We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The Tripadvisor website may not display properly.We support the following browsers:
Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.
Contact accommodation for availability.
There are similar hotels available.
View all
Companion56093622871

A very special holiday

5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 29 Oct 2023
What a wonderful place to stay! Everyone from the owners to the boat operator made us feel like friends, not customers. We had 3 villas for our party of 6, and they are excellent and spacious – great for us all to play cards in one when it rained (see cyclone Lola below). A standout was the services provided as included. Our son and grandson were taken out by boat early several mornings to get the best waves to surf. All our snorkeling gear was provided, and we had great family bocce competitions.

Being taken to Castaway Island by boat for a private BBQ was very special. The Resort provided for everything, the boat driver set up the BBQ and lit the fire, then went off and stayed on the other side of the island, leaving us in privacy. When we finished he came back and cleaned up the BBQ. All we had to pay for was the food and drinks hamper.

Also great was the Tuesday night Fire Dance at dinner. Not a mock traditional affair, but a modern dance show that was very professional. The bar and restaurant staff were wonderfully happy – always with a smile – and nothing was too much trouble to them.

We had an unintended stay extension when Cyclone Lola closed Port Vila airport. The on-site manager, Pascalle, was wonderful. She found out before us that our flight was cancelled. She contacted us and told us not to worry – our stay would be extended at a reduced rate. She then monitored both Air Vanuatu and Port Vila airport websites and kept us fully up to date. She even gave us (without being asked) a confirming letter for our travel insurance. We could not have asked for more support.
Date of stay: October 2023
Trip type: Travelled with family
Problem with this review?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony Pittar, Owner at Eratap Beach Resort, responded to this review
Responded 31 Oct 2023
Dear Companion,

Thank you for taking the time to post this review and we are so glad you all enjoyed yourselves at Eratap. We loved having you all at the resort and really appreciated your patience when dealing with the flight disruptions.

We are so lucky to have such a wonderful marine playground around us. Being able to surf, snorkel, kayak and have island picnics and BBQs makes for a super fun stay. Glad you were able to participate in it all.

We are also really lucky to have such caring and hard working staff and yes you are in very capable hands when being looked after by Pascalle. She's the best in the business!

Hopefully we will see you all back again here one day and thanks for choosing to stay with us

Kind regards
Tony
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
Nearby Hotels
AU$273
Fully refundable
No prepayment needed
Save more with IHG One Rewards
  • Expedia.com
  • Hotels.com
  • Booking.com
7.1 km from Eratap Beach Resort
Free Wifi
Free parking
AU$294
  • Priceline
  • Hotels.com
    AU$278
  • ZenHotels.com
    AU$292
5.0 km from Eratap Beach Resort
Beachfront
Restaurant
AU$411
  • Trip.com
  • Priceline
  • Vio.com
5.6 km from Eratap Beach Resort
Free Wifi
Free parking
AU$305
Fully refundable
  • Priceline
  • Hotels.com
    AU$275
  • Trip.com
6.4 km from Eratap Beach Resort
Free parking
Pool
AU$227
  • Trip.com
  • Agoda.com
    AU$186
  • Priceline
5.8 km from Eratap Beach Resort
Free Wifi
Free parking
AU$508
  • Tripadvisor
    AU$507
  • Priceline
  • Hotels.com
    AU$506
7.3 km from Eratap Beach Resort
Free Wifi
Beachfront
Get rewarded with One Key
  • Booking.com
    AU$303
  • Agoda.com
    AU$264
  • Trip.com
5.5 km from Eratap Beach Resort
Free parking
Pool
Get rewarded with One Key
  • Hotels.com
    AU$203
  • Agoda.com
    AU$186
  • Trip.com
7.3 km from Eratap Beach Resort
Free Wifi
Pool
Get rewarded with One Key
  • Booking.com
    AU$177
  • Agoda.com
    AU$169
  • Priceline
8.5 km from Eratap Beach Resort
Free parking
Pool
Get rewarded with One Key
  • Booking.com
    AU$125
  • Hotels.com
    AU$93
  • Priceline
14.5 km from Eratap Beach Resort
Pool
Beachfront
View more hotels in Port Vila
Reviews (768)
Filter reviews
768 results
Traveller rating
704
55
8
0
1
Traveller type
Time of year
LanguageAll languages
More languages
Traveller rating
704
55
8
0
1
Show reviews that mention
All reviews plunge pool local village daily specials nearby islands paddle boards fire show beautiful pool seafood platter little things mac picnic paradise vanuatu reef gear pacific bliss
Selected filters
Filter
Updating list...
25 - 30 of 768 reviews
Reviewed 4 October 2023

A truly memorable experience: outstanding location, lots to do, superb accommodation and outstanding staff.

All the outstanding bits.
1/ Absolutely beautiful location: ocean at your doorstep, right on a healthy house reef, two islands to explore with excellent snorkelling at both.
2/ Despite the beach being closed for 8 out of the 10 days we were there (strong swell and wind), having free access to boats and a driver meant we were able to snorkel every day. Visibility wasn't great (wind and swell again) but the coral was healthy and fish life abundant. In total we snorkelled in 8 different locations with the drift snorkelling off the 'big island' and the southern eastern tip of Castaway beach being our favourites. A side note: Castaway Beach at low tide is exquisite! We also enjoyed great kayaking and massages were were great.
3/ Rooms are spacious, very well appointed, right on the beach and exceptionally functional. We loved the outdoor shower area (with hot water) where we could wash down snorkelling gear ... and ourselves ... and hang up things to dry. Also loved the private outdoor lounges and table and the lounge gazebo, literally with waves lapping a metre away!
4/ Staff were not staff ... they we family and nothing, ever, was too much trouble. Thank you so much Mac, Max, Balou, Maki, Jenny, Sharon, Melanie, Sele, Siel, Annie, Tony, Pascalle and all the others I've missed. Apologies for spelling!

The Very Good
1/ Excellent breakfast with a wonderful range of hot and cold options.
2/ Wide variety of choices for dinner but a little hit and miss in terms of value and quality. Overall, flavours were a little light for our tastes. Eratap Fish and Chips was the standout for us.

Tips for Travellers
1/ Bring a rope or travel clothes line to string up in the outdoor shower area.
2/ Buy alcohol duty free when you get to Vanuatu ... and when you leave: much better prices than duty free in Australia. At the resort, we ordered a bucket of ice and our mixers for sunset drinks by the water.
3/ The boat drivers will both drop you off wherever you want to go or stay with you while you surf or snorkel.
4/ Take a trip to Port Vila to buy snacks and visit the outstanding food markets.
5/ Take a tour around Efate Island before deciding if you want to visit tourist spots. We did a 4 hour tour that was organised from the front desk and decided that ... well ... we needed to go nowhere else!

Room tip: See public review.
Date of stay: September 2023
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Service
2  Thank Ian B
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony Pittar, Owner at Eratap Beach Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 4 October 2023

Dear Ian B,

Thanks for coming to stay with us and for taking the time to post this informative review.

Glad you were able to take advantage of the free boats and explore the reefs and islands around the resort. We are very lucky indeed to have the beautiful Castaway Island nearby, a classic little tropical island.

Yes we have had a rough and windy winter this year. We were probably due it given the trade winds and seas had been mostly calm during the la Nina years across Covid. It’s actually been nice having the sea cool down a lot this winter….the reef has enjoyed it especially.

Eratap is a great place to do as much or as little as you like and glad you were able to fit in many activities.
Hopefully you can come back again one day and re snorkel all your favourite spots.

Kind regards
Tony

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 24 September 2023 via mobile

We stayed here recently for a wedding anniversary. The resort and its staff are great. All the units have a beach frontage with good snorkelling off the beach. The restaurant food was also great.

One of the best resorts in Vanuatu, the two co managers were both lovely and helpful.

Date of stay: September 2023
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Thank Hegedus3
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony Pittar, Owner at Eratap Beach Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 4 October 2023

Dear Hegedus 3,

Thank you for choosing to have your wedding anniversary at Eratap and great to hear you enjoyed your stay.

Yes we are really lucky to have some excellent snorkeling around the resort and glad you also enjoyed the food - Todd and the kitchen team do a wonderful job managing that.

Glad Pascalle and Laela were able to help look after you and hopefully you can come back again one day to celebrate another wedding anniversary at Eratap!

kind regards
Tony

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 7 September 2023

What an A-MAZING palce this is! Like many businessses in Vanuatu, this business has really been through some tough tiomes with COVID and then more lately the cyclone in March 2023. They are now working really hard to restore the whole place to its former glory. The villas are wonderful! So much room! The bed was amazing! (Always a concern when you leave your own bed at home!). Now, the staff are just so terrific. Nothing was ever too much trouble in our two weeks stay here :-) So many names to mention but a HUGE hello to

Room tip: The road leading into the actual resort is a shocker so be prepared. The rough ride is WELL worth it though!
Date of stay: August 2023
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Service
Thank U9987WPjacquib
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony Pittar, Owner at Eratap Beach Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 11 September 2023

Dear Jacqui B,

Thank you so much for coming to stay with us for your two week south pacific holiday. We loved having you both, you brought great warmth and colour to the Resort.

We are so glad you enjoyed your time here and the staff loved looking after you. Yes we have certainly been through a lot with Covid closure and the double header cyclones in March. But we have bounced back really well and the place is looking better than ever. It is reassuring to know we can cop all that and still keep going!

We hope you can make it back to see us again one day…we plan on being here whatever the world throws at us!

Kind regards
Tony

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 24 August 2023

The resort was wonderful. The scenery was very picturesque, the pool very attractive and refreshing, the massages excellent and with bikes, kayaks, paddleboards and a gym, there were plenty of things to do. Nothing ever felt crowded. The villas were spacious, well appointed and private, with loungers on the deck and more loungers in our own gazebo right on the beach. The food in the restaurant was outstanding. All staff, from restaurant to housekeeping, were well trained and very efficient. Boatmen were on call to take us to offshore islands or to snorkeling spots. Castaway Island in particular was stunning. The best snorkeling is about 10m off the beach in front of the restaurant, but weather conditions limited our access many days.

Date of stay: July 2023
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Service
Thank dons0000
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony Pittar, Owner at Eratap Beach Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 30 August 2023

Dear Don S,
Thank you very much for choosing to have your holiday at Eratap and also for taking the time to post this review. It’s not always the kind of thing you feel like doing when you get back home, but we really appreciate it.

So glad you enjoyed the resort and the facilities and of course our lovely staff. Many of them have been working at the resort for a long time and are super thankful that we survived the dreadful covid years. We are thankful for their resilience.

We’d love it if you are able to come back and visit us again one day.

Kind regards
Tony

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 19 August 2023

This is an incredibly well run resort in an amazing spot. Daily interesting activities- kayaking, visit to the local village, 2 hour walk to a secluded beach. Great facilities- gym, tennis court, SUPs, kayaks. But the highlight for us was snorkelling- beautiful coral with many fish straight of the resort beach, or at any time you can get a complimentary boat with a driver and snorkel around the nearby islands. Nice dinners and staff that is smiling at you all day.

Date of stay: August 2023
    • Sleep Quality
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank wexvii
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony Pittar, Owner at Eratap Beach Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 24 August 2023

Dear Wex R,

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to post this review. It is always really appreciated.

We are so glad you enjoyed all that is on offer at the resort, there is certainly plenty to do if you want to do it all.

We too love the snorkeling options. It’s hard to find such quality so near to shore and so near to civilisation, we are lucky. Whilst the winter months can be more challenging for snorkeling because of the trade winds and lower tides, it is still possible to find protected spots around the resort using the complimentary boats.

Hopefully you can come back to Eratap again one day, we would love to see you back here again

Kind regards
Tony

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
View more reviews