Every now and again, the desire sets in to head for a holiday that ticks all the ‘no fuss’ boxes – low maintenance, easy for families and no surprises to the back pocket.
Fiji is one of the most popular family destinations for all of these reasons. It’s guilt-free relaxation, and while a little more costly than it used to be it’s a generally affordable overseas holiday with packages that are customisable to your wants and needs.
I’ve been to Fiji twice before – first to the Warwick, located on the Coral Coast, and then Radisson Blu which is located closer to the airport at Denarau.
This time around we split the difference and headed to Momi Bay and the Marriott, which is about a 45 minute drive from the airport.
The drive is actually a highlight in its own right – while you know you’re headed for cocktails, great food and swimming, you get a first-hand look at the realities of Fiji as a country and the very different lives that are lived.
Exemplified best perhaps by the cow we almost hit on the road into the resort – just taking a leisurely mid-afternoon walk.
Like most who head to Fiji, we booked the trip as a package deal through one of the online travel companies.
With a five-year-old in tow and my wife and I both enjoying a cocktail or three while on holidays, we ended up throwing in the kitchen sink and going with an ultimate all-inclusive package.
This meant we knew that all of our meals and drinks were covered, as well as those for our daughter, and that there would be no nasty surprises on checkout. Those margaritas do add up!
The all-inclusive menus are fair and reasonable at the Marriott with no huge limitations. There’s a buffet breakfast daily, the choice between a couple of restaurants for lunch and the same at dinner – where you can partake in the daily buffet in the main Goji restaurant or opt for a-la-carte (either at Goji or the Lagoon House).
Thanks to a wristband the staff will be aware you’re on an all-inclusive package and will give you appropriate drinks menus – these were pretty extensive and whether you enjoy beer, wine, cocktails or spirits, there’s a solid list that does vary between the different bars.
If there was one slight disappointment in this space it was that on more than one occasion, a certain bar would be “out” of one of the cocktails on the all-inclusive menu. Not the biggest deal in the world, but with no replacements it would perhaps irk you if you were a fan of a particular drink (as an example, the frozen daiquiri was unavailable three of the seven days we were there).
The food is all of great quality. I’m not sure we had a bad meal the entire time we were there.
The only reason I’d advise not going with an all-inclusive option is if you plan to spend plenty of time on day trips out of the resort. Each meal you miss is, at the end of the day, a dropped opportunity to take advantage of what you’ve already paid for.
In our case we only headed out on one day trip to a nearby island – so it remained worth it.
Just on those day trips – they can be challenging from Momi Bay given it’s a little more remote than the resorts closer to Denarau. So much so that if your trip to Fiji is about adventure, island hopping and day trips, you might be better off at one of the Denarau-based resorts.
For us, on our third visit to Fiji, relaxation was the order of the day so Momi Bay was perfect.
There’s two pools – the main family pool with a swim-up bar and an adjacent kids’ pool, and the adults only pool at the Fish Bar – which we enjoyed while little-miss-five headed off to the kids club.
While the kids club and nanny service was of high quality and professional, I will note it wasn’t quite as good as the experience we had at Radisson Blu; where our daughter couldn’t wait to go back each day.
There’s a whole range of accommodation options, including over-water bures for couples which certainly allows those visiting without kids to escape the family feel of the resort that is expected in Fiji.
We stayed in a lagoon-facing Bure, which was well-sized and comfortable with great views and facilities.
One note to make – the resort is huge, and unless you get a room reasonably close to the main hub (we did, fortunately) you’ll either be doing a lot of walking or relying on calling golf buggies to get you around. The walk is great though – and I found myself strolling around each morning and making new discoveries along the way, so unless your mobility is restricted, time is on your side – so just give yourself time and enjoy.
Through the resort you can organise a short visit out to the nearby Tau Village. This gave us an opportunity to show our daughter the true Fiji and how those who live in the villages experience everyday life.
The advantage here was that it was two hour trip all up, so it didn’t take an entire day out of the schedule and also ensured our daughter’s attention span was maintained.
The people in the village do a wonderful job of welcoming you – just make sure you take some cash to donate.
In short, if you’re looking for a relaxing getaway with great food and friendly staff, look no further than the Marriott at Momi Bay. It has an upscale feel, and its size means that even at full capacity, it never seemed overly busy at the pools or restaurants (in fact, it’s one of the few resorts I’ve been to where you didn’t need to get up at the crack of dawn to reserve a poolside seat).
But I’d lean towards suggesting the Marriott as a second-time visit to Fiji – first-timers may benefit from being closer to the action.
