InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa

Description of hotel

The InterContinental is located on the best beach on the island of Viti Levu, called Natadola. It is a grand structure, looks very classy and is surrounded by villas. Built in 2009, there are 271 rooms, five restaurants, four swimming pools, a golf course and a range of rooms to choose from.

View of villas/bures from reception area

Grand entrance to the hotel

Getting there
It takes 40 minutes drive from Nadi International Airport.

Average prices
This hotel looked more expensive than others in the area. For one night for two adults, prices range from the King Bed Garden view at F$715 (A$384.90) to the Natadola Suite at F$3,745 (A$2016). We had one lunch meal here and it cost about F$29 (A$15.60) for an entree (e.g. calamari; fish).

Wedding Ceremony
The beach and chapel locations for the ceremony are just beautiful. It can be held at any time of the day. The chapel faces onto the bay, is air-conditioned and has the essentials available (speakers, lighting etc.).

View from inside chapel

Outside chapel on the lawn where you could have cocktails afterwards

This beach is outside the Navo Restaurant

Reception venues

The reception can be held at the Calma Beach Front which is a large area of tiles and sand out the front of the hotel. We were quite impressed by this setting as it faces the beautiful bay and would be under the stars. It is also right next to the chapel.

Where the bride and grown would enter for a reception under the stars

And this is a view of the reception area under the stars - it can be on the sand or tiles.
Behind is the reception building

Another option is the Navo Restaurant which faces onto a lawn and the bay. It needs to be exclusively booked, and a minimum of F$10,000 must be spent. This restaurant looked nice but was too big and roomy for 40 guests. If you have more guests (e.g. 80), this location would be good.

Navo Restaurant

Menus
We sampled the food at one of the restaurants and it tasted pretty good. A lunch standing buffet for the reception would cost F$50, canapes would range from F$35 for 4 canapes to F$60 for 10 canapes per person. Dinners range from:

• BBQ F$85-90
• Buffet F$90-100
• 3 course alternative set F$95

At the Navo Restaurant, food would cost F$100 per person. I did not get a quote on beverage costs and this is not included in the prices outlined above.

Sooo, if we were to have 40 guests at F$150 (A$80.75) to F$200 (A$107.65) including drinks, the final cost for food and drinks would be: A$3,200 - A$4,280.

Packages and discounts
There are three extensive wedding packages:

• Intimate wedding: F$6,000 (A$3,229) which is for the two love-birds only
• Wedding under the stars: F$15,000 (A$8074) which includes chapel hire, buffet dinner for 50 guests (food only) and three nights accommodation for bride and groom
• Navo Wedding Package: F$30,000 (A$16,149) which includes chapel hire, four course dinner at Navo Restaurant for 50 guests, five nights' accommodation for bride and groom and much more.

I haven't mentioned everything in these packages but you can get the details from the hotel.

Our overall rating
We were impressed by this hotel and you could definitely have a very swish wedding here. I don't think it would be affordable for our guests, however, and we would be reluctant to ask them to pay this much. Also, the prices for a wedding here are similar to what I would plan to pay in Australia.

Our ratings against our priorities are as follows:

• Scenic locations for the ceremony 10/10
• Scenic locations for reception 9/10
• Good food for the reception 7/10
• A good price for the wedding 4/10
• A good price for our guests' accommodation 1/10
• Not too far from Nadi airport 7/10
• A range of activities to keep everyone happy 7/10

Total score: 45/70 or 64%