Toafa Lodge - 'Eua Island

“Basic expectations not met”

The national park and garden view from our room. 1. Waiting 2 hours for breakfast Sunday 29th Aug, with 8 other people. We had ordered it the previous night. One female staff in the kitchen arrived late. 2. Toafa Lodge had young female staff with very limited hospitality training ( if any). 3. The breakfast (eggs and toast) included in the accommodation on our first morning (23 Aug) was cold fried eggs and buttered bread. We asked for cereal as an option for breakfast and was told no, they couldnt provide basic cereal. 4. My husband and I traveled with 2 other family members and booked 2 rooms for 9 days. We did not feel welcomed

Kim·Sebulan lalu

“Convenient base for exploring beautiful ʻEua, but cleanliness, maintenance and food need improvement”

Toafa Lodge is one of the few places on beautiful, wild ʻEua and is well positioned for those wanting to swim with whales. Ben was very kind and helpful: he picked us up from the ferry, drove us to the airport, and rented us a car during our stay. The lodge also offers good coffee and has one of the island’s few restaurants. It is clear that the owner has made a genuine effort to provide accommodation and useful services for visitors in a remote and challenging environment. Unfortunately, cleanliness standards were very low. The kitchen where meals are prepared appeared unhygienic, disorganized, run‑down, and heavily cluttered; it would benefit greatly from a thorough deep clean, better organization, and the removal of broken or unusable items. Our first room smelled strongly of cigarette smoke. In the replacement room, the floor was cleaned with water that appeared dirty and left an unpleasant smell, while insects remained a problem. The place would benefit greatly from a solid cleaning protocol with higher standards. The rooms would also benefit from newer sheets and towels. In addition, several leaks around the entrances need to be repaired. The food options could also be improved. Breakfast should include a proper serving of fresh fruit—three very thin slices of apple were not adequate. The main meals were limited almost entirely to chicken dishes and included no vegetables. Offering fish and vegetarian options, together with fresh salads or cooked vegetables, would make a considerable difference.

Ricardo·Sebulan lalu

“Limited accommodation in the area , so probably the best in town. If you can , book at the blue water retreat on the bea”

The rooms were large and clean, but the service was poor; the receptionist was not very welcoming and we had to ask for everything. Eventually, they were helpful, but it was not easy.

Hugues·2 bulan lalu

“I would stay here again.”

Breakfast was basic but acceptable: 2 eggs, buttered bread/toast, and a few pieces of fruit. The lodge is close to our long stay, just 5 minutes from the airport, and it’s easy to eat there (you have to let them know ahead, and dinner closes at 5 pm most places on Eua, so be aware) or eat at a stall down the road or a nearby restaurant. We had a couple of meals there and they were good too; stalls are cheaper but you will have to find cutlery. So convenient at the lodge but plenty of options nearby too. They were also very flexible about check‑in and check‑out times; we had to check in early and check out late, and normally we would have expected to pay more or have bags stored in a storage room, but we could stay using our room with no extra charge. They picked us up and dropped us off at the airport, and the host is great. The shower wasn’t warm enough; it was probably fine when it was hot, but it was too cold for July. The setting for the hot water is 55 °C but it only reached 35 °C max, so we had to use the trucker’s wash instead. Not a huge thing but could be improved. There is road noise, but it was still easy enough to sleep. Someone was singing, but they were very good, so it was quite enjoyable; just be aware you can hear them and they can hear you. Putting pricing in NZ and US dollars is not helpful when you are paying in Tongan Paanga, so I was fairly lost as to whether I was paying the right amount.

Jacqueline·2 bulan lalu

Communication in advance was mixed. When our ferry didn’t run, the property moved our booking, which was appreciated, but other questions were not answered. We had one breakfast, which was only scrambled eggs but it was nicely prepared. The meals are basic but the prices are expensive. The ‘hot’ water in the shower was barely lukewarm. There are no towel racks or places to put soap, and nowhere to put clothes. We were given one towel each but no hand towel. One bed had no blanket or bedspread, only a sheet, and it was very cold. We got a blanket the next day, but only after a cold night.

Linley·2 bulan lalu