I’ve just had a few days at the Intercontinental in Fiji. It’s on the main island, an hour’s drive from Nadi Airport on the west coast. If you’re wondering what the resort is like, read on.

It’s large and caters to all kinds of groups including conferences. With pools for youngsters and a kids club, it’s very child friendly. The stunning 18 hole golf course has just hosted the inaugural Fiji International Golf Tournament putting Fiji on the map as a golf destination. It has a variety of golf packages and if you bring your own clubs you can expect to pay  about $175 FD in green fees. The spa offers a range of treatments in a very relaxing  environment surrounded by water.

The beach is great compared to others on the mainland but you can really only swim at high tide.There are no loungers right on the beach which is a bit of a deterrent to spending time on the sand however I guess it’s because when the tide comes in it consumes the whole beach. Having said that, it is a golf and spa resort and when it’s not possible to swim in the sea, the pools more than make up for it. There are three pools: the main pool (above), infinity pool overlooking the beach and a pool in the “Club Intercontinental” area of the resort.

The resort has three broad categories of rooms – beachfront, garden view and the “Club Intercontinental.” The benefits of staying at the “Club” is it’s quieter, away from the masses and has free pre-dinner drinks from 5.30pm -7.30pm each evening with canapés. Unfortunately it’s position and atmosphere doesn’t really provide a beach resort feel. We had a night there and couldn’t wait to get down to the beach front bure we had originally booked and hear the sound of the waves.

With a choice of three restaurants, the fine dining restaurant, Navo is excellent. The Toba Bar and Grill is what you would expect, pizzas and burgers and was disappointing. There is also a themed buffet each night at Sanasana restaurant. All the food and beverages were pricey even by resort standards. Luckily, with the NZ dollar strong against the Fijian, it makes it less painful on the pocket.

Tips to enjoying a stay at the Fiji Intercontinental.

1. Eat breakfast at the Navo restaurant, overlooking the water. It’s for adults only and is a la carte and is far superior to the large buffet bun flight at Sanasana restaurant.
2. If you use the internet on holiday, you’ll die waiting for the standard free service so you’ll need to pay for an upgrade.
3. The best evening dining is the Navo restaurant. The lobster tail, Mahi Mahi fish, seafood bouillabaisse were all excellent, beautifully presented with good service.
4. Stay in a beach front bure if your budget allows.
5. Have a cocktail at the golf clubhouse, overlooking the course and watch the sun go down.