We stayed here for our honeymoon for 6 x nights in January 2012. From the first magical sight from reception all the way down to the ocean, we knew this was a place to soak up and enjoy. The magic of Sinalei is to soak it all in, to sit at the ocean side restaurant as the oranges, pinks and hues of yellow from the sunset pour down on you as you eat fresh tuna, oka (raw fish) and dine on beautifully made food - it is so stunning. We enjoyed the food and the menu changes once a week. The staff were lovely and welcoming. The 2 x restaurants offered a variety of food and sights, of course my favourite was the local food and we got to try pure coconut cream, it is the most devine thing on earth (and to see it made makes you appreciate the hard work). I went twice to the spa and really enjoyed the full coconut scrub (devine) as i listened to the ocean underfoot. Everyday at 4pm the drum is beated and fresh home baking is served with coffee and tea (the bikini looked better at the start of this trip). Samu one of the drivers was awesome so welcoming and informing - a chief of his own village. this is a no-children resort which was also nice to experience. Would I go again deffinately, take a book, shade bathe under a palm, drink a beautiful coctail in the infinity pool. Enjoy and rest, oh and there is a lovely local cat to, that if coaxed will eagerly come and sleep in your room. Enjoy.

Brought my partner to Sinalei after having visited Upolu island a couple of months ago. Had wanted to visit Sea Breeze but as they were unable to accommodate us we tried Sinalei and what a fortuitous choice. Very intimate, unrushed and personal. All the things you want from the Islands. The Restaurant deck is our favorite place with the only dark spot being the slow service. The chalet we had by the ocean was beautiful and extremely private we even left the balcony doors open and fell asleep listening to the ocean.

We stayed at the Sinalei in early November which is a quiet part of the year due to the weather moving towards rainy season. All in all a good trip and a relaxing experience however the weather and the poor snorkeling did not meet expectations (not the fault of the resort though as outside of their control). On a positive note the reception staff heped my wife out with some medication which was good and the resort if well presented. Other points as below...

Very nice beach and pool area
The samona feast was great and a real highlight
The breakfast buffet is not worth the money charged - better to order off the menu
The restaurant menu for dinner was a bit sparse and not great value for money but I guess you get that from a resort - possibly due to number of guest for that time of year.
The service staff were very prompt and kept the room tidy - probably due to low guest count but good all the same and a lot better than some other places we have stayed at
The resort staff do not get paid very much apparently and as such seem very dependent on tips
It a very small resort and as such there seems to be a better opportunity to meet other people etc which doesnt seem to happen in larger resorts ?
The hotel reception is the strangest one I have seen with no-one on the front counter. Takes a bit getting used to having to ring a bell while waiting in the lobby.
The coral in the lagoon has taken a pounding from the tsunami and has not yet recovered although some of the fish have returned
Golf course is a bit of write off but good for a hack around

Sinalei is bouncing back with rebuilding and improvements making the place better than before the tragic disaster of the tsunami. The original restaurant with spectacular ceiling is thankfully still as before and used for breakfast and functions, and there is now another restaurant for lunch and dinner built out where the previous jetty was. This new restaurant is in a simply stunning location with a mouth watering menu to match.
After staying @ Sinalei 11 years ago we had hoped the magic memory of the place would not be let down and we were not disappointed. The staff are everything you would hope for, friendly, smiley, helpful – you get the picture! There are new beachfront units and spa, and work is progressing on a gym. The massage I had was perfect – called “relaxing”( I am not into pain) - it was just the right amount of pressure and I felt great afterwards.
The food and beverage Manager is working on the menu, and we particularly liked the use of the local fish done different ways and the salad greens grown locally. No need to go on a diet after your holiday from all the over eating – although you will not go hungry, and plenty of mouth watering desserts to try! Homemade breads always fresh, with the braided garlic bread proving irresistible on more than one occasion. Other tempters were the taro hash browns at breakfast, crispy on the outside and soft in the centre, and a lime and coconut dessert tart – just the right amount of tart and sweet.
Time your stay if possible to enjoy the Fia Fia night – the fire dancing is not to be missed. The lagoon is lovely, there is more than one lot of waves at any one time breaking on various reefs, and there are turtles and many fish. Check out the end of the jetty, a fresh water spring bubbles up in the lagoon. Great kayaking, snorkelling, diving, fishing and there were even surfers. The golf course has missed out on some attention while other repairs have been made, more of a fun hit around I would imagine.
We split our stay between a Garden view fale and a Beachside fale. Some of the garden view fales have a glimpse of the sea so I would recommend requesting one of those – unless you are with a group of friends and then the 5 fales in the garden would be good. The Garden view fales are planned for renovation, however our one was still in good condition with a good layout and thought put into wardrobe and suitcase storage. The Beachside fales are new and right up there with international standards for luxury accommodation. Spacious with traditional Samoan ceilings, extremely comfy bed, well laid out bathrooms and a huge deck beachfront. Well worth the treat!
Samoa is hot and humid – it was the beginning of the wet season and we experienced 30% rain and 70% sunshine. The rain was welcome when it came as it cooled the air down. Probably 30 degrees Celsius and high humidity. Water temp was from refreshing to bath water warm. We would not hesitate to go back then but we did stay for 15 nights in Samoa so could afford to risk some rainy days.
A truely magical stay, with very happy memories that will stay with us forever, and we will be back, sooner rather than later.