MotoSamoa Apia

Not a great experience with Moto Samoa. We'd booked a scooter 6 months in advance and had it all confirmed. I'd tried to get in touch with Kevin a few times as we were approaching the rental date, just to confirm everything was still good. He never replied. Then, the day before we were due to pick up the bike, he emailed to say our booking was cancelled due to a mechanical failure. They offered us no help to find alternative transport (other than naming another rental company) and the tone of the email was not sympathetic to the situation at all, basically a "not my problem" vibe.

As I said, there seemed to be a real lack of empathy for the situation or any real want to try and fix it for us. We understand a breakdown is a breakdown, but what is in the company's control is 1) having back up vehicles available for cases like this 2) the amount of notice they provide the customer with and 3) trying everything they can to find a solution to the problem, potentially working with the local network that we're sure they have. Our accommodation was able to call around and find us an alternative vehicle, why couldn't Moto Samoa try and do the same? We don't think it's right that the customer is basically told to figure it out for themselves and Moto Samoa wash their hands of the whole affair. We'd had this booking confirmed for 6 months, that's a long time.

Hired a scooter from MotoSamoa for our entire 12 day trip in August. I made the reservation online and printed the booking confirmation to take with me, no payment was required to secure. I ordered scooter to be delivered to our hotel (Sinalei Reef Resort and Spa) 9am the day following our arrival. At 9am the scooter wasn't at Reception, so we asked them to contact MotoSamoa on our behalf, showing our printed booking receipt (Internet/wifi can be tricky in Samoa, hence the printed receipt or screen shot handy). The scooter arrived about an hour and a half later, so unsure if they forgot the booking or if they had mechanical problems? None the less, it was sorted pretty quickly. Paid rep from MotoSamoa cash and got a discount, he also sorted the local drivers license for us on the spot.

It seems most tourists hire cars or use tour operators to see the sights. A scooter is a fantastic way to see Samoa at your own pace. The local kid all interacted with us as we rode by, wanting a "Hi-5" or shouting "Hello", super friendly. Most roads are surprisingly well maintained, only a few off road tracks. We were able to visit all the tourist sights easily via the basic map from our hotel and maps. Fuel stations are few and far between, so make sure you fill up before a day trip, to not get caught out.