5 Best Hotels in Coral Coast, Viti Levu

Across the street from the ocean, the Bedarra has the cheerful atmosphere of people enjoying great value in a place where everyone knows their names. The bright rooms in the two-story L-shape miniresort have plentiful white-tile floor space, a king or two twin beds, a simple bathroom with ample counter space, and a balcony with seating. Rooms 17, 18, and 19 have views to the sea while the rest face the small pool; the two cheaper rooms are directly off the bar area. Guests become fast friends and this is a fantastic base for day trips to waterfalls, villages, and even the Mamanuca Islands. The café is good and the delicious Ocean Terrace Restaurant is excellent.

Gorgeous, modern bure, great cuisine, and an infinitely relaxing atmosphere make this secluded, Australian couple–owned boutique resort a choice escape. The airy, unconnected and ecofriendly units, designed by Australian architect Paul Uhlmann, have plantation mahogany floorboards, a king-size bed, and stylish, spacious bathrooms; each has a porch leading down to the sand. An elevated boardwalk winds past untouched rain forest to the dining room and bar, fronted by a pool, hot tub, and leather-covered lounge chairs. A boat and crew take surfers to two right-hand breaks with up to six-foot waves (a 10-minute boat ride away) or to renowned Frigates Pass, 20 km (12 miles) distant. Diving and day tours can be arranged. The all-inclusive meal plan features entrées such as chicken fillets stuffed with banana, excellent curries, and you won't see a menu repeated during your stay. Rates include round-trip two-hour transfers from Nadi. There is a three-night minimum.

Friendly, sincere staff and an authentic experience are the trademarks of this laid-back resort. All bure are spacious with generous porches: Deluxe Seasides are traditional wood-and-thatched-roof structures while nondeluxe are more modern with larger bathrooms. Seaview bure, the least expensive, are smaller but set back into the hillside where they offer better views and more privacy. A generous beach and pool are the focal points of most guests' stays and free fishing is a wink and a nod toward getting on "Fiji Time." The restaurant mixes à la carte nights in between theme buffets, including curry, lovo, Mongolian stir-fry, and BBQ nights. It's a considerable ride over a long ridge top from the main road: excursions are doable, but many guests only walk to the nearby village.

It won't win any design awards but then again, no one comes to this relaxing, mid-size resort to be blown away by anything, let alone decor. All bure are spacious and feature indoor and outdoor showers; stroll along the ocean wall and you'll see guests of the Oceanview bure pasted face down to lounge chairs on their private lawns. Frangipani bure are set farther back and have small porches. Kids sometimes take over the pool with its waterslide, but a kids' club keeps them busy outside of meal times. The spa, featuring a pair of outdoor treatment tables overlooking the ocean, is simple but it works. Kids under 12 stay and eat free from a certain menu at certain times and a full-buffet breakfast is included for all. Telling is the fact that there's one computer for guest-use and rarely anyone waiting in line.

A boutique hotel fashioned after a New Zealand good ol' boys club, Wellesley has style, luxury, and its crest imprinted on items from bathrobes to the lavish bedspreads. The European-style villas are spacious and comfortable with king-size beds; Premiums are a bit larger, with TVs and a two-seat table in the living area. When you aren't lounging by the pool, on the beach, or choosing a meal from the eclectic, reasonably priced menu, you might horseback-ride or go on a Pacific Harbour–based tour.