The best luxury hotels in Fiji
Likuliku Lagoon Resort Just Got a $10 Million Glow-Up
Freshly fluffed, fabulously polished, and now officially re-opened, Likuliku Lagoon Resort has emerged from its three-month beauty sleep and is looking absolutely radiant. Not that it was ever shabby, mind you, it’s always been one of Fiji’s most iconic adult-only escapes, but thanks to a cool FJD$10 million facelift (that’s USD$4.2M, AUD$7M or 140,000 coconuts in island currency), this tropical gem is now shimmering at a whole new level of sustainable, spoiling loveliness.
So what’s new? Oh, just a smidge of everything. Think upgraded luxury bures with plunge pools, a brand-new restaurant that could tempt Gordon Ramsay into early retirement, a conservation hub that’s part science lab, part eco-wonderland, and the kind of WiFi that might actually stream your entire digital breakdown in real time,should you foolishly choose to check your inbox.
SALUWAKI: Small Plates, Big Drama
First things first: food. Always food.
The new Saluwaki restaurant (named after the Fijian term for “a gathering of native herbs and spices,” which sounds poetic and vaguely magical) is the stuff of culinary daydreams. It’s intimate,only 28 seats, and exclusive, operating as a once-per-stay highlight for lucky guests. The menu? A Fijian-Asian tapas fusion fantasy, featuring delights such as ember-roasted walu (that’s Spanish mackerel, not a Game of Thrones dragon) and handmade squid ink noodles. Dishes are served on handcrafted Japanese crockery, which is frankly more elegant than half your dinner guests at home.
This is a dining moment. Not just a meal. If Saluwaki were a man, your mother would already be stitching a wedding dress.
Save the Reef, Hug a Tree, Educate Your Soul
Now, for the earnest bit, although Likuliku makes it all rather fabulous. Enter the Na Vanua Conservation Hub, a hands-on, brain-tingling, heart-swooning space where guests can pretend to be David Attenborough for the afternoon, minus the BBC contract.
“Na Vanua” translates to “the land,” and this hub is all about preserving it. Created by the clever clogs at the award-winning Ahura Resorts Conservation Foundation, this is where guests can get involved in actual conservation work.
Activities include coral planting, iguana conservation (yes, the endangered Fijian kind, not the ones that fell out of your cousin’s terrarium), mangrove restoration, herb garden tours, and supporting the local kindergarten. There’s also a “back of house” sustainability tour which, unlike most things labelled “back of house,” is actually fascinating.
The ethos? Above the Sea. Below the Sea. Community.
Basically: do good, feel smug, drink a mojito afterward. Paradise with a conscience.
Bure beauty at Likuliku
Now let’s talk burés. All of them, every last one, have had a refresh. And no, not just a new bedspread and some polite plumping of cushions. This was a full-body exfoliation and a scented oil massage of a renovation.
- 11 Beachfront Bures now come with private plunge pools, which is exactly as luxurious as it sounds. That brings the total number of oceanfront bures with plunge pools to 29, which is statistically thrilling for anyone prone to floating and brooding.
- New interiors include repainted walls, glossy revarnished timber floors, fresh wallpaper, sexy new bathroom tapware, a smattering of upgraded amenities and,wait for it, Smart TVs with soundbars and espresso machines. Yes, coffee and cinema. In bed. In Fiji. This is not a drill.
Even the Over-Water Bures (Fiji’s first and only authentic ones, in case you forgot) have received pampering in the form of luxe bathroom upgrades that practically demand a robe and a glass of Champagne.
Is this Fiji’s best swimming beach?
In a move that’s as practical as it is planet-saving, the resort has now completed its synthetic thatching project, making all bures officially covered with environmentally friendly roofing that looks fabulous, withstands cyclones, and doesn’t invite local wildlife to move in.
Other updates include:
- A brand-new outdoor terrace deck for the Fijiana Restaurant, perfect for sunset swooning and judging other guests’ wine choices.
- A totally redone Dua Tale Bar, now furnished to such an extent of chic that even your most cynical friend would call it “Instagrammable.”
- A refreshed pool area that continues to defy expectations by being both beautiful and unbothered by cannonballs.
- Public bathrooms that have been so tastefully refurbished, they should win a design award for “Powder Room Most Likely to Induce Envy.”
- Music now curated by Music Concierge, meaning your poolside Aperol Spritz is now accompanied by smooth tunes instead of someone’s regrettable playlist titled “Beats 2011.”
And let’s not forget the high-speed WiFi, which has been supercharged via Starlink Satellite, ensuring you can upload your Likuliku sunset without crying into your third cocktail.
Likuliku Bottled Water
Because Likuliku doesn’t half-do anything, they’ve also built their very own water bottling plant, yes, really. Launching June 2025, it will produce still and sparkling water for Likuliku and its sister property, Malolo Island Resort, bottled in recycled glass made on-site. Complimentary. Daily. Just quietly fabulous.
So whether you’re the sort of traveller who wants to save the reef, soak in a private plunge pool, or simply eat exquisite squid ink noodles while staring at the sea like you’re in a soft-focus film, Likuliku is ready.
Again.
And better than ever.
