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20 Years Ago In Pacific Magazine
The smallest of the Federated States of Micronesia entities is considering a joint venture with one of the richest mini-island nations in the Pacific. Kosrae State and the Republic of Nauru are negotiating a joint-venture, US$4 million, 42-room luxury hotel to be located in Lelu Municipality of Kosrae.
The proposed Pacific Star Hotel will include a gift shop, a restaurant, and offices and the FSM's only hotel swimming pool to be located on a beach of the world's largest swimming area.
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It is still questionable, however, whether provincial Kosrae's 6,000 residents are willing to accept the largest hotel in the FSM on their 42-square mile island.
If approved by the Kosrae State Legislature, construction will begin on the hotel this year.
The biggest little hotel on Pohnpei is nearing completion with only interior work to be finished. The 10-room, three-story Joy Hotel is centrally located just off Kolonia's main street and near Pohnpei's historic Spanish Wall.
The hotel sits on hallowed ground (for Kolonia). The former occupant of the site was a memorable lady known near and far in the Pacific simply as Pohnpei Rose.
It contains a small shop and is only a short walk from the Joy Restaurant and the Joy Ocean Services dive shop. Catering mainly to Japanese tourists, the hotel was to be opened by April 29, just in time for the birthday of Emperor Hirohito.
Although helpful, the new 10-room hotel hardly alleviates the critical room shortage on Pohnpei. The island now has a total of 120 rooms of varying quality.
Editor's Note: The Kosrae hotel was never built. The Joy Hotel in Pohnpei is still in operation, and its two restaurants remain popular with locals and visitors.
