Hôtel Beaurivage

Set directly on the Baie des Citrons in Nouméa, Hôtel Beaurivage puts the water at the doorstep rather than the horizon. The building holds sixty rooms across a handful of categories, several of them looking straight over the lagoon rather than the garden behind. It is a compact stay. Garden and Lagoon rooms run to about 20 m², each with air conditioning, a flat-screen television, a fridge, a kettle for tea and coffee, free Wi-Fi and a shower room with hairdryer. The Deluxe Lagoon room is the largest, at up to 35 m², sleeping up to four with a sofa bed and a Nespresso machine added to the standard kit. One room is fitted for reduced mobility, with a walk-in shower, grab bars and a raised toilet; it is a single room, so early booking matters if accessibility is required. Outside the door, the promenade does the rest: bars, brasseries and cafés line the bay, and a water taxi from nearby Anse Vata reaches Duck Island, a marine reserve since 1989 with a snorkelling trail. You can walk to the sand in a few minutes from most rooms. Front desk service runs around the clock, and there is a laundry, a gift shop and a transport service on site. Check-in details are handled directly with the hotel.