Grand Hotel & Casino

Set on the waterfront in Port Vila, Grand Hotel and Casino is a town hotel with the harbour at its front door and a casino under the same roof. That makes it a practical choice if you want your diving holiday to include restaurants, cafés and local sights rather than a self-contained resort routine.

The rooms are air-conditioned and open towards the harbour through floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies. There is an outdoor pool, several places for a drink, room service at any hour and a concierge to help shape the days when you are not underwater. The hotel's published information is in English; if you need a particular language at reception, check directly before travelling.

This is a sensible base for couples and for divers who prefer an urban address, a proper restaurant and a little life around them in the evening. The casino adds a late option, though nobody is obliged to trade a good night's sleep for one more hand.

You are on Lini Highway in Port Vila, Vanuatu, directly on the waterfront. Parliament House and the National Museum are within about 0.3 miles, so a short outing can cover some of the capital's most recognisable landmarks without turning into a full-day expedition.

The immediate area gives you useful options on foot. Cafés including Jills Cafe, Coffee Tree and Jungle Cafe are roughly 0.2 to 0.4 miles away, while nearby restaurants include Juncle Resturant, Chill Restaurant and The Waterfront Bar and Grill, all within about 0.1 miles. Saralana Park is around 0.5 miles away, and the seafront area is about 0.3 miles from the hotel.

This is waterfront Port Vila, not a beach bungalow address. Breakas Beach is about 2.6 miles away and Mele Beach about 2.7 miles, both suited to a separate outing. Cascades Waterfalls is around 5 miles away, giving you an easy non-diving excursion to put on the list.

The room choice is mainly about how much space and harbour outlook you want. Harbour View Room and Deluxe Harbour View Room suit a couple who would rather keep things straightforward, with a super-king bed, a private balcony and the view doing some of the decorating. The larger Panorama, Harbour and Penthouse suites make more sense when you want room to spread out and a more generous setting for a longer stay.

Inside, the details are aimed at an uncomplicated recovery routine: air conditioning for the hot, salty hours after diving, cable television for switching off, tea and coffee facilities for the first drink back in the room, and ironing facilities if dinner requires something less rumpled than a dive-day shirt. Marble bathrooms include a shower and hairdryer.

Room service runs for 24 hours, which is useful when a late return or a very early start has defeated any interest in finding a restaurant. Daily housekeeping is included, and free Wi-Fi covers the hotel. Children of any age are welcome; cots can be requested for very young children, while extra beds are not available.

Breakfast is a buffet from 7am, and Grand Dining carries the main meal pattern through breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is an indoor, air-conditioned restaurant with a terrace balcony and harbour views, open from 7am to 10pm. That gives you a proper table when you come back hungry, rather than asking a snack menu to perform miracles.

The hotel's dining descriptions also feature Crystals Restaurant for fine dining with French influences. For drinks, Hemisphere Bar and Lounge sits on the top floor for an after-dinner glass and a higher harbour outlook, while the Lobby Bar handles lighter refreshments, snacks and cake in a more casual setting.

There is also the Cabana Pool Bar, serving cocktails, wines, espresso coffees, cool drinks and sweet treats beside the half-moon pool. Happy hour and themed dinner nights add occasional structure to the evening. If you would rather stay in, 24-hour room service covers the practical option.

The outdoor half-moon swimming pool is the main place to reset between dives. Sun loungers, beach chairs, umbrellas, pool towels, a sun terrace and outdoor furniture give you the basic ingredients for a horizontal afternoon; no timetable is required, which is often the correct timetable after a demanding day in the water.

When you want to leave the pool area, the tour desk can arrange outings including boat trips, island visits, waterfall trips, market visits and snorkelling. Cascades Waterfalls is around 5 miles away, while Port Vila's seafront parks and waterfront area are close enough for a shorter wander.

Evenings can go in several directions without leaving the property: a drink at one of the bars, a themed dinner, happy hour or the casino. The hotel also has a concierge, so you can keep the planning light and still make use of the time between dives.

Bauerfield International Airport is about 4 miles away, with the drive taking roughly 15 minutes. The address is Lini Highway, Port Vila, and the hotel has a 24-hour front desk, concierge, tour desk and luggage storage. Laundry is available, and a lift makes the multi-level layout easier to manage with bags.

Check-in runs from 2pm to midnight. Bring photo identification and a credit card, and share your expected arrival time with the hotel. Check-out information differs between the booking details and the hotel's practical information: one gives 11am and the other noon, so confirm the applicable time before you travel.

Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Payment information covers cash, Visa and Mastercard, although the accepted method should be confirmed directly because the booking conditions also refer to payment in local Vanuatu currency. A safety deposit box and key-card access are available, alongside 24-hour security.