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4.0

Very good

59 reviews

Location

4.7

Cleanliness

4.1

Service

4.0

Value

3.5

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Property amenities

Free parking

Free breakfast

Bar / lounge

Airport transportation

Conference facilities

Banquet room

Meeting rooms

Laundry service

Restaurant

Location

Tari 255 Papua New Guinea

59Reviews1Q+A15Room tips

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AdrianChisenga wrote a review Nov 2018

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea48 contributions31 helpful votes

Be one with Nature

I had an awesome time and experience! This will be one of my top 5 best experience. The opportunity where all my senses; sight, smell, feel, hear and taste came alive!!! Ambua has stunning views. It compensates for the average hospitality services tourists would expect but it is better than the seedy lodges in Tari that are covert places for gambling, prostitution, drug and arms dealings. For naturist and nature lovers like me.... this is PARADISE!

Date of stay: December 2017

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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jade808558 wrote a review Aug 2018

Sydney, Australia86 contributions17 helpful votes

Beautiful property - pleasant staff

Did not get to spend a lot of time staying here as there was some trouble in the community but the lodge is on a ridge with a great view and has beautiful gardens. There are hotel rooms and huts. We stayed in the hotel rooms and they were fine with balconies looking over the view. Bathrooms were a bit smelly but I suppose in a tropical climate it is very hard to keep the mould away. The restaurant and kitchen staff were great accommodating food requirements easily. Good quality food and a very pleasant common area.

Date of stay: July 2018

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Trip type: Traveled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Phil P wrote a review Jul 2018

London, United Kingdom20 contributions26 helpful votes

nice staff, rat in room

positives - nice view, nice staff, clean, nice gardens.Good cheap laundry service, OK food. negatives - rat in room all night, despite staff chasing it out once. It chewed everything, expensive place.

Date of stay: July 2018

Value

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Trip type: Traveled with friends

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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George F wrote a review Feb 2018

Calgary, Canada28 contributions31 helpful votes

Staff stole daughter's rain jacket

We traveled here in September 2017 and arrived in the wet season. The flight into the private airstrip was great, and the check-in was smooth. The lodge is at elevation so has great views and is also quite cool. The room was extremely nice. The only reason I do not recommend this place is that for the price we were paying, the food was very mediocre lacking any local flavor and the managers did nothing to help recover my daughters raincoat that she had left in the common area and had disappeared by the next morning.

Date of stay: September 2017

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Trip type: Traveled with family

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Response from Andrew N, General Manager at Ambua Lodge

Responded Feb 6, 2018

We are pleased that you enjoyed your flight into Ambua Lodge, the accommodation and the views. Since your stayed with was about five months ago, I need to do some research before responding to the other points you raised. Appreciate your patience.

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

SirCR wrote a review Jan 2018

London, United Kingdom60 contributions69 helpful votes

Beautiful retreat

Ambua is in the fairly remote Tari district of PNG but it is a lovely, traditionally-built lodge situated in the mountains with a spectacular view of the valley below. The main room (where everything happens) is a large wood construction space roofed over in traditional thatch, and featuring magnificent totem poles carved from whole tree trunks. The rooms are mainly traditional round huts, though there are now a dozen modern rooms in a new block next the lodge itself. There are advantages to each: the modern rooms are better insulated and drier, whereas the huts have a nicer setting down amongst the gardens (which are beautifully landscaped) and are more romantic. The food was very good but again no choice. As with all places in PNG the service and operation of things is a bit unpredictable, but very sweet and good humoured. The team went out of their way to help us, especially when things went wrong with our onward travel plans. I'd like to say a particular thanks to Dave and Beryl, who were only running things temporarily, but did an amazing job. Two things to mention: one, the weather can be very changeable, and in the afternoon/evening the lodge is often inside clouds with frequent rain. The temperature really drops when this happens so bring warm clothing. Two, the road from the lodge into town is pretty grim, so expect along and bumpy journey.…

Date of stay: January 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Jules E wrote a review Nov 2017

London, United Kingdom97 contributions111 helpful votes

A welcome oasis in what can be a difficult country to visit

Always check your diary before coming to PNG. If there are elections on - AVOID. We visited in July of 2017 and various airports were closed and roads made impassable without Police outriders - as the losing candidates supporters run amok! However, and you need deep pockets - you are in PNG - this is THE place to say. Great food, a beautiful setting and for bird lovers as well as moth-fanatics [not me!!] a life-list venue. Its under a new manager - a charming polite Kiwi, abut all the resident guides are there. I hope Thomas is still cherishing the size 12 wellies I left him! Jules

Date of stay: July 2017

Location

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Trip type: Traveled on business

Room Tip: the newer rooms are closer to the main hotel and have great little balconies.

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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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kdyer920 wrote a review Nov 2017

Mill Valley, California112 contributions25 helpful votes

A Great Place to Stay in the Highlands

We stayed here at the end of October. It is about an hour drive from the tiny Tari Airport up on the hill overlooking the valley. The grounds are gorgeous. There are 40 bungalows and a new two story hotel wing. Our first night we were in a bungalow which is very rustic. I was very allergic as the ceiling is thatched roof. There is no heat and the night was quite cold but the beds have electric mattress pads on them. The bungalow rooms are quaint but need an update. We asked to move to the new wing and had a wonderful modern room with a great view and comfortable bed. The hotel serves three meals a day and includes a full breakfast. The food was good and the staff was great. They work really hard to please their guests. The manager, Dennis, really went the extra mile to make sure our visit was memorable. It is definitely the best accommodation in the area and the Highlands are really worth visiting.…

Date of stay: October 2017

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Trip type: Traveled with friends

Room Tip: Ask for the new wing if you want modern or have allergies. If you like quaint or authentic then...

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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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PaulC3750821 wrote a review Oct 2017

Albuquerque, New Mexico1 contribution5 helpful votes

Wonderful stay at Ambua Lodge

In contrast to the negative experience related by Tapan B, we had a wonderful 4 night stay at Ambua Lodge during the same time period. We were with Tapan B on the “trecherous walk” and found it to be a very enjoyable hike through a lovely cloud forest. We are in our sixties and had no difficulty on the well-maintained trail. The several cane suspension bridges were well-secured and fun to cross. We walked ahead and were able to spot a few birds while our guide solicitously stayed behind to help Tapan B and his wife, who were not at all suited for hiking -very unfit, not at all sure-footed, and asthmatic. Ambua is operated under a typical nature lodge set-up where there are activities scheduled at certain times of the day - including, in this case, birdwatching, hiking, and cultural experiences. Tapan B came with unrealistic expectations and was not content to follow the lodge program. He alienated the rest of the lodge guests, who could not help but overhear his rude complaints and insults to the guides and management. From our perspective, rather than being “ignored”, the lodge manager did a good job in trying to accommodate Tapan B, and the rest of us, by hiring an extra vehicle to transport the couple on their own outings, so they could walk at their own very slow pace and spare the others of their complaints. We stayed at 3 lodges under the Trans Niugini umbrella - Rondon Ridge, Karawari and Ambua, and found them all to be very well-run, especially considering the complexity of operations in such remote locations. All were beautifully situated, served a high standard of food and had clean and comfortable accommodations. We were quite impressed that the thatched ceilings were kept totally free of cobwebs and crawly critters. There were nice conveniences, such as walking sticks, umbrellas, and plastic water bottles available for guest use. The staff and guides were all very friendly and helpful. The cultural outings were interesting and informative. It is important to come with realistic expectations about birdwatching. It takes effort, and good luck, to view the elusive birds of paradise and others in the dense tropical forests, but it is highly rewarding when you do! We had a few hiccups with plane flights - we had been forewarned by Trans Niugini of this possibility. Otherwise, our trip exceeded our expectations. We were warmly welcomed by the people of New Guinea and highly recommend a visit.…

Date of stay: October 2017

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Tapan B wrote a review Oct 2017

Colchester, United Kingdom96 contributions90 helpful votes

Expected more orderly stay

After flew from Karawari lodge in small aircraft which landed nicely on time, were driven to Ambua lodge. Overlooking valley and splendidly beautiful garden which was almost everywhere in highlands in PNG on both sides of highways and in almost all local residences, after a quiet lunch and freshly brewed coffee thought would be taken for bird watching, but this appeared to be messed up by the tour companies and our bird watching interest was not registered or not taken seriously . Instead we were taken to a nature trip, in slippery moss covered small roads or no roads and through tiny hanging bridges down hill , a water falls, but not look alike Iguasu (Brazil) or Victoria Falls in Zambia. Was a torture for over three hours over the trecherous walk but somehow survived slippery slopes in rocky terrain with not even a sparrow to see. Found though we came for bird watching and paid our tour companies same amount or perhaps paid more , we were not under a group of Bird watching company banner. Therefore were ignored, settled for bird watching next day , in the morning saw few birds in bush with third best guide in the lodge. After that went for cultural tour , three villages , first showed how men lived in seclusion away from women but saw next generation already in trousers , next to wig village, very colourful experience and then on to spirt men . Though dressed viciously they were all very gentle and happy people, full of smiles .Had an enormous picnic lunch sitting in one Papuan’s home and garden , who felt pride to show us his lawn and garden. But in the afternoon lodge guide took us for a quick drive in Tari gap along the road and then said there were no more birds to show in wooded highland which we toured in the morning and saw some birds and he went home early. We could do very little, because unlike in other three lodges we stayed before Kumul, Rondom, Karawari found no interested management to ask us if things were going alright for us, Next morning later found out that other group and another person were taken for early morning bird watching but not us. Also driven to airport very early for a six hours wait sitting on a six inch wide wooden log on a floor of stones in airport lounge for aircraft to arrive after an hour and forty minutes flight. We could have rested in hotel lounge in lodge till aircraft started for Tari. From lodge to airport was only forty minutes drive. Food was so so not great but we did not go hungry, Over all stay was not to our expectation , we had high expectation though paid for bird watching both morning and afternoon were not given attention to our need, could have managed better.…

Date of stay: October 2017Trip type: Traveled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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aedarshani5 wrote a review Oct 2017

Scandia, Minnesota48 contributions8 helpful votes

Ambua Lodge, the best Lodge ever!

I cannot say enough good things about Ambua lodge. It was fantastic, safe while in an area of strife. I'm an orchid lover and a guide named Joseph had a collection that included mid sized native orchids and native orchids the size of quarter. It was fascinated. They had a full bar and plenty of tourist adventures, meeting with local tribes and bartering g with them. We saw unusual dress of tribal elders made with bird of paradise and other animals as his clothing. Anyway, I've bern to awesome lodges before but this is the best!

Date of stay: October 2017Trip type: Traveled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

2 Helpful votes

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