Newly rebranded and completely reborn from its history as low-end backpacker’s accomodation, is Serenity Island in the beautiful Mamanuca Islands of Fiji. The Mamanuca Islands are home of some of the most incredible blue ocean views with some of Fiji’s finest luxury resort properties.
“Serenity Island” from the sky
But where does Serenity Island fall on the spectrum of luxury resorts of Fiji? Feelings are mixed.
No filter necessary (DJI Mavic)
Prior to arriving at Serenity Island, we were at the newly built Fiji Marriott Resort at Momi Bay. There, we enjoyed the trademark 5 star services of a brand new Marriott Property. Our lagoon view duplex bure is pictured below.
But back to the topic at hand. At Serenity Island, we were guests in a brand new beach front villa. The size of the villa adequate for our short stay on this island paradise, but it may become an issue for a long stay given the little available storage.
Beachfront Mocktails on our Villa’s Deck
The finish was on the low end and the bathrooms were a bit…sad. But for $200 a night expectations were definitely exceeded.
The Positives
New absolute beachfront private villas with uninhibited ocean views.
Beautiful Clear Waters for photographing, snorkelling and other water sports.
Private Island Experience - the island contains the one resort, and during our stay there were less than 10 other guests.
Surprisingly good restaurant with reasonable prices (especially for lunch);
Unbeatable Sunsets.
The Negatives
At the very least, some parts of the beach should be cleared from coral sharps.
Our first room had a unconscionable amount of bugs in it and the sheets were not cleaned. This was rectified the next morning but it was not a good opening night.
When we switched to the full board meal plan, we found that the portions got smaller and we were not allowed to order the lobster (even if we offered to pay the $3 different between that any the second highest priced option on the menu.) The pricing for the full board also did not make sense (significantly more expensive than ordering all meals ala carte).
Lounging on our villa’s deck
Would we return? Probably not. But if you want a private island experience visually similar to the Maldives without the hefty price tag, Serenity Island is a great start.