Name: The George Hotel Kiribati
Address: PowerHouse Road, Between Sda & Kpc Church Compound, Bairiki Village, Kiribati, Betio, Betio, Betio, Kiribati
Rating: 8

Location

Red Beach

Bonriki Airport

The George Hotel Kiribati

From Airport pick up to every engagement with the staff they could not be more cheerful and happy to help. I was impressed with tyem. The Hotel has everything a traveller may need. A bar, basic rooms with good air con, WiFi (not always on but fast when the Island network allows.) Food good enough to eat,  and cold beer.

George Hotel rooms are quite old now (sometimes with no mirror in the toilet) and most of the place is noisy as in the standard Kiribati life. Betio is not anymore a safe place to walk around especially at night (drunk people, kava, and worse), but the place is welcoming, staff is charming even when they explain to you that there is nothing to eat but chicken and one sort of fish. But George Hotel remains the best accommodation possible in Betio and perhaps in South Tarawa.

Laid back environment with friendly staff. Free wifi for a day. Have laundry services. They can also arrange for airport pickup and drop off for free. Free breakfast also included. But very far from main shopping areas

Really lovely buffet laid on for our group of four travellers.  Exquisite crab and lobster and plenty of other tasty items to enjoy.  We only used the restaurant and bar, but are glad we paid the George a visit. The same family has owned these premises for many years.

I was particularly impressed by the friendly and helpful staff both at reception and at the restaurant. They often did more to make my stay pleasant that was really required and it was much appreciated. First the good news:

There is a decent menu and generally good availability for choices along with fast and very friendly service. If you do not want rice with meals, they are happy to provide vegetables instead.Free instant coffee or tea is available 24/7. There is plenty of good parking for rental cars and it is very near the main road about the island so micro-bus service is frequent and cheap. As the shower includes an electric "instant on" water heater, there is never a lack of hot water for showers and shaving. There is an enclosed wardrobe, refrigerator and in-room TV. The bar area is well separated from the living areas so it is not noisy even on weekends.

On the not so good side, I left laundry for washing and got back partly my clothes and partly someone else's. The reception staff managed to make the exchange somehow and the next day I did get my own clothes back -- but it is a good thing I did not send out the laundry the day before I departed. Also the curtains let in too much light at night to get a good sleep. I used a blindfold left over from a long flight that worked fine but without it, I was not sleeping well at all. There was no mirror in the bath so shaving was difficult to do properly. There are few power outlets located in areas that are convenient for computer use in the bed area and none in the bath for electric hair dryers or electric razors. The main entrance from the road is through a 5 cm deep puddle after any rain. They have placed a few rocks in the puddle to avoid the water but they are not easy to navigate in the rain. The worst problem was that cleaning staff sprayed something in the room after cleaning. I am not sure if it was mosquito spray (yes there are plenty of mosquitoes) or air "freshener" but whatever it was it caused my eyes to water and cause some sneezing. WiFi was free but to get decent service, it is best used in the restaurant or lobby area.

Despite the downside, I think the George is easily the best place to stay on Betio and the great staff more than made up for the relatively minor problems.

We had a nice lunch at this  hotel’s restaurant.  Menu is mainly Chinese, with lots of choices.   I had mushroom chicken with breadfruit chips and the meal was wonderful. Portions are generous.   No desserts were available at the time we visited.

The hotel is well located within easy walk to the jetty, post office, shops and bus stops yet on a side street and set back from the road, thus cushioned from traffic noise and dust.
The staff were so helpful and kind. They never seemed to be in too much of a rush to assist and Atata set the perfect 'service with a smile' example for customer service anywhere with a proactive approach to meeting client needs.
(If you need to know where anything is in Tarawa  - such as the museum or shops for particular items, ask Atata :)
My standard  room had all that I needed for an island stay - hot & cold water, a fridge, air con, comfy bed and bonus lounge chair, plus everything worked.

The public areas were spacious and uncrowded offering a variety of options for groups of different sizes and the communal room was always clean, cheerful and inviting of guests to meet and chat while an abundance of couches provided a chill-out space for watching TV.

It was wonderful to see the commitment to recycling plastics and cans with well maintained storage crates on the property. 

You do need to look out for the entrance to the motel (or ask a local) because there is no sign on the street or at the gate.  See attached photo for view from the street.

Stayed in May for about a week, moved here from Betio Lodge II, I think Lodge I was 2x price - this was perfect, stayed in an apt but they also have cottages,everything in walking distance, had all the features listed here ,best  were the continental breakfast & super friendly staff - wish they were on Facebook so I could tell them!

Kiribati is stunningly beautiful, but it’s definitely not the Maldives. There’s no high end accommodation anywhere in Kiribati but if you are adventurous and like to escape the tourist hordes and see glimpses of traditional Micronesian culture, rusting relics from WWII and beautiful beaches, then Kiribati is highly recommended. Given that most hotels are fairly basic and there’s not many to choose from you need to keep an open mind. The George Hotel is simple, but clean and adequate. The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful.  The restaurant serves a good variety for lunch or dinner, but breakfast is fairly basic. My room was small but clean and comfortable. Take note that if you are a light sleeper (as I am) you do get some noise from the bar across the road, however this is easily drowned out with a pair of ear plugs…so make sure you pack some. Overall, I’d still recommend the George.  Many WWII relics are scattered around Beito and are located just a short walk from the hotel, on the beach by the cemetery and at the point. Make sure you advise the hotel of your arrival details so they can pick you up from the airport. Its around one hour drive from the airport and there’s no taxis on Kiribati. There are cheap shared mini vans that frequently run along the road, but these can often be quite crowded if you are taking luggage. Contrary to what you may have read there are no bicycles for hire at the George, however they can arrange car hire and tours.

This is probably the best hotel in Tarawa. Rather a functional motel than a holiday hotel. Basic rooms. Nice atmosphere at the outside bar (an in spot on weekends for the islanders) and restaurant. Extraordinarily friendly staff.

Betio

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Delightful

As convenient as possible

Affordable and friendly staff

Excellent dinner

Close to shopping and government facilities. Nice rooms and very pleasant staff

This review is for the hotel restaurant

Service With A Smile

Great hotel, by George!

Is Kiribati an undiscovered Maldives?

Probably best in Tarawa

Breakfast included

Free Internet

Transfer

Parking

Suitable for children

Swimming Pool

Fitness centre

Bar or restaurant

For guests with disabilities

Conference hall

Spa Services

Ski slope nearby

Beach nearby

Air-conditioning

Pets allowed

Jacuzzi

Private Bathroom

Kitchen

Balcony

View from the window

Smoking allowed

Electric car charging

The George Hotel Kiribati

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