Reviews - 2019
This place is amazing!
This place is amazing! Perfect for families. Stuart and June provided loads of information to make our stay as easy as possible. The house has everything you could ask for. We even baked a banana cake. Bikes, SUPs and a kayak are available to use for no extra charge. The snorkeling off the beach in front of the house is great and the BBQ and outdoor seating area is perfect for a beer and just watching the mainland across the water in the late afternoon.
Thanks so much for letting us stay at Aoredise. We had a wonderful time. The kids loved playing on the beach, snorkeling and exploring the island.
/ Peter, WA - November 2019
It really was paradise!
We had an amazing 6 night stay at Aoredise and it was perfect for our family of two adults and two kids aged 3 and 11. The snorkeling and swimming immediately in front of the house was superb, and we enjoyed seeing the clown fish ("Nemo!") come out to defend their little families in the anemones. We enjoyed using the bikes, paddle boards and kayak provided, to view and explore the island in various ways. The boat ride with Obed was super-easy across Segond Channel to the supermarket and market etc at Luganville for self-catering some meals - we also ate at the restaurant one evening just down the road. The house was really well appointed and had everything we needed and more, the design meant that we stayed cool and comfortable despite the high temperatures, and sounds of the sea lapping so close at night was amazingly peaceful. We also appreciated Stuart organizing for Sam to pick us up on the first day and take us on a tour of Santo - including the blue holes, Champagne Beach, Port Olry, etc. We used Sam a couple of other times too, for getting around to various places, he was really helpful and went above and beyond to advocate for us with Air Vanuatu when our flight was delayed. Simply we couldn't recommend or rate Aoredise highly enough, it really was paradise and we would love to return some day. Thanks so much Stuart and June for sharing your home with us.
/ Anna and Andrew, NZ - October 2019
Wow!
Wow, the final five days of our holiday in Vanuatu were simply the best and Aoredise was superb! Aoredise is everything you would expect from an island paradise and more! Stuart and June have thought of everything to make your stay an experience you will never forget. The spaces both inside and outside the house were superb and the new outdoor Nakamal where you can bbq and relax just makes you feel like a local. The guides and boat drivers recommended by the hosts were outstanding, and Stuart provided us so much valuable information to make our stay and getting around Santo effortless. If you are reading this review skip the resorts in Vanuatu and instead support the people like Stuart and June who are willing to share their beautiful homes with travelers like us. Not only you get better value for money but you truly have a home away from home. Aoredise is a place you don't want to miss so book it whilst you can!
/ Christine, Tas - October 2019
What a Fantastic Place!
Thank you Stuart and June! What a fantastic place in such a beautiful spot! We really enjoyed our time here. The bike rides around the island are great and we loved the lunch and drinks at Freshwater! The kids loved snorkeling as well and made friends with "Nemo" who comes up very close when you approach him. Plenty of nice reef fish as well.
Special mention to Sam and Obed who made the various boat trips and transfers very easy.
Thank You!
/ Bas, Esther, Nils & Marten, Vic - September 2019
Everything you could wish for.
What a little Gem! We loved our stay here. Stuart was so helpful with his instructions and contacts, he gave us great advice and made our stay super easy. The house had everything you could wish for, clean and tidy with private decks and beautiful clear ocean a few steps away for an all-tide swim or snorkel. The paddleboards were great to cruise down to the nearby resort for lunch, and the pushbikes got us to the Freshwater Plantation Restaurant and Aore Coffee Roastery a few km away. The people were amazing, Sam took us on a great day out to Champagne Beach, a Blue Hole and Port Olry. Obed, Sandy & Johnny were all so helpful when we needed to get to town for supplies. We loved our evenings simply hanging out on the deck looking at the wonderful view. The only disappointing thing was leaving!
/ Nicky & Sam, NZ - September 2019
Would love to come back!
We spent six nights at Aoredise and had a wonderful time - beautiful outlook and plenty to do from kayaking, cycling and just chilling in the Nakamal. Stuart was very helpful and left us a phone with contact details for boat taxis etc. It is worth going to Aore Coffee for a catch-up with Sue & Timmie. We would love to come back some day and Aoredise is the perfect place for an island holiday.
/ Claire, NSW- September 2019
We loved our time at Aoredise!
We loved our time there, a great location, loved our 11 nights there, it was great for 4 adults. We swam several times every dayright out front, it was so nice. Lovely view at night across the water. Enjoyed listening to Nick sing at the Coffee Plantation. It has everything you need and the locals are so friendly and helpful. The recommendations Stuart gave us were great. We would love to come back.
/ Geoff, NSW- August 2019
Another Awesome Holiday at Aoredise!
We Kiwis came back again for another awesome holiday. Everything at Aoredise was perfect again and we thoroughly enjoyed using the new covered BBQ area, that is the icing on the cake! BBQ sizzling a couple of Santo beef steaks with a Tusker beer in hand and sand under my feet, with a view over the sea was just awesome.
We found Nemo and friends only steps from our porch, sooo nice to be able to snorkel in the warm water from our own beach. Thanks for sharing your paradise with us again.
/ Chrissy, NZ - August 2019
Amazing!!
Wow, what an incredible place! We spent four nights at Aoredise in August and we had a fantastic time. The house is perfect with its own private beach. Every little detail has been thought about down to bikes, paddle boards, kayak, snorkels, BBQ, DVDs, games and the list goes on and on. The location is great, 10 seconds from the beach, Aore resort is only a 10 minute walk if you don't want to and Freshwater Plantation also do amazing food. Stuart was brilliant and organised our thransfers on the boat for 1000 vatu (which was only 10/15 mins) and a day trip to Blue Holes and Port Olry Beach. He was really quick to respond to emails and messages. We spent most evenings on the new decked area with a glass of wine and a BBQ. We will always have great memories of Aoredise and hope to return some day, just wished we'd stayed longer. Thank you for a brilliant stay.
/ Kelly, UK - August 2019
Superb Location
Superb location. Very comfortable house with everything one might need for an excellent holiday. The location is beautiful, snorkeling off the beach is a treat, and having a mobile with local phone numbers programmed on it, made arranging water transport to Luganville and contacting restaurants etc very easy. The two restaurants on Aore Island were excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
/ Dorothy, NZ - August 2019
A Slice of Paradise
We loved our stay at Aoredise, it truly is a slice of paradise. It has everything you might need and then some. Stuart was quick to respond, gave us tons of information before the trip, booked our transfer from the airport for us and checked if we had arrived safely because it was a public holiday. We spent a very relaxing week on Aore and hope to return some day. Thank you Stuart and June!
/ Heike & Dirk, Germany - August 2019
An Amazing House
An amazing house on Aore Island. The house has everything you could possibly need for a great holiday. Kayak, bikes, paddle boards, snorkels, games, DVDs, the list goes on. The BBQ area is lovely and we spent most evenings out there. The house is only a 10 minute walk from the restaurant at Aore Resort if you don't fancy cooking for yourself and Freshwater Plantation will pick you up and take you to their restaurant. It's only a short boat ride away from Luganville and the coastal trip to one of the Blue Holes and Port Olry Beach is a must.
Stuart helped organize all of our transfers and a private day trip on the mainland. We loved Aore Island and Aoredise with fantastic views of the sea and a 10 second walk to your own private beach. Just wished we had stayed longer.
/ Kelly, UK - August 2019
Absolutely beautiful with everything you need!
The location was idyllic, with an incredible outlook onto Santo. We loved going to sleep every night with the sounds of gentle waves only metres from your door. This off-grid home had everything we needed including games, boards, bikes and a kayak. We loved being able to bike ride around the island and also visit the local resort for dinner and drinks. We snorkeled and kayaked about the island and it was beautiful. Aore Island is far enough away from the main town to feel remote and special, but easy to access (less than 10 minutes) by the taxi boats who drop and pick you up right from the front door! Stuart and June are so helpful and guide you through how to get around the island and Santo. We almost didn't have to organize a thing and as we arrived so late on our first night we felt like we were in a James Bond movie when we were picked up at the airport by their driver and then speed-boated across the channel in the dark of night!
Another highlight nearby was to dive the SS President Coolidge, which is just across the channel, it was spectacular! This property really has everything you could want right at your fingertips. We highly recommend it and wished we'd had more time to explore the whole island!
/ Natalie, Vic - July 2019
Found: Nirvana
Simply bliss. When looking for a piece of paradise, Aoredise is the most ideal place. Suited to both families and couples, Stuart has put together a wonderful place that compliments its surrounds perfectly. Everything is incredibly well though out from bikes to water sports, linen and every cooking utensil one could ever need!
A beautiful beach condo with prime positioning and easy transport to Santo through local boatsmen who are forever available to help for daily transfers to early morning and evening trips for flights. A place worth putting on the list for sure.
/ Belinda, Qld - June 2019
Exceptional!
Beautiful location, well designed house and remarkably equipped. Without doubt one of the best Airbnb's in the world! Aoredise is aptly named. We were 100% satisfied and will recommend Aoredise to all our friends. Thanks again!
/ Jeremie, France - June 2019
Absolute Peace!
Aoredise was just wonderful! We loved the stunning private beach and the ease of being able to prepare our own meals rather than being restricted to only restaurant options (of which there are a couple in the area, albeit still lovely options).
The place was quiet and we loved the paddle boards and kayak. On the couple of occasions we needed to leave to explore town or buy groceries, we were able to call a boat for a ride right from the beach. We loved exploring Aore Island and meeting the expats and locals. We will surely return for another dose of tranquility in the future! Thank you, thank you!
/ Nicole, Queensland - June 2019
A Memorable Stay
Aoredise is a very nice house with great extras, such as a completely equipped kitchen, the nice terrace with BBQ, kayaks and bikes. The taxi boat service is very reliable. The owner takes extremely good care of his house and is friendly and helpful. Thank you for making our stay so memorable.
/ Olivier, Switzerland - May 2019
We loved it!
We are a family of five that had a wonderful stay at Aoredise. Tons of privacy, large garden and great beach. Our three teenageers forgot about their phones and tapped into the paddle boards, kayak and the underwater world, both snorkeling in the backyard and diving the SS Coolidge. Lion Fish, small and bigger patches of coral. Quiet, away from town but with easy water taxi transportation only 5 to 10 minutes away. We loved it!!
/ Tjeerd, China - April 2019
Just what we needed!
Aoredise was just what we needed to end our Fiji / Vanuatu trip. It had everything we needed and more including beach towels, accondiments, paddle boards, bikes, dvds and a washing machine!! When we arrived we knew instantly that 3 days wasn't going to be long enough in this beach house but we made the most of it and had the best time! The deck was our favourite spot to chill out, with a swinging hammock and chair overlooking the ocean with music playing from the stereo. The beds were comfy and the kitchen had everything we needed to cook. The boat was easy to get and Stuart helped organise our journey from the airport to Aoredise which was helpful. The boat stops right outside the house! All in all a great trip with some wonderful memories, thank you for a lovely stay!
/ Lauren, UK - March 2019
Perfect Aoredise
It is easy to say something is "perfect" in paradise. But, to truly create "perfect", it takes a lot of hard work, insightful vision and a deep consideration for the location, the local residents and the very lucky guests who get to share these attributes and this great place. Santo is a very special place, Aore Island is a remarkable, adventurous location, Aoredise is the perfect combination of comfort and remoteness which makes the whole spectrum of special experiences "once in a lifetime". We have travelled a lot and notice all the small details in remote paradises where someone has gone beyond the normal level to make sure you have an incredible and comfortable time, which is not usually that easy due to the exotic location. Stuart and June have obviously exceeded this level to make sure your time here is amazing, well resourced and supported and comfortable. As a result, we have already passed on the details of Aoredise to many friends and family who have not previously stayed in Santo, as the perfect option. Most importantly, on our special last night under the shimmering stars, next to the glistening sea, we vowed to return again very soon to Santo for our 5th visit and to definitely stay and create more unique memories at Aoredise. We travelled with 3 young children aged 5, 3 and 1. Yet there was so much to do, at a nice even pace at Aoredise and on Aore Island, let alone visiting the magic locations on Santo. Our 8 day/7 night stay included the following: Day 1: Arrive Santo, shop LCM Luganville, dinner Aoredise Day 2: Lunch, swim and massage at Freshwater Plantation (pick up in their car), dinner Aoredise Day 3: Day use of Overwater Tree Bungalow and special lobster lunch at Hideaway Paradise Beach Bungalows (approx. 10 mins south of Port Olry), transfers courtesy of Glifford, Nice Day Tours, dinner Oceanic Restaurant on the way back home Day 4: Bike ride and coffee at Aore Is Coffee, dinner Aoredise Day 5: Bike ride, lunch and swim Two Canoes (pick up in their car), dinner Aoredise Day 6: Mavea Island Trip, BBQ lunch and Ri Ri Blue Hole tour with Glifford, early dinner Natangora Cafe on the way back home Day 7: Swim in pool and early dinner Aore Island Resort Day 8: Scheduled breakfast Aore Coffee, Depart Santo Most importantly, not mentioned above, is all of the countless swims, snorkels, paddles, floats, meals, exploring, activities, quiet moments and special family time at Aoredise.
/ Adam, Brisbane - January 2019
A Magical Stay
We had a magical stay at Aoredise! The villa has stunning views and exceptional tranquility. There is everything you need in terms of facilities, both recreational and practical. The island of Aore is beautiful! We were so happy we are going to try to come back very soon and for longer!
/ Severinne, New Caledonia - January 2019
It was just perfect!
Living and working locally in Vanuatu, it’s not often that you take time out to holiday here. This year with the kids coming back to celebrate Christmas altogether, we decided on a getaway to Aoredise. It was just perfect. The house had everything you’d want for a relaxing holiday and the personal touches by Stuart & June were special. It was even decorated for Christmas time. Really Lovely. Great sized fridge for self-catering (6 of us), lots of places to just chill or play card/board games. Fully equipped with water sports equipment, in excellent condition. There are even bikes to explore Aore Island, which we did, discovering nearby WW2 bunkers. The thumbs up from the kids for the sound system. Decorated in a modern yet relaxed tropical style, we all were very glad to have stayed there. PS. Stuart even went the extra mile in making sure an item we left behind was returned to us. Thanks Stuart.
/ Hester, Vanuatu - January 2019