Resort Special for Locals in Samoa

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.

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.

My daughter and I stayed at Return to Paradise for 7 nights at it was just magical! We stayed in a beach room which I totally recommend. The food was great, the beach was just beautiful, the snorkeling was the best I have ever experienced and the staff were all accomodating and super friendly. We just LOVED the shows as well, very entertaining and they are a very talented group. We really loved our stay there and we are talking about when we can come back!! Swimming with the turtles was a real highlight as well. A big shout out to Mika on the front desk and the boys who played volleyball with my daughter - thank you for making our holiday just that extra bit special!!

This is my 6th stay at RTP and I keep returning to paradise because of the incredibly warm hospitality of Ramona and ALL the team I truly feel like family.
I am known to be fussy but from the moment I enter the beautiful grounds i feel relaxed. Thanks to Fatu and the team for keeping the grounds and beach beautiful. Mika for keeping things running smoothly.
The beach is gorgeous and the snorkeling is great.
Rooms are clean and spacious. Great place to relax or go on an adventure. Love it and will be back again next year God willing.
Faafatai lava guys!!