My husband and I were in New Caledonia last December to scout the surf camp site for the 2011 Pacific Games which will be hosted by NC this August/Sept. We found Hotel Banu from the New Caledonia tourism website and contacted the hotel directly by phone and e-mail from Guam. The hotel location is on La Foa's "main street" which's Route 1 –– our long haul bus from Noumea stops at its doorstep. The tourism office is next door as is the local supermarche. The post office is across the street as is a bank (which does foreign currency exchange).
The hotel –– more a country inn –– is a third-generation family-owned and run establishment; the proprietors and their son can be found at the reception most times. The hotel has a charming outdoor terrace for meals and drinks. On the weekends, bikers and other motorists stop at the hotel for a break so the place is a traveller's hub. A scene that's almost reminiscent of highway towns in northern Calif. The restaurant, probably one of the larger and main eating places in La Foa, has provincial French style decor and a fairly extensive menu. The interior decor of the reception and restaurant is probably best appreciated by collectors of things old and eclectic.
The bungalows are comfortable, clean, private and sleeps 3 (all have ensuite bathrooms, split airconditioner, TV, telephone, closet, one queen bed plus a single bed). There are screens to keep out the mosquitoes. The grounds are well kept. There are standard rooms too but I hesitate to recommend these unless you're on a backpacker's budget. Guests staying in the standard rooms share common bathrooms and toilet facilities.
Mrs. Naillet, the proprietor and her staff are helpful, accommodating and friendly. It's the kind of service you won't find in big city hotels.
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