King Solomon Hotel
by the TopOfHotel team
King Solomon is the only hotel in central Honiara where a tiny rail car carries you up to your room — you book it for the hillside atmosphere and the Iron Bottom Sound panorama, not for polished 4-star room finishes.
King Solomon is the only hotel in central Honiara where a tiny rail car carries you up to your room — you book it for the hillside atmosphere and the Iron Bottom Sound panorama, not for polished 4-star room finishes.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a hotel that isn't a single block but a scatter of bungalows and small buildings — around 60 rooms in total — climbing up the slope of Kola Ridge on Hibiscus Avenue, right in the centre of Honiara. That hillside layout is King Solomon's number-one charm, and locals sometimes just call it "the tram hotel" because of the private funicular tram that hauls guests up the slope from the lobby to the upper rooms. The first time you ride it, watching Honiara open up beneath you as the car creeps higher, the trip already feels memorable. Most upper rooms have a balcony or small terrace looking out over the whole city and the dark blue Iron Bottom Sound — the stretch of sea that earned its name as a major WWII naval battleground. Rooms themselves are simple tropical: warm-toned island fabrics, timber, terracotta tiling. The vibe is more island holiday house than polished international chain — and that's the point.
Food and amenities
By day, most guests end up at the outdoor pool, ringed by stone paving and tropical planting — a genuinely good place to hide from the equatorial sun. The food talking point is the wood-fired pizza at the ridge-top restaurant, and the reviews are unusually consistent: many call it one of the best pizzas in Honiara — crisp, smoky crust, generous toppings, the kind of meal that turns into a regular Friday-night ritual for local families who drive up the hill for it. Pair it with a cold SolBrew, the local beer, in the breeze coming off the ridge, and dinner sticks in the memory. The other thing people remember is the Melanesian dance show — a local troupe in leaf and shell costumes, drumming and dancing by the pool most evenings. It's one of the more authentic ways to actually feel Solomon Islands culture rather than just pass through it. There's also a small ridge-top bar for a sunset cocktail looking out over the sea — not something you'll find at the generic chains.
Location and getting there
Despite sitting on a hillside, King Solomon is properly central. The hotel is on Hibiscus Avenue, on the southern edge of Honiara's business district. Walk down the slope for 10-15 minutes and you're in the CBD — Central Market, souvenir shops, local restaurants. The National Museum of Solomon Islands and the US War Memorial are also walkable, which matters if you're here for Pacific War history and plan to day-trip out to Guadalcanal battle sites. Honiara International Airport (HIR) is just a 15-minute drive away, so check-in and check-out are easy; the hotel runs airport transfers on request. Walking back up the hill in tropical humidity is not fun — just flag a taxi at the entrance.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk before you commit. The most common gripe is uneven room standards — because the buildings and bungalows were built at different times and spread across the slope, some rooms feel recently refreshed with crisp linens and fresh paint, while others have visibly worn curtains, dated wood furniture and tired tile floors. If you draw an under-spec room, ask to swap; staff are reasonable about it. Issue two: the ramps and stairs are steep, especially after rain. Older guests and anyone unable to manage the climb depend on the funicular for every trip — and if it goes down for maintenance during your stay, things get awkward. Worth confirming when you book or check in. Issue three: Wi-Fi and hot water can be unreliable in some rooms — a general Solomon Islands infrastructure reality rather than a hotel-specific failure. Don't expect speeds comparable to a big Asian city. One small extra: mosquitoes around the pool at dusk can be heavy — bring repellent for the dance show and the walk back to your room.
Our take
Reading through honest guest reviews, King Solomon is a hotel that sells a hillside-in-the-middle-of-town atmosphere you won't find anywhere else — the funicular up to your room, the Iron Bottom Sound view, the wood-fired pizza, and the Melanesian dance show. Together they add up to a stay that's easy to remember and feels worth the money. If you're coming to Honiara to dig into Pacific War history, dive on the WWII wrecks, or use the capital as a base for onward island hops, the walkable CBD and short airport hop fit perfectly. If you're expecting a polished international 4-star where every room is identical and the Wi-Fi never blinks, this isn't quite that hotel. We give it 7.9/10 — strongest fit for couples and experience-first travellers who want real South Pacific island character ahead of generic luxury.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The hillside setting on Kola Ridge is genuinely unusual for Honiara — the hotel runs a private funicular tram up the slope to the upper rooms instead of stairs, and reviewers consistently call it one of the most memorable arrivals in the Solomons.
- The view from the upper rooms and the ridge-top bar is huge — all of Honiara below and the dark blue Iron Bottom Sound stretching out beyond, with sunsets that quietly justify the full rack rate.
- The hotel restaurant's wood-fired pizza is mentioned in nearly every honest review as one of the best meals in town — crisp crust, smoky wood-oven flavour, and enough of a reputation that local families drive up on Friday nights for it.
- The Melanesian dance show and live music staged by the pool most evenings is the cultural highlight — drummers in leaf and shell costumes turn dinner into something you'll actually remember rather than another hotel meal.
- Central location on Hibiscus Avenue puts the 10-15 minute downhill walk into the CBD, National Museum and Central Market on your doorstep, while Honiara International Airport sits a 15-minute taxi away.
- Room quality is uneven — buildings and bungalows went up in different eras and the upkeep shows it. Some rooms feel recently refreshed, others have tired curtains, scuffed wood and dated tiling. If you draw a poor one, ask the front desk for a swap; staff are usually willing to move you.
- The hillside paths and stairs are steep, especially slippery after rain. Older travellers and anyone with a large suitcase will depend entirely on the funicular — and if the tram goes down for maintenance during your stay, getting to your room becomes a real workout.
- Wi-Fi and hot water can be unstable in some rooms — a general Solomon Islands infrastructure issue rather than a hotel-only problem. Don't expect speeds or reliability comparable to a big Asian city hotel.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Honiara
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Insider Tips
- Request a room on the highest tier of the ridge for the fullest Honiara and Iron Bottom Sound panorama — and confirm at check-in what hours the funicular tram runs, because it can shut down late at night.
- Don't miss dinner at the ridge-top restaurant: order the wood-fired pizza with a cold SolBrew (the local beer) and time it so you're at the table for the Melanesian dance show, which typically runs around 19:00-20:00.
- If you plan to walk down to the CBD, wear shoes with real grip — the slope gets slick after rain. On the way back up, just grab a taxi from the front of the hotel; it's cheaper and much easier than climbing.