Paradise, upgraded: what’s new and next in Fiji

Fiji has long enjoyed a reputation for barefoot luxury – a tropical escape enhanced by a suite of prestige hotels and resorts. On the back of recent openings, that reputation is soaring even higher, and more are on the way. 

It’s great timing too, as travellers from Australia, New Zealand and North America can’t get enough of Fiji’s palm-fringed beaches and forested hills. This trio alone accounts for over 80% of visitors, and numbers continue to swell. 

Given it’s a breezy 3-4 hour flight from Australia and New Zealand to Nadi, from which Los Angeles, San Francisco or Vancouver are only a single hop, it’s easy to see Fiji’s enduring appeal as a relaxing stopover on the way to or from North America.

In fact, Fiji is ideally set up for stopovers, particularly around Nadi and the Coral Coast – unlocking local culture, natural beauty and plenty of luxe resorts, all within a short drive of the airport.

Some recent hotel additions are suited for exactly that, while others just further afield deliver your classic week-long getaway.

What’s new in Fiji

Leading the way is Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa, which is in the final stages of a significant refurbishment. 

You might remember it as the former Pullman Nadi Bay, though you likely wouldn’t recognise it.

The Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa.

Visitors received a first glimpse of its makeover in April, when the first of 324 rooms opened for bookings, alongside 10 impressive bar and dining options, including a signature Italian restaurant and speakeasy-style whisky bar.

More than 60 new two-bedroom family rooms and 16 oceanfront suites will be ready for check-in by the end of the year, along with a host of features you’d not usually associate with the Crowne Plaza brand – such as a nightclub, seven pools, a beach club and the luxurious Mareqeti day spa. 

Relax and unwind at the Crowne Plaza Nadi Bay's beach club.

Best of all, it’s just 5km from Nadi Airport on Wailoaloa Beach, meaning you can step off the plane and slip into relaxation in no time – something very handy for stopovers. 

Not to be outshined, Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort on the Coral Coast at Sigatoka emerged from a multi-million dollar transformation of its own last December.

Among the many enhancements are new Premium Ocean View rooms with butler service, upgraded bures, a twisty water slide, and swathe of exhilarating experiences, like a 2.5-hour tour to the Sigatoka Sand Dunes.

Taste the suite life of beachside luxury at the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort.

The refurb also saw the addition of Outrigger Adventure Park, where guests can get active with paintball, archery and a golf driving range, or slow things down with ‘sip and paint’ led by Fijian artists. There’s even a virtual reality experience. 

And if the Royal Davui Island Resort has slipped under your radar, that could be because it’s not your typical family-friendly Fijian resort. 

Instead, the Royal Davui is an exclusive ‘adults only’ haven where all guests must be aged 16 or over, with a strict limit of 32 guests for the bungalows and villas include open-air showers, an air-conditioned ‘sleeping pavilion’ and a private plunge pool.

The Royal Davui Island Resort is a private adults-only island limited to just 32 guests.

Another adults-only option is Waya Island Resort, in the Yasawas north west of Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu – and it’s got an interesting story to tell. 

Though opened in 2023, the resort had actually been in the works for more than a decade, with its owner taking a slow, considered approach to both landscaping and design.

Waya Island Resort nestles into and embraces the landscape.

When it finally welcomed its first guests last year, long after an originally-planned 2019 debut came and went, plantings were already exceptionally advanced, making it look and feel as if it’s always been there. 

Capped at 34 guests, the 17 bures are scattered along the shoreline of rugged Waya Island, with green hills and rocky volcanic peaks an impressive backdrop. 

Private picnics, snorkelling and visits to local villages are just a few of the ways to fill your days. 

Coming soon to Fiji

Opening in early 2025, The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa is breathing new life into its 255 guest rooms, multiple restaurants and public areas – and it’s shaping up to be a vastly different experience. 

Lighter, brighter and more refined, the new look sees Fijian culture, artworks and design take centre stage, while also embracing more natural finishes of timber and stone.  

2026 will see the opening of the Radisson Blu Mirage Resort at Fiji’s Naisoso Island, just five minutes from Nadi International Airport.

Beachfront and quay-front apartments with up to three bedrooms will be complemented by a trio of beachfront swimming pools, three restaurants – with one perched atop the roof, perfect for those tropical evenings – plus a ‘sunset bar’ to close the day with a cocktail.

Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa's ultra-luxury Vatu Talei is slated to open in late 2026.

A little further down the track, the neighbouring Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa is readying a dramatic expansion of its own, with an ultra-luxury offering dubbed Vatu Talei – The Jewel – expected to open in late 2026. 

Positioned alongside Sofitel, it’ll feature 190 rooms and suites, rooftop bars and the largest pool in Fiji – four times the size of current record holder, replete with water slides and a serene lazy river. 

Novotel Nadi is also primed for an upgrade starting later this year, with even more hotels to open over the coming decade, including the jaw-dropping Namuka Bay Resort. 

Finally, the Rydges Wailoaloa is taking shape at Wailoaloa Beach, with the crescent-shaped low-rise resort embracing a beach famed for its soft white sand, crystal clear waters and abundant marine life; bookings should be open from late 2026.

For more inspiration or to book your next Fiji holiday, visit fiji.travel.

This article was produced in collaboration with Tourism Fiji.