Hotel Sarah Nui in Pape’ete, Tahiti

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Updated: January 19, 2021
By Santorini Dave

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Review of Hotel Sarah Nui in Tahiti

The rooms are large, colorful, and comfortable at Hotel Sarah Nui.

Hotel Sarah Nui – Spacious, inexpensive, and convenient, but in an unexciting area.

A more stylish hotel than the outside suggests, the rooms are not only large and nice – modern, with kitchenettes and breakfast counters – but also elegant (e.g. with leather sofas and chic lamps). The downside is the location in a light-industrial port area which is considerably less noisy at night. But the hotel is reasonably convenient: few minutes’ walk to the ferry terminal for Moorea Island, and another five on foot to downtown. Half the rooms feature balconies with views of the canal and Heineken factory, while the remainder have no balcony or worthwhile views, but are quieter.

Hôtel Sarah Nui – The Basics

  • Location: In Fare ‘Ute, a northern suburb of Pape’ete, the Tahitian capital. About 400m from the ferry terminal for services to Moorea, 1 km from the market in downtown, and 8 km from the airport.
  • Guests: Caters to everyone, but perhaps more focused on business people.
  • Beach: No beach in downtown Pape’ete. The nearest is at Pīra’e, another suburb nearly 3 km away. Ask reception about local buses or organize a taxi (unmetered).
  • Views: Faces busy streets, with 1 set of windows offering distant mountain views above the Heineken factory.
  • Wi-Fi: Free and unlimited for all guests throughout the hotel.
  • Parking: Enough free and secure off-street parking outside the main entrance.
  • Nice Perks: Shuttle bus pick up from the airport.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: (689) 40 50 35 30
  • Email: hotelsarahnui@mail.pf
  • Website: n/a

Hôtel Sarah Nui – Amenities

  • Pool, Spa, & Fitness Center: Not expected or provided at this sort of low-key city hotel.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected or provided.

Hôtel Sarah Nui – Food and Drink

  • Restaurant & Bar: A simple café on the ground floor serves breakfast (if included in the rates), but nothing much else.
  • Breakfast: Not included. An à la carte or buffet breakfast is available at the hotel café for a reasonable cost.
  • Room Service: Not available.

Hôtel Sarah Nui – Rooms

  • Room Types: Standard and Superior Rooms.
  • Smoking Rooms: No smoking in the rooms but permitted on the balconies.
  • Best Room: Rooms are fairly similar, although the décor and layout does differ a little. The best rooms will be on the top floor, for the finest possible views and distance from the road.

Hôtel Sarah Nui – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

    From about 5 pm every day, a few roulottes (food carts) are set up in nearby streets. The café at the ferry terminal is handy and provides a fascinating look at arrivals/departures, but is overpriced.

  • The Tahiti Nui Hotel, 600m south along Rue des Remparts, is home to Le Velvet Restaurant for fine-dining, silver service, and French cuisine, and the Chocco Latte Lounge Bar for imported beers and unique cocktails.

Within a 15-minute walk along the esplanade are:

  • Les 3 Brasseurs – Microbrewery, street-side seating, and pub-style meals. Very popular for sports on TV, tapas, burgers, and pizzas. Other side of roundabout from the Bora Bora.
  • Bora Bora Lounge – At the start of a delightful alley of Parisienne-style bistros and bars. Happy hours, daily specials, and pleasingly affordable considering the perfect setting.
  • Le Rétro – Easy-to-find bistro midway along the esplanade. Very French and très popular for coffee, shakes, and light meals. Also great for people-watching and live music late into the night.

Nearby Market or Grocery

  • Handy minimart just across the road from the hotel entrance.

Local Transport

    Not on any useful bus route, and very little public transport around Pape’ete anyway. Taxis can be arranged at the hotel, but they’re unmetered, so rates are extortionate.

Hotel Sarah Nui – The Hotel

The hotel is located in a less popular area.

The hotel is easy to find, but in a less exciting area of Pape’ete.

Most rooms do not offer worthwhile views.

Most rooms don’t feature balconies, which is not that disadvantageous because many views are not worthwhile anyway.

The hotel is affordable and nice.

The hotel is affordable, welcoming, and nicer inside than the outside suggests.

Breakfast is served in the simple onsite cafe.

A simple café on the ground floor serves breakfast for guests who have paid for it as part of their rates.

Each floor has a charming guests' lounge.

On each floor is a charming guest lounge.

Rooms are big and colourful.

All rooms are spacious and colorful.

Rooms offer mountain, street and factory views.

Rooms without balconies face the city streets and distant mountains, and are more interesting than rooms with balconies that overlook a busy road and factory.

Rooms have unique decor and layouts.

Each room is decorated slightly differently, and some layouts vary because of the design of the hotel.

Room furnishings are modern and likeable.

Furnishings in the rooms are modern and likable, with kitchenettes alongside the desks.

Some rooms have extended leather sofas.

Le Velvet Restaurant nearby is very nice.

One of the closest and nicest places to eat is Le Velvet Restaurant at the Tahiti Nui hotel, about 600m down Rue des Remparts street.

Le Retro cafe on the esplanade is very impressive.

One of the most impressive and popular cafés along the esplanade is Le Rétro, about 1 km away.

Bora Bora Lounge is known for its meals and drinks.

Excellent value for meals and drinks, and great for people watching, is Bora Bora Lounge, about 750m away.

Downtown Pape'ete has several pleasant eateries.

In downtown Pape’ete, a few shady pedestrian malls provide pleasant places to eat and drink.

The esplanade nearby is full of shops.

The streets just off the esplanade, about 1 km from the hotel, are lined with shops.

Downtown Pape'ete has several cafes and shops.

Most corners in downtown Pape’ete are packed with cafés and shops selling takeaway food.

A shady path leads to the ferry terminal.

A shady pathway through central Pape’ete stretches a few kilometers from the ferry terminal.

The esplanade has many parks, including one with a bandstand.

Much of the esplanade is lined with parks, including one with a bandstand.

The capital's coastline is dotted with boats.

The coastline in the center of the capital is lined with boats.

Pape'ete has a few shady gardens.

There are a few shady gardens around Pape’ete.

The capital is attractive in parts.

Parts of the capital are attractive, although only two blocks away the streets can be less pleasant.

The daily market sells food and souvenirs also.

The hotel is about 1 km from the massive daily market which also sells food and souvenirs.

Notre-Dame Cathedral is opposite the market.

Almost opposite the market is the Notre-Dame Cathedral.

The ferry terminal is close by.

One attraction of staying at the Sarah Nui is proximity to the ferry terminal, only 400m away.

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About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave Author Bio. Santorini Dave was started in 2011 by a guy who loved Greece, travel, and great hotels. We're now a small team of writers and researchers on a mission to deliver the most helpful travel content on the internet. We specialize in Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece and recommend the best hotels, best neighborhoods, and best family hotels in top destinations around the world. We also make hotel maps and travel videos. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.