Le Meridien Resort & Spa, on the very tip of Noumea at Pointe Magnin.
Courtney Whitaker escapes the rain and cold for a relaxing visit to Le Meridien Noumea, New Caledonia.
Location: Overlooking the gorgeous, sandy Anse Vata Bay, on the very tip of Noumea at Pointe Magnin. La Tontouta airport is less than an hour’s drive away but a beautiful and scenic one. We felt as though we were driving through the French Riviera as we marvelled at the yachts in the Port Moselle Harbour on the way in.
Style: French sophistication meets island tranquillity.
Perfect for: A family holiday, a romantic getaway, or in our case, a “babymoon”.
Getting around: The resort offers free on-site parking should you wish to hire a car. We found the walk into Palm Beach along the beach and boardwalks easy, and used the efficient bus service to visit Baie des Citrons, the Port Moselle markets and Place des Cocotiers in the town centre. Bus tickets were $4.45pp. The hotel offers a shuttle service to get to and from the airport, which is your best bet, and much cheaper than a private transfer.
Price: Rooms start from $310 for Marriott Bonvoy members. Sign-up for membership is free.
First impressions: Check-in was easy - we arrived in the evening so there were no queues to worry about in the vast lobby. Lush gardens and tropical palms lined the paths weaving through the resort, and the sun was casting hues of orange as it set over the swimming pool. It made us question why we hadn’t visited this island paradise before, especially given the ease and affordability of the 2.5-hour flight.
Room: We were upgraded to a One-Bedroom Suite from a Garden View Room because of improvements around the hotel. Plastering and painting was taking place on our floor, which had suffered a little during Covid closures.
Our suite was enormous, with a balcony looking over the gardens, and a peek of the pool and beach. A flatscreen TV on a 360-degree swivel serviced both the bedroom and lounge, the latter with an oversized wraparound couch and reclining red egg chair. We slept soundly in the comfortable bed and found the massive walk-in wardrobe had more than enough space to store our belongings.
The suite did not include a minibar, but did have an Illy coffee pod machine, a selection of teas, and a small fridge. There was also a desk and ergonomic office chair, should you be crazy enough to want to work while on holiday.
Bathroom: Lovely herbal toiletries from Malin & Goetz, plenty of fluffy towels, and cosy waffle bathrobes and slippers. A large sliding door separated the bathroom and bedroom. Our bathroom had a bath - or should I say, a Jacuzzi - that came with bath salts, a loofah, and could easily have accommodated a small football team. Luxury on aching muscles after a long day of walking or exploring. The shower was walk-in with a rain showerhead and a detachable option.
Food and drink: Buffet breakfast was served at Le Sextant each morning, and included made-to-order omelettes, fresh fruit, pastries, cheeses, cakes, a good selection of gluten-free options, and even sashimi. The casual outdoor Le Fare restaurant and lounge bar was the hotel’s only other food option for most meals, with a seafood buffet held at Le Sextant on Friday and Saturday nights. Staff at Le Fare were very patient with my odd pregnancy eating requests, even whipping me up a late-night sandwich despite the kitchen being closed for the night. The bar was the ideal spot for a cocktail and a front-row seat to the glorious sunset each evening. Magnifique!
Facilities: There is a 24hr gym, sauna and hammam, as well as the enormous outdoor swimming pool and indoor Deep Nature Spa. A tennis court is next door and a petanque pit sits oceanfront by the bar, for friendly sunset apero competitions with friends.
In the neighbourhood: It should be mentioned that sadly, most of Noumea’s beaches were temporarily closed during our visit because of a recent shark attack. However, safety nets had been installed at the Baie des Citrons where we were able to swim in the sea, and more nets are planned for other swimming spots. Day trips to the nearby outer islands come highly recommended and swimming is currently safe at these beaches. Swimming with turtles on the picture-postcard Amedee Island was top of our list, and although we unfortunately missed out this time, we will be back to do it in future.
Noumea Grand Casino is next door to Le Meridien, should you fancy a little glam one evening, or for short excursions explore Port Moselle and its market, the city centre, and the lovely Baie des Citrons and its selection of excellent bars and restaurants. Venture a little further and learn about Kanak culture at the Tjibaou Cultural Center (free passes were left in our suite).
Family-friendly: Despite it not being school holidays in New Zealand or Australia, there seemed to be many family groups with young children enjoying the resort. The pool has a shallow area for kids, as well as a smaller paddling pool alongside. A babysitting service is available. The hotel offers a “Stay For Breakfast” package, which includes a free breakfast for kids under 12.
Accessibility: The hotel has accessible rooms for those with reduced mobility, which include baths with grab bars, roll-in showers and lowered electrical outlets. The on-site restaurants, lifts, pool and spa are also wheelchair-accessible.
Sustainability: Toiletries are attached to the wall of the shower in large, refillable bottles and there is the option to have towels recycled for next-day use rather than replaced. I liked the large watercoolers on each floor, allowing you to refill your water bottle with cool, filtered water, rather than being supplied daily with new plastic bottles.
Extras: We were lucky enough to catch a fashion show in the hotel’s Latitude 22 bar: Kookai Australia sponsored by Audi. The bar was pumping as guests entered the lobby on a red carpet. A DJ was on hand to provide music as the models hit the makeshift catwalk, and we had a prime viewing position over glasses of champagne in one of the side booths alongside another Kiwi couple. A great way to enjoy our final night in paradise.
Viking’s cruise brings Europe to your balcony..