Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa {FJI}
Apr 14, 2007, 3:00 am
#46
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: wurtulla,queensland,australia
Programs: hh diamond,Qantas club life,AA EX-explat.SPG plat.
Posts: 1,431
Mrsdrron has downloaded her photos which can be viewed at
www.hiltonfiji.shutterfly.com
www.hiltonfiji.shutterfly.com
Apr 18, 2007, 7:40 pm
#47
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: wurtulla,queensland,australia
Programs: hh diamond,Qantas club life,AA EX-explat.SPG plat.
Posts: 1,431
Actually it is Mrs drron here ( drron is in the West Indies at the cricket)
I have 43 photos of the Fiji Hilton on the shutterfly site. You just have to click on "view pictures" you dont have to register to see them. It shows the construction site - there is no work going on here. Stage 2 is ???? how long off. I have photos showing rusting ironform work and pylons.
The rooms are good though. Service can be good and then non existent.
The restaurant is very overpriced. So is the spa. I had a massage - 1 hour "aromatherapy antistress" massage - it was on special for $130 Fiji $ - normally $ 165. I have a weekly massage at home $A65.
Enjoy the photos
I have 43 photos of the Fiji Hilton on the shutterfly site. You just have to click on "view pictures" you dont have to register to see them. It shows the construction site - there is no work going on here. Stage 2 is ???? how long off. I have photos showing rusting ironform work and pylons.
The rooms are good though. Service can be good and then non existent.
The restaurant is very overpriced. So is the spa. I had a massage - 1 hour "aromatherapy antistress" massage - it was on special for $130 Fiji $ - normally $ 165. I have a weekly massage at home $A65.
Enjoy the photos
Jan 26, 2008, 3:15 pm
#50
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: wurtulla,queensland,australia
Programs: hh diamond,Qantas club life,AA EX-explat.SPG plat.
Posts: 1,431
When we stayed upgraded to 1 bedroom on an award as diamond.Fiji is still not at full capacity-we are being bombarded with special offers at present.Aussie summer holidays end this month so from now occuancy should fall further.So if status you certainly shopuld ask for upgrade.
Aug 1, 2008, 7:40 am
#51
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,479
Any recent stays at Hilton Fiji?
Has anyone stayed here recently? How do they treat diamond customers. How are the views? I've booked a couple of nights there next week for my arrival in Fiji. Anyone know how it compares with the excellent Sofitel property (also on Denaru)?
Aug 1, 2008, 8:28 pm
#52
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
It seems not very recently. And it's "Denarau," by the way (DEN-uh-rau) as well as NAN-dee (Nadi.)
Enjoy - there are also some hints for things to do in that thread.
Enjoy - there are also some hints for things to do in that thread.
Last edited by JDiver; Aug 1, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Aug 2, 2008, 9:42 am
#53
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,479
Thanks - I'll just have to find out for myself then 8-). Colleagues who've spent a night or two there rate the place but the basic room rate I was able to get is somewhat more than I would personally consider legitimate business expenditure (admittedly booked late). I'll write up a quick comparison with the Sofitel (which, you may have guessed from the OP, I rate) once I've tried the place.
Aug 5, 2008, 6:38 pm
#54
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,479
feel free to join this this to the main thread.
My stay at this property has not started well. After 40 hours of travel, I'm waiting for a room. All I can think of is a bed at the moment. So much for the request check in time option. They seem to have a couple of events on today so anything or anyone else is probably a secondry concern.
I'll have a more serious look at the place and write my impresions once I've slept.
My stay at this property has not started well. After 40 hours of travel, I'm waiting for a room. All I can think of is a bed at the moment. So much for the request check in time option. They seem to have a couple of events on today so anything or anyone else is probably a secondry concern.
I'll have a more serious look at the place and write my impresions once I've slept.
Aug 5, 2008, 9:27 pm
#55
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Bula!
We'll look forward to your reports. You may have been caught by some seqa na leqa (SEN-gah nah LEN-gah) attitude - I hope not.
Vinaka...
We'll look forward to your reports. You may have been caught by some seqa na leqa (SEN-gah nah LEN-gah) attitude - I hope not.
Vinaka...
feel free to join this this to the main thread.
My stay at this property has not started well. After 40 hours of travel, I'm waiting for a room. All I can think of is a bed at the moment. So much for the request check in time option. They seem to have a couple of events on today so anything or anyone else is probably a secondry concern.
I'll have a more serious look at the place and write my impresions once I've slept.
My stay at this property has not started well. After 40 hours of travel, I'm waiting for a room. All I can think of is a bed at the moment. So much for the request check in time option. They seem to have a couple of events on today so anything or anyone else is probably a secondry concern.
I'll have a more serious look at the place and write my impresions once I've slept.
Aug 5, 2008, 10:25 pm
#56
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,479
Oh the attitude thing does happen. I didn't realise they had a name for it. Everyone who has been out here (and I spent a good 18 months here 06-07) reports the same thing about service at the hotel where we mostly stay. Basically, sometimes the staff are all over you like a rash and other times ..... Well it's like "you are the rash". Seriously, as business travelers go, we're a friendly bunch and some of us get stressed out by the thought we might have caused offense.
Aug 6, 2008, 1:19 am
#57
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: NAN, YVR
Programs: AC *SE, Westjet PLAT, UA Prem, Alaska MVP, Marriott Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 311
I have heard (from a friend that works there) that this place has been booked to capacity (and overbooked at times) since May of this year (totally booked till end of September).
This is the first time (since opening) this property has seen this kind of capacity - so they may be experiencing some growth problems, along with, as JDiver says, some seqa na leqa (SEN-gah nah LEN-gah) attitude.
I am planning to be there in late Sep so would be interested in your reports.
This is the first time (since opening) this property has seen this kind of capacity - so they may be experiencing some growth problems, along with, as JDiver says, some seqa na leqa (SEN-gah nah LEN-gah) attitude.
I am planning to be there in late Sep so would be interested in your reports.
Aug 6, 2008, 6:57 am
#58
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,479
Tired and a little drunk....
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Check in: Area is a little shoddy but there are always plenty of people on hand. There was a polite apology for lack of an upgrade and a promise my room would be available as soon as I'd taken lunch.
Lunch: Not bad at all but awfully expensive. The Kokada (kokon-dah if you must be pedantic) wasn't particularly authentic (trust me, you can't eat this without a side of chopped chillies) but the Penne Pasta was up to standard.
The room: I can't believe I'm paying so much for such a poor standard of room. The only benefit I'm getting over a Nadi airport hotel is internet access. There's no TV (it doesn't work and they haven't sent anyone after I asked), no mini bar (fair enough, I avoid that when on business). There were mosquitoes (unavoidable and forgivable) in the room (killed with Mortein bought from the hotel shop) and there is no work space (might as well be typing this from a bed of nails). Everything is neat, clean and thoroughly impractical (complete with feather pillows as the only option).
Even if the TV did work, there's no paid TV - just a DVD player but apparently not DVD rental on site.
The bar. Very nice with friendly staff who are probably not happy to be working so late (I woke up at 9PM and didn't get out until 10:30) bearing in mind that Fijians put family life pretty much ahead of all else.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Check in: Area is a little shoddy but there are always plenty of people on hand. There was a polite apology for lack of an upgrade and a promise my room would be available as soon as I'd taken lunch.
Lunch: Not bad at all but awfully expensive. The Kokada (kokon-dah if you must be pedantic) wasn't particularly authentic (trust me, you can't eat this without a side of chopped chillies) but the Penne Pasta was up to standard.
The room: I can't believe I'm paying so much for such a poor standard of room. The only benefit I'm getting over a Nadi airport hotel is internet access. There's no TV (it doesn't work and they haven't sent anyone after I asked), no mini bar (fair enough, I avoid that when on business). There were mosquitoes (unavoidable and forgivable) in the room (killed with Mortein bought from the hotel shop) and there is no work space (might as well be typing this from a bed of nails). Everything is neat, clean and thoroughly impractical (complete with feather pillows as the only option).
Even if the TV did work, there's no paid TV - just a DVD player but apparently not DVD rental on site.
The bar. Very nice with friendly staff who are probably not happy to be working so late (I woke up at 9PM and didn't get out until 10:30) bearing in mind that Fijians put family life pretty much ahead of all else.
Last edited by Internaut; Aug 6, 2008 at 7:03 am
Aug 6, 2008, 11:42 am
#59
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
For a good steak or pizza, try Cardo's at the port on Denarau - and don't forget Chef's in Nadi town.
Cardo's is an interesting story - the beef is descended form beef cattle wrecked in Fiji en route from Argentina to Australia. Espero Cardo was the drover, whose life was saved - he know how to care for the cattle. Some of the crew, well, they were eaten, as anthropophagy was a common Fijian custom. "Let's do lunch" had a somewhat different implication in the old days...
(N.B. I'm not trying to be a pedant by adding in the pronunciation - many visitors to Fiji are clueless about the peculiarities of Fijian and get anything from weird looks to misdirected. Bula.)
Cardo's is an interesting story - the beef is descended form beef cattle wrecked in Fiji en route from Argentina to Australia. Espero Cardo was the drover, whose life was saved - he know how to care for the cattle. Some of the crew, well, they were eaten, as anthropophagy was a common Fijian custom. "Let's do lunch" had a somewhat different implication in the old days...
(N.B. I'm not trying to be a pedant by adding in the pronunciation - many visitors to Fiji are clueless about the peculiarities of Fijian and get anything from weird looks to misdirected. Bula.)
Aug 7, 2008, 4:40 am
#60
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,479
Thanks for the restaurant tips. I didn't get time to try either this time but will be back here for a couple of days at the start of September (Cardo's sounds intriguing).
Today was far more pleasant and, free of much of the numbness of travel, I spent much of the day taking photos around the resort (good light pretty much all day at this time of the year). The resort has some good views and, unlike some other Denarau resorts (particularly the Sofitel) has the potential for spectacular evening sunsets.
The food and service are consistently good here (though as mentioned above, expensive). The people who work here are on the whole very friendly. Incidentally, I encountered an Australian waiter today who has clearly spent far too much time in Fiji - my request for a decaffeinated teas was met with a "yes we can do that - here is our selection of teas" (all with Caffeine).
My overall view of the stay is that it could have been better. For a business traveler passing through on the way to Suva, the lowest category of room here (deceptively called a "beach front studio villa") is, quite frankly, not good enough. The room is impractical and, with the exception of the fairly nice bed (actually two singles joined together - just like Europe :-( ), not particularly comfortable.
Recognition of Diamond Status here is about what I expect for Priority Club and wasn't unexpected given the part of the world (at the Sofitel, it takes a phone call to France just to confirm that my Gold card with them gives me a 4PM check out).
Today was far more pleasant and, free of much of the numbness of travel, I spent much of the day taking photos around the resort (good light pretty much all day at this time of the year). The resort has some good views and, unlike some other Denarau resorts (particularly the Sofitel) has the potential for spectacular evening sunsets.
The food and service are consistently good here (though as mentioned above, expensive). The people who work here are on the whole very friendly. Incidentally, I encountered an Australian waiter today who has clearly spent far too much time in Fiji - my request for a decaffeinated teas was met with a "yes we can do that - here is our selection of teas" (all with Caffeine).
My overall view of the stay is that it could have been better. For a business traveler passing through on the way to Suva, the lowest category of room here (deceptively called a "beach front studio villa") is, quite frankly, not good enough. The room is impractical and, with the exception of the fairly nice bed (actually two singles joined together - just like Europe :-( ), not particularly comfortable.
Recognition of Diamond Status here is about what I expect for Priority Club and wasn't unexpected given the part of the world (at the Sofitel, it takes a phone call to France just to confirm that my Gold card with them gives me a 4PM check out).