Western Division Holidays from AU$1,538

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I honestly cannot rate my stay at Papageno Resort in Kadavu highly enough. As a backpacker on a budget, staying here was a very special treat for me, and it exceeded every expectation. Every single member of the staff, without exception, was incredibly friendly, caring, and genuinely focused on making sure I had the best possible experience. Their warmth and kindness made such a difference, and I truly felt welcomed throughout my stay. I’m also a keen amateur birder and had read great things about the resort beforehand — it certainly did not disappoint. The location is absolutely perfect: peaceful, beautiful, and surrounded by stunning nature. The food was amazing every day — beautifully cooked, thoughtfully presented, and always delicious. My bure was gorgeous, spotlessly clean, comfortable, and felt very special to stay in. I’m extremely grateful to everyone there for giving me such an unforgettable experience. It’s something I will remember forever. I will be recommending Papageno to everyone I know, and I truly hope that one day I’ll be lucky enough to return. Vinaka vaka levu.

Highly recommend for a peaceful, quiet, comfortable tropical getaway where the staff is highly attentive and will go the extra mile to make their guests happy.

This was a great place to use as a base for exploring the southern region of Vanua Levu. My bure (hut) had a complete kitchen and a good-sized living area. The resort is on the beach, although swimming there only works at high tide (there is a separate swimming lagoon available). There is snorkeling once you get to a dropoff a ways off the beach. While the hotel doesn't have a stand-alone restaurant, they will bring local-style meals direct to your bure if ordered in advance. Gene, the genial host, has plans to expand the place, but at this point there is a very intimate feeling to the small resort.

I do not recommend staying here at all. Our experience was absolutely terrible, and the biggest concern was the roaches crawling all over the food and dining areas. It was extremely unsanitary, and after seeing that, I refused to eat. To make matters worse, my friend asked for a glass with ice, and underneath the ice there was black debris and a piece of straw at the bottom of the glass. That was completely unacceptable and raised even more concerns about cleanliness. I also booked a massage shortly after we arrived, and unfortunately, that experience was just as disappointing. The towels used during my massage were stinky, oily, and dirty, and it honestly did not seem like they had been changed. The massage therapist was also discreetly on her phone throughout much of the massage. She would take long pauses, and when I was lying face up, I could see around the towel placed over my eyes and actually saw her using her phone. We had originally booked a 5-night stay, but we left on the second day because we simply could not stay there any longer. Unfortunately, we lost money because we were not refunded for the remaining nights. We were traveling with friends, and everyone in our group had the same terrible experience. At the last minute, we had to book rooms at the Radisson Blu, which was a completely unexpected and unplanned expense. Had I known our experience at Beachcomber would be anything like this, I never would have stayed there in the first place. Don’t get mislead