This Fiji resort is a three-star place in a five-star location

The resort

Plantation Island Resort, Fiji

Reach the island by 50-minute ferry ride.

Check-in

It’s a leisurely 50-minute ferry ride from Port Denarau to Plantation Island Resort on Malolo Lailai Island. As we disembark, my kids squeal with delight as striped sergeant-majors dart in the milky blue water by the dock, and we’re met with the standard (but always satisfying) Fijian resort welcome of tropical drinks, shell necklaces and singing. There are a few dozen of us arriving on the ferry, and it becomes a bit impersonal as each party is beckoned by last name to deliver passports. However, it’s a temporary blip: the sun is warm, our room is just a short walk away, and it’s ready for us early. We’re in the water before we can unpack.

The look

Plantation Island has some of the best snorkelling in a country renowned for it.

Opened in 1969, Plantation Island isn’t as flashy as other resorts, and doesn’t try to be: instead, it’s consistently updating and transforming its main public areas with solid new dining, recreational and accommodation offerings suited to its target market.

A family favourite for decades (I chatted with one man on his 16th visit), you’ll find seven different room categories (currently, no accessible rooms are available), a hodgepodge of pools from different design eras and a few rough edges.

Not as flashy as some, but a bullseye for families.

However, along with enthusiastic staff, the island’s superpower is its incredible location: boasting a postcard stretch of white-sand beach, with an offshore reef system that is one of the most impressive I’ve ever snorkelled in Fiji.

The room

The split-level beachfront hotel room.

Our room is an upper-level beachfront hotel room overlooking Malolo Lailai Bay. The room is simple, with a small fridge and kettle, while many amenities such as a microwave can be hired for a nominal fee from reception. It’s worth mentioning there is no TV (we are relieved, but another family faced a full-blown rebellion from their kids over this). The room is open-plan and split-level, which means we end up hiding on the balcony when it’s bedtime for the kids. However, we have ample duty-free and mosquito repellent, and enjoy the opportunity to watch the tide roll in.

Food + drink

Tavola is one of the resort’s two a la carte restaurants.

The island’s popular half-board meal plan includes dinner or breakfast for adults (either buffet, or one a la carte course) and kids eat free when dining with adults. We eat most of our meals at Black Coral and Tavola, the resort’s two al la carte restaurants. Both are excellent, but they tend to book out days in advance for dinner service, so best to make reservations early. During the day, there’s the new Bata Bata milk bar for milkshakes, ice-creams and snacks and a small grocery store for basics as well as a BWS liquor store.

Out + about

Beachfront at Plantation Island.

What makes Plantation different to other family resorts in Fiji are its aquatic playgrounds: along with a giant inflatable playground moored in the resort’s lagoon, a new water park has opened featuring a slide, two trampolines and a jungle swing. Fishing, snorkelling and dolphin tours are available, as well as sunrise kayak tours, and you can also wander to the resorts next door for a meal. For those eager to take a date-night away from the kids, the resort offers a great babysitting program. Staff are paid a set rate directly by guests (a nice perk for staff).

The verdict

A three-star resort in a five-star location, Plantation isn’t for everyone, but it’s a bullseye for families thanks to the amazing staff, pristine house reef and excellent value food packages. With big effort being put into upgrading the resort, we can’t wait to go back.

The essentials

Starting rate for a garden room is $FJ600 ($400) a night; and a beachfront hotel room $FJ900 ($600) a night. Transfers on the Malolo Cat cost $FJ190 ($130) return for adults and $FJ95 ($65) for kids (malolocat.com). Check with the resort for kids-travel-free deals. Plantation Island, Malolo Lailai Island, Mamanucas, Fiji. Phone [phone]. See plantationisland.com

Highlight

The amazing offshore reef.

Lowlight

The outdated main buffet – stick to the restaurants.

Our rating

It might be a three-star-rated property, but we give it ★★★★

The writer stayed as a guest of Plantation Island and Tourism Fiji (fiji.travel)