I, like some men, allowed my significant other to make the arrangements for our Wedding Trip to Fiji. She gave me options and eventually we (she) narrowed it down to Maravu on Tavuni, Fiji. She showed me all of the reviews and like some people I was a bit skeptical. I got on trip advisor myself and searched out what few negative comments were made and made a little note for myself. I guess in a way I was preparing for it to be not so grand. How could it be? I figured it was going to be like when you hear about the funniest movie of the year. You go ready to laugh your butt off and you leave thinking ....ehhh. I mean c'mon how could Maravu be as good as everyone says?! Well the skeptic is here to tell you that......IT IS THAT GOOD! BETTER!

To the naysayers....One person complained about their air conditioning- saying that it took awhile to fix. I am sure they had no idea that repairs come all the way from the main land. You are on a tiny little island for god's sake. Oh and by the way - apparently there was a problem with our A.C. and there was someone there (from Suva) before we even realized it.

Another complained about bugs...it's the tropics! Another about frogs? Are you kidding? The beach is to far away. No it’s not. It is across a 2 lane very small road and you may not even see a car on your way. Trust me with all of the great food you will be getting you will need the walk. But really it’s maybe a 3 minute walk from the resort itself - Maybe longer from some of the bures but that’s the price of privacy.

If you want an American style hotel, stay at the Sheraton on the mainland, but if you want a unique experience in some wonderful accommodations stay at Maravu. So here's my review point by point.

The Rooms- We had two suites while we were there one pre wedding and one post. Our first #17 was beautiful. And it was huge! I loved the out door tub and shower. It was only eclipsed by our ocean view room #18. A bit smaller but still nice sized. This room is awesome. A little nicer finishes but it is the views that make this room! Breathtaking every night at sunset. The whole back wall opens up to a deck. It was so nice to sit out there and read a book or just watch the southern sky. What I really liked about it was how intelligently designed the suite was. The out door tub and shower could be opened to the view and still remain very private.

The Food- Great! I was a little concerned about the food since it was all included. I have stayed at resorts like this where the food served reflected that pricing policy; not at Maravu. It was really great. It's not ultra fine dining but it was tasty and there was plenty of it. It was defiantly more of a casual atmosphere and the food reflected that.

The Resort- The grounds are simple bet very well kept. Again if you want marble pathways; Sheraton. Lots of Palm tree and grass and rolling hills. There is not a lot of extensive landscaping. They just allowed the beauty of Taveuni take care of that. I found it to be quite understated. The beach is small but never, ever crowded. You have to remember this isn’t a huge resort so a small beach is fine. The snorkeling off the beach is great too. The trick is to go out there a bit. (100-150 meters or so) If you don’t want to swim there is a person on the beach that will rent you a sea-spy. It’s a little electric boat with viewing windows; pretty fun.

The Diving- This is the reason my wife chose taveuni. The diving was great and the dive shop, Jewel Bubble was great too. Qio and Misa were great to dive with and Cap’t Harry is the happiest man on Taveuni. He will leave you smiling. We went to a variety of dive sites and it was always amazing. Qio even took my wife on her first dive and now she is very excited to become certified. We also met Qio’s wife- wonderfully friendly, and daughter - so cute. Great, great people that do everything they can to make sure you have a good expierence.

The People- I saved the best for last - Here’s the difference, the people. I have stayed in hotels all over the world. And in every decent hotel the people are nice, and they may even know your name. But the people at Maravu offer that and more. Here are the few stand out moments for me.

I had very few responsibilities leading up the vacation and wedding, but one of those was to get a video tape for our camera prior to leaving. On the plane I realized….I forgot the tape! I thought for sure that we’d be able to get it on the island but since I did hardly any of the planning I did not realize that that was going to be impossible. (Of course my wife knew) The people at Maravu took us to every store on the island to no avail. That was not the stand out moment. Here’s the difference. Maria at the resort had me write down the exact information about the tape and had it flown in from Suva. It arrived 30 minutes before the wedding and now we have a video to show our family. Oh and by the way she did the video and it was great.

The people aren’t just nice because they have to be. We went to a restaurant down the road to watch the sunset. Unfortunately it was closed for a private party. At that moment one of the girls from the desk at Maravu pulled in with some friends. She saw us and came out an insisted that we join the party. They really are as nice as they seem.

Finally- Our flight out of Taveuni was cancelled so we stayed an extra night at the resort. As a joke I said to the person from Maravu, “good thing there is a room, or we’d have to stay at your house” She turned to me and asked, “Would you like to stay? Why don’t you?” We opted for the resort because they did have a room but I really believe that she was completely serious. There are dozens of other little examples but at the end of that day when the plane was cancelled and, for what ever reason, all of the other people from the other resorts were stranded, we were back home at beautiful Maravu having another great meal, served by amazing people, while they all scrambled for a place to sleep.

BTW- after the driver from Maravu dropped us off they went back to the airport to help the others to find a place to stay.

It really is that good.

Stefan Brandes

Bulla everyone,
Let me start this review by saying that me and my wife have traveled to several islands in Fiji and many, many other locations in the world.

Me and My wife stayed at Maravu Plantation Resort & Spa in Taveuni for 2 weeks (Sept10th-Sept 27th)

If there was a simple way to describe Heaven, I would simply say MARAVU .

The accommodations of the resort are AMAZING,
I would honestly be under stating if i said this is just another 5 star resort. It is far more than that to me.

The service is 10 out of 10. The Bures are perfectly located around the resort to offer maximum privacy and perfect views of the most beautiful island that Fiji has to offer.
The people that work at this resort are nothing short of the best people I have ever met in my life, they are hospitable, nice, polite and incredibly hard working to ensure that their guests are taken care of in all aspects. The food at Maravu is THE BEST FOOD I HAVE EVER HAD IN ALL OF MY YEARS OF TRAVELING.
They also have one of Fiji's largest collections of wine and champaign to offer their guests.

They offer amazing tours to the best local attractions and activities (make sure to go to the water falls and water slides)
They offer everything, including; Ocean Kayaking, Snorkeling, Deep Sea Diving Packages, Horse-back Riding, Fishing, Mountain Biking, Cooking Classes, Arts and Crafts Classes and so much more that I couldn't even put on here. Heck, you can even try to climb a coconut tree or try to skin a coconut. There is SO MUCH to do....

Their house band (The Maravu Boys) plays every night after 7 and they are a fantastic group of guys and incredibly talented.

Simply Put, Maravu Plantation Resort and Spa is my version of HEAVEN ON EARTH....

Thank you
Ali and Melissa.

We just came back from a 4 week vacation in Fiji and we cannot believe how incredible it is to holiday in this country and especially on Taveuni Island. If you want to escape from crowded places and hide on a luxurious spot in the midst of a fascinating tropical garden scenery, Maravu is the place where dreams come true. You have your own individual bure (house) with a huge veranda furnished with sun-loungers and an inviting hammock. The inside offers great convenience with ceiling fans, air-condition, mini-bar, wonderful four-post king-size beds and tasteful furnishings, all make you feel at home or in heaven. The bathroom offers everything you dream of as well. You want to have a shower or a bath outside under the stars? No problem, you can do so any time in your own private outdoor bathroom! The food was incredible, so fresh and tasty. The meals are diverse also for vegetarians. We enjoyed every morning our breakfast from an extensive buffet in the generous restaurant and lounge. There you can also find the bar for inviting drinks and cocktails in the afternoon or a simple Fiji bitter. Various trips introduce you to the beauty of the island no matter whether you want to go for a swim at the Bouma waterfalls or hike along the Lavena coast or in the bush. Or you feel like snorkeling or diving? Or a simple relaxing time on the fascinating beach? Or is your body longing for a massage never heard of? Well there is only one answer to all these demands: Maravu Resort on Taveuni Island!

My husband and I got married there at Maravu and everyone was wonderful. The food is to die for. The only thing that was a little frustrating was Fijian time ... it's vvveeeerrry slow. I have already referred a few friends to Maravu for it's privacy and great rates.

Our experience in Maravu is unforgettable. We plan to go back next year and visit the plantation and definitely stay longer.

Sharon
Chino Hills, CA