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The Village Hotel
Home » Hotels & Resorts » Pacific Island » Micronesia » Pohnpei » The Village Hotel
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The island of Pohnpei and the Village Hotel—one is a creation of nature, and the other of man influenced by nature. Both lie beyond the realms of the most idealistic imagination—yet together they exist. The combination is so striking yet so subtle that its powerful environmental message is delivered gently, eloquently, but without equivocation.
Bob and Patti Arthur, an entertaining American couple who have written themselves and their hotel into Pohnpeian folklore, built the entire considerable complex from local materials using timeless Pohnpeian carpentry techniques. Built on and atop a steeply sloping, lagoon-front site, the hotel is amazing in its simplicity, yet unbelievably comfortable and elegant. The construction techniques may be rustic, but the result is understated luxury in comfortable huts built almost entirely from local materials. The very spacious individual huts contain two king sized, canopied waterbeds, white wicker furniture, whirling wooden fans and island print fabrics.
The windows are covered only with insect screens but huge eaves extending from the thatched roof ensure that the Pohnpeian rainfall does not intrude. In fact, there’s little that will beat sitting in the room and reading a good book during a midday shower of tropical rain. Keeping alive the legend of how Irish castaway James F O’Connell had himself tattooed back in 1828 and entertained natives with an Irish jig to save his life, The Village Hotel calls its bar and restaurant complex, the largest thatched roof structure in Micronesia, The Tattooed Irishman. Completely open to the elements, this complex is the hub of all social activity at The Village where it is possible to order a drink, snack or meal at anytime. The menu at The Village changes regularly and the food is a clever interpretation of tasty Pacific Rim cuisine designed to appeal to both Eastern and Western palates.
The Village Hotel provides a full tour service to its guests, specialising in day trips to Nan Madol and neighbouring islands, cultural dances and land trips as requested—including friendly certified scuba and snorkel guides. The Village is a hotel built to fit the times, people, local economy and the romantic mood of Micronesia’s most beautiful island. So much is it part of Pohnpei that it won the OPIC’s inaugural 1991 Eco-tourism Award for projects undertaken with sound environmental values ensuring environmental sustainability and preventing environmental degradation.
Guests may be tempted to never leave the hotel, however, the inland sights, the lagoon and the cultural treasures will undoubtedly lure visitors to experience Pohnpei’s delights.
Location of The Village Hotel
Guide to Pohnpei
Situated in the North-Western Pacific, it is 880 metres high, 21 kilometres wide and shaped somewhat like a circular tent. Also known as the garden island of Micronesia, its boldest landmarks are Sokehs Rock and Nan Madol.
Nan Madol is an ancient stone city built on the tidal flats of the eastern part of Pohnpei. There are approximately 100 artificial islets constructed of basalt logs of various sizes up to 70 tons each – making Nan Madol the largest and one of the most mysterious archaeological sites in the Pacific.
The first European to visit the island group was Spaniard Diego de Rocha in 1526. The islands were originally called the New Philippines until 1696 when they were renamed the Caroline Islands. Occupied by Spain, Germany, Japan and the USA, Pohnpei experienced 100 years of foreign rule because it proved to be an ideal supply stop for the Pacific expeditions. Pohnpeian is the native language, however; both English and Pohnpeian are used in business.
Archaeologists and engineers are attempting to discover more about the race which constructed the island city of Nan Madol. The stone fortress was built on a reef south-east of Temwen Island by the rulers of Pohnpei around 500 AD until it was taken over by Isokelekel, the warrior who installed the present traditional system in the 1520s. Nan Madol is reached by boat from the main town of Kolonia about 45 minutes away. It's a full day boat tour which includes a visit to the spectacular Keprohi Waterfall and snorkelling in the lagoon.
A 20-minute ride out of Kolonia takes you to the Nanpil River where further along are the spectacular Liduduhniap Twin Waterfalls, complete with thatched huts where you can picnic in a jungle setting.
A day trip to privately owned Black Coral Island in the lagoon is the perfect way to safely snorkel the reef and, for a family day, visit Langer island with its simple cottages where visitors can stay overnight.
In Kolonia you can see the Spanish Wall, built in 1889 as a boundary for Fort Alphonso XII. Nearby is the Catholic Mission Bell Tower, all that remains of the old German church torn down by the Japanese during WWII.
Also take a stroll into the Polynesian village and watch the craftsmen whittle ornaments from locally grown ivory seed.
Most tours operate from Kolonia, and many of the waterfalls and areas of historical and ecological importance can only be reached by guided tour.
Accommodation is in both traditional Pohnpeian thatched roofed bungalows with garden showers, and Western-style hotels. There is no public transport, only taxis and rental cars, but most hotels offer shuttle services. Tourist facilities are clean and the service is friendly.
A visit to the Pohnpeian cultural centres is a must for anyone wishing to experience traditional Pohnpeian life. Each centre has a distinctive program and performances include traditional dancing, singing, music, ceremonial sakau making, handicraft arts, and food preparation.
The village shops specialise in handicrafts and popular items include carvings of sharks, fish, dolphins and canoes. When it comes to relaxing, try sakau, the numbing local drink which is used in ceremonies and also sold in bars.