Tag Archives: island

Likuliku Lagoon Resort, Fiji

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There is something special about Likuliku… the people, the calm exotic water, the remote luxury. I spent three days at this tropical paradise and felt truly at home thanks to the stunning but informal five star setting, and the genuine and friendly family of staff.

Your Likuliku experience will start at sea, as you transfer onto the hotel’s small boat and float towards the magical turquoise lagoon. The musicians greet guests on the jetty with a soulful welcome song before serving a cooling glass of chilled passionfruit iced tea. The check-in process is casual and quick so that your holiday can begin as soon as possible.

The resort opened in 2007 and is owned by a Fijian family. Most of the staff are from villages on the island which gives this hotel an authentic and happy Fijian feel. Likuliku is an adults only resort, and is particularly popular with honeymooners. Often couples who once holidayed at Likuliku start a family and then visit the sister property, Malolo Island Resort, on the same island.

There are 45 rooms, including Fiji’s picturesque, only overwater bures. The other rooms all open out onto the beach, and deluxe rooms include a private plunge pool. Carefully designed to replicate the look of a traditional Fijian village, the individual huts are made with natural materials and decorated with unique pieces of furniture and art from the South Pacific. The dark, warm, patterned wood in the bedrooms creates an inviting and cosy sanctuary to rest your head. The bathroom is indulgently large with a duo of sinks complete with personalised his-and-hers toiletries by Pure Fiji. There is a powerful rain shower inside and a second shower outdoors. In the living area an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne awaited our arrival and on the bed there were complimentary branded sarongs and a Likuliku survival kit of essentials (suncream, aftersun, natural insect repellant and lip balm).

The small Tatadra spa offers couples a chance for total relaxation with four treatment rooms looking out to the water. Choose a treatment to sooth sunburn, a brightening facial or a gentle aromatic massage using homemade oils. The softly spoken therapists will remedy any aches and pains, serve hot herbal tea, and encourage you to relax in the sea view lounge.

Fiji is not often praised for its culinary efforts, so I was extremely impressed to taste the superior food at Likuliku’s Fijiana restaurant. Australian Executive Chef, Shane Watson, was with the hotel when it opened and has recently returned to the kitchen. His food is creative and exciting, with a focus on flavour and he utilises any produce he can grow on the island.

As a guest on an isolated island, the options for mealtimes are limited, and so it makes sense that all food is inclusive in the room rate. I found myself looking forward to every meal, to taste Shane’s latest dishes. At breakfast I always indulged with light and fluffy, freshly made buttermilk pancakes with apple & vanilla compote, honeycomb and mascarpone, but the speciality mud crab omelette is also a must try. From the buffet there are numerous appetising treats to choose from including a make-your-own juice bar, assorted pastries and fresh young green coconut juice. Lunch plates were light and tasty, and the recipes often have an Asian twist. My favourite was the charcoal grilled chicken with green papaya, cherry tomatoes and toasted shallots.

There are two bars to choose from, but most guests choose to sit at the jetty to enjoy an evening cocktail, I recommend the refreshing coconut mojito. When the sun begins to set guests sit down for dinner under the stars. The mood is romantic and the staff ensure it always feels like an occasion. My most memorable dishes were: Chargrilled Beef Tenderloin with mushrooms and sauce bordelaise; rich and fragrant Pork Belly Red Curry; and Miso White Chocolate Panna cotta with poached rhubarb. All the ingredients are wonderfully fresh with premium meat, and fish straight out of the sea. Needless to say, it is impossible to eat badly at Likuliku. All meals are accompanied by talented live band playing affecting local tunes and lilting traditional songs.

The hotel is happy to organise activities and excursions within the resort or further afield. I had an unforgettable morning island hopping with Likuliku. The boat picked us up at 7am before zooming off into the sunrise. We visited nearby Modriki island, known best as the island where the Tom Hanks movie ‘Castaway’ was filmed. From 30 metres out we swam to the deserted beach and our dedicated guide Tasi climbed the coconut trees to gather our fresh breakfast. If you prefer to stay on site, take a medicine walk with Joe to learn about the natural remedies, or borrow a snorkeling kit and go out in the beautiful lagoon to see the colourful sealife, you may even spot a friendly reef shark.

Likuliku completely won over my heart. Unlike many Fiji island resorts, this hotel benefits from a quiet and calm lagoon, creating a tranquil and tidy beach. The luxurious offering is unpretentious and immersive, so guests will feel immediately distanced from all the constraints and stresses of normal life. In my opinion this is the perfect desert island to be stranded on.

Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled to Likuliku with South Sea Cruises ferry. Boats run three times a day to Malolo Island. (Between 55-120 minutes from Nadi, dependent on route).

More information and book a stay at Likuliku Lagoon here.

Malolo Island Resort, Fiji

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Malolo Island Resort is found on the island of the same name. This part of the island has a picturesque beachfront, strong winds and colourful sunsets, which gives the island its name, ‘island of the resting sun’. As you step of the boat, seaplane or helicopter, you will be greeted with a traditional Fijian welcome song and a homemade shell necklace will be placed around your neck.

Outside there was space to relax on the verandah and hammock, or splash about in our stretch of ocean. The cottage felt remote and removed from the main facilities. Inside the bright white interiors, which have been designed by Victoria Wood, felt suitably natural and fresh. The King sized bed was luxuriously comfortable and the bathroom was in perfect working order with a set of Pure Fiji coconut toiletries.

There are several food options at Malolo. A buffet breakfast is on offer every morning at Terrace restaurant, including a make-your-own juice bar and a made-to-order egg station. Tasty snacks can be enjoyed for lunch at the Beach Bar, looking out to sea. My highlights included grilled peri-peri chicken, salt and pepper squid, and fresh seasonal salads. For evening meals there are two options to choose from, Terrace Restaurant, or the more formal, Treetops Restaurant. On my final night, I had a standout dinner at Treetops that included the finest grilled seafood platter and Tasmanian 40-day aged beef.

Primarily though, this hotel caters for families. The staff are excellent with younger guests and there are facilities for every age group. There are separate adult and kids pools and thoughtful daily activities. While the kids are learning Fijian traditions at the kids club, parents can indulge at Leilani’s spa. The massage beds are tucked away in rustic huts exposed to nature, so you can hear and smell the sounds of the island while you let the therapists sooth your muscles with Fijian coconut oil.

Every Saturday at sunset there are Management Drinks for all guests and staff, with local rum punch, Meke dance entertainment provided by the Cubi Island Dance Troupe, and a traditional Lovo feast (buffet of fish and meat, slow roasted while wrapped in banana leaves in an earth oven under hot rocks). This cooking style gave the meat and seafood a lovely, smoky flavour.

Many guests spend their whole holiday in the resort unwinding on the beach and enjoying the sea activities and watersports. But if you do want to experience something unique, the hotel are happy to arrange special island hopping trips and visits to see more of the Fijian way of life. I experienced a humbling trip to the nearby village, Yaro, which is home to many members of the hotel staff. Here you can visit the junior school and join in with a lesson, buy jewellery and souvenirs from the local women, and take part in a ritualistic kava drinking ceremony.

Malolo Island Resort is close enough to the mainland to make it easily accessible for families and couples alike, but far enough removed to give guests a blissful desert island experience.

More information and book a room here.

Thalatta Seaside Hotel, Greece

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Evia is the second largest island in Greece but is often overlooked as most tourists favour the smaller, more developed destinations. Just a two hour drive from Athens, Evia is more popular with the Greeks, as a quiet escape from busy city life on the mainland. Although Evia does not have an airport, it is easily reachable by road, and it is a scenic drive through the island.

Thalatta Seaside Hotel is located on the north-east side of Evia in a small fishing village called Agia Anna. The thoughtfully designed hotel has been open for seven years, but is so well kept that it appears new. The young owner has carefully chosen materials and features that complement the unspoilt natural surroundings. After a short stint in chaotic Athens, I felt my mood instantly calm as I stepped inside the stylish but simple hotel.

On the Greek islands the season most often starts in early May, so we were among the first of the year to be checked in. There are some advantages to picking low season for your Mediterranean holiday, we were lucky to be upgraded to the top Thalatta suite and relished the privacy and the chance to splash about in our very own swimming pool.

Our spacious suite had room enough for a whole family with a separate lower floor that we didn’t even use. The main open plan room was minimalist and comfortably decorated in muted shades of grey and green with plenty of natural light thanks to the floor to ceiling windows. Complementary wifi allowed me to work in the lounge area of the room, which also had a smart sofa and stylish rocking chair. The outdoor spaces included a small balcony overlooking the pool and large decking area which had enough sun loungers for a party of ten. The bathroom was functional with a powerful shower, though I found it quite dark and was disappointed not to find a bathtub.

We were incredibly well looked after during our stay at Thalatta, the staff were genuinely friendly and kindly assisted us with every need or desire. The lovely and knowledgeable Aris drove us around, explaining the local sites and talking to us about the Greek way of life. Dimitri, guest relations manager, is a fun and happy guy, always a pleasure to see and chat to around the property. I was also impressed with mixologist George and the charming Maître d’ who looked after us during mealtimes.

During the summer months there are various restaurant options, although these were limited during our stay in May. We ate breakfast and dinner each day at the main hotel restaurant, Asado. The set menu in the evenings showcased fresh local ingredients and traditional Greek dishes. The food tasted good and it was clear to see that the chef took pride in the plates he was sending out. The meat and fish courses were accompanied with delicious, refreshing local white wine. I will definitely be looking out for Greek wines back in London.

Our gourmet highlight was lunch on the beach at the hotel’s social seafood eatery, Meze. Here, with your feet in the sand, you can sample the freshest fish, grilled to perfection. We were presented with tender octopus and crispy battered calamari. We also tasted a range of vegetarian small dishes, typical Greek salad and moreish handcut chips.

Guests can choose to relax by the pool, or by the sea on the pebble beach. Pick a book from the clever beach library, craftily hidden within the wall. When we tired of sunbathing we took the hotel bicycles out for a ride along the beach and into the quaint nearby village. We also took an afternoon trip with Aris to see some sights on the island. First stop was Drimona Waterfall where we swam in crystal clear waters. Next we saw the 16th century chapel in the Monastery of St David, up the hills and surrounded by goats – it was a mesmerising place to experience. Finally a quick stop in Limni town, a favourite with tourists in summer.

On a cooler evening we visited the boutique Life spa at the hotel. Here the wellness team look after you, tending to all your pampering requirements. We enjoyed a thorough body massage which used different massage techniques to de-stress each muscle in the body, relieving tension and strain. The therapist worked relentlessly on my back and shoulders to knead out the persistent knots, and left my body feeling much more balanced. There is also a gym and hair salon should you need it.

We left Thalatta by boat, setting sail across the tranquil sea to visit the island of Skiathos. The hotel is able to arrange a variety of day trips aboard this stunning sail boat, allowing guests to see another aspect of Greece’s natural beauty.

Thalatta Seaside Hotel (www.Thalattahotel.gr, +30 210 3615844) offers 5 nights in a Superior Sea View Room on a B&B basis from £575, (based on 2 people sharing).