Nayara Hangaroa, Easter Island: A Comprehensive Guide to Staying in One of the World’s Remotest Locations.
Welcome to my review of Nayara Hangaroa; A stunning 5-star hotel located in Chile’s remotest locations, Easter Island. A Leading Hotels of the World Property and managed by Nayara Resorts, this was formerly known as the Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa.
Easter Island had been on my radar for some time, so I was absolutely thrilled to finally get there, albeit with three years of Covid disruption. Chile only reopened for tourism in 2022, and Easter Island remained closed even beyond the rest of the country resuming visitors. Originally we had been booked twice at Explora Rapa Nui, the other highest standard resort on the island, but for this trip we changed it to Nayara Hangaroa (part of Leading Hotels of the World, and sister property to Nayara Alto Atacama) and we were not disappointed. Explora is definitely much more remote with a fantastic outlook too on the other side of the island, and I’m sure would have been a wonderful alternative and perhaps somewhere to visit if we ever do make it back to Easter Island again.
One of the things that interested me about Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) or Rapa Nui, in addition to the remoteness (one of the most remote in the world) were the Moai statues. At some point these were all taken down from their platforms. The 50 Moai that are now standing have been restored by archaeologists who began working in 1955. They know that these were not taken down by natural causes, but instead by human intervention, and there are a couple of different theories as to why this might have been the case. Apparently the last recording of a Moai standing on its platform (without restoration) was in 1838.
The other thing of great interest was the design and architecture of the resort, as well as the landscaping. Designed by the architect Tomas Bunster, this 10 hectare site, had been sympathetically blended into the island, and paid homage to the ceremonial village of Orongo, on the edge of the Ranu Kau volcano (the crater is now the main source of the water supply for the Hangaroa region, which we saw on one of our daily tours - really spectacular).
Despite being a large site, and indeed a large roomed property, being so spaced out and all low-rise buildings this really had been designed so well. Throughout there were hardly any straight walls or angles, instead almost everything was circular from the sunken seating area in our suite, the domed (grass seeded) roofs, the shower, the spa buildings, bar etc. The other factor which really helped, in addition to the sustainability focus (more on this later under accommodation) was the use of materials and how this made it not stand out. Over 500 cypress trees brought from Osorno (in the 10th region) that would normally have been left unused in the forests (owing to the complex treatment required to use them), were reutilised in the building of all the various parts. These were dark stained in some areas like the restaurant and bar, as well as in the reception area, but in our suite bathroom they had been lime-washed to soften the look. Everything was so well done, and even from a distance looking back at the hotel, you really could see where the design influences had come from on the island and what a great job had been achieved here.
The resort was quiet when we were there, not many other tourists, albeit a crew from the US TV channel, ABC, were filming for their morning show so that added to the numbers.
In this review of the Nayara Hangaroa, I’ll detail our experience of the location, local activities, food and drink at the hotel, the accommodation and facilities at the hotel itself. Read below to find out everything you need to know before your next trip to Easter Island in Chile.
Easter Island Moai at sunrise - a day trip from Nayara Hangaroa
Fast Facts for Nayara Hangaroa
Address - Av. Pont S/N, Isla De Pascua, Chile
Website - https://nayarahangaroa.com
Group website - https://nayararesorts.com
TripAdvisor ranking - #2/31 (Easter Island, Traveller Ranked)
Contact - reservations@nayararesorts.com
Nearest airport - Easter Island (IPC) - 1.5 km or 0.9 mile (only a 5 minute transfer)
Opened - October 2011 (joined as part of Nayara Resorts in 2020)
Number of rooms / suites - 69 rooms (Kainga king or twin), 6 suites (Maunga)
Number of floors - 1
Bars - 1 (Vaikoa)
Restaurants - 2 (Kaloa Lounge and Poerava)
Wellbeing - Spa (Manavai), gym and swimming pools
Visited - February 2023
The very famous Moai heads on Chile’s Easter Island
Hotel Accommodation: Eco-friendly luxury
There are 75 rooms in total (but actually signage for 77 - I know I’m a bit of a numbers geek!) across 11 different single-story low-rise buildings. Numbers 1-44 are in the premium full ocean-view facing, with 45-77 (or 75) on the level behind. I saw rooms in both and there was no bad view - being slightly elevated meant you wouldn’t see the road in front, but this was absolutely no issue for us being in suite 8. The suites (only at the ends of some of the buildings; there are only 5 or 6 of them) are definitely the premium accommodations with higher ceilings and additional facilities. What was interesting from our arrival was that lots of wild (by this I mean free-roaming) horses and dogs would enter the property. The dogs in particular were so friendly, and all animals really well cared for, despite being ‘wild’. We learnt from the hotel, and our guides that the Rapa Nui have a real respect for these animals, as well as the care and protection of their environment. We went to one of the local shops to buy some meat to feed the dogs (the pet shop was closed during our stay), otherwise we would have just bought some natural treats to give them. An afterthought, make sure you comply with all regulations about what you can bring onto the island, food-wise!
The rooms were lovely, similar fittings to the suites, but the suites were exceptional. A large entrance hall immediately allowed you the full view, from not one but two terraces at the front and huge floor to ceiling windows to maximise the outlook. There was a sunken seating area with massive recessed sofas on natural stone bases, a large writing desk area, an amenity closet for the mini fridge (restocked daily), a separate guest WC; which then led around to a huge open plan bedroom area (another natural stone based bed plinth) before you entered the bathroom area, and a separate dressing area with drawers and hanging space to the left. Some of the suites would be a mirror image depending on which end of the building it was sited.
Here, in the open-plan en-suite a bathtub made from artisanal clay, using ovens specially created for the project in the Pichilemu region (6th region of the island), took centre stage in this double height space (with roof lights in the grass domed ceiling to allow natural light to flood in, though diffused with large opaque glass circles). Double sinks crafted using volcanic stone from Llaima Volcano (9th region) were placed on a large vanity area, before the rear of the area housed a circular shower cubicle on one side and a separate WC on the other. I don’t normally like shower curtains, but the shower dome was huge and the curtain pristine, so I didn’t object to this one at all. All toiletries were provided, like the Pharmacopia natural body care aromatherapy shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion.
Sustainability was a huge focus throughout the property, with a wastewater treatment plant which reuses water for the gardens, green roofs to help with temperature control (like the old round houses), and electricity generated through a micro turbine. The room had two waste bins, one to separate one organic waste, the other non-organic for recycling.
Our suite was serviced twice a day and remained pristine throughout, with towels being replaced as necessary and the same with the bed linens. There was Wi-fi throughout (not the fastest it has to be said, but we certainly didn’t expect this with the remoteness of the island), and the air conditioning was very effective but in no way obtrusive.
“A magical and sacred place on Easter Island that connects guests with the Earth and the local community.”
Facilities & Service at Nayara Hangaroa, Easter Island
The main reception building also housed the tour desk area, which seemed to have been outsourced to a local tour company, Mahinatur. They organised all of our tours (there will be lots more on these in a separate ‘Travel Diaries’ post) and all drivers and guides were excellent. We were either allocated to Tico or Maohi; both were really great, and it really enhanced our experience of Easter Island by both being born on the island itself. Their English was exceptional (tours are provided as standard in Spanish, English, or French - other languages available at extra cost). They always turned up on time for every tour we went on (there are some amazing locations), they were interesting and fun, with nothing being too much trouble. We had a mix of vehicles (all seemed really new), and it was a change one morning when Tico came in what seemed like a brand new “Jeep”.
There was the option to convert a ½ day tour into 50min massage or 3 hour bike hire, and these would accumulate so that the day we didn’t do any tours, we should have had two 50 minute massages each. We thought this is what we’d booked one day, but in fact it was only one each because it was so difficult to get appointments. I love massage and would have had more (there was the option of deep-tissue or a relaxing massage) so it was great in theory having this option, but the reality was a bit different if you couldn’t actually book an appointment.
The Manavai Spa was housed in a collection of separate buildings, all walled (like pretty much everywhere in the resort) in a circular design with no straight walls. From the welcoming and well-designed reception building, wooden paths led off from both sides in a circular route passing all of the individual pods. Either these were massage cabanas (again extremely well appointed with en-suite showers and WC), a hydrotherapy suite (out of action when we were there), a gym (decent size and equipment), another outdoor small pool/jacuzzi (unheated) or the sauna. I’ll write much more on the spa (and the treatments) in a separate blog for This Man’s Journal.
The main swimming pool (Vaitea) was large and in different sections, surrounded by wooden loungers - it was a good combination of having all the activities and tours, but also having a good pool for some relaxation time. Despite the fantastic weather during our stay, this was hardly used and always quiet.
I’ve broken down the key facilities and services and shared my opinion on them below:
Rooms/suites
Quite a simple choice here between King (rooms - choose between king bed or twins) or only a handful of suites (Maunga) which benefit from a lot of extra space and more expansive outlook being at the end of the accommodation buildings. Loved the accommodation though, so in keeping with such a remote and magical island, and again the sustainability angle shone through here in how the accommodations were designed and built.
Levels of Comfort
Excellent - although nearish to a main road, it was a very quiet relaxed island and we had some excellent sleeps. The suite was cleaned superbly daily and had absolutely everything we could need, so a very comfortable stay throughout.
Bathroom
The bathroom in both the rooms and suites here are all good, open plan style and all included both a walk-in shower and locally designed bath. In the suite this was much bigger, with twin sinks and the bath on entrance, then towards the back of the suite a separate WC and shower. All toiletries were provided, and with clever use of domed roof lights all areas of the bathroom (especially the double height in the suite) gave an immense feeling of light and space.
Breakfast
Always a good start to the day, with tours or day trips not normally starting too early in the day. There was just the one with a very early start, so we were provided with a mini-breakfast out on tour, then good to come back to the hotel and enjoy our breakfast afterwards. Always a good choice of buffet options, but freshly made egg choices available too. Service always low-key and very friendly, despite the size with it being quiet when we were there it had a real intimate feel.
Restaurant & Bars
Although there were other restaurants nearby, we only ate within the hotel other than having drinks and lunch at a restaurant down the beach, hiding from a very short (but sharp) rain shower. The package was fully inclusive, which wasn’t the reason, but there was so much choice of excellent food and variation that there was no need to visit elsewhere.
Design & Architecture
There had obviously a tremendous amount of effort put into this eco-friendly resort design, not least with it being a big property yet from a distance it’s impact on the landscape was minimal. Whether this was the low-rise building or having so much space around accommodation blocks, the grass roofs, etc. it was sympathetically designed for this rugged landscape.
What about the Easter Island location?
The resort is located so near to the main street in Rapa Nui, only minutes from the airport, but the location is great. At the time of our stay, there was only flight on some days, so there was no flight noise disruption at all. We had originally (back in May 2020) planned to come to Easter Island from Tahiti in French Polynesia, as part of a round the world trip, but the only operating flight at the moment is to and from Santiago with LATAM Airlines.
Turning left out of the resort within a couple of minutes you would be passing cafes and some low key souvenir/tourist shops, as well as locals selling produce on the road or small minimarkets, as well as a chemist. The other way, in front of the hotel (there is a road that runs between the resort and the coast itself); takes you down to Plaza Hotomatua and a small port. Here there were a couple of major banks (Santander being one of them, in a fantastic local stone building), some nice restaurants, bars and cafes; as well as all the diving shops. Pea beach was here too, where you were meant to be able to see turtles daily (we didn’t). Keeping on walking (not big distances and relatively flat) you would come to the Archaeological Museum & Museum of Father Sebastian Englert and cemetery. Next to this was another Moai site, which you will see across all of the island.
What was really good about the location were the sunsets, as the sun would go down right in front of the hotel, usually for us when there around 9pm when having dinner. Although it was a central location, there was no noise and it was really easy to get around the island. Whether this was on the various pre-organised tours (usually leaving at a very respectable 9:30am in the morning and then again at 3pm, unless for the sunrise at Tongariki which I had to ready for 6:15am - ‘Mrs’ The Private Traveller refused to get up), with the island not being that big (about a 1/1500th of the size of the United Kingdom) it was easy to get to all sites without much travelling time. Quite different to the expanse of the Atacama Desert where we arrived from, here it could take up to two hours (one way) to get to (say) the Geysers.
Some of the top activities I’d recommend doing on Easter Island are:
Manavai Spa/Gym
Great having this facility on site, and the gym (which I never actually used with so many other activities) - the only issue really was appointment availability.
Outdoor Pool
A good outdoor space with plenty of sun loungers to relax either before or after a tour - the weather was excellent during our stay (February) and there were lots of options for sunbathing.
Island Excursions
Such a fantastic selection of daily options (generally tours were both AM and PM, so you’d always be back for lunch and a break in between the day, then always back in time for dinner at night. We were so looked after by the locally born guides (Tico did most of our tours) and with being there for almost a week we never ran out of things to either do or go and see. It was also nice to have a break from tours where either we just relaxed in the hotel, or walked to local sites - into either the adjacent village or down the coast to the harbour with it’s shops, restaurants and bars, and of course more Moai.
Walk Around Yourself
The island felt so perfectly safe, and with plenty to see on the doorstep the Nayara Hangaroa (like the nearby village) or walking down the coast to the harbour it’s a good option to do something different and experience new locations of this interesting and unique island.
Quod Bikes
The island is so easy to get around so no real risk of getting lost, so one day we were provided with a quod bike to do our own morning tour. It was easy to operate, albeit with it being the first time ever I’ve tried a quod bike, there was a bit of learning about where to position your legs so they didn’t get too hot from the engine.
Food and Drink at Nayara Hangaroa
There was the main Poerava Restaurant that served breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had opted for the Full Experience package, so this included all meals, drinks (excluding only a few very premium brands), two half-day tours daily (or one full-day), airport transfers, etc. The only thing we had to pay for were tips (everything had an optional 10% added), some drinks (Tanqueray Gin, my favourite, was either premium or not depending on who served you), laundry (very efficient and came back the next day), and spa treatments (more on this later).
There was an additional Kaloa restaurant, but this was closed during our stay as occupancy was quite low (end February/start of March). I didn’t see inside, but looking in from the outside, this looked like yet another great space. The Vaikoa Bar opened from lunchtime and served drinks and an alternative food menu throughout the day; we tended to mix things up and sometimes have lunch in either the bar (more sandwiches, burgers, etc.) whereas the restaurant had the option of a three course lunch, if that’s what you wanted. Options for vegetarians were fairly limited (but not unexpected, again because of the location), but we were easily able to repurpose the Club sandwich etc. to have no meat, albeit on our last lunch I was served one with chicken, despite only asking for cheese and salad!
There was a nightly sunset cocktail and canapé, served either in the bar or the restaurant, with the drink changing daily - one night could be a Cosmopolitan, another a Moscow Mule. Staff in the restaurant and bar (as everywhere) were excellent, and after spending almost a week there, they began to know our habits (‘Mrs’ The Private Traveller I’m sure will have been referred to as Mr Coke Zero - they even offered him one after a spa treatment!) as did we know the menus off by heart (they didn’t change).
Highlights of our stay
There were so many highlights of our stay at The Marquesa Key West but here are just a few of the key points, which I hope you find a useful summary.
Location - as I’ve said the location was really good, and perfect for sunset viewing/photography.
Tours - excellently explained and outlined (there is a huge wall map in the reception tour area, and the staff really helped us to understand best what we wanted to see).
Staff - from the welcome at the airport with a flower necklace through to departure and another ‘welcome back’ necklace, they really made our trip. Ignacio was really good at showing me around the whole property on arrival and obviously had a real passion for his job, but we won’t name the rest of the staff for fear of missing someone out.
Suite - such a wonderful space and having the extra features and amenities really enhanced our stay. Rooms were lovely too though, just more compact; not as high ceilings and less outdoor space.
Areas for improvement
My preference would always be to have nothing to add into this section (i.e. exemplary service throughout with no issues during a stay) and while this was near perfect, there were only a few things which felt might have improved the stay.
Only negative really was spa appointment availability - quite difficult to get (as has been a recurring issue on our whole trip in Chile), so we probably missed out on a few massages in lieu of tours.
There are no TV’s in the bedrooms or suites, so I would suggest stocking up on Netflix downloads if that’s your thing; I wouldn’t rely necessarily on the Wi-fi there, albeit it worked.
There was great hanging space in the bedroom (enclosed wardrobes in the rooms) but a separate dressing area in suites with open space, but only a few wooden hangers - a few more would be great.
A tip - if you’re a dog lover (like we are), I’d suggest taking some natural dog treats with you. You’ll see friendly dogs everywhere, in and around the hotel, walking the grounds or having a sleep, and particularly at many of the historical sites. Check out regulations on bringing onto the island.
Would I stay here again?
Yes with no hesitation whatsoever. The stay was great from start to finish, in a great location, in an amazing suite and the fabulous staff really enhanced our trip. We liked having the option of staying in the resort, or being able to walk out to a shop, bar or restaurant nearby. The weather was amazing (continuously warm/hot) albeit we did get rained on a couple of times - but very, short sharp showers, before the sun came out again.
The famous Moai of Easter Island or Rapa Nui
My final thoughts on Nayara Hangaroa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
Have you stayed at Nayara Hangaroa, Easter Island or indeed any Nayara property before? I’d love to hear your own thoughts and opinions on it as well as your impression of Nayara, Leading Hotels of the world or Easter Island as a holiday destination.
Comment below to share your thoughts and opinions.
Let me know which hotel I should review next!
Easter Island had been on my radar for some time, so I was absolutely thrilled to finally get there, albeit with three years of Covid disruption. Chile only reopened for tourism in 2022, and Easter Island remained closed even beyond the rest of the country resuming visitors.