Gateway Hotel

Avoid the hotel if you can. Bring your own shampoo and conditioner. They have non-shampoo and conditioner as a hotel policy. Even if you go to the front desk and ask, they don't help you because they don't have shampoo and conditioner. They just give a bar of soap and one towel. the bathtub had mold The room air condition was really noisy. the hotel has stairs to access the lobby and the second floor. I didn't see any elevator to get to the second floor. Nobody helps you with the luggage. The good thing, the hotel has a shuttle to airport.

This hotel is located close to Jackson International Airport. The staff was accommodating. The rooms are spotless. Hotel facilities are also excellent. The hotel is a complex with offices and restaurants. There is a car that will take you and pick you up from the hotel to the airport.

My husband and I had to stay here for part of one night after our connecting domestic flight was cancelled and Air Nuigini put us up in this hotel. I think we had a premier room. It was a couple of floors up and a convoluted walk away from from reception. There isn't an elevator but we had help with the luggage. The main part of the room appears to have been renovated and clean though the curtains were stained and in need of replacement. Bed was comfortable. Bottled water provided as well as tea/coffee making. The bathroom was fairly run down and in need of renovation. Our room looked out over the main road outside and there was a fair bit of traffic noise. WiFi good. Had dinner in the hotel restaurant and because it was being covered by Air Nuigini we were only entitled to the buffet. It was pretty ordinary, food not very tasty, lukewarm with limited offerings. We advised reception that we had to be back at the airport at 3am (along with several other people) and reception were a bit vague on whether they would provide a shuttle before 3 am. Initially they said they would even though the official start time for their shuttle was 3.15ish. Along with several people we waited at reception until well after 3am for the shuttle so they had no plans for trying to get us to the airport at the advised time. We got to the airport then joined huge queues of people trying to get into and through the domestic airport. We only just made our flight with seconds to spare. It might be convenient to the airport (about 5-10 minutes drive) but I wouldn't stay here if I had a choice.

I first stayed in the Gateway in the early 2000’s. The mage ent, then was pretty dreadful with some bizarre rules and practices. I have returned here after many years, and I find that little has changed in the past near quarter century. The staff are a delight. The business processes are such that it is abundantly clear that the word “hospitality” does not figure in the Steamships (the owners) vocabulary. On check in, they would not accept a debit card as prepayment/security. The extras such as laundry and meals had to be secured by a deposit, paid by my client, who resented it because any surplus remaining would not be reimbursed, but a credit note would be issued. As they would not permit a global deposit to be paid, there were two deposits, one for laundry, one for meals, and what is a local businessman going to do with a credit note for laundry services? I called for room service: curry and a beer. The menu stated that there was a “tray charge” of PGK15, fair enough. The curry arrived in a biodegrable bag containing two plastic containers similar to Tupperware containers, and a bottle of beer, with no means of opening it. The poppadums were on top of the curry, so that by the time they reached my room, they were soft and chewy. When I placed my order, the question was how I intended to pay for the food. Ten minutes later, I was advised that the front desk had graciously sanctioned the draw down on my credit. I put my laundry in, and each evening, I arrived in the room to find no laundry. I called to ask where it was, and was asked how I intended to pay for it. After phoning, the laundry arrived. However, the last time, my shirt arrived but no socks or underwear. Lost in the system despite numerous requests to look for them. Perhaps the strangest was when I ordered pizza. I ordered it at shortly after 7pm. There was a brief power outage and at 9pm, I called to ask where my pizza had gone. The room service staff had no knowledge of my order, but graciously apologised and re ordered the pizza. At 1030, I gave up and put out my light only to be awakened at 11pm by room service bearing my pizza. The whole place is being held together by long suffering staff. The structure is in dire need of investment, as my door keycard works for 48 hours before needing to be re-issued. Apparently the door card reader needs a new battery, so why on earth do they not change the damned battery instead of having me exercise my arthritic hip climbing stairs in the ultimate door challenge. On the first day, finding my way to the foyer involved following the signs to the walkway through the restaurant, which, because it is closed in the morning, is locked, and I had to unlock a door into the swimming pool area, in the rain, to get to the other side of the restaurant. - no biggy, but a sign or two would have helped. Oh! The rain. It appears that the roof is a tad porous, so the floors around the dining room were covered in sheets to soak

The Gateway was booked by my company for a mandatory quarantine on entry to PNG. A shuttle bus collected us at the arrival doors at Jackson Airport. We were given a 2 bed apartment, spacious, comfortable beds, en-suite bathrooms, two private balconies & a terrace at the back on the ground floor. We were served 3 set meals a day & could also order from the extensive mixed menu but no need as the food was varied & very good. My wife, son & I are all of the same opinion - Staff were very helpful, friendly & ensured we were looked after without question. The hotel itself has different restaurants, bars, gift shop & barbers all within the secure compound. If you are visiting Lae this is the place to stay!

Checked in for a two-day commercial photoshoot, but the experience was more farce than luxury. Rayleen, the reservations magician, spun lies about bathroom maintenance, forcing a move to a filthy alternative (#10). Attempts to confront her were futile, as she conveniently disappeared. Chaos ensued, with another guest waiting for hours due to conflicting reservations. After a reception purgatory, I miraculously reclaimed my original room (#50). Gateway Hotel's luxury claims proved as fake as knock-off Nikes.

I imagine that some time in the last century this may have been a good hotel. It is now utterly and exquisitely awful and you must not stay here - not least because it is as expensive as its vastly superior competitors. Rooms and buildings are run down. staff are untrained, demotivated and paid late, wifi is almost unusable, drinks are watered, and nobody gives a toss. Breakfast is great but is not enough of a saving grace to justify anyone, ever, staying here again.

What a terrible, terrible shame….once upon a time, only about 7-8 years ago, this was a reasonable hotel. Now, overrun, falling apart, very very little maintenance, lousy aircon, completely demoralized staff. What a shame….!!! I checked in for an overnight a few weeks ago, no aircon in reception, no aircon in room, no hot water, phone from reception to room not working and the lady at reception simply couldn’t give a toss. Many, many customers complaining about same issues. The hotel is simply falling apart. Since the new management have taken over it’s absolutely evident that not a penny has been poured back into the upkeep of the hotel. Not recommended whatsoever I’m sorry to say.

Four night stay, business trip. Everything OK and working. Food options good and a nice bar at the back called Jackson’s with live music some nights and sport on the other nights. Breakfast was also better than my last stay, they have moved this to the ground floor as well.