Grand Hotel & Casino in Vanuatu

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Updated: January 7, 2021
By Santorini Dave

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Review of Grand Hotel and Casino in Vanuatu

Grand Hotel and Casino – Central, high-rise, and business-oriented.

Grand in size and location, Vanuatu’s tallest building dominates the harbor skyline. All facing the water and enticing resort on Iririki Island, the standard rooms are a little compact and seem stuck in the 1970s. Far better, the Panorama Suites on the higher floors feature extensive floor-to-ceiling windows, sizable balconies, and some modern art. The resort-style pool is first-rate and also offers outstanding harbor views. Popular among some guests just for the in-house casino, the only multi-star hotel in the capital has been around a while – and looks it – but is very convenient.

Grand Hotel and Casino – The Basics

  • Location: In the center of Port Vila, on the main island of Efate. Along Kumul (aka Lini) Highway, the main road through town. About 15 minutes from the airport.
  • Guests: Seems to cater mostly for business people.
  • Beach: There is no public beach in or around Port Vila. The nearest serviceable beaches are around the Breakas Beach Resort, about 5km along the peninsula from the town center.
  • Views: All rooms offer magnificent views of the harbor and island.
  • Wi-Fi: Available for free to all guests throughout the hotel.
  • Parking: In one word: terrible. The downtown location means almost no off-street parking.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: (678) 28882
  • Email: info@grandvanuatu.com
  • Website: grandvanuatu.com

Grand Hotel and Casino – Amenities

  • Pool: The pool is a decent size – the sort expected at a resort, not a city hotel.
  • Spa: The Arom’essence Spa, alongside the pool, offers extensive treatments at reasonable prices. Serene and classy layout, with some rooms providing harbor views.
  • Fitness Center: None, perhaps surprisingly.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected or provided at this city-style hotel.

Grand Hotel and Casino – Food and Drink

  • Restaurants & Bars: Crystals Restaurant – Relaxed setting for breakfast and all-day dining. Excellent service, daily specials, buffet nights, and superb views. Hard to ignore the stir-fries, steaks, or seafood • Cabana Pool Bar – Faces the harbor. For drinks, snacks, light lunches, and all-day tapas. Live music on weekends • Lobby Lounge Bar – For high-rollers from the casino. Snacks and pastries as well as coffee, cocktails, and cakes.
  • Breakfast: Some rates include a substantial continental buffet breakfast.
  • Room Service: Available 24 hours.

Grand Hotel and Casino – Rooms

  • Room Types: Harbour View Room • Deluxe Harbour View Room • Panorama Suite • Harbour Suite • Penthouse Suite
  • Smoking Rooms: All rooms are non-smoking, but lighting up is permitted on the balconies.
  • Best Room: On the top floor, the Penthouse Suites feature extensive full-length windows across several walls, so the views are arguably the best on the island. With 2 bedrooms, a bar counter, and elongated balcony, the décor is likably funky and brightly-colored.
  • For families: Some rooms have connecting doors, while others can squeeze in extra single beds.

Grand Hotel and Casino – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

    There’s a great choice within a short stroll along the main road through Port Vila:

  • Brewery Bar & Restaurant – Imposing street-side location directly opposite the hotel. For tapas, burgers, wraps, and local beers.
  • Le Café du Village – Idyllic Mediterranean-style bistro alongside the harbor. Coffee, breakfast, tasty snacks, and an interesting changeable menu with daily specials. Virtually next door to the Grand.
  • Lava Lounge – On the other side of the hotel. Gorgeous waterside setting, with gourmet pizzas, happy hours, tapas, signature cocktails, and super-cool DJs on weekends. Step into the water from the private jetty.
  • Chill – Upstairs at the market for views and tasty food. Pricey, with more affordable lunchtime specials. Family-friendly and popular for pizzas, pasta, and steaks. Children’s menu available.
  • The Rossi Restaurant – Elegant Italian-style bistro, with a garden setting, sea views, and a tiny playground. About 800m to the north.

Nearby Market or Grocery

  • There are plenty of shops along the main road through the town center.

Local Transport

    Everything in Port Vila is within an easy walk, and every second vehicle seems to be a public minibus.

Grand Hotel and Casino – The Hotel

The hotel building is the tallest in Vanuatu.

Although only eight floors, the Grand Hotel is the tallest building in Vanuatu.

The hotel is located on the main road and also features a casino.

Also housing a casino, the hotel is located along the main road through central Port Vila.

The hotel features a beach resort style design.

The hotel is designed like a beach resort, with all rooms offering a balcony and views.

Hotel is located right on the harbor.

The hotel is superbly located facing the harbor in the Vanuatu capital.

There is even a piano in the elegant lobby.

The elegant lobby area features a piano and tour desk.

Crystals Restaurant onsite serves buffet breakfast.

Crystals, the main restaurant in the hotel, serves a buffet breakfast.

Crystals is popular for Chinese food, steaks and seafood.

It also offers Chinese food, steaks, and seafood in a pleasant setting.

The patio of Crystals restaurant is right by the harbor.

Crystals provides seating along a patio with wonderful harbor views.

Seating area by the pool provides excellent harbor views.

Alongside the pool is a stretch of umbrellas on artificial grass facing the harbor.

The Lobby Lounge Bar is very popular.

The Lobby Lounge Bar is a convivial place to meet.

The bar has appealing colourful seating arrangements.

The bar provides colorful seating for guests, business people, and gamblers from the casino.

The casino in the hotel is a big attraction.

For some, the attraction of the Grand Hotel is the casino, the only one in central Port Vila.

The swimming pool is very inviting and faces the sea.

The bright-blue pool faces the sea and is similar to the sort found at a beach resort.

Iririki Island is right across the harbor from the hotel.

The hotel faces Iririki Island across the harbor.

All rooms face the harbor.

Rooms are spread over six levels, all facing the harbor.

Standard Rooms are colourful but outdated.

The standard rooms are colorful, but the décor seems outdated.

Standard rooms are small but comfortable.

Standard rooms are comfortable but a little undersized.

Room balconies offer great views of the harbor and Iririki Island.

All rooms feature a balcony with views of the harbor and Iririki Island.

Panorama Suites are spacious and feature full-length windows.

Far better than the standard rooms, the Panorama Suites offer more space and extra full-length windows.

Lounge area in suites need to be updated.

The suites have living areas, but the furniture needs some updating.

Room balconies are small but offer amazing views.

Most balconies are standing-room only, but the views are among the best in Vanuatu.

Brewery Bar & Restaurant is right opposite the hotel.

Directly opposite the Grand Hotel, the Brewery Bar & Restaurant offers pub meals and locally-brewed beer.

Le Café du Village has the best location in the capital.

Almost next to the hotel, Le Café du Village probably has the nicest setting in Port Vila.

The main road outside the hotel is always very busy.

The main road through Port Vila is always fairly busy, so there is almost no parking in front of the hotel.

The produce market in the town center is a must-visit.

One advantage of staying in the town center is visiting the produce market nearby.

The produce market also has souvenir and clothes stalls.

A small part of the produce market has stalls selling souvenirs and clothes.

Port Vila is encircled by a harborside path.

A pleasant harborside path stretches along most of central Port Vila.

Port Vila is located right on the harbor.

The likable capital of Port Vila is nicely located alongside the harbor.

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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.