SD › Bora Bora Hotels › Fare Rohivai Review
Updated: November 26, 2020
By Santorini Dave
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Fare Rohivai – One of the original guesthouses with a dazzling seaside setting.
Formerly known (and still sometimes referred to) as Chez Robert & Tina, this unpretentious and friendly guesthouse is perched at the very end of Matira Point. With panoramic sea views that are envied by surrounding resorts, it is still very modest; most rooms have shared facilities, while one does have a private bathroom. Pluses are access to a communal kitchen, proximity to several eateries, free WiFi, and a congenial lounge area facing the sea. There’s no beach directly in front, but a postcard-perfect cove open to the public is just a few minutes away.
Fare Rohivai – The Basics
- Location: At the end of the lane along Pointe Matira peninsula at the southern end of the main island. About 300m down from the entrance to the InterContinental, 7.5 km from the main town of Vaitape, and 30 minutes by boat and taxi from the airport.
- Guests: Caters for those on a budget who don’t mind modest facilities.
- Beach: It doesn’t directly face a beach, but several ideal stretches of sand with calm waters are available to the public within a few minutes’ walk, e.g. facing the InterContinental Resort or Hôtel Matira.
- Views: A couple of rooms on the second floor offer wonderful sea views.
- Wi-Fi: Free throughout the guesthouse.
- Parking: A couple of spots behind the main gate, and also enough secure spaces along the lane outside.
- Phone: (689) 8773 5389
- Email: farerohivaibora@mail.pf
- Website: facebook.com/farerohivai
Fare Rohivai – Amenities
- Pool, Spa, & Fitness Center: Not expected or provided at this sort of low-key guesthouse.
- Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected or provided.
Fare Rohivai – Food and Drink
- Restaurant & Bar: A guesthouse of this size and standard is not expected to offer a café or bar, but there are plenty of options just up the road (see below).
- Breakfast: No breakfast but guests have access to a communal kitchen.
- Room Service: Not expected or provided.
Fare Rohivai – Rooms
- Room Types: 1 and 2-bedroom rooms, most with a shared bathroom. 1 room with a private bathroom.
- Smoking Rooms: Not permitted in the rooms but allowed elsewhere.
- Best Room: The room on the second floor facing the sea has a private bathroom and offers gorgeous views.
Fare Rohivai – What’s Nearby?
Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars
There are 2 classy but pricey restaurant/bars in the InterContinental Resort about 300m up the lane, as well as:
- The Lucky House (40 67 68 08) – At the top of the access lane, about 500m away. Alongside a pool for bistro-style meals, including wood-fired pizzas and a children’s menu.
- Roulette Matira – Quaint setting with a few tables for burgers, crêpes, fish, and steaks. Mostly for takeaway, with hit-and-miss opening hours. Opposite The Lucky House.
- Restaurant Matira Beach (87 79 47 04) – classy French cuisine with Polynesian and Japanese influences. Family-friendly and beach access. Reservations recommended and free transfers. 850m to the northwest.
- Snack Matira (40 67 77 32) – Simple meals and plastic tables, but sublime beachfront position. Stay for the day. About 1.2 km to the northwest.
Nearby Market or Grocery
- A small shop selling basic supplies is opposite The Lucky House.
Local Transport
- There is no public transport anywhere on Bora Bora. Taxis (unmetered) can be organized through the guesthouse but rates are extortionate, which is why many visitors hire a car, scooter, or bicycle – and the road is flat all the way to the main town, Vaitape (7.5 km).
Fare Rohivai – The Hotel
The entrance is hard to find and still signposted with the old name: Chez Robert & Tina.
The guesthouse is serenely set among sandy gardens at the end of the lane at Matira Point.
Rooms are in 1 and 2-level buildings, with those on the second floor offering the finest possible sea views.
The guesthouse is 1 of the very first on Bora Bora, and facilities are modest but comfortable.
Some rooms are in a 1-level block with partial sea views.
The communal lounge area is spacious and faces the sea.
Also available to guests is the well-equipped kitchen.
Only 300m up the lane from the guesthouse, the InterContinental offers 2 elegant but expensive restaurant/bars.
The Lucky House Restaurant, along the main road about 500m away, offers a poolside setting as well as wood-fired pizzas, Polynesian-style meals, and a children’s menu.
Opposite The Lucky House, Roulotte Matira offers tasty meals in a casual setting.
The magnificent location is the main reason why the modest Snack Matira café is so popular.
While the guesthouse doesn’t face a beach, there are plenty of perfect swimming spots within a few minutes’ walk, e.g. in front of Hôtel Matira.
The main town of Vaitape is along a flat road, about 7.5 km from the guesthouse.
Vaitape offers a few places to eat, drink, and shop, as well as facilities such as the Police Station.
Bora Bora is about 45 minutes by air from the Tahitian capital Pape’ete.
The airport is on an atoll and linked to the main island by boat (which is free for all airline passengers).
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