This was published 14 years ago
Moorings, Vanuatu review: The Canny Traveller
Moorings ... you'd be hard pushed to find a better spot in Vanuatu.
David Whitley relaxes at Vanuatu's best-kept secret for chic, budget accommodation in the perfect spot.
WHAT Moorings.
WHERE Lini Highway, Port Vila, Efate, Vanuatu.
HOW MUCH? $142 a night for a standard queen room, $186 for a family room (which sleeps four).
WHY STAY? It's a cliche but the key selling point for Moorings is location, location, location. You'd be hard-pushed to find a better spot in Vanuatu.
Moorings is right on the waterfront of Vila Bay. Sit on the wooden terracing at the front and you can look out over the islets, watch the sun set over the water and spot fish popping up to the surface. It's just far enough away from Port Vila's city centre to avoid the noise and bustle but it's close enough to be able to walk to the restaurants, water-sports operators and shops. It's a three-minute stroll to the top end of town and 10 minutes to the markets and chaos of the centre.
The country generally lacks accommodation in that range between plush resorts and cheap but fairly unappealing guesthouses. Yet Moorings fits somewhere in the middle and does what it does extremely well. It's only three years old, so everything is clean and new.
The owners claim it's a relaxed hotel rather than a resort but it has a resort-like layout. The rooms are spread over just two levels, while the bar and restaurant are deliberately airy and open-plan.
The pool does a neat job of summing the place up. It's rectangular, pretty big and perfect for doing laps. But the water also pours off the edge towards a terrace and then the sea. The infinity aspect acts as a stylish little twist that definitely elevates the pool above the ordinary.
The rooms are a decent size, if not huge. They have cable television, fridges, air-conditioning and balconies (upper floor) or terraces (lower floor). But the native flowers on the bed and shelf are lovely.
So are the Survivor-style carvings around the bar and restaurant, the rather unusual cocktail menu and the discount beer and coffee cards for guests who will get through 10 of either beverage.
The biggest praise has to be reserved for the people who work there, however. All are from Vanuatu, all are super-friendly and an investment has clearly been made in training. Bar staff will make drink suggestions; housekeeping staff will pick up and hang up jackets you've unceremoniously thrown on the bedroom floor; reception staff know what they're talking about when it comes to the many tour and activity options on the island.
FREE STUFF The owners are Australian but make a commendable effort to not get trapped in an expat bubble. Ernie, Luke and Justin will often escape in the early evening to join the locals at a nakamal (kava bar). Express an interest in the almost ritualistic drinking of kava and they'll probably let you come along with them. The unofficial tours aren't offered as part of the package but they're happy enough to take guests with a genuine interest when they're going themselves.
ADDED BONUS The bar, restaurant and on-site nightclub tend to be popular meeting places for non-guests, too. Indigenous Ni-Vanuatu mix with guests from other hotels, expats, volunteers and staff from the New Zealand consulate. Stay for a couple of drinks and you feel like you're a genuine part of Port Vila life rather than being gated off in a tourists-only quarantine.
DETAILS Phone +678 26800, see mooringsvanuatu.com.
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