Spent 4 nights here last week ( 25th Jan) with my wife for a quick business trip. Booked a Hibiscus room with kitchenette,balcony,satellite t/v large bathroom etc. and was very impressed with the roominess & cleanliness.Got a great off peak rate (including b/fast) through Expedia & as it was low season we almost had the place to ourselves.
The cultural entertainment at night is great and the staff could not do enough for us.
Last visited here in 2004 when the hotel, particularly the outside areas, needed a complete makeover. This has been done & rooms are being updated now.
I see it is rated 3 star on website. I think it would be more like 3.5 stars now.
The best value for money I could find in Vila.
It is also a short walk to "Au Bon Marche" supermarket & downtown & around the corner from "Emilys restaurant where you can dine almost 24/7 at cheap rates & some nights get entertainment thrown in.
Well worth a look.

The Melanesian is one of those South Pacific hotels like the Holiday Inn in Suva, the Gateway in Port Moresby and the Lantana Beach in Noumea that seem locked in the 1960s and 70s, with their low rise concrete buildings, wooden carvings and ubiquitous island prints everywhere you want to lie or sit. Some people hate this kind of thing, preferring a more modern approach to furnishings and decor. But we happen to like it, the whole experience redolent of the South Seas of a now distant but romantic past when most people came by ship or rumbling DC 6.

Step into the The Melanesian and this is the world you enter - elaborate wooden carvings in every corner, staff in matching "Aloha" prints, no elevators and a three sided, triple story accommodation complex built around a very 1970s pool and central restaurant/entertainment pod.

Would you want to spend your entire holiday here? Perhaps not, though the number of elderly French holiday makers suggests that the nostalgic value alone may be The Melanesian's chief attraction for some. But as a Port Vila staging post for other destinations, this place is very hard to beat -with reasonable tariffs, a friendly staff and a location that's near enough to the centre of Port Vila without being too close.

Make sure you get a second floor room to enjoy the spacious balconies overlooking the pool. Because the ground floor versions lack privacy and worse, seem to suffer from a semi-permanent dampness that pervades everything - sheets, towels, the lot. Yuk. The bathrooms are also tiny but the modern air conditioning is quiet and efficient, the beds are OK and there's ample seating both inside the room and on the balcony. The welcome drink in the lobby and welcome letter from the Japanese manager in the room are also nice touches.

A continental breakfast is usually included and is more than adequate - fresh fruit, fried eggs and delicious, crisp croissants. These were among the best we had in Vanuatu and we recommend smearing them with the house papaya jam for an ooh-ah experience. The one drawback at breakfast is the flies, but this very much depends on the weather and seems to be more acute when it's very hot and humid.

Treat The Melanesian as a base from which to explore the rest of Vanuatu and you're bound to be satisfied. But we personally wouldn't choose to stay here for any length of time. It's pleasant enough but it's more a business hotel than a holiday resort and we'd suggest long term holiday makers look elsewhere. Unless, of course, the sixties and seventies are your thing in which case you may feel completely at home.

As mentioned by other reviewers, the decor is a bit dated, and the pool/patio area is beginning to show its age, but I can nevertheless highly recommend this hotel because the staff were so friendly and helpful. The included "continental" breakfast included not only cereal, but also eggs and pancakes made to order, fresh fruit, tanna coffee, and croissants.

Our room included a hot plate, microwave, and sink so that we could make simple meals in our room. The staff kept the room clean with fresh sheets and towels every day. The room was fully mosquito-proof. The tv/movie reception was a bit hit or miss, but when in Vanuatu, you shouldn't be watching tv anyway! Food at the restaurant on site is only adequate, except for the pizza, which is actually quite good.

The hotel is only a short walk from the center of town (10 minutes downhill), two car rental agencies (Budget and Hertz are both only a 2 minute walk away), and the local supermarket (2 minutes).

Overall, no worries.

We stayed here last august for 3 nights and we were very satisfied with everything.. Room was clean, food was excellent (best pizza in town) and great location.. We took the bus in front of the hotel to anywhere we go, for only 150vtu/person...