Shangri-La's Fijian Resort & Spa

We were so excited to come and stay at this resort- the photos on the website looked amazing! We also read many positive reviews before deciding to book. However, upon arrival the resort grounds are run down and very dated. No green lush gardens or grass - everything was very dry. We booked a Lagoon Terrace room for our family on the lower floor. The room felt dirty, dated and smelt. Fly screen was ripped, paint was chipped - only provided with one glass. The walls were also paper thin and we could hear the thumping and scraping of chairs from upper levels through the night. Restaurants were average. Resort itself large and very busy. Certainly NOT five star! We ended up cancelling our booking and going to the intercontinental.

A wonderful holiday for adults and children. Our grandchildren loved the many activities available. Food was great and service was on Fiji time but we were on holidays so learnt to chill

This is a very large resort, and so sometimes a lot of walking (or a shuttle) is required to access some of the facilities, depending on which wing you stay in. That said, the size of the resort enables it to offer a wide range of facilities and activities, including adults only wings and restaurants. Our trip was during Australian school holidays and there were a lot of children in the Lagoon wing area (pool and buffet). We booked directly with the resort on “half board” package which was very clearly explained to us by the friendly and efficient person at check in. For a family group, this involved a little care at the dining venues to make sure the order was allocated across our separate rooms, but the staff were familiar with the process and it worked satisfactorily (no hassles with the final bill, which mainly covered drinks and speciality coffees). The service was always friendly, and for the most part, it was reasonably effective, although we did encounter a case of “Fiji time” at one of the restaurants (admittedly, our booking was for a later time slot, so it seems we got caught behind a back log of orders). We were pleasantly surprised by the range and quality of dishes available at the buffet. The room was well maintained and in good condition The bed was comfortable and we had all the amenities you’d want, including tea/coffee (creamer not milk however). Wi fi was good (enabled us to keep in touch with family members by WhatsApp), and bottled water was supplied daily. If you’re not comfortable on stairs, it would be best to book a ground floor room, at least if in the Lagoon Wing. Although this wing does have a ramp and lift, the ramp is only to the first floor at one end, and the only lift is a very long way from the buffet restaurant. The pool in this area is very kid-friendly, and the staff at times arrange activities. There’s a good supply of sun lounges, although by mid-morning most are taken, especially those in the shade! There’s a beach (good for snorkeling) close to this pool, as well as access (by swimming) to the floating water park. Although a couple of us walked to the entrance of the resort, there’s not a lot in the immediate vicinity outside the entrance. Of course, you can do excursions, but otherwise, life for us during our time was self-contained in the resort. As to value, we were in the "peak" season (Australian school holidays), so we can't complain that it wasn't a cheap holiday. But the range of activities and the better-than-expected food offerings meant that we greatly enjoyed our stay.

At first we were due to be on the top floor of the hotel but the receptionist thankfully moved us to the first floor which is just as well as there were no lifts and my husband is still recovering from ankle surgery. The room was very clean but also very dated, and the seating in the room was not comfy at all. Considering the hotel is supposed to be 5 star it certainly IS NOT. The whole complex was dated and not very well kept maintenance wise, in our opinion it was a 3 star. As for being all inclusive it WAS NOT quite all inclusive. you couldn’t order food or drinks prior to 12pm without being charged, apart from breakfast. The breakfast in the cowrie is where we ate every morning was very disappointing. It was a buffet breakfast with good food options but the food was more or less always luke warm. We ate at the cowrie (Italian), most evenings as this was one of the reasons I booked this particular hotel, but it was quite a let down. We chose to eat at the lagoon terrace one lunch, it was absolutely awful. Again buffet choice but food was very overcooked, bland and again pretty much cold. The beach bar and grill had a wide range of options for lunch and dinner, but no small portions or light meals. When I asked for a child’s meal as I knew I wouldn’t eat a large meal I was told it was going to be double the price. The all inclusive drinks package (it WASNT) you could only choose from a certain amount of drinks. The SPA was by far the best part of the hotel. The location of the hotel was stunning, but just a tad too far to travel after a flight. Would highly praise the staff they were all extremely friendly and courteous.

First time visitor to Fiji here (came as a family of 4 with 7yo daughter and 9yo son). In April this year I blindly booked an all inclusive food and drinks package 9 night stay off the recommendation of a friend from my son’s school in a Lagos deluxe room. Fast forward to a week out and I come across reviews on trip advisor whilst looking last minute for extra things to do - and getting quite the shock with so many one star reviews. I really was getting second thoughts but thought, stuff it, I’ll stick with my friend’s recommendation and continue the mission. After being here for a week, I honestly have to say, I can’t for the life of me see how someone could leave an honest 1 start review. Yeah the room wasn’t brand new, but there was absolutely minimal wear and tear, it was clean, tidy and all amenities working as they should. Must be said, I found the bed to be very comfortable and the shower nice and large. The entire time here so far (still a couple of days to go) we have not had a single unsatisfactory meal - another thing bought up by negative reviews. We have been limited to areas catering for kids under 12, but for example, compared to other resorts, numerous cruise ships etc, my wife and I found the Buffet to be of very high quality - Huge shout out to Imeri who has a clear passion for her work and runs the local cuisine corner for breakfasts. We have sampled some really great local dishes she makes herself and combined with her larger than life personality, it really makes for a great experience. Similarly with food available at other outlets such as the beach bar or lagoon poolside bar, zero complaints. Another common complaint was waiting for drinks orders etc. the first couple of days we found it to be a little slow, then once we settled on our favourite location (the Lagoon pool area), it’s amazing what you get when you build rapport with the staff, tip reasonably (I’m from Australia and firmly believe in only tipping for exceptional service by the way) and treat the staff like human beings- you get the absolutely flawless service I am right now. Where staff don’t know you as well, yes the service is not as top notch, but that is to be expected in any establishment. Bottom line, no complaints. As for the amenities, we found the pools to be in good order, safe and visible lifeguards in attendance. After a busy day, returning to our room was always good with housekeeping doing a great job of trying to stay on top of the mess my children seem to try to achieve on a daily basis. Everywhere you go you are greeted with an enthusiastic “Bula” from the housekeeping staff which again adds to the atmosphere. Ultimately we came here to try and enjoy a relaxing, safe holiday for the first time with our daughter who is well on the autism spectrum. This was certainly achieved I believe in large due to the many wonderful interactions we experienced with the resort staff. We will certainly return.