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Scenic Matavai Resort is Niue's premier accommodation option. Designed to take full advantage of its unique environment, our resort blends into the breathtaking landscape of coral outcrops, coconut palms, rainforest, and tropical flowers. Perched over the Pacific Ocean, the resorts' cliff-top deck provides a vantage point from which to watch the resident turtles surface, spinner dolphins patrol, and humpback whales cruise right past the resort.Matavai Resort has recently undergone a multimillion dollar refurbishment and expansion to bring it's exceptional facilities in line with the very best on offer in the Pacific. The new building blends contemporary comforts and luxury with a classic, timeless style. Guests can enjoy a meal at our highly regarded restaurant, soak up the sun on the expansive cliff top decks, or relax after a long day exploring at the poolside bar. Scenic Matavai Resort Niue is the perfect place to base your Niuean adventure. The resort is 8.5 Km from Alofi Town Centre, and whilst airport transfers are included in your stay there is no public transport or taxi service on Niue so we highly recommend arranging a rental vehicle before you arrive.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Modern
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Tapeu-Porritt Road, Alofi Niue
Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
729 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
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Nestled close to the town and airport, Scenic Matavai Resort Niue delights many with its stunning whale-watching opportunities from the deck. The resort's staff is commended for their welcoming nature, ensuring a relaxed stay. While the resort's prices meet some resistance, the Happy Hour is recognized for its affordability.
With its sparkling cleanliness, spacious rooms, and breathtaking ocean views, guests often feel pampered, despite occasional soundproofing and Wi-Fi concerns. The vibrant entertainment and picturesque pool area contribute to the resort's lively yet serene atmosphere.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Relaxing
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We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Niue and our stay at the Scenic Matavai Resort, and would highly recommend the hotel to anyone staying on the island. James, the general manager, was an excellent "face of the Matavai". He went above and beyond his job role and worked hard doing everything from airport pick ups, front desk information, maintenance call outs and delivering pizza at the pool party! He and the assistant manager (sorry didn't get his name) were always a friendly face which was very much appreciated during our stay. The welcome meeting was an excellent touch, especially for newbies to Niue like us. The two ladies who manned reception during that week were also lovely, and couldn't do more for the guests.
The room was clean, the beds were comfortable and the air conditioning was amazing (and very needed!) The WiFi or television did not work in our rooms (or any...) We did not travel to Niue to sit on devices so this didn't bother us, however it is advertised and we heard some other guests complaining so just be aware! The WiFi in reception was good.
We ate at the hotel twice for dinner, and both meals (a la carte and the pool party BBQ) were very good quality. The chef (Kyle?) was lovely and worked his socks off during our time there. The breakfast buffet was okay however my only real complaint about the whole stay was the cleanliness of the buffet area. Staff were not very attentive to spillages and so, there were lots of flies. There were two fly fans however one was broken for the whole week and one on its own didn't do a great job of keeping them off the fresh fruit/yoghurt etc. Hopefully this is something that will be considered during the upcoming renovations of the dining area. We found out on the second to last day that all the cooked options on the menu were included in ou room rate, so be sure to ask this when you arrive to avoid disappointment.
I think the time of year we visited (New Years) impacted our stay and this is something to note for other travellers. Lots of local staff had time off during this period so the ones that were working were busy and (most likely!) tired. A lot of the island also shuts down so do your research of what restaurants/activities are open. Niue itself was an absolute gem; quirky but loveable! The "small place" feel had never been so real and we enjoyed bumping into lots of the same people around the island, really giving it a community feel.
We would thoughly recommend a visit to Niue and the Matavai to friends, as long as they knew what to expect from such a small, off-the-grid, piece of paradise!
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Rent a car!
Check out tide times.
Research what is open and when.
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Response from James Shilton, General Manager at Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Responded 2 weeks ago
Fakaalofa lahi atu, Molly, Thank you so much for your thoughtful review and for choosing Scenic Matavai Niue during Happy Niue Year. I'm truly delighted to hear that you and your your partner enjoyed your trip to Niue and had a memorable stay with us. It warms my heart to know you appreciated the personal touches— I always aim to be the friendly face of the Matavai, and it’s wonderful to hear that these efforts made a difference for you. I’m also pleased that our welcome meeting and the warm service from our reception team helped you settle into island life with ease. I'm glad you enjoyed the cleanliness and comfort of your room, especially the cozy beds and refreshing air conditioning. I understand your concerns regarding the WiFi and television in the rooms. While many of our guests love the chance to truly disconnect and soak in the island vibe, I realize this may be a downside for some. Please know that I take this feedback seriously as we continue working to improve our guest experience the TV signal for the island has now been restored and our Wifi is cable of streaming. It’s fantastic that you enjoyed both dinner experiences—the à la carte meals and the pool party BBQ—and that Chef Kyle’s hard work resonated with you. I’ve noted your comments about the breakfast buffet area and the issues with fly control, and as you mention we are undergoing renovations to our restaurant which will help address these issues. I truly appreciate your honest feedback and your recommendation to friends. Niue is a little off-the-grid paradise with a unique, small-community charm, and I hope you'll continue to share your positive experiences before our island becomes too widely discovered. Looking forward to welcoming you back for another relaxful island getaway! Fakaaue lahi, James Shilton General Manager, Scenic Matavai Niue
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Our second stay at the Matavai and a good relaxing place to stay. Cheerful staff, great outlook from room and with happy hour and light bites available at the pool bar, it's possible to have a very low cost holiday. Having toured the islands scenic treats previously, we simply wanted to relax and unwind, for this it was perfect. Whales swimming by made for an interesting pre-occupation.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
Response from Tobias Daniels, General Manager at Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Responded 11 Sept 2024
Fakaalofa lahi atu, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We're so pleased that you enjoyed a relaxing and affordable stay, and that the whales made your time here extra special. It’s great to hear our cheerful staff and the pool bar helped make your holiday even more enjoyable. We hope to welcome you back for a third visit soon! Fakaue lahi, The Scenic Matavai Resort Team
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It was our first time to visit Niue & the Matavai is a good place to stay. We had 2 adjoining units in the apartments 2km down the road. The units were spacious and comfortable, all with a view of the ocean. 2 adjoining units are connected, when you book a 2-brm. Great to have the kitchenette for lunches, and dinners if you want, although there are plenty of cafes to eat out. WiFi was good; TV was erratic. There is a pool by the units which we used a couple of times; mostly we swam in the reef pools. We took food from NZ (the basics- butter, bacon, cheese, pickle, jam, crackers, coffee, etc) and that worked well for us instead of the expensive equivalent at the local supermarket. We took our own plunger for coffee. The island is a great experience and in November it was quiet; the sea was warm, the snorkeling was good. Rental car is a necessity. Breakfast at the resort was ok … pity to run out of fresh fruit & coconut bread during the week; they could do better to make sure there is good local fruit options. Coffee is instant but can order an expresso for additional cost. The main pool at the resort is lovely; the restaurant for dinner was good.
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Hire a car.
Take your own snorkel gear if you have it.
Reef shoes or Crocs are a must.
Snorkel...
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Response from James Shilton, General Manager at Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Responded 4 Dec 2024
Fakaalofa lahi atu, Carol, Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your first visit to Niue and found Scenic Matavai Niue a good base for your tropical adventure. It’s great to know the adjoining apartment units provided spacious and comfortable accommodation with stunning ocean views. We’re pleased you appreciated the kitchenette for self-catering and the convenience of the local cafes, as well as the lovely pool options both at the apartments and the main resort. Your advice on bringing essentials from New Zealand will be helpful to future travelers! We value your feedback on breakfast and will work to ensure a consistent supply of local fruits and specialties like coconut bread. We’re glad you enjoyed the main pool and your dinner experiences at the resort. We hope to welcome you back for another relaxing and enriching tropical getaway in our little paradise. Fakaaue lahi, James Shilton General Manager, Scenic Matavai Niue
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Was our second visit to the Matavai. Stayed on a ground floor room overlooking the pools this time. Rooms were great and staff awesome. Wifi is very intermittent in the room (worked 30% of the time) so wife had to make regular visits to the reception/restaurant area so she could connect to work. This should be better as advertised internet as part of room. Food was okay but we ventured into town most nights to mix up the options. Great shuttle for people to get to airport etc. Would stay again if ever going back as a good location and awesome whale views right from the deck!
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Get a rental car!
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 Tobias Daniels, General Manager at Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Responded 11 Sept 2024
Fakaalofa lahi atu Peter, Thank you for your review and for returning to stay with us! We're glad you enjoyed the room, our team, and those amazing whale views. Apologies for the intermittent Wi-Fi – we're currently taking steps to address this. It's great to hear you made the most of your time in town for meals. We hope to welcome you back again in the future! Fakaue lahi, The Scenic Matavai Resort Team
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Our wedding week at the Matavai was superb, couldn’t fault it. The hotel is definitely underselling itself as a 3*, our deluxe clifftop room was very clean, roomy and well air conditioned with a good king size bed a nice fully tiled bathroom and decent hot shower. They could perhaps use slightly firmer pillows, so perhaps consider taking your own if that’s important to you. The pools are great, the water wasn’t as cold as we’d been led to believe, and a lovely spot for whale watching and for sundowners. The breakfast buffet shifted from just being continental to including a cooked option on our second day, which I think was new, and well received by the guests, definitely look to keep that going! The meals at the resort were far better than we had anticipated and had we known, we wouldn’t have brought as many snacks with us from NZ! Prices for food and drinks were very reasonable, the staff were lovely. Siwa did a great job with the wedding organisation, she put on a great event at the resort with lots of extra touches and kudos to the chef for an amazing wedding banquet! Richard the temporary hotel manager was very friendly, always available and on hand to help out. Niue is a remarkable place, quite unique in tourism. You absolutely have to hire a car here, it’s almost impossible to holiday here without one, and the resort organised this for us as well. Niue won’t be for everyone, don’t come here if you want sandy beaches or luxury, but if you want to escape from it all and have some authentic adventures, this is the place! A truly magical & very fun week made possible by the team at the Matavai, thanks guys, we’ll definitely be back!
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Hire a car in advance and collect it at the airport. Bring duty free from NZ. local supermarket...
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 Aaron Smith, General Manager at Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Responded 2 Nov 2023
Thank you for your feedback. It's great to hear you enjoyed your time with us, and your special day was everything you wanted. We've just taken delivery of some new pillows, which should make your next stay with us even better! We look forward to welcoming you back the next time you're in Niue.
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Being the only resort on the island of Niue, if you would like a comfortable hotel stay this is for you! The rooms were lovely and spacious with comfy beds and we had wonderful views from the Ocean view room, being able to watch whales and dolphins from the balcony was pretty special! The pools are a fantastic way to unwind and cool off, the food at the pool bar was great and a good variety of options for both drinks and food. You can take in the sunset from the many decks, whilst sipping on a coconut cocktail and in the right season (Aug-Sep) watch the whales swimming by and breaching.. There are daily activities hosted by the resort with locals giving you a great insight to Island life. They also host great entertainment evenings with local musicians and dance. It looses a star purely on the food at the restaurant but mostly because we are not really buffet people and are fairly spoilt with where we live on the food front. The staff though were truly wonderful and so welcoming. Easy getting from and to the airport and they can help you book excursions and rentals etc making your trip hassle free. Would highly recommend for anyone needing a relaxing break and if you don't want to go self-catering this is pretty much the only option!
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Bring ear plugs if you are a light sleeper due to the many cockerels on the island - part of it's...
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 Tobias Daniels, General Manager at Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Responded 11 Sept 2024
Fakaalofa lahi atu, Thank you for your lovely review! We're thrilled you enjoyed your stay, especially the ocean views and the chance to see the whales. It’s great to hear you found our staff welcoming and enjoyed the activities and entertainment we offer. We appreciate your feedback on the restaurant and will keep it in mind for future improvements. We hope to welcome you back to Niue again soon! Fakaue lahi, The Scenic Matavai Resort Team
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The staff here is exceptionally friendly and I had a great experience here. There is a free breakfast buffet every morning, the island is very hot but you can turn on the air conditioning in the room 24 hours. There is free internet but it's slow, so we recommend going to telecom and getting an unlimited traffic package. The restaurant has a beautiful view of the sunset and the dining environment is great for couples. A special thank you goes to the staff Tina and sutiana for their very good service. A special thank you goes to the staff Tina and sutiana for their very good service. Overall, this place is particularly suitable for a holiday and is highly recommended for those who are afraid of the heat.
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Date of stay: February 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
Response from James Shilton, General Manager at Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Responded 5 days ago
Fakaalofa lahi atu, Travel38643559664, Thank you for your wonderful review and for taking the time to share your experience at Scenic Matavai Niue. I'm delighted you enjoyed our exceptionally friendly staff and the free breakfast buffet each morning. It's great to know that our 24-hour air conditioning provided you with comfort from the island heat. I appreciate your tip about the free internet—it’s true that while we offer it at no cost, it can be slow at times. Your suggestion to consider an unlimited traffic package from telecom is very helpful. I'm also glad you loved our restaurant's sunset view, creating a lovely setting for couples. A special mahalo to Tina and Sutiana for making your stay even more memorable with their excellent service. Thank you again for your kind words and recommendation. I look forward to welcoming you back for another relaxing island escape—please do share your experience with friends before our little paradise becomes too widely known! Fakaaue lahi, James Shilton General Manager, Scenic Matavai Niue
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We stayed over Christmas to escape busy season in New Zealand and Matavai is a wonderful, restful location. Room, restaurant and pools had a lovely view of the ocean including spinner dolphins playing. Staff were friendly and Api was very helpful. Most restaurants and tourist venues including scuba diving were closed while we were there so we had to eat mostly at Matavai. As they don’t provide for vegans and have very limited knowledge of vegetarian food, this was difficult. My vegetarian husband was given a packed lunch filled with fish or chicken and served bacon on another occasion! I emailed 3 weeks before our trip to check they provided for vegans and vegetarians and was told absolutely yes. Buffet breakfast was included and I mentioned on the first morning that there was no margarine (which could have been bought at a local supermarket but wasn’t) nor any coconut yoghurt nor vegan pastries nor anything vegan on the menu. They kindly provided oat milk, fruit and muesli and I requested various sides from the meat menu at other meals, which were sometimes possible. The local dish, Takihi is lovely and vegan but not on the menu. Also I loved the coconut “candy floss” when available at breakfast. Luckily I had brought my own vegan Christmas cake!
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Date of stay: December 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.
Response from Charmaine Carroll, Owner at Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Responded 3 Jan 2023
We are glad you got to relax here on the Island, Apologies for not being able to provide for your dietary needs, However glad you found a local dish that you like - Takihi is lovely. Regards Charmaine
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Absolutely lovely. From the moment we landed, to the time we flew out, the resort staff looked after us. We stayed in a cliff-top room with a stunning view. The sound of waves crashing below was so good and the restaurant & pool were a 1 minute walk.
The staff were all friendly and it was nice to meet Aaron the manager. Housekeeping did such a great friendly job, I felt spoiled.
Breakfast is great unless you like the heavier stuff, which you can easily order and pay for. Coffee too. I won’t mention that, bc I’m a coffee snob. All other meals can be served restaurant or poolside and the drinks selection was fine.
The resort cats were so cute and the roosters at 6am didn’t bother us; just roll over and go back to sleep, you’re on holidays.
Mike was so friendly and the airport transfers fast.
Thanks guys, had a great time.
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Hotel has a rental car - book in advance.
Clifftop room is worth it.
Rooms 26/27 are...
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 Aaron Smith, General Manager at Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Responded 24 Jan 2024
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We're so glad that you enjoyed your time with us, and found our team friendly & helpful. We look forward to welcoming you back to Niue on your next visit!
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Loved our time here at the Scenic Matavai. The staff were so very helpful and pleasant and went out of their way.
Daily breakfast was OK, a simple continental (included in our rate) I paid for eggs on a couple of days and great lattes every morning. Food was of a good quality but would be improved by offering some lighter and cheaper items at lunch time such as toasted sandwiches or fresh sandwiches as we didn't want a full meal . The BBQ meal and live band on a Thursday was very good, in particular the steak which was cooked to order and came out perfectly. The hotel kindly cooked our Uga for us for dinner one night.
Our room was large and very pleasant with a private balcony and washing line. Fridge was big enough for our bottles of sparkling water, wine and soft drinks which we took with us from NZ .
Chairs on the deck were not very comfortable but did the job and they were generous with free unlimited and good internet and the amount of toiletries supplied each day. Thankyou.
We loved the pool area with 2 pools and plenty of outdoor furniture but would have been improved by the pool bar being open during the stated hours or even around midday with snacks.
The views are to die for and we loved seeing the spinner dolphins from the pool deck.
Rent a car for some of the time, the front desk can book this for you - we found our car rental for 3 of our 7 days was sufficient for us and it was good to try some of the islands other eateries and to be able to revisit some beautiful locations that we had seen on the Niue Orientation Tour ($90).
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Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
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 Charmaine Carroll, Owner at Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Responded 6 Mar 2023
Thank you for your 5 stars!
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Auckland, New Zealand31 contributions12 helpful votes
There is the duty free when you get off the plane or you have up to 3 days with your boarding pass to purchase duty free from the bond store which I think has now moved to the new Swansons supermarket opposite the airport. Duty free is a wee bit cheaper in Niue.
Don’t think so - if it was a one off you could probably ask at the bar if they can help. We bought bags of ice from the bottle shop which is near where the new Swanson’s is - it was about $5 a bag from memory
Hamilton & Waikato Region, New Zealand93 contributions20 helpful votes
I can't comment on the appartments as I stayed at the resort but I can tell you that if you are travelling from NZ you can take a lot of food with you, including meat and cheese.
There are more places to choose from in the Alofi area.
PRICE RANGE
$192 - $267 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
NiueAlofi
NUMBER OF ROOMS
55
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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