Hotel Review: Pacific Gardens, Goroka
Mary Tao checks out the Eastern Highlands’ Pacific Gardens hotel, a must-stay for the yearly Goroka Show.
The Pacific Gardens Hotel. Credit: Daniel Undaba
Location
The hotel is a four-minute drive from the airport. In town, check out the main market, which is filled with some of the best fresh produce the country has to offer. Don’t forget to visit the famous bilum market for a souvenir to take home.
The town’s annual Bilum Festival usually takes place in September. The Goroka Show is also in September and is about a 10-minute drive from the hotel, but be sure to book early because rooms are in high demand during the show.
The place
Built in 1986, the hotel celebrates Eastern Highlands culture with paintings and carvings.
The hotel is in a serene environment, surrounded by lush gardens and trees set on eight hectares. Guests can enjoy a quiet morning coffee with garden views and the soothing sounds of a nearby mountain stream.
The gardens of the Pacific Hotel, Goroka. Credit: DANIEL UNDABA
Rooms
There are six styles of accommodation – including separate bungalows – all with private bathrooms (with toiletries) and flatscreen TVs. Spacious and comfortable, the
rooms are well furnished with some offering a work desk and kitchenette. The three-bedroom apartments have kitchens and dishwashers.
Food and drink
Guests can dine at both the restaurant and bar. They offer Asian and Western cuisine as well as a pizza menu. There is a set breakfast menu, and lunch and dinner specials change daily.
What guests like
“This is the nicest hotel in Goroka. The ambience is peaceful and very beautiful, with a nice outlook over jungle, a stream and a pool. There’s also a pet cassowary.” – Tripadvisor
“This was my first visit to Goroka, and I definitely made the right choice when I booked the Pacific Gardens Hotel. The staff were more than accommodating and the restaurant was fantastic.” – Expedia
WHO STAYS?
Business travellers, tourists, transit travellers and long-term guests.
HOW BIG?
41 rooms; two apartments
COST
K350–750 for rooms and K850 for apartments.
CHECK IN
2pm
HIGHLIGHTS
The natural environment surrounding the hotel and the great food.
NEARBY
National Performing Art Troupe (more commonly known as Raun Raun Theatre), The University of Goroka, the JK McCarthy Museum, Mount Gahavisuka Provincial Park and the Mount Kiss Lookout.
This is an edited version of an article first published in the November 2025 – January 2026 issue of Paradise, the in-flight magazine of Air Niugini.
