Safari Lodge

Our family has spent a great week at Safari Logde. Warren waited at Ellington wharf at 2AM to bring us over to the beautiful island. We stayed first in one of the rooms at the hill. Very spacious and clean, pretty basic but with a spectacular view. For the 2nd half of our holiday one of the 3 fabulous beachfront family bures was available. Karla cooked everyday different, mainly vegetarian meals which was a very refreshing change to the regular indian curry or fried dishes you normally get in Fiji. Staff was very nice and tried to help wherever they could, vinaka. Warren, a former windsurf pro, lives for more than 30 years in Fiji and really knows the place. He takes kiters/wingers for 3-5 hour trips to distant reefs and makes long downwinders, always following with his yellow boat. If you would like to have lessons he takes you to a perfect learning place. For the ones that are not into windsport the island has many other things to do like great snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, sup or just relax in one of the many hammocks. Our kids enjoyed every day. The island has no roads so you can let them loose without worrying.

This was by far the worst place I have ever stayed in! On arrival at the wharf we were asked to wait an hour to be picked ked up. We were taken to a house where we were to get the boat and sat in a filthy back yard. After an hour we were told to wait another hour. This should have been a warning of the horror that was to come! We arrived at Safari Lodge in the early afternoon, to be honest my heart sank. The whole place is run down, dirty and it felt like being in the middle of a reclamation yard. The accommodation was actually dangerous! One bure didn't have a toilet, the others main window was literally falling out and last only had half a balcony railing. Steps were broken, taps were broken, windows were badly cracked, it was filthy and the whole place was covered I rubbish. Empty bottles, cans, food wrappers and toilet roll holders littered the entire place. The water cut off the power went out and it was still out when we left. If we could have left the minute we arrived we would have. I asked about the food and worryingly there was nothing planned. As we were the only guests I think that's slightly alarming. The kitchen, fridges in particular, are just disgusting. There was even a cockroach in one of them. The dining area is a complete mess and anything but inviting. I contacted Warren as soon as we arrived, he wasn't at the resort, and I'm still waiting for a response to my request for a refund. I seriously wouldn't consider going unless you are on the run from someone!

We scheduled our arrival with Warren, the owner of the Safari Lodge, days in advance, and, at his request, phoned him when we were in Tavua, an hour away. I advised Warren our arrival time at his designated wharf was 5:11 pm. He asked to pick us up at 5:30 pm. At 6:04 pm, when he neither arrived nor called, I called him. With no apology, Warren said he was leaving then. When it became pitch dark and his boat still didn’t arrive by 6:13 pm, we left and went to another resort for the evening. We were being bitten alive by bugs and were hungry. Warren called us at 6:22 pm, saying he was at the wharf, again without apology for his lateness. When we told him we left, he asked us if we wanted to come to his resort anyway saying he didn’t realize that the tide was so low. Phew - we were thrilled we weren’t in his boat going to the island with him - who owns an island resort and doesn’t know the tides and the effect upon his ability to ferry clients safely! Since this debacle, we realized Google reviews should be read as they capture the problems almost EVERYONE seems to have with Warren.

The worst host I have ever had to deal with. I would avoid this place at all costs. Wind was terrible, accomodation dirty and the place was not good at all. I would go elsewhere at all costs for your kiting needs