We Live Here Now: Port Vila, Vanuatu!

We’ve been running around a bit recently, so we’re extra pleased to have a new home. But this one is unusual, in a whole bunch of ways! First of all, we’re in Port Vila, Vanuatu, an island nation in the South Pacific. And second, we’re staying in a hotel. There were not many flats available in Port Vila, and they were all a bit out of the centre of town.

By contrast, we are right in the midst of things at the Port Vila Grand Hotel and Casino. It’s on the main drag and there are lots of stores and restaurants within walking distance. Living in a hotel has its plusses and minuses, most of which will be obvious to you if you’ve stayed in a hotel for longer than a few days: less space to move around in, but better views, a pool, and lots of people to do things for you.

Kitchen and Bath

Well, there is no kitchen. This is, naturally, the biggest drawback of life in a hotel. But stuck in the closet are a fridge and a kettle and some tea. We’ve already invested in a knife and bowl, so we can make lots of salads to take advantage of the interesting fruits and vegetables we’re seeing everywhere.

The bathroom has both a shower and a bathtub. Uniquely, both the bathtub and the toilet have a view of the bay, thanks to the window near the bathtub leading into the main room. (There is a set of blinds that come down if you are feeling shy.)

View notwithstanding, we haven’t tried the bathtub yet; the shower has good pressure. And if you angle yourself right, you can see outside from here too!

There are, naturally, no laundry facilities in our hotel room. But we can do some hand laundry, and the hotel will also wash things for us for a pretty reasonable price.

Living Spaces

There isn’t really a sitting room either. But the public spaces of the hotel are great! There are a couple of restaurants and a bar, a big lobby, a pool, and a casino. And check out that plaid carpet in the hallway (below).

And there’s a balcony with a table and chairs. The view is excellent (see the image at the top) so – if past locales are any guide – we’ll spend a lot of time out there. (There’s also a table inside, suitable for working or eating at.)

We have a single drawer, no counter space (even in the bathroom) and the closet is pretty small. Still, everything just about fits. Which is only one of the benefits of travelling light!

Sleeping

The bed is king-sized and the pillows are just right for us. It’s comfy, and there are good reading lights and tables on both sides.

So, this is not our usual kind of accommodation, but we’re sure we’ll enjoy it for the relatively short amount of time we’ll be in Port Vila. And did we mention that there are people to clean up after us?

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