Being a creature of habit I was looking forward to staying with the group at the Funafuti Lagoon Hotel. Alas fate had other ideas and they did not have enough rooms – apparently a Fijian was refusing to leave. I was thus moved to the Esfam Hotel.
Thankfully it was but minutes away and I was to be led there by our local partner, who also happens to be there head of football in Tuvalu – the only I like almost as much as travel here.
Where’s the Esfam Hotel
F5GW+G7Q,
Vaiaku side,
Funafuti.,
Fongafale,
Tuvalu
Amazingly pretty much a few meters closer to the airport than the Funafuti Lagoon Hotel.
Rooms and facilities at the Esfam Hotel Tuvalu
My room was very simple and to the point, being on the outside of the hotel. Aside from that and bar the common area this is where the facilities ended, save for breakfast.
I made it to breakfast once, on my first day when they quite literally came to wake me up. On another day they gave it to my friend and on New Year I was left to sleep.
The Esfam Hotel Vibe
I actually really liked this hotel for their relaxed atmosphere and really laid back Tuvalu attitude to life. Yes they did not help me out all that much, but they also let me be, which seems to be the Tuvalu way to do things.
Amazingly even when it was time to pay they were too busy and we had to arrange payment a few weeks later through our partner. And to me this sums up not just Esfam Hotel, but also the mindset of Tuvalu – that .TV thing must be making them enough money to survive…..
You can see Tuvalu with me on the Young Pioneer Tours Least Visited Countries Tour.