Iririki Island Resort in Port-Vila

As a few other reviewers have mentioned, half the resort is undergoing works/construction, meaning your 5 restaurants is limited to one. There is no kids pool and the kids club has been moved.When I booked my stay there was no mention of the works occurring on the website, upon checking in I was told that we were limited to the adults pool and 1 restaurant - the whole point of my holiday was to have activities for my infant.When I made a complaint to their Melbourne office I was directed to the 3 subpages from the main website landing page where it states some facilities are closed. You wouldnt be the first to miss this MAJOR detail they subtly hid on their website.So I never received a response from HQ, and followed up with the onsite manager who provided us with a discount which offset our expenses for the inconvenience and basically limiting us to our room and the sun loungers to LOOK at the pool as our child couldnt really swim in the adult pool.Dined in the Azure Restaurant, food was mediocre for the prices. Ordered a medium rare steak and got a chewy overcooked one.Rooms were nice, and beds were comfortable. Views are beautiful, but lacking in facilities and activities.Rather disappointing experience which could have been SO much better had they been transparent about their undergoing construction.

This is island resort. Whole Island is a resort with a casino, a beautiful pool and a restaurant. We saw beautiful sunset from the pool side . Food is excellent. For entry you need to take their boat, which is a beautiful journey itself.

As advertised as the opening of the resort since years ago due to the pandemic, I expected a stay which seemed picture-perfect on the website. Coming to the resort, they missed on the potential the island had with many of the true activities and restaurants not open. I can understand the limitation of workers at the resort but it’s false advertising once website says there is 5 restaurants, only being 1, and saying that you can use 2 pools, tennis courts and more. What they did have was nice but only really one pool and the restaurant which took at least an hour even when not many people were there in the first place. I wanted to say though that Moana, the employee there was so helpful throughout the stay knowing the circumstances of what we paid for. On a positive note the rooms were nice, snorkelling was beautiful and it was a good secluded location - just wish they prepared more/told us before that a lot of the resort wasn’t made out to be what it was. I’m hoping this review is seen as a way to improve the resort as I know many people have and will enjoy it for the future.

This was a classic case of false advertising. The website says the resort has five restaurants and two swimming pools but in actual fact it only had one swimming pool that was open and one restaurant . The main swimming pool was empty. The tennis court was closed. The swimming pool that was open was lovely.The breakfast was appalling and the service poor.

Staff are lovely, very very friendly and helpful. We stayed in a Deluxe Pool View room and it was great. It has full kitchen with fridge, washing machine dryer, microwave and dishwasher. The room was very very clean and the beds very comfortable. The buffet breakfast was great with lots to choose from cold and hot options including waffles and pancakes. Omlets made to order and you can ask to have your eggs prepared any way you like poached etc. Variety of fresh fruits, pastries etc. The pools were fantastic always very clean, neat and tidy around pool areas also. They have buggies to take you to and from your room. You just have to ask and they are more than happy to pick you up. Overall we had a fantastic stay and would definitely stay again

It was great years ago, but we cannot return to Vanuatu ever and they refuse to refund us saying it was an earlybird deal and they can only give us a credit for future bookings. Be very wary if you book.

We had booked a 5-night stay with transfer to celebrate our wedding anniversary in April 2020.As the COVID situation was developing, we promptly emailed the resort to cancel with plenty of notice so they could managed it as well as possible.Given the personal and financial impact COVID had on everyone, we were extremely disappointed by Iririki’s response - or lack thereof.Every other business we had dealt with was willing to share the burden, regardless of whether our booking was cancellable or not. Our proposal to forgo our right to rebook in exchange for a 50% refund was met by silence. We chased countless times and received excuses such as “we didn’t get your email, must be an IT glitch”, “let me check with management”. We are yet to hear back.This was meant to be a wonderful trip to celebrate a special occasion. Their extremely poor customer service and behaviour ruined it. It feels like all they care about is to take our hard earned money and not provide a service and hope that by staying quiet we will go away. Shame on them!

Incredibly upset that this restort is not being lenient whatsoever with providing refunds to those that have booked pre-covid and that are now not able to travel to this location. being advised by the travel agents that Irikiki is the most difficult to deal with in being lenient what so ever with refunds. This is incredibly disappointing as many things have changes in peoples lives in over 12 months since the initial booking where not able to travel for the forseeable future and to have a significant amount of money tied up in a holiday that we will not be able to travel is incredibly dissatisfying. They have not been responsive at all to our request or communicating with the travel agent as well.Will be looking to further our complaint with the right authorities.

My biggest bug bear with the resort was the near-constant presence of kids and babies at the "adults only" pool. The staff seem to feel too anxious to confront the parents and this has a negative effect on those couples and singles visiting the resort to get some quiet time. There is a huge 4 level family friendly pool (which also has a swim up bar), 2 beaches as well as kids club if the parents want to try out the adults pool without their kids.Apart from that, there was so much to love about the resort. The ocean view deluxe room was perfect - the balcony bathtub was a nice luxury and having a good fridge, washer and dryer makes you feel at home. Plus, the view over azure water - stunning.The snorkelling was fantastic (though the equipment let it down, I tried 3 different masks all broken or leakingand the two beaches offer variety on top of the pool options.The staff are really fantastic and always trying to serve you and think about your happiness.The bar was great and the food at lunch and dinner exceeded expectations - Little Italy especially. Breakfast I would say is a low point. In general the breakfast is much better at 7.30 when it opens than 9am after many items have been kept warm for that time.

This is a premier resort in Vanuatu...located within Port Vila main harbour and a 5 minutes ferry ride from Grand Hotel pier. Visually stunning place with great facilities for the day tripper and house guest alike. Large pool and sports area is great for kids all ages.For the day tripper its a far better experience when there is NOT a cruise ship in town. Visited on day with and day without....the day with was a bit of a nightmare in truth....one of the mega cruise ships was in port.....it wasnt the cruise passengers that overcrowded the public areas but the crew....they were loud, rude and crude all day long....clearly letting their hair down. Iririki should reconsider its free day tripping for free policy....they font respect it! We were staying over night so mostly avoided that at the in house guest only pool... Accommodation was comfortable and facilities ok. Needed more bottled water and some milk in fridge would have been reasonable at $600+ pn!Restaurants were good in both quality and service....price ok for resort.

The location is close to the town centre a few minutes by regular ferry but is quiet and private because of the water crossing .The resort is well maintained ,very spacious and our apartment was very comfortable . Practical and comfortable rather than luxurious we felt right at home here. Staff ( and locals were friendly and our weeks stay was fabulous . Food was variable rather that top notch and avoid the Pizza as it tasted like frozen pizza base. Would happily return to Iririki.

Considering the price and positioning of an exclusive resort, it was quite run down in places and a little dead at times. We went to the pool bar with had been advertised as happy hour between 3-4pm and at 3.50 the bar was shut! This is during a busy Christmas / New year period...

The resort was tranquil and peaceful. Facilities were modern and in great condition. We swam in the pools and played in the kids club. Great place for a relaxing family getaway or for a day trip whilst in Port Vila.

I wanted so much to give them 5 stars as the staff is fantastic, helpful and friendly, the room was romantic, clean and comfortable, bed was huge and nice to sleep at but unfortunately its the restaurant that killed one star! Breakfast was boring, usually you would expect something exciting in exotic countries like Vanuatu - didnt happen :(had dinner there the first night we got there - I had seafood risotto, rise was nice but the seafood tasted like it was frozen, my husband had a steak and it was very hard and grizzly. Thats about the downfalls, back to positive :we went for wine and cheese tasting - that was yummy and beautiful sunset, Bernie, the manager was very friendly and fun to talk with. Also spent some time in casino, that was fun and if you go there - ask for a black jack in the ocean, thats experience and a half! Currency exchange at reception has good rates, the ferry to the main land goes back and forward 24/7, you cannot ask for better location - close to everything and yet has its own atmosphere. Oh, and snorkeling is another thing to do - there are many colored fishes, so pretty! And better to buy water on the main island - 60 vat there, they charge you 400 vat in the hotel. If I am back to Vanuatu, to be honest - dont think there is a better place to stay!

We visited Iririki as day guests to give our kids a swim. The boat ride across to the island is fun for the little ones, departing from the empty block next to the Grand hotel. Unfortunately this block is now fenced off from cars so if you’re driving you need to find a park somewhere else in town and lug your kids and swimming gear to the pickup point.Staff were welcoming at check in and after paying entry fees (1500vt per adultwe were given colored wrist bands and offered access to the island facilities. The entry fee is non-claimable and can’t be spent of food and drinks like at other resorts which is a shame.The pools feel very run down and haven’t been updated in over a decade. Most of the shallow pools had a lot of leaves in them and one was missing a drain cover which is a concern for the kids kicking their toes as they walk around.The pool bar was closed and there were no staff around so we had to finish up swimming before we could order drinks and snacks at a nearby grill.Overall the kids had a good day but the resort feels like is just isn’t thriving like it did 10 years ago. There aren’t many patrons and it’s hard to tell if being bit run down is the cause or effect.

We stayed at this hotel mid November 2019 and although its a big resort, that came come across very touristic, it was a great stop over just for a night before flying back to Melbourne.We stayed in the small bungalows facing the sea, really lovely setting, clean and charming room. The snorkelling was also pretty cool.What particularly made our stay are the surprises the staff got ready for my birthday.I wont reveal what they have done, so I dont spoil anyone, but they actually went the extra miles to get ready 4 surprises all up and it was the best.THANK YOU Iririki team, this made us feel so special and loved.

Very unhappy with the service provided.Our TV didn’t work nor Land line to call reception for 3 days. I walked each day to reception to complain and still no one came to help. On our last night, I asked them to collect us at 4.15am with a buggy to checkout. No one arrived so my brother had to walk 10 mins to reception to find him sleeping. Our phone still didn’t work so we couldn’t call for a buggy. I call reception with my personal Australia phone to find their phone was “OFF” We were all the way at the back of the island therefor it took a 10min walk to reception and 15min to breakfast.The rooms are horrible, old and smelly. The bathroom toilet leaks and the shower had mould. Considering all 3 owners are Australian, you’d think everything would be better.I’ve just met 2 ladies from Airport transfer - room 72 which had the same issue, very unhappy aussies.Everyone is slow and lazy.The only thing I can say Was good - housekeeping.I won’t be back! Thanks

Friendly people, tidy room and good food. It was amazingly unique staying on a small island next to the bigger one. I recommend snorkelling on the island, it is extremely convenient and enjoyable.Note that food is dear, similar to what youd pay at a restaurant in the western world (and unlike much of Vanuatu).

The resort facilities are great, the staff are very friendly, helpful and approachable. They catered to our needs and were very accommodating. We stayed with our toddler and infant and the staff made us feel very comfortable. One staff member even helped look after our baby one afternoon during a meltdown. The food was good. There were heaps of activities for our toddler at kids club. The spa massages were great. The only issue was our room was near the reception and this caused alot of disturbances but I think the rooms at the other end of the island would be much quieter. We loved our stay here and recommend it.

The entrance price they told us at all three tourism information centers on the mainland wasnt accurate. They asked us for twice the price and wouldnt budge even after we told them that the tourism information center appears to have really outdated information and we only brough enough cash for the entry fee we were told about. It was my birthday too, thanks for nothing, go to Hideaway island instead!

A very amazing and special little place. We went there in mid August 2019. The place is as a safe and secure as you could ask for. The island is scenery is fantastic. The facilities are great. Many things to do, snorkling within arms reach, great scuba diving 15 minutes away. And the food was pretty good too. But the most increadble thing was how hospitable, welcoming and well natured the local people and their culture was to us. Increadible.

Definitely the place to stay if coming to Vanuatu/Port Vila. Idyllic location with ocean views from rooms as well as their dining/bar/pool/casino. Free ferry across to the CBD next to the Grand casino that runs 24/7 and takes about 3 minutes each way Not cheap though, most things are at approximately Australian prices, for example cocktails $18, bottle of beer $9 ish (although ~$11 and ~$6 during happy hour, of which there are 3 at the various bars). Staff will even drive you around the island on a buggy if you cant (or dont want towalk. Free hire of kayaks, catamarans and snorkeling equipment. Bring reef shoes if you want to go snorkeling or swimming in the ocean though as there are stone fish around. They offer a great tour, AUD$90 for 4 hour "splash tour" hopping between 3 swimming spots, a river with waterfall/cascades, blue lagoon and a white sand beach, with a roll and drink included. Was definitely a fun trip, worth while if you want to explore and get a bit of local knowledge and scenery along the way.

Staff were incredibly friendly, handled bags and personalised rides around the island on a golf caddy! Room service was regular and the island is perfectly maintained and well kept.On the island there are day passes and there are sections of different cabins to stay. Most are equipped with a lovely shower, (the water pressure is amazing!toilet & lounge area with free WiFi and often a Jacuzzi on the deck. Some others are equipped with a largelounge connecting two rooms with a view of the yachting port & welcome area.The islands equipment is wonderful for those staying there as you are able to Snorkel on the island with their sets of gear, you are able to sunbathe in the same area and the coral reefs are beautiful! The water was so warm, even though it rained for 10 minutes a day! Guess thats June weather!There are also swimming pools, theyre waterfall pools and they look absolutely gorgeous, with a bar next to it so youre able to jump out and get some hot food; (The prices can be a bit expensive, thoughAnd of course, The Azure Restaurant really tops it all off with a beautiful view of the ocean and surrounding islands. The breakfast buffet is full of fresh fruit, pastries and other foods, some odd ones we came across was Banana with cheese or Special Sauteed Mushrooms but they are an absolute must try! With the cabin we rented, it was a free buffet breakfast every day and that was fantastic and always amazing to look forward to. There is also a casino on the island for those over 18 where you can purchase cigarettes also, and a beach where you can Kayak around the island and see shipwrecks from the most recent natural disaster, which are a sight to see, and it takes roughly 40 minutes paddle around the island. The areas are all free to use.The Resort also has nights of different entertainment, like a Buffet Seafood Platter night, which was $180AUDish for two people, included Coconut crab, (which is endangered in Vanuatu and extinct on Efatelobster, and more seafood delicacy of Vanuatu. Theres also a Malenesian Feast every week and the atmosphere was natural and the food was fresh and traditional, with some Kava tasting for the adults. Must do!Overall, The Iririki Island Resort is a wonderful and adventurous place to stay, with easy access to the island Efate and has a lot more to offer than I listed! The staff were friendly, the place was beautiful and I cant wait to go back next year.

Beautiful peaceful resort. Staff friendly and accommodating to guests requirements. Families catered to with pool area and play areas, couples lovely private bungalows.

Day pass at about $AU30 each for adults, $AU13 for kids over 3. Generous bar food and great service. Kids club is comprehensive and well managed. BYO towels as theyre only supplied to hotel guests. A good day out exploring a well maintained resort island minutes from town centre.

Nice relaxing spot. Loved the day pass with access to all activities and the bonus 1000vt credit. The guys (tomin the water sports were super helpful. Bring your own snacks though...$$

Beautiful island but not value for money for those visiting on a day pass. Costs about 35 dollars Aus per person. Includes a credit of around 15 dollars per person to spend at restaurant or casino but food prices are high and day trippers are excluded from using the infinity pool, the most attractive feature on the island

Great location and facilities. A bit over priced for my taste. Things like the game room need some much needed attention. Beach and pools are nice though. Certainly seeing as the nearest beach is about a 30/40 min drive away

Stayed for 9 nights in one of the penthouses. The view was glorious and everyone on the island was super for friendly. Lots to do or nothing to do, you take your pick. The island spa is fantastic. Breakfast is a bit basic but not too fussed. Easy ferry back and forth to mainland jetty. Pretty much the same perfect place to get used to island time. Happy hours are great to relax and share adventures from the day.

Loved it and fortunate on a shoulder season. Staff gracious and service awesome. Location excellent ,music from Vanuatu heard over Fridays and Saturdays till early hours.However our air conditioner double glazed windows worked miracles.Menu delicious and beautifully presented hardly any waiting time. A increase in salads and vegetables for vegetarians / vegan in our family would have added to experience.Menu at pool area requires some cooking changes otherwise fabulous . Loved it, perfect for our whole family 10 of us😍🎊🎂

I stayed there one day. I could have enjoyed kayaking. And I also ate a really good pizza there, and drank a virgin colada near the incredible pool.People are nice too here.

This place is awesome. Friendly staff and happy to help. No issues unresolved and fast to act. Typical prices for drinks and food etc for resorts but thats what you would expect, staying at a resort. A pool and bar for every mood or if you wish to stay with adults as opposed to families. Would recommend bringing your own snorkel gear as we have had to wait and also when we got the gear the breather wasnt 100% sealed, letting water in too much to breathe. Cheap sets available in town. Were only 3 days into our 8 day stay and would highly recommend a stay here.

The staff (every single one of themare absolutely incredible they just want to make your holiday as special as it can be, facilities and activities are exceptional, you can travel to port villa at any time to check out the markets and do some shopping or just relax at one many devine locations on the island.We are into day 4 of a 9 day stay here at the resort and Im already thinking about getting my family here for the next trip.I thoroughly recommend you look no further than this slice of paradise.

We had such a wonderful holiday in port villa. Was very happy with our decision to stay on Irikiki island. The ferry to and from the main land runs 24hrs and only takes 3-4mins each way, all day tours we organised picked us up from the mainland jetty with no issues. The island its self had many activities including a great little snorkeling spot with free hire of gear. They have two pools in which you can choose to spend your time and other water sport activities. Our island fare bungalow was neat and modern and made for a very comfortable stay. The staff were very friendly and on a number of occasions went above and beyond to help us out when we needed.Feedback: The buffrt breakfast could do with some improvement- although it was free. Food and spa prices are the equivalent to staying in a resort in Australia and at times more expensive.

Had a great stay in a deluxe ocean view room. Room was very clean, large had microwave, fridge, washing machine, dryer & dishwasher. Spa tub on balcony. Good size bathroom with plenty of toiletries, replaced daily. Tea/coffee etc. Had great food & entertainment. Dinner on the beach followed by fire show a must do.

Very disappointing. All units need maintenance, not even a two star resort. No hot water for two days, no tv, no fridge for cold drinks. Everything very pricey. Watch out, its such a beautiful location but the resort needs to come up to what the Vanuatu people are known for. Other units also had the same problems. No one blames the Vanuatus, they can only work with what they have. Fantastic staff.

Food expensive, rooms very clean, waited 2 1/4 hours for a pool towel, drinks take for ever after youve ordered. Bar staff very very slow. Nice buffet, obliging cart pick up drivers. Boat accross very convenient, never waited more than a few minutes. Nice pool. Snorkling is nice unless theres a cruiseship then its absolutely awful thick green sludge. Very disappointed. Breakfast was nice.

Nice and easy place for holiday. Lovely place for snorkeling, great for family with kids . Drinks and cocktails are nice , food could be better. Not much choices or change for breakfast. Pool bar food its either really nice or very bad .

The ferry across is free and runs every few minutes from the dock by the fruit market. Visitors can get day passes - 3000 vatu for 2 people but we also got a 2000 vatu food voucher and an unlimited WiFi code.We came here to kill time on a long layover and we had access to almost all the amenities. Drinks were a bit over priced but they have a couple different happy hours at the various bars around the resort so make sure to check those out.

What an Amazing and Memorable Holiday!!A truly relaxing and restorative 2 weeks spent at the Iririki Resort and Spa, Vanuatu with friendly and caring staff who met our every need. A particular huge thank you to Freddie and Timmy who ensured our chosen tours both with the resort as well as with other tour operators, went off without a hitch. Anything at anytime these guys were only too happy to assist resulting in a wonderfully stress free experience. The Splash tour was outstanding, a must do for all. While days on the island were lazily spent snorkeling and kayaking (so much to explorein the beautiful aqua lagoon surrounding the island, and then kicking back around one of the sunset pools while waiting to take in the beautiful sunsets that occurred every evening. Adrian the operations manager, always overseeing everything ensured all ran smoothly even giving us a lift to breakfast one morning! Steve, the manager had a very calming and welcoming manner and all the staff including the students were always so pleasant and polite. Staying in a self contained apartment was invaluable as we were able to cook ourselves therefore, saving money as meals throughout Vanuatu can be quite expensive if eating out every night, and instead spending on fun filled experiences. A convenient 5min boat trip to the main island dropped us off in the centre of town handy to markets and shops. The island and accomodation is kept clean and tidy with beautiful gardens throughout. All in all an exceptional holiday and would definitely return to this welcoming and friendly resort with beautiful scenery at every turn. We are very thankful to all. Paula, Karen and Carol.

Very quite and peaceful. The resort is based on a small sland across the way from downtown Port Villa where the local hustle and bustle is.Amazing dining hall and pool area that looks across the water to other islands. Absolute paradise!

Beautiful resort. Very close to Port Villa but just far enough to seclude yourself away from the world.Fantastic and spacious rooms. Plenty to do around the island and the staff were absolutely wonderful, catering to our every need.Will definatley be back.

Great location and over water rooms are fantastic, only let down by the staff unfortunately... Theyre friendly enough, but they have absolutely no idea about hospitality. Theyre unprofessional, unhelpful and have no clue about etiquette. Food in the Azure Restaurant and Infinity Bar & Cafe is very average and you dont always get what you order, its a bit Mickey Mouse... Overall it was Ok, but it has the potential to be great with the right staff and management. Also the security deposit of over $700+ AUD is absolutely preposterous and unheard of anywhere in the hotel industry!

Overall quite a pleasant stay with friendly staff and great amenities, but the food at the resort is a real disappointment (I paid almost $25 AUD for a curry I am pretty sure was purchased by the restaurant frozen from a supermarket). Also the towels seemed unclean!

Unsufficient number of staff or not trained well as room service and food preparing takes so long time. Wifi gets disconnected very easily... also TV connection is very weak. I loved the snorkeling cove of the hotel there plenty of fishes and an arch with corals in deep sea.Nature is great, its service have improvement points.

We spent a week here for our honeymoon. The staff were friendly and the bungalow was comfortable. The food and service were excellent. Loved the seafood platter and the daily buffet breakfast. Happy hour was great to try out all the cocktails. The snorkeling was good as well. The only negative was no hot water and no water pressure from third day onwards. Would recommend the snorkeling day trip as well. We will be back. Thank you for making our honeymoon so special!Andrew and Angela

Great place for a Holiday. The most friendly people you could ever want to meet are the people of Vanuatu. The resort is on an Island and has constant shuttle boats for free across to the Mainland. If you are looking for upmarket Holidaying this is not for you but if you want a clean and picturesque place with relaxation thrown in this is the place to go. Its down to Earth attitude and the locals will just about do anything for you. I will definitely return again. Well done Iririki Island for looking after your patrons well.

From the stunning French lady that welcomes you into the Resort ...It just oozes beauty and class....Please try the 1500vatu day experience and you wont regret the experience.Sean Paul will look after you and the staff are very welcoming.Well worth the stay or even a small visit.

We spent three nights here last year after it had just reopened. It is a beautiful place. Their waterfront bungalows were a perfect place for us to honeymoon. They even had a complimentary bottle of champagne when we arrived. We loved the friendly staff and delicious food up at the restaurant. The spa has an amazing view, however, I think one one of the masseuses was probably still in training at the time and my wife did not enjoy the massage. All in all though, it was a wonderful experience. Peaceful, friendly and very relaxing. It is absolutely worth it.

Was lucky enough to stay there for a week with my partner. What an amazing place it is. The accommodation and service at Iririki is first class, the scenery and the surrounds are simply breathtaking! For the price, and the convenience of only a short flight across, Id pick this over anywhere in Thailand and Bali every time!