Kosrae Nautilus Resort

We had a good 3-night stay at the Kosrae Nautilus, and after 3 days of looking around the island, it definitely looked to be the best place around. The location is very good, literally across the street from the Blue Hole snorkeling/diving area. It’s also only about 20 minutes scenic walk into Lelu village and the Lelu ruins. The hotel backs onto the mangrove channels and we made use of the free kayaks to explore these remote channels. We were met at the airport for our free pick-up and brought to the hotel where we met the owner, Josh, and got checked into the room. Josh and all the hotel staff were very friendly, helpful, and hard-working and we enjoyed our daily chats with them. Our room was one of about 16 or so in the complex, rows of motel style adjoined units. It was clean and comfortable with good AC, fridge, hot water jug, and good, dependable Wifi internet. The TV was purely for internet streaming and worked well. We had 2 queen size beds and a small computer desk. Everything seemed to work well and was well-maintained. We ate nearly all our meals at the restaurant and were happy with every meal – especially the chicken quesadillas. There were both indoor and outdoor eating areas and the place seemed to be very popular with the local inhabitants. The only complaint about the restaurant was that lots of people were smoking in the outdoor covered eating area which made the whole eating experience very unpleasant. As mentioned before, use of the kayaks is free, and you can also rent diving/snorkeling gear and rent cars as well for getting around the island. Josh can also arrange hikes and other activities if you choose. Overall we had a very good stay and would definitely recommend it to other travelers looking for a great base in Kosrae.

Famous ‚Blue Hole‘ (snorkeling highly recommended! You can get gear at the resort) at your front door, Lelu ruins in walking distance, bank next door. All rooms have A/C. You can also rent a car from there or have tours arranged (fishing is really fun, even if you‘ve never done it). Using the kayaks to explore the mangroves behind the resort is free. People are super nice and I loved the food, THANK YOU!

My wife and I stayed 3 nights, met at KSA Airport by the hotel’s driver at 1:30PM, and joined 1 other for the 12km van ride southeast in the pouring rain. At reception, the owner copied our passports and guided us along a garden walk in front of sturdy concrete block rooms with white tile floors, all accessed through glass sliding doors. #13 was sparkling clean with 2 doubles with colorful spreads, desk and chair, then closet, sink with hot pot and bathroom at the back. A housekeeper brought a large pitcher of drinking water and a floor towel. All was fine until we discovered the sink wouldn’t drain and there was no micro, so the owner moved us to a 2 bedroom apartment. # 17 had a full kitchen(large refrigerator, full oven and micro), sink/shower and separate toilet, perfect for us using only 1 bedroom. The silent wall AC in the living room was appreciated as was the room’s secure and strong WIFI. We swam in the lovely cool pool and ate at their restaurant with its extensive American menu that’s popular with the locals. The owner had Robert drive us to the well stocked Ace Grocery, 1 mile south on Lelu Island; it’s closed tomorrow, Sunday. It would be a nice walk without the heavy rain. This friendly hotel was the perfect location for our stay which included airport transfers, nice accommodation and an accommodative owner to suit our needs.

The Nautilus Resort is a must-stay if you find yourself in the beautiful island of Kosrae. I really enjoyed the camaraderie built with other guests, where there weren't the many distractions of modern life. Instead, I happily enjoyed deep conversations with hotel staff and other guests, hanging out by the pool in a well-appointed patio area. When I needed to, I would return to my room to escape the heat and humidity, and take advantage of the air con. 10/10 recommend, can't wait to go again!