FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

If you want to have a BBQ, we have a fire pit by the Tamanu tree of the Fare kitchen. You can find dry wood under the deck of the kitchen and a grill with bbq utensils inside the kitchen by the window near the fridges. Please to wash them after use.

You can book with us by contacting us through the contact form or directly by email at info@matevululodge.com
To hold & confirm your booking, a 50% deposit charged on your credit card is required, which is then part of your accommodation payment. Visa & Mastercard are accepted (there is a +3.1% bank surcharge). The remaining 50% balance for accommodation can be paid by cash or credit card on arrival at the Lodge.

We offer a complimentary Continental Breakast included in your reservation which will be served in the main Fare Kitchen between 7.30am and 10am.

1) Bookings cancelled within 15 days of arrival, 50% of the booking will be charged.
2) Bookings cancelled within 7 days of arrival, or in the event of a no show, the entire booking will be charged.
3) When privatizing the Lodge : bookings cancelled within 30 days of arrival, 50% of the booking will be charged - bookings cancelled within 15 days of arrival the entire booking will be charged.
4) Booking cancellations or changes must be advised in writing/email prior to booking arrival date.

Check-in is from 2pm and Check-out from 10am.

We are happy to provide a late check-out whenever possible, please ask us the day before your departure. Alternatively we can store your luggage at no charge until lunch time.
Please ensure you have settled your balance with us in time for departure. In a case of an early morning flight, we ask that you settle your account the day before.

The Lodge is child-friendly with our Family Bungalow having a separate room with bunk beds. The grounds and beach are safe with shallow waters and over-the-water swinging chairs. There is no safety fencing of any kind at the Lodge. Parents are asked to be aware of their children's location at all times.

Should you wish to spend some time alone or go on a tour, we can arrange with one of our staff to look after and play with your children. There's a fee of 3000vt for it.

To make sure parents with babies (under 2 years old) can spend relaxing holidays with us, we can provide the following :
Cot with mosquito net / Bed sheets / Baby bathtub / Baby bathrobe / Nappy changing mat / Box with books, toys and beach toys / High chair / Cutlery and cups

To ensure privacy and intimacy for all our guests, the bungalows are spaced out from each other.

Espiritu Santo has a tropical climate. From November to April it can be hot and humid but cool breezes along the coast generally keep the temperature at a comfortable level. It is also the Cyclonic season, we don't have a lot, but it's just the time of the year with the conditions for it.

The cooler season is between May and October with breezes, sunny days and lower temperatures. It's also usually more windy.

The temperature of the sea is always pleasant, varying form 24 degrees in the cooler months to 30 degrees in summer.

In Matevulu we get reception for both DIGICEL and VODAFONE networks. You can find a phone with a local SIM card with credit (which is limited so can be finished close to the end of the month) in the kitchen. Please put it back at its place after use. Please note that the networks reliability is beyond our control.

To ensure the safety of our guests, we follow the COVID-19 workplace safety guidelines recommended by the Ministry of Health and we are compliant with the Safety Business Operations (SBO) Program of the Ministry of Tourism by being “Triple C Certified”. Triple C stands for “Clean, Caring and Checked”, and it’s a signifier for travellers that our business offers enhanced safety measures for guests and employees.

Hand sanitizing stations are made available in the Lodge. The Communal areas/kitchen are cleaned everyday. Every bungalow will have its own set of dishes to minimize shared equipment.

Damage to rooms, furnitures and equipment will be charge at 100% of full and new replacement value plus any shipping and handling charges.
Damage to mattresses and linen, resulting from the use of body oils, make-up, etc. will result in a charge for the special cleaning, repair or replacement of the damaged article.
Any damage to hotel property, whether accidental or willful, is the responsibility of the registered guest for each particular room. In extreme cases, criminal charges will be pursued.

We have electricity at the Lodge but can experience occasional electricity and water disruptions. We apologize if this happens during your stay.

Air Vanuatu is the national airline, they operate from Australia, New-Zealand, New-Caledonia and Fidji to Port-Vila.
We also have back again and starting from June 8th 2023 a weekly direct flight from Brisbane, Australia to Luganville, Santo.

If you land in Port-Vila, you will have to take another flight to Luganville, Santo where we are located. Flights from Port Vila to Santo run 2 times a day, the flight time is around 45 minutes.

Flights can be booked online with Air Vanuatu at http://www.airvanuatu.com

We can arrange a taxi to pick you up at the airport, they usually charge 3500vt to com to the Lodge with a stop in town to buy all your groceries before heading on the East Coast where we are.

If you choose the rent a car, Matevulu Lodge is located at a 20min drive from town, look for our wooden sign by the main road, after you pass RIRI river's bridge.

For your groceries, we recommend you to stop in town before heading to the Lodge, here are a list of different shops :
- Daming : general food, butchery
- LCM : the most complete, chicken roastery
- Main market : fresh local fruits and veggies
- Paradise Meat (in front of the market) : butchery

In Matevulu area, there's only a fruit/veggie Sunday market in the area.

For families, friends travelling together or couples looking for privacy, why not privatizing the Lodge for yourself. Price starts at 50000VT for a maximum of 10 people.

And if you don't wish to cook, you can use a catering service delivering meals directly to the Lodge to be warmed-up.

We do not provide daily housekeeping but if you need more toilet paper or cleaned towels after few days, please ask hour housegirls. For every STAY LONGER THAN 4 DAYS, a FREE CLEANING SERVICE of your bungalow is available (floor brooming and towels/bed sheet change), on your request only.
If you need to make a laundry, we can do it for you. We charge 1000vt/load. Just drop us a bag at our laundry room in the morning for our housegirls to wash it.

The Lodge is private and not opened to outside visitors. However we allow day visitors at your Bungalow for a small extra fee of 500vt per person for the use of the facilities. Day visitors won't be allowed in the Kitchen as to respect other guests tranquillity and intimity.

We operate as a Bed & Breakfast with a main Fare kitchen which is shared between the guests and equipped with a kitchen (fridge, gas stove, oven, cooking utensils, dishes, spices, oil), a big dinner table and a wooden deck with comfy chairs overlooking the beach. You will have to bring your own food supplies from town before heading here. A complimentary Continental Breakfast is included.

There is a catering service on the island who can deliver food directly to the Lodge. 24h booking in advance is required.

There are also 2 restaurants within a 5 minute drive of the Lodge and we are located at only 20min drive from town.

You can get cash from the different banks in Luganville. The one offering the highest withdrawal limit for International cards is the BRED bank. There's no ATMs outside of town.
You can also exchange your money once you arrive in Vanuatu, either at the local bank or Exchange Store in town. To exchange money in Santo, there is an Exchange Office called N1 Currency in the main street of Luganville. They close at 6pm.

There are mosquitoes in all parts of Vanuatu. As for malaria, there are only isolated cases in Vanuatu, mainly on the outer islands or very remote areas.

Our bungalows are screened to keep mosquitoes out and we recommend guests to close the doors of their bungalow in the late afternoon to keep mosquitoes out. However mosquito coils and mosquito repellent diffusers are provided in the bathrooms in case you need. We also recommend you use personal insect repellent after dusk.

The balance for your accommodation can be paid by cash or credit card (there is a +3.1% bank surcharge) on arrival at the Lodge.

Pets are not allowed at the Lodge. We have a lovely cat looking after the Property for our pest tranquility.

Please understand that we are not a Hotel/Resort and as a very small operation, we do not operate full time reception services. But we try to do our best to help and accommodate our customers when possible. WIFI is provided as part of our rates, a free phone is available at the Lodge and housekeeping is onsite every day in the morning.

The Bungalows are not self-contained, but equipped with a mini fridge, kettle, coffee plunger, cups and glasses. For meals, you will share our main Fare kitchen with other guests which is equipped with a kitchen (fridge, gas stove, oven, cooking utensils, dishes, spices, oil), a big dinner table and a wooden deck with comfy chairs overlooking the beach. You will have to bring your own food supplies from town before heading here.

We can help you organize or book tours/restaurants/taxis during your stay.
We also offer a complimentary phone with a local sim card, displayed in the Kitchen, to make your stay easier.

Please do not assume all tours/restaurants/taxis will be available as we are on a remote island and not located in town. Book or inquire in advance to avoid disappointment

There are different options for transports in Santo:
- Use a taxi. You can find taxis on arrival at the airport or we can arrange one for you. During your stay, it's also possible to use taxis for half days or full days to visit the island. Their price is sometimes similar as renting your own car.
- Rent a car. There's different rental companies on the island. If you're looking for one, you can check with the Travel Office directly, they will have the last updated infos.
- Public Transports. They are cheaper but hard to find as there's no real bus stops or bus lines, they are just buses. You can also try hitchhiking.

Travelling with a Travel Insurance is recommended and usually included with your credit card. Flights can be delayed/cancelled or you might need to return home if a medical emergency occurs. Without travel insurance, disruptions to your trip can end up costing a lot, you lose the money you've already paid, and have to pay for new bookings too.

The water is from the Lodge own bore and is safe to drink. However please understand also that the water here can be slightly different to the water in western countries and as such your body could possibly need to adjust to the difference of water. We also experience occasional electricity and water disruptions, we apologize if this happens during your stay.

We offer complimentary use of our kayaks, SUP boards, snorkel gear, fins and life jackets with which you can discover the bay and the 2 Blue holes surrounding us (also accessible walking or driving). Riri Bluehole being only a 30min stunning kayaking trip from the Lodge.
We expect you to care and look after the equipment you use, as well to replace it where it was stored. Damage Policy applies to those items.

Every Bungalow has access to complimentary WIFI that is unlimited but can be limited by speed. Please note that it is supported by satellite and we can experience occasional internet disruptions due to weather conditions.