We went on vacation with the kids and mom to Moorea, one of the most beautiful islands in French Polynesia. Since there were five of us, we decided to rent a guesthouse where we would have more space, comfort, and privacy than a hotel. Most hotel rooms and even suites in French Polynesia only sleep a maximum of 3 people, so renting an entire private beach villa is much cheaper than renting 2 separate hotel rooms, which can cost $1,000 or more per room per night high. Even the most basic rooms are season-appropriate. Plus having a kitchen and being able to cook our own meals, we save even more! For families visiting Moorea, if you’re looking for the best value, this is the place for you!
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Book a Robinson Bay Villa
We made our reservation online and it was a quick and easy process. When we booked the villa, we received an email with a link to their custom website called Tiki Tips, which contained suggestions on what to do, where to eat, where to shop, what to bring, etc. This was very helpful during our trip planning process and gave great suggestions for activities such as Snorkeling Lagoon Tour We booked lunch through Corallina Tours and stopped in cocoa beach Both are near the villa.
We booked Cook Villa, rental car and private transfers through Robinsons Bay Villas. This made our arrival and departure much easier as the driver was already waiting for us with our name on a sign when we walked out of the ferry terminal. She dropped us comfortably to our villa and the property manager Alix was waiting for us with a garland of flowers to welcome us and show us around the villa.
Use our discount membership code – WTA-Robinson Bay-D10– Book with and save 10% Robinson Bay Villas. If you book this hotel using the following cards Capital One Entrepreneurship Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Ventures X Rewards Credit Cardor Capital One VenturesX Business You can cancel the purchase using your Capital One miles. When using Capital One miles to purchase travel, each mile is worth one cent. This is a great option to use points/miles to pay for travel that is not bookable through a loyalty program. Just make sure to “delete” travel purchases made using miles within 90 days of the transaction.
Location of Villa Cook
Villa Cook is located in Opunohu Bay on the north side of the island. This is arguably the most beautiful place to stay in Moorea, stunning mountain views Surrounded by palm trees and sandy beaches. If you’ve seen the 1984 movie bounty Starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins in the story of the infamous mutiny aboard HMS Bounty, you may remember the film for its scenes shot in Opunohu Bay. The sailors rebelled because they didn’t want to leave this paradise, and we totally understand! Today, yachts and cruise ships anchor in Opunohu Bay due to its stunning surroundings and turquoise waters. Dolphins swam in the bay and we spotted the fins of a black tip reef shark on our balcony.
Before finding this villa we debated whether to live higher inland with views of the turquoise lagoon or spend more money to live on the beach. We are glad we decided to stay on the water. We were able to snorkel near the beach and the kids spent a few hours playing with crabs and looking for shells. Just listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore is very relaxing. If you want a lazy trip and have fun without having to go anywhere, this is the perfect place to stay. However, it is very conveniently located when you decide to explore Moorea.
The north side of the island is the best place to stay, close to Moorea’s best restaurants, shopping, snorkeling, hiking, and best beaches. In fact, our favorite beach on the entire island is just minutes away. Ta’ahiumanu Beach is where we got these amazing photos from Flytographer photo shoot and Steve. We highly recommend booking a photo shoot to commemorate your holiday. Use code “WORLDTRAVEL50” to get $50 off your first Flytographer photo shoot or gift card.
Cook Villa Tour
This villa has 2 air-conditioned bedrooms, one with garden views and the other with bay views. There is also a loft with 3 beds for the kids to sleep in, but keep in mind there is no air conditioning there or in the main area of the villa. There are fans but it can get very hot during the rainy season from November to April.
We visited in mid-March when the heat and humidity were higher than usual. Our son slept great in the loft with the fan facing his bed. We had previously visited French Polynesia in August when the temperatures were much more comfortable. If you don’t like heat and humidity, we recommend visiting French Polynesia during the winter months (June to August). Additionally, you can swim with whales in French Polynesia from August to November, one of the few places in the world where you can legally swim with whales.
The villa has a living room with large sliding glass doors that open to take in the views and let in the sea breeze. There is a small kitchen and laundry room next to the living room. We were happy to have a washer and dryer during our stay as we wanted to do some laundry to wear later on our trip. The kitchen has all the amenities you need including a dishwasher, microwave, stove, oven, stainless steel refrigerator, coffee machine, electric kettle and toaster. Laundry powder, dish soap, trash bags and toilet paper are provided, but be prepared to purchase additional toilet paper if needed. Since there are more mosquitoes in the rainy season, mosquito coils, electric mosquito killers and mosquito repellent plug-ins are also provided.
Inside the villa there is a half bathroom, outdoor shower and sink, and an open-air bathroom with toilet and shower. Bottles of Tahitian Tia scented shampoo, body wash, body oil and tanning oil are provided so no need to bring your own. The outdoor shower felt very exotic and made it easy to shower after spending time at the beach without sand getting into the villa. The owner requires that no shoes be worn in the villa, so it is recommended to bring slippers to wear inside. There are several foot baths outside where you can wash your feet to prevent sand from entering the villa.
Our favorite part of the villa, and where we spend most of our time, is the outdoor living space on the covered balcony. It has a large wooden dining table, outdoor sofas, cushioned lounge chairs and hammocks. The kids loved the hammocks and we spent a lot of time relaxing on the lounge chairs with cocktails and taking in the view. There were 4 additional plastic lounge chairs and 2 Adirondack chairs on the beach, and the kids loved sitting in the water. Check out our saved Instagram Stories Moorea Highlights Watch a video tour of Villa Cook.
Extras in our Moorea villas
There are 2 two-seater kayaks available for free use in the shed in the yard, as well as snorkeling gear, sand toys and surfboards. There are also life jackets available for use while kayaking or snorkeling.
Breakfast can be prepared for you for an additional fee but we chose to prepare it ourselves. You can also hire a cleaning service during your stay for an additional fee. Alix is available 6 days a week (except Sundays) to answer any questions, help with any issues or assist with bookings during your visit. She was responsive to all of our requests. She has two dogs that come over occasionally for some love and our kids love them. The villa is equipped with high-speed WiFi.
Final thoughts about our Moorea villa
Villa Cook is a great choice for families looking for the best place to stay in Moorea with their children. Our 6 night stay cost about the same as one night in a hotel for our family of five, and we had so much more space and privacy!
Even if you usually use points to stay at a hotel (like we do at Conrad Bora Bora Nui on our first French Polynesia trip) Finding rewards in Mo’orea can be difficult, especially for families. Double points are required to purchase 2 hotel rooms, which is required for a family of four or more. Booking a villa and then using miles to delete travel purchases is an easier option. Our favorite card is Capital One Ventures X Rewards Credit Card Comes with a $300 annual travel credit and lounge access to make your trip even more enjoyable!
Villa Cook offers great value and you can save even more if you prepare your own meals, as eating out in French Polynesia is expensive. Sleeps up to 8 people, 4 of whom are in the loft. If you are traveling with a large group and want to be close to each other, there are 2 other villas nearby managed by Robinson’s Cove Villas. Villa Wallis sleeps 6 people and Lagoon Bouganvilla sleeps 2 people. You also have the option of booking a 3-night catamaran cruise departing from Raiatea, Huahine or Bora Bora – something we’d love to do next time! Don’t forget to use our affiliate discount code WTA-Robinson Bay-D10– Book with and save 10% Robinson Bay Villas.
Let us know if you book and what you think! Happy travels, or as the French Polynesians say, Bon Voyage!
*Editorial Disclosure: Editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
