Hotel Safari Island Lodge

We came for the snorkeling, and the cottage suited us well: clean, roomy, and right by the beach, with great coral nearby. The stay went as promised, and I had no complaints about how things worked out. The food was better than some reviews made it sound, though it’s aimed at fit, sporty people who work out daily and eat as healthily as possible. That isn’t my thing, but the nice cake helped make up for all the vegetables 😂 If you’re into kiting, this place makes sense. We weren’t, and for us it felt like a very expensive youth hostel. Warren is a really nice guy and surely a great kite teacher, but don’t expect a five-star resort. Like much of Fiji, the place could use renovation and more regular maintenance. After a cyclone and corona, though, not everyone has the money to start again from scratch. And Fiji’s shores all seem to have a trash problem now. Once you leave the hotel beach, there’s rubbish everywhere. It’s a shame, but cleaning it up would probably be more than one hotel operator can manage.

The island setting was pretty, but the hotel looked as if it hadn’t been maintained in over a decade. Our bathroom had missing taps, and the shower was cold. There wasn’t a shop on the island for basic necessities, and nobody told us about that on the mainland before we traveled over. Warren was a good teacher, but during our stay he was distracted by other things, like going to pick up a windmill when the conditions were good for teaching. He’d promised an action-packed trip and didn’t deliver. The food was very basic and had no variety. We ate the same tuna for six days straight. I paid several thousand dollars per week, and this was the worst holiday I’ve ever had.

We took the boat out kiting every day for two sessions, all covered by our package, so it was great value. The kitesurfing and instructors were amazing, and the hosts were fantastic. It’s a very laid-back resort. I loved my stay and the good meals and drinks too. I’m bringing a group back.

If you’re there for windsurfing or kitesurfing, you’ll probably like it, especially since there aren’t really other places to choose from. But the food was pretty average and overpriced, and the host came across more like a self-centered governor than someone welcoming guests. He seemed to have forgotten basic hospitality, though he knew how to scam people. Be careful with quoted prices, as the final amount might be in a different currency than you expect. Clarify everything in advance to avoid surprises. You’re on an island and depend quite a bit on hospitality. The host had the TV blaring at 11 pm while guests in beach bungalows were trying to sleep with earplugs in. There were no mosquito nets, so I was glad I’d brought my own. No wonder, as the locals say, “Warren the host lost his smile.” Good luck.