Events at Return to Paradise

This place is amazing. From the minute we were met at the airport at 2am , we were made to feel welcome. Everyone at this resort are very friendly, always greeting you with a smile whenever they see you.
Va Spa in the paradise kitchen is especially nice and friendly

We stayed in a garden view room if you ask for the 700 series rooms , you will get partial ocean view. We were in room 705. The rooms are located behind the Rock Pool Bar and very close to all the amenities. Great location
We had the roosters waking us up every morning. It was also great to see hermit crabs in their natural habitat near our room..
Late afternoon they all come out

The rooms do need updating but we were not expecting a 5 star accommodation, but it does need a shower curtain so the water doesn't end up on the bathroom floor. We found this very frustrating as the floors were very slippery when wet. The bathroom also needs an extraction fan.
A full length mirror and an clothes aerator would be really handy and some drawers in the bathroom. The room needs at least 2 lounge chairs, not just one.

The resort itself has 3 places to eat. Main restuarant Paradise Kitchen which is where you go for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Then there is the Rockbar which is open until 10 and services drinks and food. And then there is a Cafe.

The beach is amazing . The resort is very picturesque. We took alot of photos..
The pools are nice, smaller than they look on the advertised photos but still great.

There is also an ATM at reception. Best to withdraw once cause the fee is 15 tala no matter how much you take out.

There are also drinking stations to refill your water bottles

The people that work at reception can help you with taxis, tours, hire cars etc, they are helpful

The shows at the resort. Maeva string band and the fiafia show were very good. The staff are very talented. Tavita has an amazing voice. Don't miss out on the shows.

The tours are very well organised , air conditioned van and a very informative and knowledgeable tour guide named Tasi. He also organised a private tour for us to go to Apia Markets and Piula cave pool as well. We did the Eastern beaches and waterfall tour which was amazing..

The clam sanctuary was also amazing. We just took a taxi there and back. It's very close to the resort. It was amazing and the water sooo blue.

TIP - take reef shoes with you, some beaches and waterfalls where you can swim are rocky

We had this really cool taxi driver named Vina who always had music blaring in her taxi. She was fun to be around

Overall our 8 night stay was totally amazing. Can't fault this trip at all.

A fabulous resort, so much so, we want to return next year. We were delivered to our room on a golf cart, felt like royalty. The very clean beachfront room was very spacious, a great walk-in wardrobe slotted in behind the bedroom and behind that a lava rock lined wall bathroom, with twin sinks and a decent shower, always with hot water and very nice large bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. There was a choice of air con or a ceiling fan. The lighting in all rooms was VG. The room compendium provided in the room was one of the best I have ever seen and in addition, you are given a 4 page information sheet about the resort on your arrival. The wifi was of a VG quality. We were opposite a wifi booster on a pole. Initially we could not connect, but reception sorted that for us.

The views of the white sand, sea and reef breakers and coconut palms from the room were just breathtaking. A bowl of water was provided out on the roomy furnished patio, to clean off your feet on return from the sands. The beach towels provided by reception were of a VG quality.

Breakfast was plentiful and varied slightly each day. My favourite cocktail during Happy Hour was Lost in Paradise and my husband enjoyed the local Taula beer. Sometimes the music in this area was a bit loud for us. We preferred to listen to the breakers. We did eat one night in the Paradise Kitchen, the main restaurant, but the two food choices we chose were average. We started eating some of the foods exclusive to the Rock Pool Bar and loved the prawn dish. We were there for the Saturday evening Maeva String band and buffet evening. It was well worth the price charged and apart from some great singing, there was some very energetic dancing.

Everything is well signposted. The gardens are well tended and colourful. The gym is air conditioned and very modern. It’s worth going to the right end of the beach to explore the chapel and beside it is a small building that will tell you the story of the filming of the 1953 Return to Paradise movie on the beach and if you walk out to the hut at the end of the boardwalk in front of the chapel you will see the memorial stone to the actress Roberta Haynes. The reef is very close to the shore, so swimming/snorkelling is recommended 90 mins each side of low tide. Sometimes at high tide, signs are placed out to say the beach is closed. The snorkelling was great, little tropical fish started swimming around your legs before you even got in the water. I saw a parrotfish, so I was very happy. Th sunsets are amazing.

I would like to have seen an extra table provided with a chair, at a height suitable for a laptop. A full-length mirror would be a useful addition.

The staff are what make this resort, all greeting you with ‘Talofa’. It is a reasonable size resort, but it felt like home after a while, like you were part of the resort family. They are all very happy in their work and anticipate your needs and go out of their way to help you. We highly recommend.

firstly, we chose Samoa because it has a reliably hot climate year round unlike some other destinations. We wanted to be somewhere warm and peaceful. We chose Return to Pardise because it looked interesting and a bit different and we got a good accommodation deal there.We had room 402 which was ideally located for us. Big marble rooms with good a/c, comfy clean beds, a good bathroom, an outside deck area to sit, a fridge, kettle and tea and coffee. The beach is sandy and lovely, there are sun loungers to use. The Paradise Kitchen is the only restaurant but the food is very good and we were happy to eat there most nights. The cocktails at the Rockpool Bar are very good , far better then the rubbish ones we were charged an arm and a leg for in Fiji last year. We didn't use the pools but the people in them seemed to enjoy them. The staff are all locals and are pleasant and friendly. We enjoyed the shows and the fiafia nights and beach towels are available from reception. We took some foodstuffs with us and so provided for our own lunches and snacks. there were no decaf options so I had my own with me. The tv in our room wasn't very functional, and the wifi a bit patchy, but I had plenty of books to read and his lordship had his ipad with vpn. Other things included pool and table tennis tables, a book shelf wth lots of books, a bi tv screen in the cafe area to watch sport fixtures etc. The location is a bit off the beaten trail and we went for some long walks, but there are no other restaurants etc around so plan for that. All in all, we enjoyed it and would return again. Keep in mind, this is not a poncey Sheraton type gig... it is local, low key and authentic... and we liked that.

We enjoyed a beachfront spacious villa and it's basic equipped kitchen with air conditioning in every room.
Having a Kitchen was great to prepare own food as the resort food was very average and overpriced, but there is nowhere else you can walk to to eat or buy food. Breakfast buffet was ok but same same compared to other resorts we stayed at.

The resort is down its own road away from all other resorts which is good for privacy.

Nice beach to snorkel and swim in. Waves break close to shore.

Tried the spa. Nice to have this option.

Transfers and Tours are run, these are pricey but can be worth it for getting the local knowledge and not needing to rent a car.

Water filter stations everywhere which increases the rating.

Staff were good and responsive. Not the fanciest or cheapest resort but certainly a nice place to hang out.

Beautiful family owned resort. We had a garden breeze room which had a verandah and sea glimpses. The room was a little dated but absolutely fine. The buffet breakfast was simple but the staff so friendly, especially Lisi who was there most mornings keeping the buffet tidy and replenished. The breakfast chef was amazing with how the food just kept on coming on busy busy mornings. The Rock Pool Bar is a great place to relax in the evenings. Overall the staff are friendly and welcoming, especially in the restaurant and bar areas. We did have some problems with our itinerary which was dismissed by a receptionist which was disappointing but Mika was happy to help and resolved our issues. Tours are great and I hope to upload a photo of our tour guide and driver jumping off a cliff into a waterfall which enthralled the guests while on the Eastern beaches tour

On arrival they asked for me to pay the accommodation however I said all was included in package. They corrected themselves as I had been upgraded due to resort being at capacity and they had to move me to beachfront bungalow - how lucky was I!
Once in my room I dumped my bags and went for a walk to find my bearings. As it was night there was not much to see. Went to Rock Pool Bar for something light to eat. Not a great choice so went with the fries. They were not great. Local beer was good.
Back to room where the bed was was very firm so not very comfortable unless you like to sleep on wood.
Morning Buffet breakfasts were included in package. Nice choice of food which did not change much from day to day. Was looking forward to lovely tropical fruits. Local coffee was wonderful. Might have to take some home!
Tours arranged by resort are very good. I did the East Coast beaches and waterfalls. Lovely day out included lunch, bottled water and towels, so you just need take reef shoes and yourself and camera of course.
Lomi Wellness Spa was so relaxing, getting rid of all the knots and stress from the rat race.
Took me 24hours to relax into Paradise and many a book was read. I bought 3 left them in the library and found one more to read.
Swimming at the beach was good although be careful of the currents as they are strong. The pools are delightful.
Meals not a great deal to choose from but reasonably priced. Nothing exciting!
This resort is a local village owned and operated and well done to them - one reason I chose to stay here. Support local! The evening culture shows are wonderful and again all local dancers and performers. You can see they love what they do - their smiles are wide and proud.
This is a resort for relaxation if you want to be active go somewhere else. They have just the right choice of activities and tours, not too big with 14 people on each tour. So book early and enjoy.
Samoa and Return to Paradise Resort is for relaxation with a little activity here and there. It's a perfect place to relax and unwind.

It lives up to its name and I really do want to return. Within 24 hours I was completely relaxed. Say ‘Talofa’ and give a smile and you get a big smile from everyone in return. Keep a note of the low tide time (from the daily newsletter) and enjoy the sandy rock pool. The fish surround you. Be wary of rip and waves taking you over rocks off the beach. I stayed in a garden view villa which was a short walk (nearer the chapel than Reception) views of the ocean from the porch. Room had a queen bed and a single so would suit small family. Bathroom window is screened and keeping sliding door closed meant room was mosquito free (perhaps the small hungry gecko on the wall helped). There was an effective air conditioning unit but I found the fan sufficient and the sound of the waves and morning bird song was divine. My mum visited 50 years ago (when it was a village) and it was wonderful to replicate the photo on my first visit.
Thoroughly recommend the Lomi Wellness spa . Massage dispelled all the neck and shoulder tension.
Each of the buffets have a distinctive offering of lovely food. Do all 3 Fei Fei, Movie night and String Band $95WST is $55 AUS. The tours are all excellent and with the guide (Tassi) and driver (Lafua) patient and informative. Air conditioned bus, water, lunch and towels provide an amazing way to see more of Samoa and enjoy a swim. The tours book out so get in quick on arrival. These are in my ranking of favourite first:
East Coast Beach including Sua Trench $325 ($189 AUS) Any day tour under $200 per day is good value and this includes lunch and spectacular memories.
Giant Clams and Turtle Reserve* $120WST I saw 3 turtles, the clams and lots of fish
Village Walk $25 WST – must do prior to Movie night Thursday
Apia Town and History $300 WST
On a Sunday consider attending the local Church service – 5 minutes drive. It is in Samoan and the choir is incredible. Wear conservative clothes.
The UV rays are high (even on cloudy days). Suggest cover up with full sleeve rashie and board shorts and hat. The clams are impacted by sunscreen so cover with protective clothing rather than sunscreen on that tour. Coral shoes are recommended for handling the freshwater river swimming and the rock pools. Bring your own sunscreen and insect repellent and drink lots of water. Bringing my own supply of muesli, long life milk, snacks and chocolates helped but not mandatory.
The resort is staffed and managed by the local people. Reduce your expectations slightly as it is a natural paradise. If your TV doesn’t work due to power issues or WIFI is patchy go and enjoy the hermit crab race or admire some hibiscus or enjoy a massage or cocktail with an ocean view. As Aunty Pisupo says “appreciate the little things”. If pineapple is out of season enjoy papaya or banana. Say Talofa to a local and ask them about their family. Everyone was more skilled than me in remembering names Simi, Leanna, Rosie, Moses, Opo, Toe and Va and the very talented singers and dancers – WOW and Faafetai. As there are so many staff working behind the scenes on groundskeeping, security, cleaning, cooking consider giving a tip to Manager Micca to go towards the end of year staff party.
Best option to change money is the Faleolo International Airport on arrival (before baggage collection) with AUS cash. Your hotel bill can be settled with remaining tala and a debit card to save credit card and local charges. There is a safe in the room.