Review of Tanna Lodge 3*

We stayed at Tanna Lodge for 4 nights in late Aug 2016. Many of the advertised features simply weren't true. There was no fridge nor coffee / tea making facilities in the room, nor a ceiling fan, and even if there was, the power (local 4KVA generator for the whole place) was off overnight, so it wouldn't have worked anyway. Just as well we took torches as it was pitch black at night with no electricity. The toilet leaked and made gurgling noises 24/7, but I managed to fix it to leak quietly. The worst thing was discovering a wad of tissues in the bed. Notifying this discovery was met with nonchalance but the sheets did get changed just before our last night. Maybe the sheets get changed on Mondays only. The beach was heaven, but it wasn't private — it was the beach that the locals use, and possibly always have done — and the 3 or 4 burned out (arson) villas on the beachfront I'm guessing were a land protest of some kind rather than the internet reason for the arson. The incredibly expensive day tour that was hawked to us was enjoyed for less than half that price with one phone call. The breakfast was very good, with a bottomless cup of fantastic Tanna grown coffee, and lovely Island fruit, the lunch menu was good, and providing something from the lunch menu for dinner was really good because the 3 only dishes on the dinner menu were a bit boring. The gardens and grounds were a delight, and the local staff were committed. We found out that Tanna Lodge runs from a generator because it's cheaper than the Island supply, but it means extension cords running all over the place. The main building is a credit in design and construction, as are the villas. Making clear the truth upfront rather than allowing for disappointments is so important for the rare bit of luxury that some people save up for and so look forward to.