Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa

The food prices really need a look. Eating out was extremely expensive for a family with four kids, and the cocktails were quite watery, so their pricing needs revisiting too. The buffet breakfast was very limited and boring. The pools, though, were lovely and clean. The Westin staff were amazing, always going above and beyond, with fast, efficient service. It’s a great hotel for adults and teenagers who want to relax, and I found the rooms much nicer than the Sheraton. The biggest standout was CHEF VA, who helped make my 10 year old’s birthday special. Gabriella is a fussy eater, but she’ll never forget his hospitality and the great food he made for her. Try the Deep fried chicken wings and chips. Chef VA’s infectious smile really made our stay. Management needs to recognise staff talent, VA deserves a promotion. We’ll certainly be back once lockdown is sorted!

We had a lovely holiday for the most part. The pools are beautiful, the restaurants cater to different tastes, and the spa massage was amazing. The staff were so friendly and helpful. It has changed since our last two visits, though, and not for the better. There’s also no noise curfew, so some guests kept others awake with disruption until early morning.

We stayed in an oceanfront suite. The resort grounds are beautiful and kept in great shape, and the staff were attentive, with responsive management too. Breakfast was especially filling, with sparkling wine and a fresh juice bar where you could choose the ingredients for your juice. It’s an amazing resort.

The beach at Denarau is reclaimed mangrove mud, so it isn’t the white sand and crystal blue water you might picture. We were glad we could use the facilities at neighboring Sheraton, especially its outdoor adults-only pool. If you stay here, hire a taxi to go to Natadola Beach. Also keep an eye on your room bill: ice creams were wrongly charged to ours and had to be removed, and I saw someone checking out with the same problem. The hotel itself was pleasant, with large rooms and nice oceanfront views over the water. Staff and service were excellent and made us feel looked after. The main pool is nice, though it’s full of screaming children, while the adults-only lap pool has no lounge chairs. The bathroom could use an update. The clean shower seemed to flood because the curtain was too short, and the floor drain clogged once we put down the bath mat.