In the Pirae suburb, this aging but well-maintained hotel occupies extensive manicured grounds bordering a narrow black-sand beach good for swimming and mingling with local fishermen.
Although neither elegant nor colorful, the American-owned, Australian-managed hotel offers exceptional personalized attention from a staff fluent in French and English.
Geared to individuals and located in a residential suburb away from city-center hubbub, the hotel has a somewhat isolated
feel. It is designed like a sleek U.S. motor hotel and is well regarded for its French restaurant and its convivial bar, both popular with locals.
The reception building stands apart from the accommodations. A pleasant beachside longhouse with an unusual thatched ceiling serves excellent French fare, while the adjacent bar and its lagoonside patio make a favorite local rendezvous for drinking and dancing on weekends.
Guests who tire of the black-sand beach can retire to the 
extensive lawns and pool that grace this place, and the pool's waterfall cascades right past the windows of its snack bar.
Guest rooms are in contemporary two-story structures of brick and gray wood that open to lawns. Flowery spreads, drapes and seat cushions add island touches to the surprisingly spacious and modern rooms, with carpeting, brick and paneled walls, solid commercial appointments, quiet air-conditioning, phones, double or twin beds, ample closet space and partly tiled combination baths.
Most fixtures are American-made. Sliding glass doors open to deep, sheltered balconies furnished with tables and chairs. The balconies overlook attractive tropical lawns and a footbridge over a small stream.
The drive to the airport can be brutal during Tahiti's morning rush hours, and public buses do not operate here after 5 pm, but local businessfolk and Americans in the know are not deterred from flocking here for the best value on Tahiti.
