Return to Paradise - Auckland City, New Zealand

Return to Paradise Resort has over 60 beautiful rooms, facing tangerine sunsets and gentle waves. We have 7 different types of accommodation, to suit every kind of traveller, and we also host weddings and conferences.

The resort sits on Return to Paradise Beach, a slice of heaven that was named after the 1953 film starring Gary Cooper and Roberta Haynes. Popularized by Hollywood, the beach became an iconic symbol of Samoa. In an effort to preserve the gorgeous piece of land, traditional landowning families divided the beach amongst themselves, ensuring everyone had customary ownership and guardianship over a part of the beach.

For years, the locals turned down offers from businessmen who were looking to build resorts. It wasn’t until Ramona Su’a Pale came along that they felt  

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they’d found someone they could trust with their treasured land. Ramona is a daughter of the village who returned from New Zealand with a vision to create a community project.

The village Lefaga had an unemployment rate of 75%, but with the resort came ample employment opportunities. Ramona says she doesn’t see herself as the owner of a resort, but rather the guardian of a heritage. The resort is 100% Samoan owned and operated, and is staffed by extended family members. Staying here isn’t just visiting a resort, it’s experiencing friendly hospitality from families who have owned this land for over a thousand years.

Return to Paradise Resort is a beautiful beachfront accommodation in Samoa. We’re one of Samoa’s most loved beach resorts, and we offer Samoa wedding packages too.