Nadi Hotel 3 nights

I need help with hotels in Nadi. There are 5 people- 3 kids all range from 12 - 16. This is a stopover on the way back from New Zealand to the USA so a resort is in order. Arrival time is 6p on day 1 and departure time when leaving is 6p. The budget is $200.00 or less per night. I understand Denaru is the resort area not far from the airport. Kids have never been to a tropical resort so we don't want them or us to be disappointed. Lots of activities at the hotel or around. Should we stick with Denaru or is there another island we should be considering? A bure or bungalow would be preferred if possible...Any help would be appreciated...

Denaru is not Fiji, it is a pile of hotels that could be anywhere in the world.
They are lousey beaches and fast food.
I suggest you go to an island in the Yasawas. There are lots to choose from.
Maybe look at Octopus. http://www.octopusresort.com/info/dining.htm
The boat trip there and back will be part of the adventure.

Cheers,
Peter

Yes - I was worried you were going to say that. Do you have any thoughts about Plantation Resort? When you say the boat there is part of the adventure - is the water rough?

Plantation would be a good alternative to Denerau and is a lot closer than the Yasawas. The boat trip can be rough but usually not and it is not a long trip anyway.
Arriving at 6 Pm you would have to wait until the next day to get to Plantation so you would have to do one night at Nadi. We usually stay at Raffles just across from the airport but we usually go to the islands by helicopter or seaplane so its closer to them but also stay there when we travel by boat to the islands.

Thanks for the Raffles info. I was looking at and it appeared to be the nicest hotel by the airport.

am I reading something wrong, as I seem to believe you are in Fiji for 24 hours, 6pm to 6pm if that is the case, enjoying a trip to the islands seems impossible, you could visit the HIndu temple in Nadi, then take a taxi to the resorts in Denarau, have a swim in one of the pools, you can walk from hotel to hotel along the beach and check them all out, yes its black sand, have a late lunch somewhere at Denarau marina, and go back to the Raffles to collect your bags,

sorry, I must have been having a senior moment when I wrote the above, and as I was closing down realised you are three nights in Fiji, not just 24 hours, so limited time, but not impossible,

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