Tambua Sands Beach Resort - Adults Only

Our first time in Fiji was made so welcoming by the staff. My boyfriend and I loved our stay, and the room was clean and spacious. Having a private pool was a definite bonus. You MUST try the piña coladas, so yummy!

The only letdown for me was the lobby. From the website pictures, I expected a very Fijian feel with bamboo, local art, tikis, and bright colors. Instead, the space had been cleared out, the bar-like area was gone, and there were just white walls and store prints. We were disappointed because we hoped to get that sense of Fijian culture right on arrival. The rest of Tambua Sands Resort was wonderful for the price. Our beach-view bure was beautiful, clean, and spacious, just steps from the sandy beach. The beds were comfortable and the bathroom roomy. There's coral and fish right by the shore, so it's a great spot if you love snorkeling. The resort is surrounded by nature and offered a great deal.

The setting is lovely, with attractive, well kept grounds, and it's right by the sea and reef, which is good for snorkeling. Staff were mostly friendly, especially Tui, who put on a variety of enjoyable events. But several things let the stay down. We chose it partly because it advertised itself as adults only, yet there were clearly children there on five of the seven days we stayed. There was no housekeeping at all, so rubbish could pile up, cups and glasses weren't refreshed, and sand and debris from the beach stayed on the floor. We had a fridge in the room but no water on arrival. Buying it at the bar meant paying an inflated price. A wedding also seriously affected our stay. We were effectively kept out of the main building, including the restaurant and bar, from after breakfast until late evening. I asked if restaurant service would be interrupted and was told it would be over around 6 pm, but it was still going at 9.30 pm. They could have warned us, sent us to their sister hotel down the road, or made another arrangement. Instead, they put up “Private Function” notices. At first we were told to eat dinner in our bedroom. After we complained, we were finally allowed to eat in a corner of the main building while the wedding continued. It felt like paying guests didn't matter, and other guests couldn't even find parking. Our room, number 1, was a large beachside 'Bure', quite basic in its finish, with a comfortable bed and an undersized air con unit. There were two chairs and a table outside, but no veranda for shade or rain cover. Other bures had one. We were shown rooms 2 and 3, and those were actually very nice. There's noticeable road noise, particularly by the pool, and the garden rooms are right beside the road, where I wouldn't want to stay. There are some basic things missing too: no outdoor shower for rinsing things, no toilet near the pool unless you walk through the restaurant/bar, and no proper paths to the rooms, so rain leaves you muddy. Breakfast was very poor, just toast with jam or peanut butter, some fruit, two cereals, and little else. Lunch and dinner use the same menu, and specials aren't part of the package, so it gets repetitive. The food ranged from adequate to good, with a few nice dishes, but make sure the order gets through. Twice our order was taken and never sent to the kitchen. One mistake is understandable, two isn't good enough. All inclusive drinks are limited to two local beers and two terrible wines. It seemed like the place had once aimed for a more upscale feel, then backed off and started nickel and diming guests. If you get room 2 or 3, only need a bed, don't expect much for breakfast, and are fine with no service in the room, you might find it okay.

For a quiet, private break from the hustle and bustle, this is an affordable hideout. Staff are accommodating with custom requests, like slicing and serving a whole pineapple or giving you a plate full of honey when you ask for a few. The air conditioned rooms have TVs, though only YouTube works; we never used ours. There's just one WiFi access per room, and extra data at reception is a bit pricey. Two villas have plunge pools, which I wish I'd booked. It's adults only, and the sea has so many creatures I'd never seen before. A lovely place for quiet prayer and worship too. Great value for money, highly recommend 👌