Moorings Hotel in Vanuatu

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Updated: January 8, 2021

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Review of Moorings Hotel in Vanuatu

Moorings Hotel – Affordable, waterfront, and edge-of-town setting.

First, the good news: Moorings is considerably cheaper than other hotels nearby, and the location – facing the harbor and within a ten-minute stroll of downtown – is excellent. But the rooms are small, with barely enough space for two people and their luggage, so perhaps, more suitable for solo travelers. They are, however, modern and comfortable, with louver windows catching the breeze. Choose the ones facing the pool or better, the sea, because those alongside the corridors would be noisy. Pluses include a convivial bar, with a library, barbecue, and movie nights, and free hire of kayaks and snorkeling gear. A delightful seaside path heads to the town center, and the country’s only mall, with a cinema and classy boutiques, is close by.

Moorings Hotel – The Basics

  • Location: Along Kumul (aka Lini) Highway, the major road through Port Vila on the main island of Efate. About 1.5 km north of the town center and only 10 minutes from the airport.
  • Guests: Caters to anyone, perhaps with a focus on business people. The undersized rooms make it most suitable, however, for solo travelers.
  • Beach: There is a sliver of sand at the Banyan Beach Bar next door. Better still, catch a minibus along Pango Road and get off around the Breakas Beach Resort about 7 km south along the peninsula.
  • Views: A few rooms face the sea, but most overlook the pool, while others are alongside noisy corridors.
  • Wi-Fi: Free for guests in the lobby/bar/restaurant areas, but not available in the rooms.
  • Parking: There are probably just enough free and secure places at the lobby.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: (678) 26800
  • Email: reservations@mooringsvanuatu.com
  • Website: mooringsvanuatu.com

Moorings Hotel – Amenities

  • Pool: The pool is a decent size, facing the sea and alongside one block of rooms.
  • Spa & Fitness Center: Not expected or provided at this sort of low-key resort.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected or provided.

Moorings Hotel – Food and Drink

  • Restaurant & Bar: The narrow block ensures that the Moorings Bar & Grill doesn’t overlook the water, but the menu is surprisingly diverse. With daily specials offered, it’s also ideal for trying some traditional food. The extra-long bar offers happy hours and a variety of drinks, and there’s a snooker table and dartboard.
  • Breakfast: All rates include a simple continental buffet breakfast.
  • Room Service: Available during restaurant hours – 7 am to 9 pm.

Moorings Hotel – Rooms

  • Room Types: Standard King Room • Poolside King Room • Family Room • Harbourside King Room
  • Smoking Rooms: No smoking allowed in the rooms or public areas. With no gardens or beach, it’s best to walk out to the road.
  • Best Room: The Harbourside King Rooms would be renamed ‘Seaview Deluxe Bungalows’ elsewhere and cost twice as much. Directly facing the sea only meters away, with sunset views from private balconies, those on the second (top) floor are better.

Moorings Hotel – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

  • Tilly’s Restaurant – Chic bistro offering superb harbor views. Focuses on fresh local produce and offers an extensive wine list. In Chantilly’s hotel, virtually next to Moorings.
  • Banyan Beach Bar – Next to Chantilly’s. Fronting a small rocky beach with an adorable wooden bar, sofas on the sand, abundant shade, and a playground. Snacks available. DJs late into the night on weekends.
  • The Lookout – Just up the hill, for a garden setting, divine views, and French cuisine. And, um, lookout for daily specials.
  • Au Faré – Harbor-side French restaurant, popular for seafood platters and cocktails. Attached is the Pizza Hot pizzeria, with takeaway, happy hours, and entertainment on weekends. Just north of Moorings.
  • Reefers Restaurant and Rum Bar – Next to Au Faré, a long-established expat hangout for cold beers and tall stories. Go for burgers, seafood platters, and salads. Romantic tables available.
  • The Office Pub & Flaming Bull Restaurant – Street-side hub for gossip and grills. Affordable and friendly, with lively happy hours and trendy DJs on weekends. 500m south towards town.

Nearby Market or Grocery

  • Tana Russet Plaza – Vanuatu’s version of a mall is just 200m up the road. With boutiques, travel agencies, a supermarket, and a cinema.

Local Transport

    Along the main road just outside the hotel entrance, minibuses hurtle into Port Vila and beyond every few seconds.

Moorings Hotel – What’s Nearby?

Unappealing from outside, the hotel is very likeable from the inside.

It doesn’t look that appealing from the outside, but Moorings is a likable cluster of bungalows alongside the harbor.

The hotel is located on the main road to Port Vila.

The hotel is just off the main road that leads into Port Vila.

Banyan Beach Bar has a small rocky beach.

The patch of rocky beach 50m away is part of the tropical-style Banyan Beach Bar.

Harbourside King Rooms offer the best sea views.

The Harbourside King Rooms offer optimal sea views.

Many rooms face the pool.

Rooms are clustered tightly together, with many overlooking the pool.

Ground floor rooms have a pleasant outlook.

Some on the ground floor offer a more pleasant outlook.

Few rooms by the wooden deck face the sea.

A few rooms alongside the wooden deck face the sea.

The wooden deck offers excellent harbor views.

The wooden deck, which is accessible to all guests, offers fine views across the harbor.

Kayak rental is free in the hotel.

An added attraction is the free rental of kayaks.

Moorings Bar & Grill has open-air seating.

The Moorings Bar & Grill offers a pleasant open-air setting.

The bar is inviting with a snooker table and DVD library.

The bar is convivial, with a pool table and DVD library.

The bar is set in a traditional nakamal hut.

The wooden bar counter is especially long and part of a traditional nakamal hut.

Pool is adequate but rooms facing the pool would find it noisy.

The pool is a decent size, but rooms facing it would probably suffer from noise if the pool was busy.

Rooms are tiny but modern and comfortable.

Rooms are modern and comfortable, but compact.

Each room has a small balcony/veranda.

Each room has a small but adequate patio/balcony.

Rooms are colourful but bordering on garish.

Rooms are colorful, although the art may not be to everyone’s taste.

Harbourside King Rooms are the best.

The best rooms are the Harbourside King Rooms on the top (second) floor.

Balconies offer fantastic sea views but no privacy.

Balconies attached to the rooms facing the sea offer superb views, but not much privacy.

Banyan Beach Bar next door offers meals and drinks.

Virtually alongside Moorings, the Banyan Beach Bar offers a tiny rocky beach and shady setting for drinks and meals.

Banyan Beach Bar has seating option on the beach.

The Banyan Beach Bar provides seating on the sand and a playground.

Tilly's Restaurant nearby offers style and excellent views.

In Chantilly’s hotel next to Moorings, Tilly’s Restaurant is stylish, with seats inside still offering splendid harbor views.

Reefers is very popular with foreigners.

Reefers is an expat haunt, although everyone is welcome, of course.

The path to the town center offers fantastic harbor views.

The path from Moorings to the center of Port Vila offers broad views across the harbor.

The seaside path to town is decorated with traditional carvings.

The 1.5 km-long path to the town center is sprinkled with traditional carvings.

The town center is encircled by a pleasant seaside path.

Much of the central part of the capital is lined with a pleasant seaside path.

Shopping is centralized on the main street in Port Vila.

Port Vila offers enough places to shop, almost all along one main street.

The produce market also has souvenir stalls.

Next to the produce market in the town center, some stalls sell souvenirs.

Tana Russet Plaza shopping mall is very close to the resort.

Just 200m up the main road, the Tana Russet Plaza is the only mall in the entire country.

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