FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

You can book with us by contacting us through the contact form or directly by email at info@matevululodge.com
To confirm and hold your booking, we do require a deposit of 50% which is then part of your reservation payment. This deposit is refundable until 7 days prior your arrival in case of cancellation. In the case of cancellation if borders where closed full refund minus any bank charges with be given.

Breakast is included in your reservation. A fresh and homemade Continental Breakfast will be delivered at the entrance of your room or served in the main Fare Kitchen between 7.30am and 10am.

If you cancel your reservation :
- more than 7 days before arrival: free of charge
- less than 7 days before arrival: 50% of the stay due
Any refund bank fees being at your charge.

Check-in is from 2pm and Check-out from 10am.
For early arrival or late departure we will do our possible to have your room ready or have you to stay longer, depending the availabilities. However if we can't have your room available, you're welcome to wait at the Lodge, enjoy the main fare kitchen, have a swim in the lagoon or go exploring the Blue Holes. We offer a Luggage storage if you need it

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, but we still ask guests to supervise their children.

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 28 degrees in summer.

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.

Guests will be registered for contact tracing as required by the health authorities. Hand sanitizing stations are made available in the Lodge. The Communal areas/kitchen will be cleaned and disinfected twice a day. Every bungalow will have its own set of dishes to minimize shared equipment. Breakfast will be delivered at the entrance of the rooms or served in the kitchen to maximize social distance.

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.

Air Vanuatu is the national airline, they operate from Australia, New-Zealand, New-Caledonia and Fidji to Port-Vila.
Then you will have to take another plane from Port-Vila 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.
We used to have a weekly direct flight from Brisbane, Australia to Espiritu Santo and we hope it will be reinstated soon. We'll keep you updated.

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

We can arrange a transport for you to come to the Lodge. From the airport, they usually charge between 3000-3500vt and you can ask for a stop in town to buy all your groceries before heading to the Lodge.
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 butchery and a 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 40000VT for a maximum of 10 people.

And if you don't wish to cook, we can help you arrange either a catering service cooking directly at the Lodge or a take-away service delivering you meals to warm-up.

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. Breakfast is included and prepared with love.

We work with a take-away service who can deliver your food directly to the Lodge. 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 Vanautu, either at the local bank or Exchange Store in town.

There are mosquitoes in all parts of Vanuatu. There are isolated cases of Malaria 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.

We only accept cash for the rest of your payment.

In case of a cancellation by a guest, it will be given the opportunity to book at another date - upon availability. If no availability, the deposit will be kept by the operator. In case the operator cancels the tour, the guest will be able to book another date - upon availability. If no availability, the deposit will be refund.

The Bungalows are not self-contained, but equipped with a mini fridge, kettle, coffee plunger, cups and glasses. For other meals than breakfast, 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.

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 (usually included with your credit card). Flights can be delayed or you might need to return home if a medical emergency occurs. Without travel insurance, disruptions to your trip can end up costing you a fortune. In many cases, you lose the money you've already paid, and have to pay for new bookings too.

Water is drinkable at the Lodge and is pumped from a bore.

We provide 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.

WIFI is included in the rates and work in every part of the Lodge. It is pretty reliable as we are working with a Satellite operating company, 3 Link.