Seaview Lodge & Restaurant in Tonga

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Updated: January 5, 2021

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Review of Seaview Tonga Hotel

Seaview Lodge & Restaurant – Petite, elegant, and friendly, with old-style charm.

The most convenient hotel to stay at along the western esplanade, close to downtown, is spread across two whitewashed colonial-era buildings. Most rooms are along the side and offer limited views, but are comfortable and spacious enough with a subtle Fijian décor. Better are those on the second floor that face the sea and abandoned jetty from the substantial balcony. Adding to the appeal in all rooms are the king-sized beds and overhead fans. There is no beach nearby, but a walking path parallels the sea to the town center, and the English-style garden is particularly quaint.

Seaview Lodge & Restaurant – The Basics

  • Location: Along Vuna Road, the western esplanade, in Nuku’alofa on the main island. About 800m from the town center and 40 minutes from the airport.
  • Guests: All are welcome, but it doesn’t cater that well to families, e.g. extra single beds are not allowed in any rooms.
  • Beach: It faces the sea but there is no beach anywhere in or around Nuku’alofa. The closest serviceable beach is at Ha’atafu, on the far western tip, about 20 km away.
  • Views: Good direct sea views from rooms at the front, but nothing worthwhile from those along the sides.
  • Wi-Fi: Free for guests throughout the hotel.
  • Parking: No parking. Guests would have to park along the road outside or in a public car park opposite.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: (676) 26903
  • Email: seaview.tonga@gmail.com
  • Website: seaview-lodge.com

Seaview Lodge & Restaurant – Amenities

  • Pool, Spa, & Fitness Center: Not expected or provided in this small boutique hotel.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected or provided.

Seaview Lodge & Restaurant – Food and Drink

  • Restaurant & Bar: The Seaview Lodge Restaurant and Deck offers seating inside and out, with white tablecloths, sea views, and a romantic setting. Expect haute cuisine with a Polynesian flare from the European chef, as well as classy service and happy hours. Also open for breakfast (and to the public). Reservations recommended in the evenings.
  • Breakfast: Not included in the normal rates but certainly worth paying for at the classy café.
  • Room Service: Not provided.

Seaview Lodge – Rooms

  • Room Types: Standard Room • Seaview Room • Garden View Room • 1 Garden Bungalow
  • Smoking Rooms: No smoking is allowed within the rooms, but permitted in the gardens.
  • Best Room: The single Garden Bungalow is ideal for a small group or family staying for a while. The private kitchen offsets the need to walk to the cafés in town.

Seaview Lodge & Restaurant – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

  • Little Italy Restaurant – The closest café is about 700m further up the esplanade from town. Justifiably popular for pasta, steaks, and seafood, as well as the extensive wine list and delicious desserts.

And it’s only about 800m to the town center:

  • Friends Café – Very popular, if only for the free Wi-Fi. Claims to have the ‘best coffee in town’, as well as an impressive range of meals. Easy to find at a corner on the main street, Taufa’ahau Road.
  • Reload Bar Tonga – Virtually the only bar in town, with happy hours, locally-brewed beers, DJs, and meals. Opposite the Friends Café.
  • Marco’s Pizza Pasta – Hard to find in a side street (Unga Road) 2 blocks southeast of Friends Café. Also, fish, grills, salads, and tasty desserts with a relaxed garden seating and live music on weekends.
  • Enjoy Café – Convivial, with street-side seats. Serves cakes, coffee, all-day breakfast, and substantial meals. In the backstreets, on Railway Road, 1 block south of the main thoroughfare, Taufa’ahau Road.

Nearby Market or Grocery

    Nothing within walking distance. The town center, 800m away, has a few supermarkets and a produce and souvenir market.

Local Transport

    ‘Taxis’ (actually shared minibuses) ply the esplanade. Wave one down and negotiate a fare.

Seaview Lodge & Restaurant – The Hotel

The hotel is located on the esplanade towards the western end.

The lodge is nicely located along the western part of the esplanade.

Whitewashed walls and picket fence give the hotel a colonial charm.

There is some genuine colonial charm, with whitewashed walls and a picket fence.

The town center can be reached via a seaside path.

A seaside path across the road leads about 800m to the town center.

The hotel is located on the quiet esplanade.

The hotel is easy to find along the quiet esplanade.

One can see the abandoned jetty from the front-facing rooms.

Views from the rooms facing the front include the abandoned jetty.

The extended wooden decking is appealing.

The extended wooden deck at the front of the hotel adds to the appeal.

The gardens are English-style and quaint.

The English-style gardens are quaint.

The hotel has been repaired after the cyclone.

The lodge was damaged during recent cyclones but is now open for business.

Seaview Rooms have small windows but good views.

Windows in the Seaview Rooms aren’t as large as they could be, but still offer lovely views.

Garden View Rooms feature tasteful furniture.

The Garden View Rooms are elegant, with tasteful furniture.

The small windows hamper the fantastic views and light in the rooms.

The windows are not large, so the views are not as good as they could be.

Little Italy restaurant is within walking distance.

The closest place to eat, about 700m further away from town, is the Little Italy Restaurant.

Little Italy restaurant offers excellent food and ambience.

The Little Italy Restaurant and Bar offers fantastic pasta, steaks, and seafood in a lovely Mediterranean-style setting.

Enjoy Cafe within walking distance serves good coffee and meals.

One of the best places for a meal or coffee is the Enjoy Café among the backstreets of the town center about 800m from the hotel.

Friends Cafe is extremely popular in downtown.

One of the most popular eateries for meals, drinks, and Wi-Fi is Friends Café in downtown.

Nuku’alofa features very few eateries.

There are a few (but not that many) casual places for a bite to eat in Nuku’alofa.

Reload Bar serves meals and is also a nightclub.

Reload is the main bar in town. Also serving meals, it turns into a nightclub later in the evening.

Hotel is withing walking distance of the city center.

The hotel is about 800m from the center of Nuku’alofa, a surprisingly modest capital city.

One of many churches is St Pauls’ Anglican Church.

St Pauls’ Anglican Church is one of many in the capital of this religious country.

Langafonua Handicrafts Centre is popular for authentic souvenirs.

Alongside the Friends Café, the Langafonua Handicrafts Centre is the best place to buy authentic souvenirs.

Talamahu Market is popular for souvenir shopping.

Between the eastern esplanade and main road in town, the massive Talamahu Market also has a few souvenir stalls.

Talamahu Market is also popular for its fresh produce.

Talamahu Market is, however, more popular and renowned for fresh produce.

Tourists are not allowed in the Royal Palace.

Off-limits to tourists, the Royal Palace is located at the top of the main street in the town center and splits the esplanade into two.

Pigs roam freely on the esplanade.

Don’t be surprised if a pig or two shares the park along the esplanade.

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