In my New Caledonia travel tips article, I recommend avoiding hotels. They’re often very expensive for a level of service that rarely meets expectations at that price. But for our third trip to New Caledonia, we chose to stay in hotels, including the Hotel Tieti* in Poindimie, one of the most expensive hotels in New Caledonia. Were we happy with our choice and was it worth it?
The short answer is that it depends on your budget, of course, but also the experience you’re after. It wouldn’t have been the best choice of accommodation in New Caledonia for our two first trips. But for this third trip, it was perfect. Let me explain why in my Hotel Tieti* review.
The different rooms at the Hotel Tieti (and the one we highly recommend!)
No matter the size of your room at the Hotel Tieti*, you’ll find lovely interior decor with beautiful dark wood. It was a real highlight for us. We’ve stayed in many accommodations in New Caledonia (especially in Noumea) that looked old and had no charm. It was a real contrast when we entered our bungalow at Hotel Tieti*.
All rooms are also equipped with comfortable beds, a seating area (on the balcony for the smaller rooms) and air conditioning. Although we were far from the reception area, we had reliable and unlimited wifi in the room.
We booked a beachside bungalow and highly recommend it.
It was spacious and the view was unbeatable. We could enjoy the beach from the bed, but also from the table or on the lounge chairs on the patio. The room also had a nice lounge area with a sofa, armchairs, a coffee table and a TV. The sofa can be transformed into a small bed for a child. You’ll find both a bathtub and a separate shower in the large bathroom. We didn’t upgrade for the Deluxe Bungalow with a spa on the patio, but it was tempting!
Remember that beaches in New Caledonia are not private, so locals may hang out not far from your bungalow. We played some music not to hear theirs and it didn’t bother us at all. I’m just noting it here so that you know what to expect as I understand it can be surprising for people used to private resorts.
Other rooms at Hotel Tieti
If you’re staying at Hotel Tieti* for a few nights, you may not be able to afford the beachside bungalow. There are cheaper options available:
- The tropical bungalows are as spacious as the one we stayed in but without the lovely views.
- The standard double rooms are the most affordable rooms at Hotel Tieti*, but they’re a lot smaller than the bungalows. If the building is less charming from the outside, it’s lovely inside the room with the same kind of wooden decor. The views of the garden aren’t as good as the beach views, but still really nice.
- The family room links two standard rooms.
Facilities and things to do at Hotel Tieti
If you wish, you can spend your entire time in Poindimie at the Hotel Tieti*.
The beach is right in front of the hotel. Even if you don’t have a beachside bungalow with a lovely patio, you’ll be able to enjoy a drink with a view in style on the swing facing the lagoon.
They also have a nice pool, a bar and a restaurant. Kids will enjoy the small playground and adults can play petanque next to it.
The food at the restaurant at Hotel Tieti* was rather good and well presented. As often in New Caledonia, you need to be patient as service isn’t quick. But you can order cocktails while you wait for your meal.
You don’t need to go far to enjoy some of the best things to do in Poindimie. The scuba diving and snorkelling tours leave from the back of the hotel.
Of course, I would not recommend spending all your time at the resort. If you’re keen on a short drive, we loved the drive to Hienghene and the Ouaime River.
Do you have travel insurance? It’s always a good idea to purchase travel insurance so that you can better enjoy risky activities and don’t worry so much about money if an emergency happens. If you pay for your holidays with your credit card, you may have travel assurance included. Otherwise, I find WorldNomads* and Covermore* make it easy to add adventurous activities like scuba diving to your plan. For more information about travel insurance, read this!
Why the Hotel Tieti was a perfect choice for our second trip
On our first trip, we were four adults travelling as a group during the high season. The Hotel Tieti* has family rooms, so it was an option. However, we were keen on not spending much time indoors during this very quick trip to the North Province. So it didn’t make sense to pay extra for a room with breathtaking views at the Hotel Tieti*. Also, we were keen on finding a smaller and quieter place during this busy time (New Year school holidays) where we could exchange with locals. So we drove south for about 20 minutes and stayed in a chalet at Les Ignames de Nevaho.
But when we travelled as a couple for our second trip, we had more time in the region, and Hotel Tieti* appeared as the best choice of accommodation in Poindimie. It was the low season so we knew it would be quiet and we could get a relaxing stay to enjoy our room with a view.
The Hotel Tieti was perfect for relaxing
We were keen on spending a lovely, quiet afternoon at our accommodation and wanted a comfortable room. Plus, we knew there was a high risk of rain during our stay, so we liked the idea of still being able to enjoy the beach from our room even if the weather wasn’t good. In the end, the sun was shining for our entire stay in Poindimie. We could enjoy the patio of our bungalow too!
Other accommodations in Poindimie are a lot more basic. We really appreciated having our own bathroom in the bungalow and wifi, for example.
The Hotel Tieti was perfect for scuba diving
Scuba diving with Tieti Diving was the only reason why we decided to spend a night in Poindimie. The Hotel Tieti* is ideally located for underwater activities (diving and snorkelling): tours conveniently leave from the back of the hotel. You can simply walk to the shops from your room.
The Hotel Tieti was perfect for a last-minute worry-free stay
We also organised our trip to Poindimie at the last minute. Finding accommodations in New Caledonia can be time-consuming, except for resorts and hotels that you can book online*. We could trust the reputation of the large hotel and in just a few clicks, we had our trip to Poindimie set up.
Organising accommodation in small lodges in New Caledonia sometimes brings challenges and surprises (often good ones, but not always). If you want to stay in a small lodge or guesthouse, I recommend spending time planning your trip. Do some research first, read recent reviews and get in touch with lodges to gauge the atmosphere and if the amenities meet your needs (for example, sometimes, toilets are separated from the room, which some people don’t like).
Other accommodations in Poindimie
You won’t find any other accommodation in Poindimie that will match the standing of the Hotel Tieti*. To find another hotel/resort, you’ll have to drive north for about one hour to Koulnoue Village* in Hienghene (read my review here). Ka Waboana Lodge* in Hienghene can be another interesting option in the region if you don’t need all the facilities of a hotel.
The other accommodations in Poindimie are a lot more basic. They may be a good option if you want to escape the crowd during school holidays. Sometimes, it’s a good opportunity to connect with locals (if you speak French). I highly recommend reading recent reviews before booking to make sure it meets your needs.
How to get to the Hotel Tieti in Poindimie
Driving to Poindimie and the Hotel Tieti from Noumea
The easiest way to reach the Hotel Tieti* is by car. It takes about 4.5 hours to drive there from Noumea.
Going to Poindimie if you don’t want to drive
If you don’t want to drive, you can also fly to Touho airport. The Hotel Tieti* can organise a transfer for you. There are also private transfers by car from Noumea, but it’s pricey.
If you’re travelling on a budget, it’s unlikely that you’re considering staying at the Hotel Tieti*. But I’ll still mention that you can go to Poindimie by bus from Noumea.
