Lisa and Brad as well as Aore Island Resort's very friendly staff make you feel welcome the moment you arrive. This is a perfect place to 'stop and drop' which is exactly what we were after. Swimming in the lagoon and snorkelling during the day, bike riding across the island, and kayaking and SUPing between reading and cups of tea was the order of the day. The fact that breakfast and all non motorised craft is included in the tariff along with the ferry trips to the mainland each day makes this good value. The gardens are beautifully manicured with staff taking obvious care and pride in their work. The beautiful staff made a fresh frangipani lei and headpiece as well as a coconut cake for my birthday. We did not take any tours on this trip as we were only at the resort for 3 nights but the options did seem very attractive. Food and beverage prices are on par with other resorts throughout Vanuatu. Rooms were clean and tidy as was the main restaurant area. We loved everything about Aore Island Resort and are already planning our return. Thank you Brad and Lisa. Please give the staff (and pooches Max and Lolly) our love.

We stayed for four nights at Aore Island Resort. There were ups and downs, but we did enjoy our stay overall.

The only way to get there is via a 10 minute ferry ride across the channel. Unfortunately our flight was delayed so we ended up doing this in pitch black that first night. That was pretty scary if I'm honest! You just have to trust that they know what they're doing.

When you arrive, you are greeted by the Australian owners and a coconut drink. The owners sit with you on the comfortable couches next to the restaurant area to go through the paperwork and talk through the amenities the resort offers. Even though we arrived after the restaurant was meant to close, they stayed open for us and the one other family that we arrived with.

Speaking of the restaurant, it was generally pretty good. As expected, the prices are rather high for local resorts but that's kind of to be expected considering you have no other choice. Unless you take the late ferry out and back on Friday nights, you'll be having all of your dinners at the resort. Quality wise, it was mostly quite good. I had one or two dishes that were only so-so, but I can't really complain overall.

The farés are really lovely, with comfortable beds and clean bathrooms. They have the traditional palm roofs, which is nice character wise but not great for keeping out critters. We ended up shifting to another faré after the first night because ours (Faré 5) had a crapload of flying ants that bit me multiple times throughout the night and a MASSIVE cockroach. Faré 1 was much better insect wise, though my husband did notice mouse poop in one part of the room. We also overheard others mention this problem with their rooms. The only thing we didn't see were mosquitos, which I believe they take great care to prevent in the rainy season. I will also note that the roofs are not 100% waterproof when it rains really hard.

One great thing: each faré has its own private deck with water views and an outdoor fan that is bliss in the afternoon heat. I spent a lot of time sitting out there reading.

The day spa is definitely worth indulging in. I had a full body massage that was HEAVENLY. And it's pretty decently priced as spa treatments go.

The snorkelling out in front of the resort is fabulous. On the adults only side of the resort, you'll see a lot of wonderful fish and a few bits of lovely coral. In front of the restaurant and on the families side of the resort, you'll get to see some amazing coral. You can also feed the fish right off the dock, which they provide bread for throughout the day.

The one thing I really didn't like was how remote it was. There are only a handful of ferries to and from the main island throughout the day, and they usually run either late or early. And there's no rhyme or reason as to why. We were so worried about missing our ferry back that we ended up arriving at the wharf almost an hour early and had to bake out in the sun until it arrived (and left late). I personally would prefer if there were more services because it does make you feel a bit limited about what you can and can't do in Santo.

Overall, if you're looking for somewhere with lots of character and don't mind a bit of rustic charm / critters, Aore is a lovely place to stay. It's also a great place to stay if you really just want to get away and not feel pressured to do much on your holiday. However if roaming Santo without a tour guide is your aim, you're probably better staying on the main island instead.

My husband and I spent the first four days of our honeymoon at Aore Island resort - what a way to kick things off! Our flight was significantly delayed, but the staff was very accommodating of our late-night transfer (by van and boat) and even kept the kitchen open late so that we could grab dinner upon arrival. Our "hut" was spacious/luxurious and included a beachfront, a small private pool and a hammock over the water. The resort offers tons of fun tours. We did the Mount Hope waterfall/river float (beautiful and super fun!), as well as 2 days' worth of diving with Aore Adventure (see separate 5-star review). The staff is extremely friendly, helpful and personal. Lisa even shared her own stash of moisturizer with me after I suffered a sunburn! Loved the fact that the resort is plastic-free and filters their own water - aka no need for plastic bottles! HIGHLY recommend staying with these guys!