Worldmark Resort Fiji
Readers Reviews
October 2002
We visited The Worldmark Resort Denarau Island in October
2002. We were so impressed, we just had to share our experience. My husband and
I and our two toddlers stayed in a 2 bedroom very well equipped, spacious
apartment. We had requested a ground floor room and the patio had an outdoor
furniture set and a great lawn area for the children to play. The staff were
friendly and very helpful and adored children. The Resort also had a small
superette, that had a surprisingly huge range of stock in it. We were able to
buy fresh bread and milk each day so that our toddlers were not deprived of
their usual diet of marmite sandwiches. We thought prices were quite reasonable
considering the location and a trip into town to the supermarket confirmed this
so save yourself the bother!
For our meals, we often cooked up something for the kids in
our apartment (baked beans on toast, macaroni cheese and the like) then when
they had gone to bed we ordered our meals from the restaurant who were happy to
deliver unless they were very busy at the restaurant when you had to walk the 50
metres to collect them, not too difficult. Prices were very reasonable, so much
so that we treated ourselves to cooked breakfasts everyday as well, pancakes,
bacon, omlettes etc for under $10. There was a filter coffee machine in our room
with lovely local Fiji coffee supplied free of charge.
Then there is the pool. Wow! 105metres long, with a 2 foot
deep kids pool attached. As the main pool had a graduated lagoon style entrance
our little ones were able to walk into the water up to a depth they were
comfortable with and they had an absolute ball. As did Mum and Dad as we could
swim around near them rather than worrying constantly they would plunge suddenly
into water over their heads. The beach which is just a few metres walk from the
pool is pretty murky and uninviting but made a most beautiful backdrop to the
pool & restaurant areas. It does have smooth sand though and the kids had a
great time down there with buckets and spades etc. Then up the path to the
outdoor foot showers before entering the pool. There were lots of other
activities available for adults and older children too.
Every evening at sunset there was the torch lighting ceremony
and singing etc around the pool. This was great as they also had happy hour at
the pool bar from 4.30pm - 6.00pm so everynight we enjoyed a cocktail while
watching the sunset and listening to the locals singing, balmy tropical breeze
and beautiful sunset too.
Lots of nice walks around the resort and down to the Sheraton
Resorts. Golf course, tennis courts etc could be utilised for a fee of course.
If you want a change of restaurant then you can always book at one of Sheratons.
Overall, this was the perfect holiday for us given the ages of
our children (3 yrs & 18 months). Only a short flight from home and then a 15
minute car ride from the airport. Thoroughly relaxing. We hope to go back next
year.
The Edwards Family
My husband and I recently took our 3 children to Fiji
for a 2 week vacation. Our experiences went from excellent to disappointing and
unsatisfactory. So much so that I felt the need to share the pluses and the
pitfalls.
Accommodation.
1/ Tokatoka Resort, Nadi. This is the second time we
have stayed here. It is a value for money resort very close to the airport and
has a free shuttle. It is clean with cooking facilities, has a great pool
complex, relatively inexpensive food and bar facilities, a great souvenir shop.
The staff are really helpful and friendly. The other really great feature is the
rooms interconnect so if travelling with others like grandparents or as we did,
Uncle and Aunty, they can comfortably accommodate 7 people. This is a great
place for stopping over when travelling to the outer Islands etc....and is on
the free bus route for Denarua Marina.
2/.Lakomai Resort, Malolo Island. This was the big
disappointment. Wonderful setting, where over a week the other guests become
friends. However it is tidal with mudflats and everything was very expensive,
what I consider poor value for money. Food $28 a plate and not justified, some
of the bures have cooking facilities so be organized and take your own food and
beverages. Taking a family means that you will probably be stuck in a villa up
on the hill, we were at the top of 150 steep, poorly lit concrete stairs. It was
a major hill climb and hopeless for supervising children easily. Although, I had
specifically requested more than once, for a unit to be next to the Uncle and
Aunty, as we were sharing food, and this booking had been confirmed. Once we
arrived on the island we were told that you get the accommodation they choose to
give you, and so a reasonable request to be close to the pool area and beach to
supervise your children may well be ignored. Also, although we had booked a unit
that sleeps 6 and we had informed them 5 would be coming, one of the children
had no bedding and we were running around at midnight on the first night up and
down the 150 stairs trying to find a pillow and some sheets for one of the
children. We also ran out of drinking water, which is supplied in 20 litre
containers outside your Bure, for a 12 hour period. All the activities were on
the expensive side, snorkelling, handline fishing, and visiting other resorts,
ranged from $16 to $25 an adult and children 1/2 price. As you were isolated,
this made sight seeing very expensive otherwise you were stuck at the resort. I
know that this pricing structure was on the expensive side compared with other
local resorts. Also each person was required to pay an activity fee for the non
motorised beach equipment of $20, the kayaks leaked and 2 were not in use, the
wind surfers were out of order, the ski boat was out of order, the spy boards
leaked. There were no boats or hobie cats available for use. And that is what we
got for our $50 activity fee. If you are planning to stay here be prepared to
pay. Take your own food and lots of mosquito repellent because they have a major
problem with the bities. The Fijians are lovely, shame about the management. The
customer is not always right and we were told this in no uncertain terms.
3/ Worldmark Denarau. This place is COOL, the kids
loved it, go find out for yourselves, you won't regret it. Great apartments can
accommodate up to 8 people,lovely staff and excellent service, huge pool on the
beach front, kids club, lots of activities and everything works. And for mum,
Fijian massages and a bar in the pool. Also they have a restaurant with salad
bar lunch and dinner at $10 a plate, takeaway. Enough salad for sandwiches for 7
for lunch, or to have with steak for dinner. Good value, and if your partly self
catering like we were, one less thing to worry about.
Activities
1/.Kula Eco Park, about 10 minutes past Sigatoka,
straight across road from the Outrigger Resort, 1 hour from Nadi. Lovely park,
$45 for a family, kids got to hold a baby Boa Constrictor and have Fred the
large green gecko climb all over their heads.
2/.Fire Walking, this was impossible to organise and
much to the disappointment of the children we ended up missing out on. But I now
know that the Fijian resort and the Sheraton resort do have fire walking shows
midweek, (at the Fijian, Tues & Fri nights 1830hrs). Don't try and book thru
the tour operators as we did and ended up at fire dancing not fire walking, go
straight to the Fijian or Sheraton.
Food
For the budget conscious ,we took 60 kg of food
with us from New Zealand. The food was all pre-packaged and sealed straight off
the supermarket shelves. Easy meals such as 3 minute macaroni cheese and
chocolate microwave cake, kept the costs down and with a little preplanning and
thought meant that I was still on holiday and not slaving over a hot stove. We
did eat out, and I personally would rather pay $48 a head for a special treat
dinner at the Sheraton than $10-$12 a head for a toasted sandwich and chips. We
also took meat, (steak ,sausages , lunch meats etc. are available packaged,
ready to travel with all the documentation from a firm in Auckland called Garret
enterprises). Following the rules, we had no problems at all getting the food
into Fiji. Planning to eat all your meals from the resort restaurants anywhere
in Fiji is expensive and will take a large chunk out of your holiday money,
everyone we spoke to commented on how much food was costing them. Even a small
bowl of chips will cost $4 and when travelling with kids it soon adds up.
But all said and done ,the Edwards family
love Fiji and are already planning their next visit. Vinaka (thankyou) Fiji
until next time.
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