KUKi's Retreat

Best stays in Samoa: where to sleep across Upolu and Savai'i

Samoa's accommodation runs the full spectrum — from US$30-a-night beach fales where you sleep open-air to the lagoon, through family-run boutique hotels in Apia, all the way to five-star resorts with overwater bungalows. Picking the right one depends entirely on what you're after: barefoot authenticity, restaurant variety, or a swim-up bar.

Best stays in Upolu, Samoa

Upolu is where most Samoa trips start. Faleolo International Airport, the capital Apia, and the bulk of the country's resort-tier accommodation all sit here. The south coast (Lalomanu, Lotofaga, Siumu) is the postcard side; the north has Apia and the working harbour.

Best beach fales in Samoa: traditional open-air stays

The beach fale (pronounced FAH-leh) is Samoa's signature stay — a traditional thatched-roof hut, open to the ocean breeze, on the sand. You sleep on a mattress with a mosquito net, the family runs the kitchen, and dinner is whatever was caught that day. It's the cheapest and most authentic way to stay in Samoa.

Best beaches in Samoa

Samoa's beaches are the kind that consistently top "world's best" lists and somehow stay uncrowded. Most are on customary land — you'll pay a small village fee (typically WST 5–20) at the gate, which goes back into maintaining the site. Below: the ones our travellers come back about.