Intercontinental Fiji Club Suite Review

Lachlan Nicolson
AusTraveller
Published in
8 min readOct 6, 2017

Perched in the hills of Natadola Bay along a white sandy cove and coral reef lies the Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa. Located 45 minutes south of Nadi International Airport, the Intercontinental is a delight to discover.

Spread across 14 hectares of tropical beauty, the resort begins with 55 Club Suites wrapping around the mountain edges, all the way down to the beachfront shores and around to Navo cove.

Our editor Lachlan Nicolson and his wife Larita recently spent 5 nights here as their choice of a honeymoon. They booked a Club Suite room, boasting generous amenities and features which they will share below. Here’s what the couple experienced… Take it away!

‘A romantic blend of luxury, hospitality and raw beauty,’ is how we would describe our experience. If you’re in need for a relaxing and rejuvenating week away — this is the perfect Fijian destination.

Getting there:

Flying from Australia to Fiji you’ve got two main choices, Fiji Airways and Virgin Australia. If you’re a Qantas member you can book through Qantas.com and you will be placed on a Fiji Air codeshare flight. Fiji Airways also has regular specials throughout the year with great fares predominantly from Sydney and Brisbane to the tourist capital Nadi.

Arriving in Nadi the Intercontinental can pre-arrange a private or group transfer to the hotel. While this is a great option, we chose to go with our personal friends at RTR Tours to transport us around. The trip from Nadi International to Natadola Bay takes around 45 minutes.

Arrival:

The Intercontinental gave a warm Fijian welcome. You arrive at the beautiful main entrance, a long elevated walkway that ends with stunning ocean views. If you’re a club member, your bags are collected and taken to your room whilst you are put on a golf buggy to be taken to the Club Lounge.

Arriving at the Club Lounge, we were invited to sit down and relax. The team introduced themselves to us and brought us a drink to enjoy. Shortly after, we signed our deposit and were taken to our room. The check-in process was fast, relaxing and easy — we didn’t even get up off the lounge!

Manoa prepared our bed and gave us some slippers and wished us a restful night. She drew us a long warm bath, ready to relax in, and covered by rose petals as a romantic gesture. And to top it off, a bottle of sparkling white to sip on and some light canapés delivered. We were extremely impressed by the detail and care of the team.

Our Room:

On arrival, we received a welcome letter from the Club Manager Hiram, along with a guide to accessing our 24-hour butler service.

The Club Suites are located at the top of the mountain, overlooking the resort and the ocean. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, the Suites feel like a private escape from it all. Our room featured a spacious open plan layout designed for comfort and relaxation. The deck stretches out overlooking the ocean and includes a private curtained space for our Cleopatra bath.

The marble and glass bathroom was quite generous in space and features two large wardrobes for storage that open up either side into the bedroom. What we loved most about the suite was the large space given to each room to relax and move about. Great value for the room rate compared to other hotel suites we have stayed in the past.

The daily care of the staff was most enjoyable. It was a pleasure to have the team arrive each day to turn the room around, then at sunset be greeted again to add extras such as ‘tomorrow’s weather’, a fresh bed kit and amenities. Every small detail mattered to the staff — from general cleanliness to replenishing the room supplies and complimentary mini-bar.

The Club Lounge:

The Lounge is your home to relax, rewind, eat and drink. Every Club Suite room gets access to the Club Lounge and the hospitable team there. You can enjoy the complimentary buffet breakfast daily, to which we recommend also ordering the egg omelette. No need to miss your morning coffee either, as they have well-trained baristas to serve your caffeine fix.

During the day you can dine-in, relax with complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. The infinity pool is accessible exclusively to Club members. The view is spectacular, overlooking the resort — a great spot to read or soak in the sun.

At 3 pm we recommend trying the high-tea. Then at 5:30, be sure to come back for complimentary cocktails and canapes hour.

When booking as a guest of Club Intercontinental you can enjoy these inclusions:

  • Private check-in and check-out at the Club Lounge
  • 24-hour Itokani butler service
  • Access to the lounge and infinity pool
  • Complimentary breakfast at the lounge of choice of other selected venues in the resort
  • All day non-alcoholic drinks (Club Lounge)
  • Afternoon high tea 3–5pm (Club Lounge)
  • Sunset canapés and cocktails 5:30–6:30 pm (Club Lounge)
  • Free WIFI
  • Daily turndown

The Resort:

The Intercontinental Fiji is simply beautiful. The resort wraps around the Natadola Beach giving you plenty of space to stretch and breathe, with beachside dining, pools and cabanas. Natadola is considered one of the best beaches in the world for its white sand and coral reefs. The 250 rooms are spread across the resort property covered by lush and pruned gardens and greenery, giving privacy to each guest.

There’s plenty to do while staying at the resort. Each week there’s a menu of free and paid activities to choose from: You’ve got yoga, sea adventures, local tours, classes, recreational items and community sporting… Or just put your feet up and relax!

Each night at Karma Bar you can watch the sunset fire lighting, or catch some of the entertainment while enjoying a beverage and meal by the beach.

Food & Dining:

The resort features four main options for breakfast, lunch and dinner: Toba Bar & Grill, Karma Lounge, Sanasana Resturant and Navo. They all offer a unique style and taste. If you’re looking for poolside casual dining, then Toba Bar & Grill is a good choice. Sunset drinks and light bites? ..Then Karma Lounge by the beach is your spot. Sanasana offers a signature breakfast buffet along with themed dinners with flavours around the world.

While staying at the resort you can’t miss trying an evening at Navo Resturant, a luxurious Fijian fine-dining experience. To start, we recommend the local chefs special: Lobster Kokoda, a Fijian lobster baked in lime juice, coconut cream and coriander. For mains you have an extensive menu array, however, I recommend continuing the seafood theme. Larita enjoyed a grilled salmon, while I tried the pan-fried walu. Both were delicious.

Navo Restaurant Manager Jerry and our waiter Ateca were both very hospitable and professional throughout the evening, ensuring our meal and experience was delightful. If you dine outside you’ll be treated to a stunning view of the night time stars and sound of the ocean waves.

Visiting The Locals:

Throughout the week, you have the opportunity to join one of the many village tours. The closest village is SanaSana village, a short 15-minute walk following the old sugar cane track. Our guide took us there with a few others to meet the locals and get a tour around the village. It was fascinating to learn about the SanaSana tribes, culture and way of life. It’s recommended you bring some cash with you to buy and drink a coconut (or local handmade items).

Spa Intercontinental:

Spa Intercon was perfect to unwind and rejuvenate. There’s a range of treatments to choose from, from eastern to western methods. We chose a traditional Fiji couples massage. The spa brought clarity to our mind and body. Our favourite element was the Wai zone. This is a unique pre or post-spa zone where you move through a series of hot to cold water treatments. Each state offers a unique benefit for your skin, formed through a hydrotherapy program.

The Team:

The entire Club Intercontinental team was delightful to be around. Not a moment went by without someone asking to help. We’ve experienced hospitality from around the world, and it’s our pleasure to say that Intercontinental provides a very high quality of care and service.

A special thank-you to:
Manoa & Joe — for being so hospitable and friendly during our entire stay
Ole — for making us the beautiful healing cup of tea
Julia — for making our room perfect on arrival
& Hiram, the Club Manager — for ensuring our entire stay was delightful.

Summary:

If you’re looking for a somewhere to relax and rewind, then the Intercontinental Fiji is a fine choice. The resort amenities, along with the hospitality of the staff are in high ranking. To top it off, the warm Fijian weather and ocean breeze make for a relaxing time spent here. As a couple, we look forward to returning on our anniversary.

I think this photo sums it all up… Taken on the last night of our stay…

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Lachlan Nicolson
AusTraveller

Business Coach at LeaderGuide.com.au • Director of Waymaker Finance • Thoughts on business, leadership & finance • Brisbane 🇦🇺