Tradewinds Hotel

We booked 13 nights with breakfast but left after four. The breakfast was basic, just white toast, coffee, and muffins. Fruit ran out unless you arrived early, and after 9 there might only be a few melon pieces left. Asking for more didn't help, while even eggs cost extra. The hotel's website says WiFi is free, but staff asked for $5 a day. There's no room safe either. The front desk women were friendly, and the airport shuttle was available if we called after landing. The driver who picked us up was very nice. The lobby made a decent first impression, but the closer we got to the rooms, the stronger the mildew smell became. It was worst in the bathroom, and switching on the fan made it worse. Towels left up after an evening shower were still wet the next morning and smelled musty, so daily replacement was the only workable option. The shower barely dribbled water, leaving me feeling dirtier than before. On our second day we started using the pool shower instead. It had no hot water, but there was enough flow to wash our hair, and the open air felt fresh. There wasn't a hair dryer in the room or anywhere else. Opening the room window might have helped with the smell, but the heat and humidity brought mosquitoes, and there were no nets. We had brought our own, but weren't allowed to hang it up in the room. I still don't understand that. Twice during those four days, technical trouble with the door lock kept us from getting into our room. Once we waited outside for 45 minutes and had to go back to the front desk three times. When we asked about getting a SIM card, a helpful receptionist called us a taxi to a nearby shop. The driver then took us to the shop and on to a car rental place he recommended. He charged $40 for the 10 km trip, which felt like a complete rip-off. The hotel is the only one in the area, and it seemed they had little reason to improve. We also found American Samoa a disheartening place to visit. There were many pickup trucks driving back and forth on the few roads, and many of their occupants looked very overweight and seemed to get little exercise, apparently living on fast food. We wondered why so many people looked unwell amid such beautiful South Sea scenery, and whether it might be connected to the depression after the devastating 2009 tsunami. Low coastal areas still had many damaged, abandoned houses, adding to the gloomy feel. Driving across the island, it was hard to escape that atmosphere. The many churches didn't seem to provide much comfort, the widespread American patriotism felt almost frightening, and it seemed especially sad that residents of the country don't have the right to vote.

The pool area was lovely, and our room's AC worked well and the bed was comfortable. They'd even decorated for Christmas already, which looked gorgeous. We were visiting American Samoa for the National Park, and staying at Tradewinds turned out to be our best decision. Everyone was incredibly nice, and they picked us up at the airport. We could rent a car on site, keep the room until 6 pm even though our flight wasn't until 11 pm, and leave our bags with them. There's also a restaurant on the property with decent food. It's not a five-star resort, and they don't claim it is. I doubt there's a five-star resort on the island, but I'd absolutely recommend Tradewinds.

The restaurant was pretty good, and the bar was okay, though the bartender wasn't very friendly. Our room could have been cleaner, but it was reasonable overall. The mattresses seem very old. Lying on one felt like sleeping in a hammock, perhaps after years of use by very obese guests. The place has the feel of a run-down Best western. The restaurant menu is ridiculous too, with some dishes listed twice at different prices. We ordered an item shown at $4, then got a bill charging $5. They pointed to the same item on another line for $5, and wouldn't adjust the charge even when we showed them what we'd ordered. Not nice. We also stayed at the Moana O Sina resort, which was a much better choice.

Breakfast was great, and being able to rent a car right there was really handy. There are a few coffee spots nearby, and the hotel is close to the airport. The service was hard to beat, with everyone friendly and helpful. We'd definitely stay here again.