Hotel berhampiran Lavena Coastal Walk, Taveuni

My dive and travel experience: 2336 dives since certification in 1999 95 weeks of dive travel out of the US Dive instructor I would love to give the Garden Island Resort a better star rating as it did so much very well, but fell short in many categories. I am going to start with the positives and list them with explanations. 1. The price was super cheap for what we got. It was approximately $1900.00 per person for a 10 night stay with food, transportation to/from airport, room, taxes and seven days of two tank boat dives as well as one night dive. 2. The staff is super friendly and helpful. They really made our stay better than it should have been. 3. The food was above average to very good. It was mostly a Western menu. However, the portions were a bit small if you are a heavy eater. 4. The view from the hotel was super nice. 5. The bed was firm, which is to my liking and the pillows were good. 6. The diving was good with some pretty reefs and lots of fish. For reef and fish life on the Tropical Pacific scale I give it a B rating. However, The other than fish category such as sea snakes, sharks, turtles, rays, eels, nudibranchs, lobster, crabs and other oddities it would rate a D. Unfortunately, here are the cons. 1. Bats! Yes, fruit bats by the thousands in the trees between the rooms and the ocean. First of all they are super noisy and second they leave a mess under the trees. They were at their noisiest from before the sun rose each morning and early evening. Although I started to get use to the noise as time went on it was still uncomfortable hearing them at times. More about the bat poop later. So, my recommendations is get rid of the bats. Hire a professional if you need to. 2. Our room was not very clean and needed painting. The bottom of the toilet looked like it had never been scrubbed in it's lifetime and the bathroom counter was not cleaned when we checked in. There is a large amount of mildew in the shower and there were a few ledges in the bathroom and bedroom that looked like they had never been dusted. Lastly, the first set of towels we were given felt like sand paper. It did get better later in our stay, but the hotel should consider better towels. I suggest you do a periodic major cleaning on each room and have some sort of inspection system. 3. Several times we ordered items at the restaurant only to find out they were out of that item. In other words it was being offered by the restaurant but they were out of stock of the item. 4. The dive boat was a bit difficult to get onto and off at times based upon their docking system and I would never recommend it for those with a disability or the very old. 5. The dive boat had no camera rinse bucket. 6. The dive staff did not always do the best job of explaining stuff. For example it wasn't until the third day of diving that I realized the crew would switch my tanks for me. That was never explained as many other things were not mentioned. 7. The dive staff did not help us to our

Shhh, don’t tell anybody. Or OK, tell everybody. This a piece of paradise!. Ric and Dorothy built this property from the ground / jungle up. Sitting on a bluff above 2 small beaches with a reef that invites an easy snorkel, kayak or SUP. The resort features 10 Bures and 1 large Villa with its own plunge pool. All have ocean views and the majority have ocean front views. The main building houses a large living room to gather in and enjoy evening entertainment. Often local musicians are featured as well as the traditional Kava ceremony. The adjacent Bar crafts cocktails to order and offers a drink of the day. There is a large Day room that has games, a small library, and plenty of seating. The open air restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy the all inclusive breakfast, lunch and dinner with views that are gorgeous. The owners, Ric and Dorothy, are often there mixing and mingling with the guests. As the “first couple” of diving in Fiji they are a wealth of information for divers. They have a stunning resume of awards and lots of adventures to share. Let’s talk about the food. Many all inclusive resorts have food that’s just ok. The TIR was a delightful surprise. The husband and wife chefs created menus that were inventive and showcased the local meats, fish and produce. The fish was so fresh and the various preparations were delicious. Dessert never disappointed. 3 courses of yum. And the plating and presentation was beautiful. The real highlight of the resort is its staff. Greeted by Storm in the front office on arrival. She gave us a tour of the facilities including an infinity edge pool and showed us to our Villa. The dining room staff were superb. So friendly. They gave activity advice, cultural information, excellent service, all with smiles. Ima, Mila, William to name a few of the staff made breakfast lunch and dinner a joy. From the gardeners to the housekeeping staff, everyone offered a hearty “Bula” often calling us by name too. When was the last time that happened at a big hotel. Thats the beauty of a small resort. But back to Storm. .. Welcoming committee, tour guide, concierge, cultural attache’, she juggles all the guests inquires with a smile. She is a treasure. There are no tv’s (except in the bar), the internet can be finicky, but it really makes you relax and be in the moment. Feeling the gentle breeze, listening to the ocean, watching the birds, and talking to people from around the world. Again, the bonus of a small retreat. I highly recommend the Taveuni Island Resort.

My friend and I stayed at Maravu for 12 nights. We were only booked there for the first 5 nights of our vacation but loved it so much we decided to stay for the entire trip. The modest accommodations (bures) were always very clean, the beds very comfortable, and the grounds (which include a nice pool) are well maintained and stunningly beautiful. The food is great, always fresh, and ample portions. The staff welcomed us like family and we grew to adore them. The atmosphere is so welcoming that we had the opportunity to meet many people from all around the world. The staff offer a Kava ceremony each night where one can spend time getting to know other travelers while listening to Rafa, Kali, and Russa playing guitar and singing sweet songs. If it is quiet time you need the bures are very private and spacious to hang out in. The staff also organizes and offers a guide (Rafa or Kali) for day trips to a coastal walk, a waterfall hike and a natural water slide. These were so much fun and we felt well taken care of every step of the way. There are two dive shops close by to choose from and the diving was amazing. I highly recommend staying at Maravu, we had a wonderful time and plan to return. Many thanks to (sorry if I have misspelled names) Laisani, Kara, Mari, Beky, Onnie, Rafa, Kali, Russa, and also the nighttime guard (we always felt very safe). Your welcoming nature and attentiveness made our stay at Maravu a wonderful experience and we can't wait to return.