Fiji Marriott offers private beaches and swimming in the lagoon
Fiji Marriott offers private beaches and swimming in the lagoon
Peter White discovers the bar has lifted considerably higher when he visits Fiji Marriott Momi Bay
When New Zealand finance company Bridgecorp crashed in 2007 a significant project on Fiji's mainland tourism drive was left abandoned and seemingly lost forever.
The Momi Bay project was Bridgecorp's largest property project in Fiji and included in the design was a world-class golf course and unique man-made lagoon linked to the Pacific Ocean, with the first overwater bures on the mainland.
Thanks to faith in the project and essential funding from Fiji National Provident Fund, the glorious Fiji Marriott Resort at Momi Bay rose from the ashes to open in June of this year.
The Lagoon House Restaurant looks out across the lagoon to the over-water bures.
Constructed by New Zealand's Fletcher Construction, the $190 million five-star Marriott-branded hotel is something to behold, with the unique design and facilities certain to get that "wow factor" from guests.
Located between Denerau Island and the Coral Coast resort belt, Fiji Marriott has a different character to any other resort and the advantage of being brand new, compared to some of the faithful but aging hotels further along the coast.
Every room has a large balcony with either a lagoon or ocean view and the same world-class interior fit out is standard in every room - no matter what category you choose out of the 250 rooms - including a deluxe bath to pamper yourself in.
Every room has a private balcony and lagoon or ocean views.
They really have thought of everything - even a USB port beside the lights by the bed and plenty of plugs in the rooms. Much appreciated.
One of the main gripes for casual and business travellers to resorts worldwide is the lack of quality Wi-Fi available in rooms and how resorts like to charge a premium for the poor service on top of room tariffs.
Fiji Marriott has changed that perception at Momi Bay and set new standards that other resorts throughout Fiji and elsewhere can only envy.
Every guest room and shared facility throughout the spacious resort has the best quality Wi-Fi available anywhere in Fiji. Fast, consistent and complimentary - what every traveller wants.
Business travellers will appreciate the extra touches and the meeting facilities are so good New Zealand businesses should consider Fiji Marriott for off-shore seminars.
No shortcuts were taken with this exquisite resort and its luxurious touches are obvious at every turn.
There are three restaurants catering to different tastes with fresh produce at the heart of the menus, two delightfully-designed swimming pools, fitness and recreation centers, tennis courts and a spa with eight treatment rooms with private pools.
The Kids Club and play areas are wonderful so families are very welcome. But the adult pools and restaurants are well spaced away from where the little ones will hang out so there is no problem whatsoever if you fancy a break away from kids.
The 22 famed Over-Water Lagoon and Royal Lagoon bures rightly get much of the attention but the Ocean Front Bure and Duplex Lagoon Bure are equally stunning. With its horse shoe- shape design, it is a simple resort to navigate and worth the walk around to take in the unique character of the design.
I was entertained for dinner by the resort's marketing specialist Kseniia Kuznetsova, at the extraordinary Fish Bar with tables set beside the stunning infinity pool and placed on sand above the Pacific Ocean.
Watching the sun set over this point of the resort as you enjoy some sublime seafood is an unforgettable experience.
Listening to Kseniia talk so passionately about her love for the resort and why it is such a special place to work at, compared with others she has been at worldwide, explains why the staff at Fiji Marriott are so amazing - even by Fiji's remarkably high standards for service.
They love this place and you will too.
Toso Viti Toso - go Fiji go!
Fiji Marriott Resort, Momi Bay
* Location: 29km from Nadi and 33km from the airport on the southwest coast of Viti Levu. * Website: fijimarriott.com * Inquires: momibay.reservations@marriott.com
