The Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort in Denarau Island. Photo / Anna Sarjeant
Location: Denarau Island in Nadi, Fiji
Style: A stylish, high-end beach resort with all the luxury trimmings.
Perfect for: A few days, a week or a fortnight of R&R.
Price: Starting from NZ$820. We stayed in an Ocean View Suite which comes in at $908 per night.
First impressions:
Where’s the check-in desk? All I can see is mile-upon-mile of gleaming water features and designer lamps. The foyer is impressively huge, easily the length of a playing field, with distant views of the pool sparkling on the horizon. I’m momentarily awestruck by both its size and the welcome hit of air con slicing through Fiji’s humidity. My partner, our 1-year-old son and I are led to the drink cart for refreshments and our luggage is whisked off elsewhere. When we finally meet the receptionist, she’s armed with complimentary champagne and a juice box for the boy. The near-silence is not dissimilar to a library and deliciously tranquil.
Rooms:
We’re escorted to our room via a golf cart; an Ocean View Suite with a corner balcony and ‘Welcome Home’ arranged across a double bed in exotic foliage. They’ve caught wind it’s my partner’s birthday – such is the attention to detail at a five-star resort – and “Happy Birthday” is displayed across the other double bed. Our son has been provided with a cot, so somewhat amusingly there’s a bed for each of us.
Bathroom:
The bathroom’s industrial aesthetics sit well with me. White tiles and black grout are a winning combo, and once again the lighting is impressive. This time, big bulbous lights highlight a marble vanity. The toiletries are Gilchrist & Soames and dispense heady aromas of “warm oak”.
Food & drink:
Breakfast is at Island 619; buffet-style done well. Self-service breakfast is so often an overwhelming mass stampede for the omelettes, but not so at The Sheraton. The restaurant is a sanctuary of calm with food stations serving every cuisine imaginable. There’s even a dessert station, because waffles and icecream are the cornerstones of any nutritious breakfast.
For a coffee fix and a quick bite, 28g is a foyer-based deli with all the “cool café” vibes of a big city hangout.
Tatavu Grill & Bar fronts the ocean with many of the tables nestled in the sand. We dine, barefoot, on fat steaks cooked on the open-flame grill, before a sunset that stains the sky purple. The decor and ambience suggest adult-only but to the contrary, it’s a family-friendly establishment that somehow exudes peace.
Facilities:
Hurrah for complimentary Wi-Fi throughout because you’ll want to plaster this experience all over your socials. There are three pools that graduate from the kids one, to family, to the adults-only pool, but don’t worry if you have children, they’re all equally inviting. The family pool also has a swim-up bar so parents needn’t sacrifice the holiday cocktails. Golfers can tee off at the nearby 18-hole course and there’s a fitness studio, too. Unbeknown to most guests, there are two huge conference facilities here, frequented by millionaire brides and international delegates alike. Go and take a peek.
In the neighbourhood:
Jump on the Bula Bus (FJD$10/$7) for a hop-on, hop-off open-air truck ride facilitating all nine Denarau Island resorts as well as Denarau Port in a continuous loop. The latter is a useful stop-off for provisions, bars and boat trips to the outer islands. You’re also a stone’s throw from the Big Bula Waterpark and the on-site Surf Dive Ski Fiji outpost hooks guests up with snorkels, kayaks, dive trips and jet skis.
Family-friendly:
Children aged 4 and over can be dropped off at kids club (8am-8pm) for an exceptionally reasonable FJD$6 per hour. Even if your sprog is under 4, tag on a nanny for an additional $6 per hour and it still won’t break the bank. Conveniently, the kids club is a walk-in facility so there’s no need to book. Got teenagers? Drop them off at Mindflight7 instead: virtual reality gaming starts from FJD$45pp for 30 minutes.
Accessibility:
All of the main common areas such as the main entrance, restaurants, pool, fitness centre and meeting spaces are wheelchair friendly. Room and suite access is via the interior corridor and accessible guest rooms include accessible vanities, bathrooms with non-slip grab rails, lowered outlets and disabled toilets.
Sustainability:
Bathroom toiletries are full-size and fixed to the shower wall, so that’s a big tick for the environment. The waste paper baskets are also divvied up into separate recycling sections.
Contact:
marriott.com/en-us/hotels/nansi-sheraton-fiji-golf-and-beach-resort/overview
OPINION: My 3-year-old's eyes lit up at the magic of Bluey's World.