Plantation Island Resort

A dated resort, a dark room, a 10 minute walk to facilities. Minimal activities. But ok for young families.

The positives: mobile reception on Digicel and Vodafone SIMs is excellent (I tried both) and getting a SIM or eSIM from the airport once you clear quarantine is straightforward (if you can do it before 10:30pm and show a passport) - do this because WiFi at the resort is only available in limited areas unless you purchase an additional plan. The Tavola restaurant may be the best value and I ended up getting all my meals there (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). I was in a beachfront hotel room and access to the bay was convenient for a morning dip. The pool by the Tavola restaurant was nice. Snorkling around the pier offers view of tropical fish which I enjoyed. Most people there had young children. Some performances by staff were rather good. The middling: the staff work long hours and while some seem genuinely friendly others appear to be a little resentful of the job. Given that meals are not super-cheap that disconnect can be a little disconcerting at first. I was never really sure where I stood - welcome, or was I an inconvenience. The downsides: there's a lot of bass from different points on the island. It all comes to a stop at 9pm (which was most welcome) but if you're super sensitive to it (like I am) then it's a minor irritation. The beachfront hotel room was pretty well insulated and most people wouldn't notice outside noise, I just am extra sensitive to it. I think most people would welcome it, however, given the vibe. People ride bicycles at varying speeds and given I had 2 small children I had to remain extra alert whenever walking on footpaths for speeding bikes. In August it was very humid - it takes a long time for swimwear to dry even hanging on a line outside. Sand everywhere (I requested a broom from cleaning staff who supplied me with one which helped with sweeping the room floor). There was a little bit of floor footstep noise from the unit above.

Extremely disappointing experience — poor customer service and no flexibility in dangerous weather conditions Unfortunately, my experience with Plantation Island Resort was extremely disappointing, mainly because of the hotel’s lack of flexibility and concern for its guests. We had a booking at the resort, but more than 24 hours before our scheduled arrival, I contacted the hotel asking to change the dates of our stay due to the severe weather conditions affecting Fiji. The Fiji Meteorological Service had issued warnings regarding very rough seas, waves of around 5 metres and risks of inundation. Considering that we were travelling with a child, I did not feel it was responsible or safe to travel to the island under those circumstances. Despite contacting the hotel more than 24 hours before our first day, they simply rejected my request to change the dates. There was no meaningful attempt to find a solution or accommodate the situation. As a result, I lost the entire value of my stay because, understandably, I was not willing to put my child and family at risk. The only alternative they offered was a letter for me to submit to my travel insurance — despite the fact that I did not have travel insurance. In other words, the hotel essentially offered no practical solution. What disappointed me most was the lack of consideration for the circumstances. I understand that hotels have cancellation policies and that weather can be unpredictable, but when there are serious official weather warnings and dangerous sea conditions, I would expect at least some degree of flexibility and customer care — particularly when the request is made more than 24 hours before arrival. My recommendation: be very careful about booking Plantation Island Resort in advance if your plans depend on being able to travel safely to the island. I would personally recommend staying on the mainland and arranging a day trip to the island once you are certain that the weather and sea conditions are safe. Unfortunately, based on this experience, I would not book Plantation Island Resort again. The impression I was left with was that the hotel cared more about enforcing its booking policy than about the safety and circumstances of its guests.