Agnes Gateway Hotel

I think this is the best spot in Munda town itself. The rooms have air conditioning, and the food is good on the patio overlooking the lagoon.

We came to Munda just to dive, and Agnes Lodge was really convenient for that. There’s a local market right out front, and we cooked for ourselves using the kitchen. We chose the cheapest room, which was decent and had its own bathroom and hot water. The hard mattress and springs sticking out made it difficult to sleep, though. Staff were friendly and very helpful. It’s only a few minutes on foot from the airport and supermarkets, and the sunrises and sunsets are stunning.

The food was quite good, though expensive, and the prices and quality seemed about the same as hotel food in Honiara. The restaurant sits on a deck over the water, open to the bay on three sides, so the sunsets are beautiful. We liked the sandwich wraps for value, and the roviana lobster was amazing as a splurge. The stone grilled fish was delicious too, served on a hot stone where it cooks on your plate. Most days there’s a local market just outside the gate with fruit and vegetables, fresh buns and bread, plus wood carvings. Our package included Dive Munda, which is based at the hotel, and it was fantastic, worth the trip. We stayed in a small private bungalow with a bath and a nice outdoor deck. The room was air conditioned and nice, and we slept well. The shower was missing its head holder, so we had to hold it. By Solomon Islands standards the place was pretty good, though by international hotel standards I’d give it about two stars. We had a great time and would happily return to dive here.

Rooms are cleaned daily, with mosquito nets and fans throughout. Guest rooms come with either twin or double beds and private facilities. The range runs from suites and standalone cottages to budget rooms and backpacker dorms. The triple backpacker rooms and dormitories share facilities, and some also have a shared kitchen for cooking your own meals.