Hotel review: Nanuku Resort Fiji

A big thank you to Nanuku Resort Fiji and Tourism Fiji for hosting our stay so we could provide this detailed review of our experience.

If you’re following along on our Fijian adventure, this is Part Four and the final instalment of this epic trip before we head on to our next exciting destination. Here’s a quick recap if you want to catch up:

Part One: Flight Review: Our 11-hour flight on Fiji Airways from Los Angeles
Part Two: Getting from Nadi International Airport to Castaway Island
Part Three: Hotel review: Castaway Island Resort

From Castaway Island, we boarded South Seas Cruises to Port Denarau, which took about an hour. While waiting about 10 minutes for our two large checked bags, my wife and kids went looking for my son’s water bottle that he’d lost while waiting for the ferry on our way to Castaway. Surprisingly (or not surprisingly?) they found it at Lost and Found three days after it had been lost!

While they were doing that, I went to The Bread Kitchen to grab a tasty Chillie Chicken Pies after a recommendation from a passenger on the ferry going to Castaway. I wish I’d bought a dozen; that’s how good they are. I did get an extra pie for our driver Inoke from Rosie Holidays who was appreciative and not just a nice guy but an excellent driver.

The drive from the port to Nanuku Resort is about two and a half hours but it took us three because we stopped at a fresh corn stand on the side of the road and got to talking with the friendly owner. She was so kind, she cracked open a fresh coconut so the kids could try it.

Both my kids said the corn was the best they’d ever had and it was delicious but I think it was also because they just loved the experience of getting off the beaten path and meeting locals, especially local children.

We also had to make a very last-minute stop at a health center so my little one could use the loo. Of course, this was just after we’d passed the last major rest stop Inoke had told us about 20 minutes prior.

The last hour of the trip is on fairly windy roads. If you’d prefer not to drive, you can either take a 25-minute ride on a small plane from NAN and land a few minutes away on the resort’s own landing strip, or take a helicopter.

Once you pull into Nanuku Resort, you feel like you’re in a Jurassic Park movie. The grounds are lush and well maintained and it all felt a little surreal. There’s a lot to love about this hotel. Here’s what we loved most:

1. Arrival

Nanuku’s welcome ceremony is really unique. Some of the staff were dressed as traditional Fijian warriors. After one person opens the car door, another person grabs your bags, and a third offers you chilled scented towels.

The receptionist handed out fresh coconuts on a tray to drink while one of the ‘warriors’ played a drum and others lined up to escort us.

After a short introduction and ritual with a song, guests are escorted through the Club House to the pool to take a group photo while yelling ‘Bula’, which is ‘welcome’ in Fijian.

2. The property

As I mentioned above, the property is so well-maintained, it reminded me of the movie Jurassic Park and also of Tony Robbins’ resort Namale in Savu Savu, which I visited well over a decade ago. As Nanuku’s website says, it’s “a true tropical oasis situated on a private 500-acre coastal Fiji estate.”

3. The Residences

Nanuku is unique in that they offer three different luxurious room categories: The Residences are between 2,150 and 5,380 square feet. The Villas range from 900 to 1,850 square feet and the Suites  are 650 square feet.

No matter which category you’re in, you’re going to have plenty of space, especially in the Residences, which is where we stayed, in #152.

This two-bedroom place was enormous and had more than enough room for our family of four.

Our Residence had two stories with a full-size kitchen, a living room, a primary ensuite, a second bedroom with twin beds and another full bathroom downstairs.

Upstairs, the primary bedroom had high ceilings and an enormous open bathroom, complete with a walk-in shower and a deep soaking tub.

The beds in the second bedroom can be configured as twins or pushed together to make a king. The only thing missing from the Residences is a washer and dryer but I was told the villas have them.

4. Private pool

Each lodging category has their own pool and at the bottom of ours was our family name, written in white stones. The kids couldn’t believe it. Unfortunately, it rained heavily most of the time we were there, so I didn’t  get to swim in the pool. My kids eventually just went in in the rain and loved it.

5. Mini bar

Our fridge came stocked with bottled water, soda and beer. The non-alcoholic drinks in there are included in your stay and get refreshed daily.

6. Bikes

Each place also has bicycles to get around if you don’t feel like walking or taking an on-demand golf cart. Note: They also have bicycles for kids but they don’t leave them at the house for fear of children taking off without their parents knowing, so they keep them at the kids club for safety reasons.

7. Kids club and activities

At the resort, every child under six is paired with a dedicated nanny who provides complimentary care daily from 9am to 6pm, ensuring personalized attention and peace of mind for parents. Extended nanny hours can be arranged for an additional fee with advance notice. Children aged 6 to 12 can enjoy the option of being partnered with a buddy, enhancing their experience during the resort’s engaging daily activities. This service is available year-round.

At the kids club, there’s a zipline and a climbing wall that our kids loved.

But if you prefer for your child and their buddy or nanny to do something else, they can. They can hang out at the beach, at the pool or at your residence.

George (Jack’s buddy) and Ala (Olivia’s nanny) were both excellent and our kids loved hanging out with them.

8. Beach

Since the weather wasn’t cooperating while we were there, we weren’t able to swim in the ocean. But what the kids loved more than being in the ocean were the many tide pools to explore.

George and Ala took them out exploring at low tide to see all the different creatures. They saw a variety of sea stars, fish, crabs and shells.

They even made a hermit crab compound which the kids went crazy for.

9. Pool

Even though guests have their own private pool, the main pool was quite popular but we never had to fight for a lounge chair or umbrella.

What’s nice is that the kids’ buddy or nanny can swim with them in the pool too so you have an extra pair of eyes on them. They also have fun floats for the kids to use and a swim-up bar.

10. Hot tub

There’s a hot tub about 30 yards from the pool, down a foliage-covered path. It was so hot out, I didn’t go near it except to take photos.

11. Fire walking

Speaking of hot … the first night we arrived, we attended a 30-minute traditional fire walking ceremony, hosted by a narrator and six locals. We learned that in Fiji, only the people from Beqa Island, which is perfectly situated in the background, can do it. Here’s more about Fiji’s fearless fire walkers.

12. Food

After the show, we headed to dinner. There’s only one place to eat, the Kanavata Restaurant, which is located in the Clubhouse and offers a casual but refined and elegant atmosphere. The restaurant is split up into two sections of the Clubhouse both with an indoor and outdoor section.

As you would expect from a five-star hotel, the food is really good. The head chef is from Australia but previously worked at Kokomo Private Island, a really exclusive Fijian resort. The restaurant features a daily-changing, three-course dinner menu of Pacific Rim dishes made with fresh seasonal ingredients and seafood from the lagoon, primarily of fresh reef trout, lobster, octopus, snapper, tuna and mahi mahi.

FYI: The only meal you need to make a reservation for is dinner; dining hours are 6pm to 10pm. Breakfast is served between 7am and 10am and lunch is served between 12pm and-3pm. They also offer dining experiences in a treetop or beachside for an extra charge.

13. Breakfast

My favorite mealtime at Nanuku was breakfast each morning. They have a Continental breakfast buffet table for just $20 FJD ($8.75 USD) with delicious, freshly made pastries like mini coconut rolls (not available every day) and fresh juices, which I sadly didn’t discover until the last day. The basil, spinach and apple juice was insanely good.

The same goes for the Coconut and Chia Bircher Muesli, pictured above, made with passion fruit, mango, pineapple and white chocolate for $45 FJD ($19.69 USD).

@johnnyjet The staff at Nanuku Resort in Fiji gather each morning to start their day with prayer and song. It’s beautiful and moving and shouldn’t be missed. #foryoupage #fyp #TravelTikTok #traveltips ♬ original sound – Johnny Jet

14. Morning ritual

Without a doubt, one of the highlights of our stay was the morning ritual, which really shouldn’t be missed. We attended each morning of our stay and only ever saw one other family of guests there but I urge anyone who visits to make sure you attend. Dozens of staff members gather to begin their day with prayer and song and it was both beautiful and moving. Watch the video above to hear their voices raised in song and you’ll see what I mean.

15. Cultural activities

In addition to things like the morning ritual and the firewalking show, the resort offers other cultural activities for guests to partake in like basket weaving, hat weaving and headband making during the day.

16. Excursions

While at Nanuku Resort, you won’t want to just hang out by the pool all day. You can easily get out to explore, which is what most guests do. The resort offers excursions like a village tour (30 minutes away), a trip to a private island, deep sea fishing, scuba diving, golfing, etc. We did a longboat tour up the Navua river. It’s about a 20-minute drive to the river from the resort, a 30-minute ride up the Navua river and then a five-minute hike to the waterfall.

Your kids’ buddy and nanny can accompany you on excursions and Ala, Olivia’s nanny, came with us on our river tour. Unfortunately, the skies opened up and it poured (I mean POURED) for about twenty minutes in. I should have asked to turn around right away but I thought it might have just been a passing shower. It wasn’t (good thing I’m not a weatherman) and everyone was soaked and freezing by the time we reached our destination.

As everyone got out of the boat, I could see that the hike just wasn’t going to be a good idea in the slippery mud and that the kids weren’t going to be able to swim in the waterfall anyway. The rain was torrential. So we got back in the boat and headed back. The kids huddled under sopping towels as the rain pelted us. It was unfortunate but out of everyone’s control. However, other guests I later met at the hotel said they had done the excursion a few days earlier and loved it. My advice is to check the weather.

17. Spa

Nanuku has an onsite spa and treatments are done outdoors. Again, it was pouring rain but this time, we didn’t get wet. And listening to the rain fall while getting a Fijian massage was absolute bliss. We did a couples massage, which we normally don’t do but since the kids were happily playing with their buddies,  we thought we would take advantage of the opportunity.

Afterwards, we were given lemongrass tea, an almond cookie and a chocolate date coconut ball.

BTW: In each room, guests are given Pure Fiji insect repellent and lotion. Pure Fiji has amazing all-natural products and their insect repellent is a new must-have for my toiletry bag.

18. Celebrity visits

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that a swanky resort like Nanuku attracts celebrities. Oscar winner Hilary Swank is quoted on their website saying: “Whenever I visit a new place, I make it a priority to immerse myself in the culture. So I’m grateful we chose to stay at Nanuku, where they helped us do just that through their incredible ceremonial experiences, local cuisine, and five-star hospitality. I can’t recommend this place enough – they made my time in Fiji with my family a week I will never forget. Thank you for having me!”

Overall, our stay at Nanuku was just as Hilary Swank said. An exceptional immersion into ceremonial experiences, local cuisine and five-star Fijian hospitality. And I have to say, I of course appreciated the Western conveniences too, like strong WiFi throughout the property, TVs in the bedroom and air conditioning.

The kids? Well, they absolutely loved it, thanks in large part to their nanny and buddy who spent a lot of time exploring the sea life at the beach with them.

Ready to visit? According to Expedia, rates for the lowest category (Nanuku Suite) during off-peak times start at just $741.75 FJD ($324 USD).

KEEP READING
–Flight review: LA to Fiji on Fiji Airways
–Getting from Nadi International Airport to Castaway Island Resort in Fiji
–Hotel review: Castaway Island Resort in Fiji

Want more travel news, tips and deals? Sign up to Johnny Jet’s free newsletter and check out these popular posts: The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without and 12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees. Follow Johnny Jet on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for all of my travel posts.