A Magical Fijian Family Holiday Nanuku Auberge Resort
We have just returned from an incredible Fijian family holiday. It was the first time our kids had travelled outside Australia and we split our stay across two beautiful hotels. Below we share all the details from our stay at Nanuku Auberge Resort at Pacific Harbour.
Nanuku Auberge
The Chief’s arrival set the scene.
As we pulled into Nanuku Auberge we could see five traditionally dressed Fijian Warriors awaiting our arrival. A tray of Nanuku branded coconuts was offered to us as we disembarked the car and our bags were swiftly taken to our villa.
Drums rolled and horns rang out as we were escorted down to the poolside for a photo.
“Welcome home” the Warriors declared as we admired our surroundings.
We were all hungry after the two-hour transfer from Fiji Marriott, so after meeting the kids’ nannies, Ima and Tem, Meri in Reservations invited us to sit and enjoy lunch, our first taste of Nanuku’s exquisite cuisine.
The warm welcome continued when we were taken to our villa to check-in and we discovered that our private pool had been personalised with our name! What a way to feel at home!
Accommodation
Nanuku Auberge is an ultra luxe resort with just 18 villas, all with private pools and all sitting right on the Pacific Ocean.
Each villa includes a Villa Mumma (housekeeper), a Villa Buddy to take care of excursions and activities, and Nannies for children aged 0-5 (or Buddies for children aged over 6).
We were upgraded to an oceanfront pool villa for our 4-night stay; a 2-storey villa complete with private pool and jacuzzi.
It was absolutely spectacular with beautiful Fijian décor and was so spacious for our family of four. It even had a cinema room and popcorn machine, which the kids made good use of after dinner each evening.
Alex admiring the Coconut Weather Station.
Sai our Villa Mumma made adorable towel animals for the kids.
Dining
Nanuku Auberge is an all-inclusive resort with all meals and select non-alcoholic beverages included in the rate. The cuisine is world-class. The chef’s place emphasis on using fresh and local produce and each and every meal that we enjoyed at the hotel was exquisite.
Breads and pastries are baked fresh each morning; at breakfast, each table is presented with a basket of freshly baked goodies as well as a fruit platter. All dietary requirements are catered for and I enjoyed gluten-free muffins and breads each day.
Breakfast and lunch are both A La Carte - the Corn and Cassava Hash with poached eggs was my favourite dish off the breakfast menu and the Prawn Salad and the Local 'Catch of the Day' were highlights from the lunch menu.
At dinner the menu changes daily, with three choices for Entrée, Main and Dessert.
The cuisine is truly some of the best we have enjoyed around the world.
The kids were extremely well catered for - at lunchtime, they had a choice of 6 options for their main course, as well as 3 options for dessert. And at dinner the kids’ menu changed daily, with two choices each evening.
Pools
The stunning main infinity pool is directly in front of the Club House overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The main jacuzzi is adjacent to the pool.
Each villa comes with private pool and jacuzzi, ensuring the main pool is never crowded.
The Warriors preparing for the Torch Lighting Ceremony.
Activities
Where to start! There is so much to see and do at Nanuku.
For the less adventurous there are lawn games, as well as a daily activities schedule including cultural experiences. The daily torch lighting ceremony is an absolute highlight, with guests invited to enjoy a cocktail as they sit and watch the ceremony. When weather permits the Warriors even take a raft across the pool to light the torches.
All non-motorised water sports are included in the room rate, and Pete and I enjoyed a fantastic morning sailing with our Villa Buddy Josh on our final morning.
There are also many tours available including the half-day and full-day island tours to Nanuku Island, Nanuku Auberge’s private island located 18km away from the resort.
We booked a half-day tour to the island and this was without a doubt the highlight of our Fiji holiday.
A 25-minute speedboat ride and short jet-ski later saw us disembark at Nanuku Island.
The kids were SO excited for this trip and absolutely loved their time on the island. The water was crystal clear and the conditions were perfect for a day of swimming, snorkelling, kayaking and relaxing.
The kids' Nannies, Tem and Ima, accompanied us meaning Pete and I could snorkel and kayak knowing that the kids were safe and sound - building sandcastles, collecting crabs, shells and coconuts.
We enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch (Sushi, charcuterie and sandwiches) on the island and then returned by speedboat to Nanuku.
It was a truly magical day!
Kids Club
We couldn’t believe it when we realised upon check-in that our room included two Nannies, one for each of the kids. Tem and Ima were both fantastic with the kids.
After every meal (or sometimes part-way through!), Tem and Ima would appear like magic as soon as the children had finished eating and invite them to do an activity, enabling Pete and I to finish our meals which was such a treat!
In the evening the kids would go back to the villa with Tem and Ima for a movie and home-made popcorn, and on the final evening they even got to go searching for Frogs and conduct a frog race.
The LaiLai Adventure Club is a fantastic place for littlies where they can undertake arts and craft activities, puzzles, play table tennis, fussball or volleyball, and there is even a zip line for the adventurous. It is a wonderful facility, but our two didn’t spend much time there as they were happy to play on the beach, fly their Nanuku-gifted kites, or play in the lawn games area.
Verdict
Nanuku has stolen a piece of our family’s heart!
We cannot wait to return, in fact we were not long on the plane on our flight home when I started going through my diary to work out when we can next return!
Every single staff member that we met could not have been more warm, helpful or professional. From the gorgeous Meri in reservations who met us on arrival, to Sai our Villa Mumma who came in whenever we were out to refill the fridge or bring fresh towels, to Josh our water guru and Villa Buddy, to Isaac and Carolina for their Fijian hospitality in the restaurant, and all the other staff we encountered across the property. The staff make you feel as though you are part of the Nanuku family.
The farewell was just as memorable as the welcome. Serenaded at dinner on our final night and presented with a chocolate truffle plate, the songs continued into the morning as we were escorted onto our transfer by our new friends.
