We stayed at Kulu Bay Resort for one night and were aware that it would be quiet. The snorkelling off the beach was good, the location and beach are lovely. We like eating early so the meal times suit us.
So what went wrong? The food was truly terrible. We are polite people
but we could not eat the dish of cold spaghetti adorned with carrot and a grey piece of swordfish with freezer burn. The starter of pork wantons was luke warm and had an unpleasant texture and even the ice cream seemed past its freezer date, sugar and ice had separated at some point. We were given frozen glasses with our Fiji bitter which we eagerly poured and sipped until we realised that the glasses smelled strongly of fish. We negotiated an evening meal that we might
like; chicken, fried potatoes and veg and were a little taken aback to find flattened chicken thighs served up with not quite cooked fried potatoes and okra. The chocolate sponge pudding was served with
cold custard. Our breakfast omelette fared no better; it was hot but contained ham which we did not ask for and was quite possibly fried in the same fat as last nights chicken from the taste. Kula bay is billed as a 5 star resort with food to match. I love my food so, hungry , I took an objective look at things that were not quite 5 star about the rest of the resort.

The resort accommodation is lavish, but there are no facilities for tea and coffee or a fridge. Sitting inside is the best option to avoid the mozzies which yes, do inhabit Fiji but this resort more than most. I loved the towels specially imported from the USA but got
a little jaded reading the arch signs telling me not to steal them. The corner bath looked great but is at variance with more signs telling you to save water. The buildings although new are leaking and leaks do not enhance chipboard ceilings visually unavoidable because the build is traditional style even though the style stopped short at traditional materials and decorative finish. The porch swings are rusting and the glass windows need cleaning. This could be
such a lovely place with money spent on a chef , finishing the decor and staff training rather than Ralph Lauren towels, one of which I used to clean the light film of mould from the black leather sofa. There are other well run remote resorts with excellent food, genuine fijian buildings, swimming pools, well trained staff, flowers routinely placed everywhere, free snorkelling and good diving in the Fiji islands.

i spent a week at kulu in march of 07. i was part of a dive group that was staying at two hotels on the island. ive spent several years traveling the pacific. the staff couldnt have been more accommodating the rooms were clean and kept. even though i am on a dive trip i do care about the food thats served and it was above average, if you wanted seconds they gave it to you. as far as insects, they are all over the islands and thats life. the staff put out repellant candles at night and that took care of the mosquitoes. overall i wouldnt have a problem staying at this resort. also the diving was great except for the weather. dan, from california.

I booked our 7 night honeymoon at Kulu Bay because of its reasonable rates, friendly and prompt email communication (sometimes I received responses within minutes!), and several amazing reviews on TripAdvisor. Just before we left for our honeymoon in mid-November, I checked TA once again only to find that a couple of absolutely scathing reviews had recently been posted. I started freaking out that we were going to have a terrible time, especially when rumors of a coup started appearing on the news. Nevertheless, we began our 17+ hour journey from Maryland to Fiji, trying to remain hopeful.

We touched down in Nadi and were greeted by a friendly face from Kulu Bay Resort, who turned out to be an excellent tour guide as we drove from the airport to Pacific Harbour. Once there we encountered a bit of a mix-up – Kulu Bay staff had been told that we were getting married at the resort (we weren't) and wouldn’t be arriving until later, after we had picked up our marriage certificate. We had to wait a bit for our boat to Beqa Island, but it gave us a chance to stroll around lovely Pacific Harbour while our driver watched our bags. Then, our taxi driver kindly offered to drive us to the nearby Arts Village where we browsed some shops and bought drinks at the local grocery store. The boat was waiting for us when we returned.

At Kulu Bay Resort we were greeted with a wonderful song by the staff and introductions all around. We were shown to the “honeymoon” bure at the end (“for privacy”) and were very pleasantly surprised by our beautiful and spacious accommodations! Our bure was cleaned and straightened every day by friendly staff who even occasionally picked fresh flowers for our bathroom and living room! "The girls" often stayed to chat for a little while and we had some wonderful conversations on the front porch of our bure.

My husband and I were the only ones staying at the resort and we felt like we had the whole island to ourselves. Although there are several other small resorts and villages on Beqa Island, we only saw three other people during our walks on the beach! At first we were a little nervous, but we soon realized that we were probably at one of the safest places on earth. All of the staff live on the island and they return to their villages each night. However, one of the male staff lives at the resort and is there every night in case of an emergency.

We spent our days reading, swimming, taking long walks on the beach, collecting shells and watching the myriad hermit crabs and fish. We spent hours snorkeling and only had to swim about 30-50 feet out to find amazing coral and gorgeous sea creatures. It rained while we were there, but our roof never leaked and we were able to keep the windows open the entire time so our bure was always cool and filled with fresh air. We always had warm water in the shower and fresh bottles of Fiji water were left in our bure every day. The Pure Fiji bath products smelled heavenly, the towels were large and soft, and we were provided with two bathrobes.

My husband and I found every staff member to be kind and generous and eager to teach us about island life. We were encouraged to participate in the scheduled activities even though we were the only ones there and we learned some Fijian words and phrases, traditional mat weaving and meke dancing, and went on a hike. Our favorite activity was the village visit, though, where we met the chief and got a real introduction to island life. We enjoyed a kindergarten awards ceremony, a kava ceremony, music, dancing, and a feast! We felt honored that we were included so warmly. Oh, and we were told up front and before we left for our village visit that we would be asked for a small donation when there. Of course, we were happy to contribute!

As for the food, we found the majority of our meals to be delicious and the chefs were more than willing to honor special requests. The meals are posted in the main bure each morning, which gives guests ample opportunity to make changes. In addition to our pancakes, eggs, toast, etc. for breakfast, we received a delicious bowl of fresh papaya and banana. Lunch and dinner always included an appetizer, main entree, and dessert. Most, if not all, of the meals, with the exception of breakfast, included either fish or meat, but they were not repetitive. We enjoyed swordfish, tuna, beef, chicken, lamb, etc. They were all relatively simple, authentic dishes prepared with pride, and my husband and I always left the main bure feeling more than satisfied. On our last full day we were surprised with a table set for two on the front porch of our bure and we were served a lovely private lunch and dinner.

When we left Kulu Bay there were hugs all around and another wonderful song.

I would wholeheartedly recommend Kulu Bay Resort for those who want a simple, quiet, thoroughly relaxing vacation on a private island paradise. We will always treasure our memories of our perfect honeymoon.

The Kulu Bay Resort is a great find. The location is amazing, the staff are friendly, the rooms are clean, and the food is good. If you really want to get away from the world, this is the place to go.

I am a financial services professional from Los Angeles, and as you might imagine, I work insane hours and live a very fast-paced lifestyle. For my vacation, I really, really wanted to get away - no clocks, no TV, no internet, and best of all - no cell phone reception so nobody could make me work while I was trying to relax. This place had all I was looking for.

I am an avid traveler, and prefer posh accommodations. However, since I was going to a remote island, I did not expect a Four Seasons, and just wanted a clean room and bathroom with clean sheets and towels. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality and workmanship of the buildings, and really appreciated that all the furniture was not old and over-used. I have been to other small islands throughout the world that did not even have hot water - I was happy that I was able to take warm showers here.

Honestly, I find the 3 most recent reviews of the Kulu Bay Resort surprising. I do not have the same complaints. Granted, I didn't go to get married, so I can't say anything about the marriage license problem. However, I can say something about everything else. I have a feeling that the people who wrote those reviews do not travel often, and may not be open to learning about other cultures. That type of ethnocentrism is embarrassing for the rest of us U.S. citizens. When you travel to another country, you canNOT expect the same quality of food as you get at home. I liked the food at the resort because it had an authentic feel to it. It was cooked by native Fijians. If you want a great steak, go to Montana, not Fiji. Also, the cake is not "Betty Crocker" - if you cannot taste the difference between something made with a coconut milk base and something that is made with eggs and water, then I am at a loss of words for you. The staff are friendly, and enjoy getting to know visitors. If you don't want anybody to talk with you, then don't go to a country that has friendly people.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now. Bottom line - do your research before you take a vacation. If you want to go somewhere lively, meet other travelers, eat American food, and are attached at the hip to the latest technology, do not go to the Kulu Bay Resort. BUT, if you want a week to read books, take naps, swim, appreciate nature, spend genuine quality time with someone special, and best of all, be completely cut off from the world, the Kulu Bay Resort is the place for you.