Hotel Gondwana in New Caledonia

SD › New Caledonia Hotels › Gondwana Review
Updated: November 26, 2020
By Santorini Dave

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Review of Hotel Gondwana in New Caledonia.

Hotel Gondwana – New, chic, family-friendly, inner-city, and eco-friendly.

The lobby sets the scene, with Melanesian crafts along the walls and a funky lounge/library area bursting with colorful sofas. Noumea’s new hotel certainly brightens up the city streets and has won awards for use of sustainable materials. Rooms are a little undersized, although extra single beds can be squeezed in, if required. They’re modern and many are located around a communal courtyard. Those higher up are quieter, but views from most facing the front are blocked by wooden cladding, so get a room at the back. The quiet streets host a good array of facilities, and it’s close to the museums, markets, and bus station for services around the island.

Hotel Gondwana – The Basics

  • Location: 19 Rue Auguste Brun, in the so-called ‘Latin Quarter’ (which is indistinguishable from the rest of central Noumea) on the main island. About 40 minutes from the international airport and 12 minutes from the domestic airport.
  • Guests: The design and vibe would appeal more to younger travelers but all are welcome, especially families.
  • Beach: There are no beaches in the inner city. The nearest is at Baie des Citrons, about 15 minutes south by bus (quicker by taxi).
  • Views: Many rooms face the inner courtyard, while others overlook the quiet backstreets. Views from most rooms facing the front are, however, blocked by cladding.
  • WiFi: Free for all guests throughout the hotel.
  • Parking: Secure off-street parking available for a fairly hefty rate.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: (687) 269 799
  • Email: reservation@gondwanahotel.nc
  • Website: gondwanahotel.nc

Hotel Gondwana – Amenities

  • Pool, Spa, & Fitness Center: Not expected or provided at this sort of mid-range city hotel.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected or provided.

Hotel Gondwana – Food and Drink

  • Restaurant & Bar: Not large enough to have one. Plenty of options along the city streets nearby (see below).
  • Breakfast: May include a continental breakfast, but double-check when booking.
  • Room Service: None.

Hotel Gondwana – Rooms

  • Room Types: Queen Room (some with 1 or 2 extra single beds) • Gondwana Suite
  • Smoking Rooms: Smoking not allowed in any rooms or anywhere else in the building.
  • Best Room: On the top floor, the spacious Gondwana Suites provide the hotel’s finest views of the city and glimpses of the sea from the balconies.
  • For families: Some Queen Rooms already have 1 or 2 extra single beds, but are cramped.

Hotel Gondwana – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

  • Pause Café – Opposite the hotel entrance. Great for coffee, cakes, light lunches, and people-watching. Open early for breakfast. Also, lunchtime specials.
  • La Chaumière – Classy French, but also Asian food and bulging burgers. Check out the daily specials. Just around the corner, 150m northwest of the hotel.
  • Le Best Café – Next to Hôtel Le Paris, 500m up Rue de Sebastopol. Grills, pasta, homemade pastries, salads, and huge breakfasts. Popular hangout with snooker table, internet lounge, and giant TV screens.
  • L’Annexe – Enchanting position alongside a pond in the Place des Cocotiers park, about 1 km to the north. Always busy for light meals, coffee, and ice cream.

Nearby Market or Grocery

  • Plenty of convenience stores and minimarts around the streets in the city center.

Local Transport

  • Bus 10 and 11 head to the beaches at Anse Vata and Baie des Citrons. The nearest stop is alongside the amusement rides on Rue Georges Clemenceau street.

Hotel Gondwana – The Hotel

The hotel has a quiet suburban location.

The hotel is along a quiet suburban street in the center of the capital.

The hotel design is funky and actually hampers the views unnecessarily.

The design and décor is funky – even to the point where most views at the front are blocked by wooden beams.

Rooms at the back look onto the backstreets and courtyard.

Rooms to the back offer unobstructed views of the backstreets and courtyard below.

The welcoming reception is filled with traditional arts.

The reception features traditional arts and is manned by a friendly staff.

There is a small lounge-cum-library next to the lobby.

Alongside the lobby is a funky lounge/library area.

Queen Rooms are small but comfortable.

The Queen Rooms are comfortable, if a little undersized.

Room decor and furniture is modern and colourful.

The décor and furniture in the rooms are modern and colorful.

Rooms facing the courtyard have no privacy.

Rooms facing the courtyard are dark inside because windows are small and would have to be closed at least partially to ensure privacy.

Ground floor rooms are noisy while those on the upper floor offer some privacy.

Rooms on the second floor offer more privacy and less noise.

The hotel courtyard is a nice place to meet and greet.

The courtyard area at the hotel is a congenial place to meet other guests.

L'Annexe Cafe in Place des Cocotiers is delightful.

In the huge city park, Place des Cocotiers, L’Annexe café is a delightful place for coffee or lunch.

Pause Café opposite the hotel serves excellent meals.

Opposite the hotel entrance, Pause Café is perfect for breakfast, coffee, lunch, and watching people.

Le Best Café is a hip and affordable hangout.

Le Best Café, about 500m north of Gondwana, is a hip hangout offering affordable meals.

The hotel is located in The Latin Quarter.

The hotel is in what’s called The Latin Quarter, but the surrounding area is more residential than commercial.

Noumea streets are fun to explore.

The streets of Noumea are fun and easy to walk around.

A flea market is held at Place des Cocotiers every second Sunday.

Twice a month on Sundays, a flea market is held in the main city park, Place des Cocotiers.

The downtown walking path has views of the naval dockyard and ferry terminal.

A walking path through downtown offers views of the naval dockyard and ferry terminal.

The capital's coastline is dotted with marinas and boats.

Much of the coastline along the city center and suburbs are lined with boats and marinas.

Place des Cocotiers dominates the city centre.

Dominating the center of the capital is the Place des Cocotiers (Place of Coconut Trees).

Baie des Citrons beach is reachable by public bus.

Only 15 minutes from the hotel by public bus is the beach at Baie des Citrons.

Moselle Markets in the city center is a fascinating experience.

The fascinating Moselle Markets in the city center is open from 5am to midday every day (except Monday).

St Joseph’s Cathedral is located on the eastern edge of the city center.

St Joseph’s Cathedral dominates the top eastern edge of the city center.

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About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave Author Bio. Santorini Dave was started in 2011 by a guy who loved Greece, travel, and great hotels. We're now a small team of writers and researchers on a mission to deliver the most helpful travel content on the internet. We specialize in Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece and recommend the best hotels, best neighborhoods, and best family hotels in top destinations around the world. We also make hotel maps and travel videos. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.