In the past several years a number of fine, boutique- style, upmarket properties have appeared on the scene. The competition is only increasing as new resorts pop up yearly. They cater to discriminating travellers who have experienced the clichè destinations and are ready for something new. Fiji's top-of-the-line hotels differ from the mass market operations in several ways. Generally they are smaller and more intimate (generally no more than 30 guests); geographically isolated (usually situated on a remote island); offer secluded bungalows rather than hotel rooms; provide very personalized service; and have above average cuisines. Figure on spending US$800 to US$2800 per day double occupancy.
Viti Levu Area
Vatulele is a resort on a jewel-like island of the same name. Located 32 km off of Viti Levu's Coral Coast, it has 19 luxury bures fronting 700 meters of white sand beach. Access to the island is via plane. The US$6 million property is on 60 acres and was developed by Henry Crawford, an Australian film maker whose projects have included the TV miniseries `A Town Like Alice'. The architecture has been described as a blend of Santa Fe and traditional Fijian styles - thick, whitewashed masonry walls and wooden shutters topped by a high Fijian thatched roof. The result is an airy, sun-washed effect. Food is reportedly terrific and one friend described Vatulele as an "epicurean summer camp for adults." A typical lunch might be scallops with curry lentils and 
fetuccini with parmesan.
It's gotten kudos from the the travel press and in past years was voted one of the 'Top 25 Small Hotels in the World' by Readers of Travel & Leisure. It has, among other amenities, a five star PADI diving facility which is unsual for such a small property. Dining is communal dining so you'll definitely have a chance to meet fellow travellers. For those who want privacy anyone can have private dining options for all meals. One thing that really appeals to me about Vatulele (in addition to the fact that guests can drink unlimited Veuve Clicquot champagne) is that the resort is located on an island where there's the possibility of real interaction with Fijians. Other very posh resorts, often located on private islands, tend to be rather sterile. However, with Vatulele you're on an island that still is a living, breathing Fijian community. Prices start at US$1521 per couple per night which includes private villa, meals, alcohol and all activities other than scuba diving.
The Wakaya Club, on Wakaya Island, is privately owned and situated in the Lomaiviti Group, a 45 minute plane ride from Nadi. The 9 bungalows are exquisite, 1500 sq ft structures. The bathrooms are huge with two sinks/vanities, a bidet and toilet, a very long bathtub and outdoor rock shower. There is a private garden in the back of the Bure and a front deck with two chairs and two lounges, a hammock in the trees in front (one for each bure) and two more lounges by the water. It also has the "Vale O", a three bedroom estate divided into three pavilions that can accommodate up to three couples. Then finally there's the Governor's Bure, which is the largest of the Fijian cottage suites. You get your own butler and laundry staff, chef and on-call driver. (Given that the island is incredibly small one wonders why you'd need a driver but I guess if you're wealthy enough to stay here, you're probably used to having your own chauffeur.) 
Food is excellent. A variety of fresh juices are available for breakfast and a fantastic number of breakfast dishes. According to one friend, quality, selection and presentation cannot be found anywhere in Fiji. Naturally, you pay for all this. Rates, which begin at US$1900 double occupancy (with five night minimum stay), cover all meals, beverages and use of the Club's extensive, first rate sporting facilities (golf played on a nine hole course); tennis courts; croquet; scuba diving, etc. (FYI, be prepared to spend another US$960 plane transfer, per couple, from Nadi Airport). The Wakaya Club is the brainchild of David Harrison Gilmour, whose Barrick Gold Corporation is listed on the Big Board. David has not only plowed plenty of his resources into the resort but has developed the entire island into a millionaire's hideaway. It is evident that much time and scrupulous attention to detail went into Club Wakaya. FYI, this is where Bill Gates spent part of his honeymoon and you do find stars like Michael Douglas or Tom Cruise showing up. My only issue with this scene is that because it is such a private, very elite place it's a bit on the sterile side. To see a Fijian Village you have to leave the island. Still, it is the veritable lap of luxury in Fiji. In 2004 the resort received the Andrew Harper Hideaway Report "Hideaway of the Year Grand Award".
Vanua Levu
Namale Resort, located 10 km from Savusavu on Vanua Levu (Fiji's second largest island) has been a coconut plantation since the 1860s. Tradition has it that the land (which is now a 325 acre estate) was originally purchased from the Fijian Chief Tui Na Savusavu for 10 guns. The property accommodates a maximum of around 30 guests at a time in 14 large bures and two large villas--the Bula House and the Tatadra House. Many of the bures are built adjacent to huge volcanic outcroppings and sculpted to fit into the landscape. Honeymoon Bures offer incredible oceanviews over the Koro Sea and include Jacuzzi bath tubs and an oceanview from your oversized bed or sofa.
The owner of the resort is Tony Robbins, a well known American motivational speaker and writer famous for his "infomercials".
There is a sandy beach (which I understand Mr. Robbins had constructed) with a nearby "swimming hole", the size of an olympic sized swimming pool, surround by reef pool that allows one to plenty of room. The beach is quite isolated and bounded by Mr. Robbins' private home and a cove that leads to Namale's private marina. There are ample deck chairs and hammocks strung between trees.
Situated a few meters from the shore, the property is large enough to provide numerous hiking trails that visit a waterfall and traverse a rainforest. Other amenities and activities include private dining on one of eight decks overlooking the ocean, 
two jacuzzis and two pools, horseback riding, tennis, sailing, windsurfing, diving and visits to the local Fijian village. The cuisine is reportedly excellent with a great wine collection to augment the fresh seafood and other dishes.
There's a 10,000 square foot spa on a cliff with a fantastic view overlooking the Koro Sea (see photo on right courtesy of Marc Carignan). There are a series of pools of various temperatures and a cold plunge. The spa pools are all available to guests and if you want special treatments such as hdyrotherapy or massage, they are available from the specially trained staff. Let's not forget the "Wellness Center" which consistes of a very well equipped gym, with free weights, exercise ball,
rebounds, and multiple exercise machines. The other part is a
state-of-the-art colon hydrotherapy center with five private "Libbe" beds,
the latest in colonics.
There's also a handy recreation room called "Kava Bowl" with comfortable sofas, fluffy pillows and a two lane bowling alley. If you want to catch up on your email, it has two computers with high speed Internet access and a dedicated Macintosh with 12,000 songs and a terrific sound system. There's also a conference center on the grounds that can accommodate 60 people in a theater style setting.
Executive Coach Marc Carignan, a guest from San Diego, likened Namale to the Four Seasons hotels as a benchmark. It was the "best of the best" in his experience. He liked his accommodations, a garden bure which had two private bedrooms with private hall, polished hardwood floors and airy ceilings. He said it had a "minimalist but tropical and stylish Fijian motif." The only downside in his estimation was lack of aircon in his room.
If you do plan to stay at the property avoid staying there when the owner has one of his conferences. Visitors who are not part of the Robbins set may feel left out. That said, the resort has received a host of accolades over the years and in August 2004 was featured on the cover of Architectural Digest. Rates (which include all meals, accommodations, transfers and beverages) start at about US$850 double occupancy for the "Tropical Bure" all the way to $US2100 for the "Tatadra House ".
Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort, located on Vanua Levu Island, is managed and operated by the same group that owns the Post Ranch Inn in California's Big Sur. Cousteau oversees the dive operation and the environmental/educational programs. The Resort offers 26 spacious, Fijian style bures, situated on 17 oceanfront acres. All bures have king and day beds, a large, tiled bathroom, and private decks. It's located on Lesiaceva Point a ten minute taxi ride from town and with views of both the Koro Sea and Savusavu Bay. Management refers to the resort as "full-service" and caters to a wide range of travelers - active couples, families, soft-adventurers, snorkelers and divers. Activities for kids are provided (unusual for an upscale property in Fiji) and marine biologist and a Fijian naturalist are on staff to educate guests.
Live Fijian music is performed in the evenings and there's an open-air restaurant with local and International dishes prepared with many ingredients from the resort's organic fruit and vegetable garden. Typical menus include homemade soups, fresh salads, a choice of a vegetarian, fish or meat dishes, and desserts made daily by the Resort's pastry chef. Prices range from US$535 for garden view bures to US$1950.00 for a villa. Prices includes all meals, activities (except scuba diving), and transfers to and from the Savusavu Airport. Children 12 and under stay free.
Taveuni & Qamea
Established in 1982, Qamea Beach Club is situated on a small cove fringed by a white sand beach a kilometer in length. The hotel is nestled at the jagged volcanic cliff which rises prominentsoar behind the property. Qamea can accommodate only a maximum of 28 guests (16 years of age and older) at one time so you're not going to be overcrowded nor overrun with young children (as often occurs at other resorts.)
The entire property was renovated in February 2004 and later that year they constructed o two ew Premium Villas, each with over 1,600 square feet, including private swimming pools overlooking the beach. The attention to detail is very impressive. Bathrooms have imported European fittings, heated towel rack, hair dryer, outdoor riverstone courtyard showers, and complimentary Pure Fiji (brand) amenities. The eleven (650 sq ft) Beachfront Bures have thatched roofs and with 20 foot ceilings and hand polished local mahogany hardwood floors. There's also a 1,200 square foot honeymoon Villa.
All structures are situated just a few steps from the waterand all have verandahs and face the beach. Among the more interesting amenities is a spring-fed swimming pool. There is also a large restaurant/lounge bure with a verandah overlooking the which makes for very pleasant dining. Thefood I had was very, very good. Diving is perhaps the biggest attraction and the resort has its own dive operation. Qamea is a comparatively large island and has plenty of room for nature walks. There are also organized visits to the local Fijian village of Vatusogosogo. To get there from Nadi one must fly to Taveuni and then take a boat from the airstrip for a 15-minute boat ride to the island. Prices start at around US$650.00 double occupancy including meals.
Taveuni Palms is about as exclusive as it gets on the arden Island. It's an immaculately maintained 5-star property with great ocean views and only two bures that are something out of the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It’s something for honeymooners of a certain demographic and you have room to bring your best friends! Both units have two bed rooms/two baths and a splendid outdoor shower.
However, unless you bring your own company Taveuni Palms is not set up for mingling—everything is focused on the guest’s privacy and desires. Amenities include personal chef (who will gladly give you complimentary cooking lessons), personal boat, personal captain nd dive master that all you to dive on your own timetable. Other amenities entail personal double kayak, complimentary scuba lessons and a private beach where you can swim with your personal dolphins, spotted rays, turtles etc). When possible all food is derived from resort’s own garden, all organically grown. They send out a questionnaire ahead of time to guests to get their food preferences and design a menu around that. Typical menu items would be lobster or coconut crab, blackened yellow fin tuna, taro chips, sashimi, create a five course meal. If you’ve got the means and really, really want to be left alone, I would consider this property. Price is $825.00 per house per night for 2 persons.
Taveuni Island Resort (formerly Dive Taveuni) near Matei Airport is a family run operation and remains one of the better botique resorts in Fiji. The resort is situated on a bluff overlooking the sea and the vista is absolutely spectacular--one of the best on the island. It has 11 well appointed oceanview bungalows all of which have been expanded and undergone upgrading in the last year or so with extras such as new tile floors, king-sized beds, air conditioning/fans, outdoor ock showers,and festive floral arrangements.
Several million dollars have been spent on the property and it shows. The food and presentation are excellent. The cliff side horizon pool is one of the outstanding features at the resort. The small powder white beach is a short one minute walk away from the steps of your bungalow. Activities include hiking, kayaking and diving. Prices begin at US $779.00 per bure per night for Luxury Honeymoon Bure and go up to US $ 1,230.00 per night for Luxury Honeymoon Bure. Rates are inclusive of all meals, accommodation, non-alcoholic beverages, transfers to and from Matei airport and 12.5% hotel tax.
Yasawa Group
Yasawa Island Resort is an understated luxury lodging with 18 bures nestled along a white sand beach. All bures have huge decks, king size beds and large bathroom. Small touches abound. Each bure is stocked with homemade cookies and there is a half shell clam basin to wash your feet. A number of treks that can be taken around the island and peaks of several hundred meters provide remarkable vistas. Mountain bikes are available as are snorkeling gear and scuba diving. Food is one of the best reasons to stay here. Seafood is caught locally and all meals offer fresh fruit and liberal amounts of fresh vegetables. Typical dishes were homemade ravioli, avocado & shrimp salad, homemade breads and fresh lobster. Unlike some of the other resorts where everyone dines together, here one can choose to dine with friends or at your own table. Great food, friendly management and staff and a gorgeous setting make YIR a winner. YIR is a 25 minute plane ride from Nadi Airport which costs US$185. Prices start at US$820 per couple which includes all meals.
Also in the Yasawa Group on Matacawa Levu is Navutu Stars Resort, a new boutique property with nine bures. The Italian owners say it is an Asian-Mediterranean-Fijian fusion of aesthetics complete with Southeast Asian objects d'art, wet bar, cd players, and "outdoor day beds to indulge in lazy naps under the stars". They proudly proclaim that there's no television or phone in the sumptuous bungalows. The restaurant caters only a la carte dishes (mostly seafood) cooked expressly for guests according to their tastes and preferences. This is definitely for the well-heeled. Good snorkeling and swimming is available off their white sand beach. For more info, including new age music that appears when you long on to their website go to www.navutustarsfiji.com.