It’s a rare event that all the factors one looks for in a resort of a stunning location, friendly staff, amazing food, great value and good rooms come together perfectly but this is certainly the case with the Savaii Lagoon Resort.
When we arrived at the resort we were immediately greeted and welcomed by host Tony who made us feel at home as soon as we got out of the taxi. We then met host Melissa (Tony’s partner) who had a beaming smile and made us feel even more at home. To say that the kiwi hosts know hospitality is an understatement.
Tony took our bags and gave us an in-depth overview of the resort as he took us to our room. No need to read the compendium as Tony covered it all off and more.
We had the studio room which like most is overlooking the lagoon and only a few footsteps from the beautiful warm Savaii water. If there was anything I could poke holes at about our stay it would only be that the studio room is getting a little tired and could do with a lick of paint. I understand that all the other rooms are a bit more modern but as the studio was the cheapest you pay for what you get. But in saying that it is still a good cozy room with a great porch which the other rooms did not have.
My only hesitation when booking was knowing that the rooms did not have air conditioning…. Alas it was not a problem. The overhead ceiling fan and floor standing fan do the job nicely. You don’t normally need both on but after coming in from a hard day in the sun they definitely do the job.
Another good thing with the rooms is the UV filtered water which saves on the cost of buying bottled water. Great that the resort also makes the UV filtered water available to the locals....good work Savaii Lagoon resort!
Once you’ve taken those few footsteps from your room to the beach (most rooms but not all are on the beach) you then have the arduous task of deciding whether to go for a swim, grab one of the kayaks and go for a paddle or go across the road and hire some snorkeling gear to see the great sea life including turtles (snorkeling costs are $20 for masks and snorkel and another $20 for fins for a 24hr hire. If you are into snorkeling take your own gear to save on costs). These activities need to be done a few hours either side of high tide as the water is quite shallow and it is for the protection of the reef and yourself. Other activities include walks to caves, lava field, scuba diving, tours etc.
The resort has Samoa’s best kept secret – Malu. Malu is the chef at their in house restaurant which sits on the water’s edge. We indulged ourselves in some of the best food we have had; Beautiful Oka, BBQ’d prawns, Sashmi/Poke, Sapasui, Beef Stirfry, Chicken Noodle, Egg Plant Bruschetta etc. Based on what they can get fresh from the locals is what is on the menu each night. The menu normally consists of one starter (around $12 - $15 Tala) and the choice of 2 mains (around $25 - $35 Tala). The way Malu is able to bring all the flavours of her dishes together is great.
Tony and Melissa look after their staff which in turns makes for very happy and very helpful staff that really enjoy working there. A big ups to June who is a waiter come tour guide come help you out with anything you need and also Janice who is also part of the wait staff and great to have a yarn with. You must do the plantation tour that June runs as its very informative and you’ll learn a lot about the different foods they eat, plants they use for medicinal purposes, why his village has shifted away from the coast and you may even get to sample some of the wonderful Koko Samoa… Yum!
Many thanks to Tony, Melissa and all the staff at the Savaii Lagoon Resort for a truly wonderful stay.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
