Saunaka Holidays from NZ$2,169

I honestly cannot rate my stay at Papageno Resort in Kadavu highly enough. As a backpacker on a budget, staying here was a very special treat for me, and it exceeded every expectation. Every single member of the staff, without exception, was incredibly friendly, caring, and genuinely focused on making sure I had the best possible experience. Their warmth and kindness made such a difference, and I truly felt welcomed throughout my stay. I’m also a keen amateur birder and had read great things about the resort beforehand — it certainly did not disappoint. The location is absolutely perfect: peaceful, beautiful, and surrounded by stunning nature. The food was amazing every day — beautifully cooked, thoughtfully presented, and always delicious. My bure was gorgeous, spotlessly clean, comfortable, and felt very special to stay in. I’m extremely grateful to everyone there for giving me such an unforgettable experience. It’s something I will remember forever. I will be recommending Papageno to everyone I know, and I truly hope that one day I’ll be lucky enough to return. Vinaka vaka levu.

I’m very disappointed with my experience with Beachcomber Island Resort. I had a booking for 15–17 August which I had made because I was travelling to Fiji for a work meeting. Unfortunately, the meeting was postponed, meaning I could no longer travel on those dates. I contacted the resort and asked if they could provide a refund or, alternatively, a credit towards a future stay. I completely understood that my booking was non-refundable, and I was simply asking whether they could make an exception given the circumstances. The most frustrating part was the lack of communication. I waited 6 days for a response to my request and had to repeatedly follow up, including calling the resort because I wasn’t getting a reply. By the time I received a response, I had very little opportunity to do anything with the booking. Had they responded promptly, I could potentially have made alternative arrangements or even given the booking to someone else. Unfortunately, the resort ultimately refused to provide either a refund or a credit. What makes this particularly disappointing is that I had the exact same situation with another hotel in Fiji during the same week, and they were understanding and provided a refund without any issues. I understand that different hotels have different policies, but I feel there should be some level of customer service and flexibility when someone contacts you in advance and is willing to rebook in the future. I had actually intended to stay at Beachcomber

Wonderful place, ideal for a honeymoon or a relaxing vacation. Staff were amazing and made us feel like family, specially Silipa and Serai. Shout out to Jim (manager) which cares about customers and knows the names of most guests. Property is very well maintained and clean. Spa is great too. Coral reef and fish populations are very biodiverse. We will come back!

Dawn and the whole staff were fantastic. The whole island was set up for us to use at all times.

Clean rooms the house was absolutely perfect for our wedding group. We had some of the most amazing views and it was in a perfect location near the airport. An issues we had were dealt with immediately.