Off To A Good Start

By a Staff Writer

Lae’s recently opened $BOO,OOO hotel, The Melanesian, is already proving popular with visitors and locals and is vieing with Port Moresby’s Gateway Hotel at Jacksons Airport for the title of New Guinea’s top first-class hotel.

The Melanesian’s bars have been open for several months, but it was only in November that it began ac cepting guests in its 46 twin-bed suites.

The local people are inclined to say that the hotel is “premature” and “before its time” because its food, service and accommodation are so good.

Each suite is fully carpeted and air-conditioned. All have private bathrooms, telephones, two channels of recorded music and radio.

Meals are served in an air-con ditioned dining room on a table d’hote or a la carte menu.

There are three separate bars— the Outrigger Bar, which spills on to a wide terrace overlooking the hotel lawns, a public bar and a tavern bar.

In addition, there is the Cedar Room,

a cocktail bar which adjoins the dining room.

The hotel manager, Mr. Rolf Gschwind, told me in December that at least half of the guest accom modation had been occupied up till then.

This was a very good start and also an indication that people were prepared to pay a little extra for a really good first-class hotel in the territory, he said.

Steamships Trading Company Limited, the hotel’s owner, is train ing native staff as assistants in all operations.

The cable address of The Mela nesian is Hotelae; the address is P.O.

Box 125, Lae; and the telephone: 2905-6.

ANEW Tahiti travel agency, Pacific Travel, opened in Papeete in December. The manager is Mr.

Philippe Chenu. Pacific Travel will operate a fleet of five buses for sight seeing and transport of tourists.

Guests relax in the air-conditioned comfort of the Cedar Room at the Melanesian Hotel, Lae.