand new family rooms in Apia near everything in 5 star resorts are $150AUD per night (which is about $325WST). BOY WAS I DISAPPOINTED BY SA'MOANA.
The room had a pit toilet, which was constantly surrounded by flies. The beds were the cheapest you could find anywhere - thin and very uncomfortable. Everything including the linen looked like it was about 20 years old. And there was no airconditioning.
The resort barred you from bringing any food back to your room, so we were forced to pay through the nose for every meal at their restaurant.
What this resort had going for it was a nice salt water pool - which is closed for cleaning for a full day each week (Friday).
And lovely staff, who are being totally exploited by the Australian owners. The weekly wage for a staff member is about $100WST. For each single night we stayed there it kept 5 staff members employed for a week - not to mention how much they made off us with the food.
The owners of Sa'moana must be making a PACKET.
I would never recommend anyone stay at Sa'moana. Just because they charge very high prices does not indicate that you will get what you pay for, It was a huge rip off and a terrible place to stay.
Samoa is a lovely country to visit, but shop around, there are plenty of far more luxurious and far more value for money places to stay at.
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Date of stay: September 2011Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Stay Elsewhere
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Katie R, Manager at Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows
Responded 4 Nov 2011
Please allow us to clarify a couple of issues that you raise. Your are correct the Resort quotes in AUD$. Many hotels/resorts in Samoa either quote in AUD$ or US$. Let me clarify, it was not the Resort that did not get a favourable rate. Our request was for you to send AUD$ as per our invoice which was also in AUD$. YOUR bank choose to send the funds in WST$. We simply did not receive the full payment of the invoice. This had nothing to do with us. Samoa is an Island that suffers from drought. We have right now an enormous water shortage. Our “pit” toilets are actually Environmental “Roto Loos” developed in Melbourne, Australia to assist the consumption of water in drought prone areas. To assist in addressing the environment problems Samoa suffers with water usage, Sa’Moana has invested heavily in the use of the environmental toilet, in 4 of the Guest Fales and the Main Fale. We spray the toilets daily with an environmental spray to ensure that there is no smell or bugs. We rarely have an issue with the balance of the Roto Loos. If there were bugs, we apologise. They would have been addressed immediately if we had known. Indeed, Schools throughout Samoa are now using Sa’Moana Roto Loos as a good example and they are attempting to implement the same toilet into some in the rural schools. As we are located right on the ocean, we have never had any requirement to have air conditioning in the rooms, and most certainly make it clear in all marketing that we only have Ceiling Fans and sea breeze. The sea breeze can be rather strong as you experienced the week you were here – it was rather gusty. No one in this resort is “forced” to speak English. The staff speak English to assist the guests, as most guests do not understand Samoan. The management team speak fluent Samoan so it is no difference to the management which language that the staff choose to use. English obviously makes it easier for Guests unless of course they speak Samoan and then the staff speak Samoan. Rob is Samoan, was born in Samoa, his family resides here and was educated in Samoa. He does not force his people to speak any language or do anything that is not becoming of Samoan Culture. English is actually the Official Business language of Samoa – this is set by the Samoan Government. It is a fact that most guests speak English and enjoy the fact that they can converse with our staff. I can assure you that our staff are well looked after. We live in the community, we work together and share lives together with them, we look after each other in times of disaster and need. Your comments are simply not correct. Operating a business in Samoa incurs massive overheads. There are many hidden overheads that you, as a guest, would never even consider, nor should you have to. Again, your assumptions are completely incorrect. I won’t go on to address each and every comment. We are saddened that you did not enjoy your holiday with us. The weather was also unkind to you that week. We are also puzzled if you were so unhappy with Sa'Moana Resort why you wanted to stay longer for a late check out? We have many guests that stay with us and enjoy the experience, guests that joined us the exact same dates as you have rated us with excellent reviews. It all comes down to expectations and personal experience. We wish you well for your future travels. Katie & Rob
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed here one night, this was 4 months after the cyclone, so only the surfer's accommodation was available, every thing else is being rebuilt. Very basic accommodation. The evening meal was OK, breakfast of old bread and spread no butter was to be avoided. This cost the two of us over $250 AUD! Have stayed at the Hilton in Sydney CBD for half the price and that was 5 star, we would not rate this place and would recommend you don't go there unless you are seriously looking to throw your money away.
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Date of stay: March 2013Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Just don't bother to go to this place. It is to be avoided.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kirstin M, Manager at Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows
Responded 19 Aug 2013
Our resort was devastated by Cyclone Evan back in December 2012. We were closed due to the damage sustained and the major clean up required. You and a friend arrived around 6pm at night looking for accommodation. It was explained to you that we were closed however we had our very basic surfers accommodation that was also closed, however we wanted to help, so you were shown the accommodation and were happy to stay. We had limited facilities at the time and you did not get the full Sa’Moana Resort experience due to us 'technically' being closed, however you were informed of this. We believed we were helping you out as you required accommodation on a budget. The price you were quoted included meals, accommodation and a 1/2 day tour. It was an extremely reasonable price and you really can't compare us to the Hilton in Sydney, we're a resort in an absolutely stunning location on a tropical island in the South Pacific. I'm sure if you came back on day you would see how incredibly amazing the resort is looking now and we would love for you to come and experience our wonderful hospitality.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
In March we planned our July trip to Samoa. We stayed at Salani Surf Camp, Satuiatua Beach Resort, and The Sa' Moana Resort. The first two places went smoothly and were fantastic, the Sa'Moana was a nightmare.
We booked their special package for four of us in a beachfront Fale. It was supposed to be just the fours of us, no additional people or "shared" accommodations. In April, due to an emergency surgery, one of us couldn't make it. I checked with the Resort and the Reservation Manager, Amani, who via email wrote that if we only book three people the Fale would be "shared", but if we paid for all four, it would be exclusive to us. Since only two of us had paid, we could easily just pay one more and share the Fale, or pay the incremental two and get exclusive use. We chose to pay for the fourth person, an incremental $486 AUD, even though only three of us would be going on the trip.
The day we arrived we were told an additional person was going to be in the Fale. Unbelievable. We were very upset. The Manager, Amani, couldn't do anything. We spoke to the Owner, Daniel Mendola, on the phone and he said that "those Fale's are always shared, you should've read the Terms and Conditions". I told him his Manager put it in writing that we would have exclusive use if we paid for four people, which we did. He said he would look at the facts and to give him 24 hours. We were only booked for 4 days there, so it seemed he was just stalling. But I foolishly believed that integrity and the facts would prevail. No answer the next day, and finally 2 days later he said that he wasn't doing anything for us. I then asked for a refund for the fourth payment since we were only three people. He said no. I asked several times and he hasn't responded. Amani has no power and can't even process the refund. Daniel has stolen our incremental $486 AUD that was supposed to give us a private Fale.
Here is the Fraud they intentionally did to deceive us. We paid in full in April. They said we had to pay everything up front, so we did. The extra guy they put in our room, Ben from Australia, also paid in April. (He has his own issues with his booking.) The Sa'Moana Resort knew in April all along they were double booking us and had no intent to provide us an exclusive Fale. Yet they deceived us for an extra $486 AUD all along promising an exclusive room. They only notified us of the extra person on our day of arrival. By then we were stuck. They had our money, and we had no alternative booking.
This operation is criminal in intent, deceptive, and fraudulent. Daniel Mendola is a crook. Do not do business here.
We booked their special package for four of us in a beachfront Fale. It was supposed to be just the fours of us, no additional people or "shared" accommodations. In April, due to an emergency surgery, one of us couldn't make it. I checked with the Resort and the Reservation Manager, Amani, who via email wrote that if we only book three people the Fale would be "shared", but if we paid for all four, it would be exclusive to us. Since only two of us had paid, we could easily just pay one more and share the Fale, or pay the incremental two and get exclusive use. We chose to pay for the fourth person, an incremental $486 AUD, even though only three of us would be going on the trip.
The day we arrived we were told an additional person was going to be in the Fale. Unbelievable. We were very upset. The Manager, Amani, couldn't do anything. We spoke to the Owner, Daniel Mendola, on the phone and he said that "those Fale's are always shared, you should've read the Terms and Conditions". I told him his Manager put it in writing that we would have exclusive use if we paid for four people, which we did. He said he would look at the facts and to give him 24 hours. We were only booked for 4 days there, so it seemed he was just stalling. But I foolishly believed that integrity and the facts would prevail. No answer the next day, and finally 2 days later he said that he wasn't doing anything for us. I then asked for a refund for the fourth payment since we were only three people. He said no. I asked several times and he hasn't responded. Amani has no power and can't even process the refund. Daniel has stolen our incremental $486 AUD that was supposed to give us a private Fale.
Here is the Fraud they intentionally did to deceive us. We paid in full in April. They said we had to pay everything up front, so we did. The extra guy they put in our room, Ben from Australia, also paid in April. (He has his own issues with his booking.) The Sa'Moana Resort knew in April all along they were double booking us and had no intent to provide us an exclusive Fale. Yet they deceived us for an extra $486 AUD all along promising an exclusive room. They only notified us of the extra person on our day of arrival. By then we were stuck. They had our money, and we had no alternative booking.
This operation is criminal in intent, deceptive, and fraudulent. Daniel Mendola is a crook. Do not do business here.
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Date of stay: July 2016Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Go somewhere else. This is a 3 star hotel at best. The staff is good, but ownership is...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Daniel M, Owner at Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows
Responded 29 Jul 2016
Hi Ian, Thanks for your review which is unfortunately not the actual case of events which occurred. There were three of you in your group and you have all gone about defaming the resort as an act of vindictiveness which is unfortunately extremely immoral. I will not go into full details on a public forum as I have attempted to contact you with no response. Basically, the accommodation you booked was an all inclusive package in a dorm style environment which was clear from the onset of your booking. I suspect that you were hoping that you would not have to share but when you arrived and found out you were, you and your group went about making threats and demanding a service you did not book. We have not in anyway committed Fraud or taken money from you. The 4th person in your group cancelled and as per our terms on these cheap dorm style all inclusive packages there are no refunds applicable. I am very disappointed at the actions of you and your group. As I understand you actually enjoyed your time at our resort and I hope that in future other properties are not subject to this kind of behavior from you. We provide an excellent service and have been serving tourists in Samoa for almost 18 years and have absolutely no interest in ripping guests off for $486.00. We are and always have been diligent and integral in all our dealings. None the less I hope you actually had a good time. Cheers
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Samoana Resort was a bit of a last minute choice for us, and we are so happy we stumbled across it! After being really disapointed with a booking up the road, following a day of broken down rental cars and a heap of driving, we decided to move on to stay at another place. When we were about to give up, we stumbled across Samoana! We were a bit poorly when we arrived, laughing, but tired, sweaty, hungry and thirsty... But all was forgotten when we got here!! The resort is nettled into the beach and mangroves, palms everywhere and a divine infinity pool, it's every holidayers luxury dream!! The bungalows are spacious and beautiful, falling asleep to the sounds of the beach.
One of the best things about our stay however, was the friendly service of their staff member Tua. Such a lovely young guy who is interesting and valuable
To the resort, our stay wouldn't have been the same without his great stories and excellent service. Keep up the good work...we are so thankful to have stayed here.
One of the best things about our stay however, was the friendly service of their staff member Tua. Such a lovely young guy who is interesting and valuable
To the resort, our stay wouldn't have been the same without his great stories and excellent service. Keep up the good work...we are so thankful to have stayed here.
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Date of stay: September 2014
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kirstin M, Manager at Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows
Responded 8 Dec 2014
Thank you so much for you fabulous review. Sorry I'm a little late responding! I hope you are both really well and we hope to see you back here soon. Best wishes, Kirstin
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No but there are loads in Apia that can do express service. Try Kentos Laundromat
The views from all of them are stunning, so from our experience its really just the room configuration. The first time we stayed our bungalow had an inside toilet, but outside shower. Last time we stayed we had an outside toilet and shower (just outside the door from the main bedroom) and actually...we liked that even more.
Pre book with an on island rental is 100% best option.
Try samoana rentals or AA rentals
They drop st the airport too or resort and easy to converse with.
Another tip....Pick up Bluesky sim at airport and load call and data credit also so you can make local calls and get on line at resort and around island.
Get one from airport :-)
"Any bungalow would be great. We had a bungalows which could sleep three with an adjoining deck. It was awesome"Read full review
"bungalows are absolute beachfront, if seas are rough, wave noise can be prob..bring earplugs if concern"Read full review
"All rooms have unobstructed views. Biggest problem you might find is the noise of the ocean. But after 1 day you won't hear it!"Read full review
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ALSO KNOWN AS
sa moana hotel apia
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Sa'Moana Resort
LOCATION
SamoaUpoluSalamumu
NUMBER OF ROOMS
9
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows
Which popular attractions are close to Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows?
Nearby attractions include Giant Clam Sanctuary (7.5 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
What food & drink options are available at Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Sa'Moana Beach Bungalows have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the ocean view available here.