Return to Paradise Resort opens

It has been a long and challenging journey but Samoa’s newest 4.5 star resort has now opened at Return to Paradise, Lefaga.

Return to Paradise is proudly Samoan built, Samoan owned and Samoan operated.

Investors in the resort include some of the most prominent and respected business families in Samoa.

To celebrate the opening, Return to Paradise is offering an opening special of T$450 per night including tropical breakfast (minimum stay two nights) for Samoan residents.

Reservations are essential and must be booked direct with the resort.

“We have built something very special in Samoa that Samoa can be proud of,” says Marketing Manager, Vaimasenu’u Zita Martel.

“It’s like walking into a traditional Samoan village in the olden days with thatched fales grouped around a malae and Return to Paradise resort evokes these memories.

“That's Return to Paradise Resort’s point of difference, because no where in modern Samoa do you find a 4.5 star resort that has the look and feel of a Samoan village. The stunning setting, the architecture, the food and service all combine to make Return to Paradise

Resort quite exceptional”.

This is a large spread out resort which is by far the biggest on the south coast with 60 room spaces. All the rooms have beautiful walk-in wardrobes, marble floor and wall surfaces, granite bench tops and gorgeous silk curtains.

It is a tribute to the class of this resort that even when it was only half finished, it was selected by Masterchef New Zealand to feature three episodes of this top rating show.

International Chef, Tristan Edgerley, has spent time under the tutoring of Masterchef, Simon Gault and Michael Meredith and worked in top restaurants in New Zealand and Australia.

Tristan and his team are turning out amazing food at Paradise Kitchen.

Food and Beverage Manager, Raz Gilchrist brings his special magic skills honed over years of working with Hilton Hotels and the much acclaimed restaurant “Euro” with Simon Gault.

Right on the beach are 12 beach front rooms with amazing rock wall feature bathrooms, plus four 2-bedroom villas with full kitchen.

There are a further 18 ocean breeze and treetop rooms, a Presidential suite, Maeva Honeymoon Suite, four swimming pools, Cabana Cafe, Paradise Kitchen Restaurant, Rock Pool Bar and Massage Spa.

For meetings, the air-conditioned Gary Cooper lounge seat 100 people theatre style and 60 for dinner. Opening soon will be the conference centre, a beautifully carved traditional Samoan 'faletalimalo' seating up to 400 people for weddings, fiafia nights and other events.

Fiame Naomi Mataafa, the Minister of Justice, has graciously given her blessing for the Conference centre to be named the “Fetaui Conference Centre”, in honour of the late Laulu Fetauimalemau Mata'afa, her mother, who was one of the key inspirations for the establishment of the resort.

Sadly, Fetaui passed away before the resort was completed, but said she would die happily knowing that such a venture would create meaningful jobs for the people of Lefaga.

Heavy future demand for holidays, conferences and weddings means that by the end of September, a further four 3-bedroom absolute beach front villas will be open, along with a further 6 deluxe rooms with fantastic elevated views.

Gin and tonic at sunset on the Rock Pool Bar just has to be on the bucket list. So does the amazing range of signature cocktails such as the Tolu Special (they could tell you how it is made, but we won’t. Just enjoy it. We guarantee you will want another one). Then there is an absolutely delightful cocktail jokingly named Sized Two. An unusual name for a cocktail, but according to Raz; “ guests eyes light up when they drink it just like us Samoans’ eyes light up when you tell us there is a Size Two pig for to’ona’i.”

There have been many setbacks in getting this resort up and running.

Initial plans were stopped in their tracks when the Global Financial Crisis drove the first investors into bankruptcy so they had to pull out. A second lot of investors got spooked by the tsunami and also pulled out. Long delays in settling leases lost credibility.

Shortly after construction commenced, the cyclone hit and reduced the site to a disaster zone.

Steering the development through these tough times was Chairman Hinauri Petana: “I have seen many projects flounder in my years in the Public Service, but Return to Paradise was a vision worth fighting for. In tough times, good people work harder and support each other.

“Our setbacks have made us better people and the Resort a more exceptional place. Return to Paradise is now an amazing place supported by an amazing team of investors, managers and staff. We can’t wait to show it to you and to the world.”