Lausikula Chambres d'hôtes

Manuel’s meals are a real draw. He cooks generous dinners with dessert, often using fresh salad from his garden, for Euro 34. He’ll make vegetarian food or handle other requests, and can find a recipe based on what you’d like and what he has. Chinese travelers preferred his Chinese food to the Chinese restaurant in town. There’s also a big guest kitchen if you’d rather cook for yourself. The house is spacious and comfortable, and Manuel, a retired French military officer, designed it himself. He rents four rooms at slightly different rates. Booking directly through his website costs about Euro 80-100 a night with a good breakfast, and includes laundry, Starlink WIFI that’s reasonable though not very fast, and use of bikes and kayaks. A round trip airport transfer is Euro 17 per room, not per person. He also rents his pickup truck. He no longer offers island tours, but the main attractions are close by. The location works well if you’re only on the island for a few days: it’s away from the center but near most of the main sights. The cathedral and post office, known for their nice stamps, are farther off. Getting into town for dinner may not appeal, since the winding road takes 25 minutes and is poorly lit and badly signposted. Manuel is a kind host, and the place brings together travelers, expats, and government consultants, including teachers from Taihiti. He says occupancy is 85%, so book early. I met interesting fellow guests there. He takes cards, but a storm knocked out communications across the island on the day I left, so I was glad I had enough Euros to pay. The house could be cleaner and better maintained. My spacious room had a king-sized bed, but no bathroom door and part of the shower door was missing. Maintenance is hard on a remote island. A cleaner comes daily, but the large house has spots she seems to miss regularly. The bathroom mirrors hadn’t been cleaned in a long while, and the shared kitchen needed a deep clean. I’m picky, but still found it welcoming for a few nights.

Our ten days on Wallis left us with lovely memories, and if we return, we’ll certainly stay with Manu again. The island is small, so being some distance from Mat Utu wasn’t a problem. We were welcomed warmly and had a quiet, very comfortable room with air conditioning. Manu was attentive and available whenever we needed something, and helped us explore the island. Breakfast was generous and enjoyed in a friendly setting with the other guests and visitors. We highly recommend Gîte Lausikula.