Westin Resort - Denarau

ruppylovestrev10:25 UTC26 Jul 2008

Hi,

My partner and I are heading to Fiji next week. Never been there before and really looking forward to it!
We're staying at the Westin Resort in Denarau. Wanted to hear from anyone who has been there before and wanted to share their stories with us (good or bad).
Also - we want to do a few day trips. It will be a toss up between the day trip to Castaway Island or the Wales Tales tour. So if you've done either of these, can you pls provide some info, as we're really stuck on with one to do!
Any suggestions would be great, as it is our first trip (and hopefully not our last).
Thanks
Nix

allob01:45 UTC28 Jul 2008

I spent two nights in Denarau - not the Westin but another brand name hotel. Do you know much about the area? It's pretty funny, a long row of chain hotels on manicured lawns and as far away from an island feel as you could imagine. The beach is crap so you will spend your time around the hotel pool. You will probably need to do a number of day trips to get out and experience what you'd imagine a Fijian island to be. We stayed at Denarau before and after our trip to Octopus due to our flight times and was glad that we hadn't spent our entire trip there. Sorry!

mandja04:51 UTC28 Jul 2008

I was in Fiji , including Denarau , 2 weeks ago. I stayed on Oarsman (Nacula Is) and the Sofitel Hotel, which is a 5star hotel , right next door to the Westin.

The Westin is a very classy place and has great facilities. We went there a couple times to hear the 5 piece band in the bar.Of the hotels on the Denarau strip, this is probably the pick. The pool is wonderful, the beach is useless. The whole of Denearau is reclaimed mangrove.As #1 said, we were "glad that we hadn't spent our entire trip there".

Daytrips from Denerau are possible to give some Fijian flavour but staying there the whole time is pointless - you could be anywhere. Denerau has good sports facilities - Golf, racquet club (tennis), a Port for water excursions incl to "real" islands (as well as shops, restaurants etc).

Try to go into Nadi at least once - visit the market, eat at an Indian restaurant. You could visit the large Hindu temple in Nadi, maybe the Orchid Garden (not far out), waterfalls and the "Coral Coast" are a little further, but I MUCH prefer the smaller Islands (eg Bounty is only 45min by boat and there many others),

Westin Resort - Denarau Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Fiji
ruppylovestrev10:25 UTC26 Jul 2008	Hi, My partner and I are heading to Fiji next week. Never been there before and really looking forward to it! We're staying at the Westin Resort in Denarau. Wanted to hear from anyone who has been there before and wanted to share their stories with us (good or bad). Also - we want to do a few day trips. It will be a toss up between the day trip to Castaway Island or the Wales Tales tour. So if you've done either of these, can you pls provide some info, as we're really stuck on with one to do! Any suggestions would be great, as it is our first trip (and hopefully not our last). Thanks Nix
allob01:45 UTC28 Jul 2008	I spent two nights in Denarau - not the Westin but another brand name hotel. Do you know much about the area? It's pretty funny, a long row of chain hotels on manicured lawns and as far away from an island feel as you could imagine. The beach is crap so you will spend your time around the hotel pool. You will probably need to do a number of day trips to get out and experience what you'd imagine a Fijian island to be. We stayed at Denarau before and after our trip to Octopus due to our flight times and was glad that we hadn't spent our entire trip there. Sorry!	1
mandja04:51 UTC28 Jul 2008	I was in Fiji , including Denarau , 2 weeks ago. I stayed on Oarsman (Nacula Is) and the Sofitel Hotel, which is a 5star hotel , right next door to the Westin. The Westin is a very classy place and has great facilities. We went there a couple times to hear the 5 piece band in the bar.Of the hotels on the Denarau strip, this is probably the pick. The pool is wonderful, the beach is useless. The whole of Denearau is reclaimed mangrove.As #1 said, we were "glad that we hadn't spent our entire trip there". Daytrips from Denerau are possible to give some Fijian flavour but staying there the whole time is pointless - you could be anywhere. Denerau has good sports facilities - Golf, racquet club (tennis), a Port for water excursions incl to "real" islands (as well as shops, restaurants etc). Try to go into Nadi at least once - visit the market, eat at an Indian restaurant. You could visit the large Hindu temple in Nadi, maybe the Orchid Garden (not far out), waterfalls and the "Coral Coast" are a little further, but I MUCH prefer the smaller Islands (eg Bounty is only 45min by boat and there many others),	2