Accommodation in Samoa

beach fale accommodation in samoa's savaii island

Beach fales are the most common type of accommodation in Samoa and whilst the majority of these are very basic, literally just a wooden frame without walls ( and have no form of communication to make bookings - you just turn up and pay), some are beautifully appointed with intricate designs and carvings plus en-suite showers appealing to discerning holiday-makers. There are only a handful of boutique resorts, plus one large resort with over 200 rooms, making Samoa a relatively unexplored tourist destination to visit.

Holiday accommodation in Samoa is limited to the south and north-west coast of Upolu Island and around Manase Beach on Savaii. The pretty capital town of Apia has a good selection of hotels and guesthouses aimed mostly at business travellers and Samoans visiting from overseas. Apia makes a great base for exploring but there is no beach to enjoy.

Although the country has only a handful of small beach resorts, far fewer than most of its South Pacific neighbours, and no archetypal small islands to visit, there is an excellent network of budget beach huts known as beach fales owned and operated by local Samoan families and these make it a very popular destination for backpackers. Beach fales are literally wooden huts on stilts with open sides and a mattress on the floor, although some are more elaborate with coconut curtains and en-suite bathrooms and this is makes for a truly beautiful experience to stay right on the beachfront and gaze out at the the sea and stars at night.

I do not recommend using booking engines like Booking.com or Kayak to book your holiday accommodation in Samoa. These global booking platforms have terrible customer service when things go wrong (and they do) and their rating structure is based mostly on which hotels pay them higher commissions to be better placed in their recommendations over those trying not to bow to this corporate pressure. We would always recommend sending an enquiry direct to the hotel via its website and go from there. There should be no difference in price, you'll get to converse with a real person and you'll be assisting the hotel that you've chosen for your holiday.

The following directory represents my favourite accommodations in Samoa over a range of price categories, locations and for both couples, families and travellers. Our directory features both the popular large beach hotels sold by most travel agents, as well as highlighting the smaller, lesser-known boutique style resorts around the islands for those looking for a little more peace and quiet.

Samoa Accommodation - My Top Picks
. Coconuts Resort
South Coast, Upolu
28 rooms
Beach Resort
$$$$
. Le Lagoto Resort
North Coast, Savaii
8 rooms
Beach Resort
$$$$
. Aggie Grey's Resort
North-West Coast, Upolu
140 rooms
Beach Resort
$$$$
. SaMoana Resort
South Coast, Upolu
10 rooms
Beach Resort
$$$
. Virgin Cove Resort
South Coast, Upolu
14 rooms
Beach Resort
$
. Taufua Beach Fales
South-East Coast, Upolu
10 rooms
Beach Fales
$
Other Accommodation in Samoa to Consider
. Sinalei Reef Resort
South Coast, Upolu
18 rooms
Beach Resort
$$$$
. Seabreeze Resort
South Coast, Upolu
10 rooms
Beach Resort
$$$$
. Le Vasa Resort
West Coast, Upolu
17 rooms
Ocean Resort
$$$
. Tanoa Tusitala Hotel
Apia Town, Upolu
94 rooms
Town Hotel
$$$
. Aggie Grey's Hotel
Apia Town, Upolu
184 rooms
Town Hotel
$$$
. Savaii Lagoon Resort
North Coast, Savaii
10 rooms
Beach Resort
$$
. Stevenson's at Manase
Manase Beach, Savaii
16 rooms
Beach Resort
$$
. Eden's Edge
Apia Suburbs, Upolu
12 rooms
Motel
$$
. Hotel Millenia
Apia Town, Upolu
22 rooms
Hotel
$$
. Pasefika Inn
Apia Town, Upolu
6 rooms
Hotel
$
. Lusia's Lagoon Chalets
Salelologa Town, Savaii
6 rooms
Beach Fales
$
. Outrigger Hotel
Apia Suburbs, Upolu
12 rooms
Hotel
$
. Vacations Beach Fales
Manase Beach, Savaii
12 fales
$