When looking at a resort destination for a conference or holiday, Fiji is the place to be.
I recently had the pleasure of attending a Fiji famil hosted by Marriott and what an amazing experience it was. A short 4-hour flight to Fiji, shorter than some destinations in Australia, the moment you arrive you are welcomed with warmth and hospitality. Everyone is smiling, everyone is happy.
Our first stop was to Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay. We were welcomed on arrival with delicious dinner overlooking the lagoon and villas. You immediately start feeling relaxed as you absorb all the beautiful scenery around you. The next day we did a tour of the resort accommodation which offers 250 rooms with a variety of views and categories. The most luxurious would be the Villas on the lagoon where you can open your accommodation door and jump straight in for a refreshing swim. Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay has many flexible meeting and event spaces, their main ballroom can take up to 200 in cabaret comfortably with a stage. The highlight for me would be Fish Bar, an elegant restaurant with stunning views of Momi Bay, located next to their infinity pool. The view was indeed stunning and you can hire this space out for exclusive use.
From Momi Bay, we said farewell to the lovely hotel team and made our way to Port Denarau on a morning adventure to Malamala Beach Club. A small island which can be walked around in 7 minutes, here you can relax and enjoy the beautiful crystal clear waters, infinity pool, cabanas or go snorkeling or take advantage of any of the other water activities the island has to offer. With multiple private function areas or you can hire the island exclusively.
It was hard leaving the island as I was relaxed, however I knew the next stop would not disappoint. We jumped back on a private boat and made our way to Sheraton Resort and Spa Tokoriki Island, and what a vibrant hello we received. The energy was high, the atmosphere was blissful. After check in we had some time to unwind before we headed on a buggy to the helipad where we watched the sunset with a cocktail in hand. At the helipad you can see a panoramic view of if surrounding islands, beautiful serene ocean and the resort itself. It was a magical experience. We then headed back down to a festive buffet dinner at Coco Palms with cultural entertainment and their own singer who sounds exactly like Shaggy. This Resort is great for small meeting or incentive groups with 100 accommodation rooms. Their main conferencing space is in the Ballroom which can fit up to 50 cabaret.
From Sheraton Resort and Spa Tokiriki Island, the hotel staff sang their farewell song to us. Everyone seems to be able to sing in Fiji! Their voices were just angelic and harmonic, I welled up with tears as they sang their beautiful song. It was very hard to say goodbye after that.
Heading out to Cloud 9, we visited Fiji's first and original two-level floating platform surrounded by turquoise blue water and picturesque views, a floating paradise. Here you can relax on the sundeck, while they come around with Pizza, enjoy a cocktail or two, snorkel or enjoy other water sports.
Onto the final leg of the journey, we made our way to Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort in Denarau From the moment you arrive you feel like you are in luxury. After some time to refresh and unwind, we jumped in our self-drive buggies and travelled in island style avoiding coconuts on the ground, luckily, I am an experienced driver as I’m always avoiding Sydney pot holes. We got to visit the golf course and their own vegetable garden. After feeling proud about our driving skills, we made our way to our progressive dinner showcasing all the highlights of the resort has to offer. With 300 accommodation rooms, 5 flexible meeting spaces and many outdoor event spaces to play with, this hotel is a must for conferences with larger numbers. There is also an onsite Fiji Airways lounge, where you can check-in your luggage and get your boarding pass before heading to the Airport. The final hoorah was a spectacular dinner outdoors near the villas overlooking the ocean with some cultural performances to boot. We then danced the night away with sand between our toes at Tatavu Grill and Bar, a chic and elegant restaurant overlooking the great ocean.
It was definately an experience i wont forget and i will be back! Thank you Marriott, Tewaka, South Sea Cruises, Cloud 9, Rosie Holidays and Fiji Airways for putting together such an amazing agenda and experience.
Svetta Zhao,
Senior Event Manager