“Pretty little eco-resort that feels like a homestay”

Very quiet little resort - only 2 units, I was the only guest at the time - in beautiful surroundings. Accommodation was airy, spacious and spotless. Excellent home-cooked meals, attentive hosts and cheerful service. Sharon also helped in booking activities and transport.

“Very pleasant stay and very accommodating host”

Clean accommodation and very friendly staff. The owners Sharon, Grant, and the property workers Amelia and Poule went out of their way to make our stay very pleasant. Thank you

“A perfect weekend away in a beautiful setting.”

The setting was gorgeous, the food was incredible - banana jam at breakfast was a sensation- everyone was really friendly and very helpful when organising tours. I really appreciated the airport pick up and drop off too. Of course, the beautiful Moana was exceptional at her meet and greet duties :)

“Memorable, luxurious private stay in jungle retreat with great personal service”

Stunningly villa. Very spacious. Gorgeous design, classily done. Lovely terrace with superb view. Tucked away, about 100m above sea level, in the lushness of Taveoni. Comfy bed, great wet room. Really excellent food, reasonably priced. Sharon, Grant and team provided a super service. A great base for seeing the island, just. Nice beach and cafe/restaurant half a mile down the hill, airport only a further mile. A car, really a 4x4, makes it much easier to get around, but don’t get one if you are nervous of driving up steep rough tracks. Sharon and Grant can organise that or any trips for you. The Bouma waterfalls walk (4 miles there and back, uphill) & the Lavena coastal walk and waterfall (6 mikes there and back) two excellent separate days with lovely swimming. Plus snorkelling off the reef and we went to the church service in town. A great 4 nights here. Not like staying in a hotel, there’s only two units. Highly highly recommend.

“A perfect holiday on a beautiful island spent in superb accommodation.”

Exceptional accommodation. Wonderful hosts who went out of their way to ensure you had a great holiday. Delicious and imaginative meals using home grown produce and freshly caught fish. All in all perfect.

“A very happy visit!”

Right from the initial booking, Sharon & Grant were actively communicative and offered helpful recommendations on preparing for our stay. Arrival could not have been smoother thanks to a pre-arranged lift from the airport, and we received a traditionally warm welcome at the retreat. The best complement we can offer is that being at Vakanananu felt like staying with good friends. Sharon & Grant were genuinely invested in us having a great stay and went out of their way to ensure this happened, without ever imposing. This was typified by Grant scouting a route out for the kayak at low tide ahead of time so we could make the most of the last day before our flight - thanks again! The food was delicious throughout - we never felt the need to dine elsewhere in the evening, as would be our usual habit - and the service was warm and attentive (Moana included). Loloma bure was perfectly equipped for our needs and we particularly enjoyed the spacious walk in shower, but the view over the Somosomo strait at sunset was the real winner here! We could not recommend a stay at Vakanananu retreat more highly!

“Welcoming, beautiful and very relaxing.”

Very private location set in beautiful grounds. The owners and staff were all so attentive and friendly. We loved the warm welcomes, beautiful food and the happy go lucky way of life at Vakanananu. Our room was perfect with lots of space, and everything we needed for exploring the island or staying in and relaxing.

“If Heaven was a place on earth - Also Moana is the cutest!”

From the moment we arrived on Taveuni we were greeted by Aj our incredible, knowledgeable and kind Taxi driver who shuttled us to Paradise... I mean Vakananu Retreat. Upon arrival we were greeted by Grant, Sharon, their adorable pooch Moana and the Amazing Staff who serenaded us and presented us with traditional garlands. We were treated like family and felt at home the entire time we stayed, I can't understate just how welcome we were. Grant and Sharon have created a slice of heaven here on earth and this is reinforced by the admiration, respect and love that the locals and residents on Taveuni have for them both, they have put so much back into the community and uplifted everyone that they have come into contact with they are a prime example of "High tide raising every ship" in that their success is everyones. We would happily fly another 26hrs to stay here again. As a side note, thanks to the recommendations of Grant and Sharon my partner and I got engaged while here, we will always be eternally grateful to both of them for creating the perfect setting for love.

“A very clean modern stay that captures the unique Taveuni Island culture. Worth the extra light to get there.”

Beautiful setting with manicured grounds amidst gorgeous natural surrounds. Great views from your balcony to the sea. Fully equipped kitchen and very spacious. Breakfast was fabulous and plentiful. Dinner , if you choose to have it in the very cute dining area was varied and of high quality. Nothing was too much trouble for the hosts/owners Sharon and Grant who were great in organise daily trip adventures like snorkeling or hiking on this beautiful garden island.

“Lovely place to stay in Taveuni”

Everything is so great! Sharon and her family is very warm hearted, spacious room with kitchen, all kinds of tea coffee snakes fruits were served, Big balcony with good Mt and sea view.

“Vakanananu Retreat is more of an experience than just accommodation. Sharon is a great host, she has a fantastic team. T”

“Vakanananu Retreat is more of an experience than just accommodation. Sharon is a great host, she has a fantastic team. T”

“Vakanananu Retreat is more of an experience than just accommodation. Sharon is a great host, she has a fantastic team. T”

“Vakanananu Retreat is more of an experience than just accommodation. Sharon is a great host, she has a fantastic team. T”

“Magical!”

We loved absolutely everything: insanely beautiful view, very well designed 'tree-house-like' eco-friendly house, and most of all - the owner and the staff. Sharon and her staff went above and beyond to ensure we're comfortable and to make our stay as magical and hassle-free as possible. The property is located in (very subjectively) better part of Taveuni, close to the airport (but you can't really hear the planes), near a really nice golden sand beach with large reef for snorkelling, and good access to all key attractions. I also loved that the meal plan/dinners were not compulsory like in many other hotels in Fiji. It's so nice to eat outside and there's a lovely restaurant with a beach/sunset view 10min walk away down the hill.

Amazing villa, amazing hospitality - our expectations were all surpassed. Sharon and her team did everything to make us feel welcome, supported us to book tours & experience the beauty of Taveuni. The villa & views are in reality even more cosy then the picture shows. The food was excellent and fresh, we particularly enjoyed the local Fiji menu.

“Fabulous!”

We had a fabulous holiday at Sharon and Grant’s bungalow. Lovely views and sunsets. Sharon is an excellent and innovative cook and her meals were one of the highlights of our stay. Don’t miss the Fijian dinner if it’s on! Freshly caught fish and fruit and vegetables from the garden are key ingredients. There are many enjoyable activities that Sharon helped us organise including fishing and birdwatching (both with expert local guides), diving (rainbow reef was beautiful) and a visit to Bobby’s Farm (run by a colourful local conservationist who gives a fascinating and entertaining tour of local plants, birds and foods). A good reef for snorkeling is a 10 minute walk down the hill off the beach. There are also local restaurants within walking distance. Sharon was quick to offer us lifts up and down the hill but we enjoyed the walk. Sharon and Grant are very friendly and kind as are the people employed at the retreat and we’d love to come back for another visit.

We had a wonderful stay at Vakanananu. It is one of the most beautiful places we have ever stayed. Sharon and Grant are excellent hosts, very helpful and friendly. Sharon makes really nice breakfast, next to something savoury you will get local fruits that makes you spoiled for the rest of your life!! The kitchen has everything what you need, we really liked cooking our own dinner and eating at the veranda during the sunset.

“The best place to stay in beautiful Taveuni!”

Beautiful views all over, very peaceful place to be. The whole apartment is eco-friendly and sustainable. Sharon and Grant were the most helpful hosts for anything we needed. Special shout out to Peni who took the best care of us during our stay.

“A perfect stay”

My stay at Sharon and Grant's was perfect from a to z. The villa is very well furnished, decorated, everything is clean and good quality, the view is beautiful. Sharon is an amazing cook, the breakfasts were incredible. They did everything to make my stay perfect, and organized my activities on Taveuni. Thank you also to Penny for his great care and massage :)! Sote tale!