Wailoaloa Beach Resort Fiji

Wailoaloa Beach Resort is a simple hotel with a laid-back atmosphere. It’s a popular spot amongst Fijians for weekend getaways. During our visit, the hotel was completely booked with locals celebrating Fiji Day (independence day). The hotel’s lobby is a simple space with pitched wood-beam ceilings and a wood paneled front desk. Local paintings and vases filled with fresh birds of paradise bring brightness and vitality to the otherwise boring room. The lobby leads to the open-air restaurant, and the hotel’s main outdoor courtyard, where the pool is located. As we mentioned, Wailoaloa Beach Resort is popular with Fijians, but a few international backpackers occasionally work themselves into the mix — though most prefer the nearby hostels on the beach, like Tropic of Capricorn or Travellers Beach Resort. 

Wailoaloa Beach Resort is located in Nadi, about a 15-minute drive from the international airport. The hotel is near (but not on) Wailoaloa Beach, a well known Nadi spot that attracts lots of international backpackers. Guests can either walk 15 minutes to the beach or take a five-minute taxi ride. Nadi itself isn’t exactly the tropical paradise you might imagine Fiji to be, but it offers all kinds of accommodation options and tourist-oriented services. There’s not much to see or do in the immediate area surrounding the hotel, but numerous stores and restaurants are within a few minutes’ drive. Denarau Island, a man-made resort-filled island, is about a 10-minute drive from the hotel. 

The no-frills rooms at Wailoaloa Beach Resort are ideal for anyone solely seeking a place to sleep at night. Rooms aren’t richly decorated or loaded with nice amenities, but are perfectly clean and actually pretty spacious. Most of the hotel’s rooms are private rooms, but there is also a mixed-occupancy dormitory that has access to a shared bathroom and a kitchenette. Besides the dorm, Poolside Sooms are Wailoaloa’s entry-level category. As their name implies, they’re located around the pool in the hotel’s central courtyard area. Poolside Rooms each have one double and one twin-size bed and are equipped with flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and air-conditioning — but not much else. Bathrooms are a bit dark and dated, with old tile work and ugly fluorescent lighting; but they’re equipped with all the necessities, like a shower stall and plenty of counter space. 

Deluxe Rooms are a bit nicer than their poolside counterparts, with gorgeous hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings, but just about everything else is the same. Bathrooms are still dark and dated, and there are only a few in-room amenities. Families who need more space to sprawl can rent one of the hotel’s apartment-style units, which have multiple bedrooms and kitchenettes.    

Wailoaloa’s two main amenities are its pool and restaurant. The pool is the hotel’s central hub. It’s where guests hang out all day long — relaxing, swimming, and sunbathing. Though small, the pool is surrounded by several nice lounge chairs and a deck with picnic tables. There’s even a small jetted hot tub. The pool is almost always crowded, so guests who’d rather hit the beach can walk to Wailoaloa Beach in about 15 minutes.  

The hotel’s restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The free breakfast buffet includes both hot and cold items, like eggs, bacon and sausage, toast, yogurt, and cereal. Lunch and dinner are served a la carte in the restaurant’s causal open-air room that overlooks the pool. The restaurant also has a tiny bar which has daily drink specials and a decent selection of wines and beers. 

Additional amenities include a children’s playground and Wi-Fi vouchers. Wi-Fi isn’t free, but can be purchased at (fairly cheap) hourly or daily rates.