Lomani Island Resort: Romantic Adults-Only Luxury in Fiji

Location

As one of the Mamanuca Islands, Malolo Lailai can be reached by ferry from Fiji’s mainland in under an hour. From the moment our boat arrived at Malolo Lailai, we began to feel the warm and welcoming culture, as we were greeted with friendly faces, songs, shell necklaces and golf cart transport. Upon arrival at Lomani, we were immediately invited to sit down and relax with a fresh coconut and beautiful view before even having to think about check-in or logistics. They said, “welcome home,” as if being there automatically made us family, and we felt that same level of warmth and care as a steady tone throughout our whole stay.

Grounds

Lomani’s relatively small number of suites, expansive grounds and private beach naturally allowed for a quiet, easy, uncrowded experience throughout our entire 10-day stay. We found the pool area to be nothing short of dreamy, with its ocean view, surrounding lush palms, green lawns, thatch-roof lounge structures and adjacent restaurant available to deliver food and drinks.

Meandering along Lomani’s winding paths presented us with inviting scenes like hammocks tied between palm trees and small, thatch-roof buildings, like the massage bure with gauzy curtains blowing in the breeze and the activities bure with a chalkboard and friendly staff member sharing what was happening and when throughout our stay. The grounds included other small and discreet buildings tucked into the tropical landscape, like a quaint spa and small gym, as well as plenty of seating options lining the edge of the main lawn and beach. (We loved the playful beanbags and romantic double daybeds for watching the sunset!)

Accommodations

Every accommodation option at Lomani is surrounded by lush landscaping and comes with an ocean view — and great sunset views — and is within a 10-second walk to the sand. Lower prices offer a suite within a small, two-story building located on one end of the property, while higher prices offer an even more private setting on the opposite end. (Standalone bures can also come with or without a small, private pool.)

The rooms have screenless louvered windows for the option of fresh air, as well as AC when you want them closed. We found the bedding comfortable and the decor thoughtful, simple and beautiful. Coffee makers and mini fridges were included. Every accommodation has its own private outdoor space with an outdoor double daybed, and small table and chairs, all facing the ocean.

We found that all of Lomani’s accommodation options had their own unique benefits, based on their proximity to different amenities.

Dining

Lomani’s Flametree Restaurant is a gorgeous, open-air, poolside dining and bar area, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. They offer half-board or full-board packages, with a range of options from traditional Fijian dishes to American fare. A buffet or made-to-order breakfast is also included for all guests.. Everything we tried, from food to cocktails, was unforgettably delicious and artistically presented. (We became slightly addicted to the kokoda and the eggplant dishes!)

They also offer to set up and arrange a private beachfront dinner if you prefer an even more intimate experience.

As if the food and setting itself weren’t enjoyable enough, our stay was also enriched with nightly acoustic guitar and singing by the friendly staff, some evening performances with traditional Fijian fire dancing by the pool during dinner, a manager’s happy hour with discounted cocktails, and an invitation to watch the preparations of our “lovo” dinner cooked in an underground pit and later served to us as part of an outstanding traditional buffet.

Please note: Part of Lomani’s quiet and remote setting means that there aren’t a lot of other options nearby to get food, other than the tiny market and other restaurants at the neighboring resort, so planning to eat prepared meals onsite is certainly most convenient. We found the three-course dinners to be more than we could eat in one sitting, so we often saved the leftovers in our mini fridge, which worked well for our lunches the next day. (Also note that because of the island’s remote location and limited resources, sometimes certain foods on the menu aren’t available.)

Tap water is not safe to drink, and only a few small bottles are provided daily as part of your stay. (You can buy more from the bar or buy larger bottles from the neighboring resort’s market.)

Activities

Staying at Lomani comes with a natural ease and flow of participating in any activity. We found a collection of SUPs, kayaks and a Hobie Cat right on the private beach, available for use without needing to reserve ahead of time or pay any extra fees. (We loved our peaceful sunrise SUPs and appreciated the quick refresher lesson on how to sail a Hobie Cat!) We found the private beach to be ideal for soaking up the spectacular sunrises and sunsets, whether it was on a peaceful stroll or relaxing in a lounge any time of day. They also have bikes available and some short trails to explore the surrounding areas.

One of the highlights of staying at Lomani included a daily snorkeling excursion, which we highly recommend doing as often as possible. (The lagoon out front is visually beautiful, but the most spectacular snorkeling experiences with colorful coral and fish, dreamy sandbars and dolphin sightings are all only accessible by boat.) Other activities become available at different times as well, which could include things like basket-weaving, trips to a local village or the fun sunset cruise we did on their rustic boat, complete with acoustic guitar, drinks and traditional appetizers.

We also recommend booking a massage in advance at the beautiful beachfront bure. The sound of the gently lapping water, the ocean breeze and the tropical scents will take your relaxation to the next level, as well as help soothe out any soreness from your adventures!

Lomani is also ideal for serving as a home base for daily surfing excursions to famous spots like Cloudbreak, Namotu and restaurants. We found that, as a couple made up of one surfer and one non-surfer, Lomani was ideal for providing everything we both needed to completely love our separate and shared experiences for 10 days.

“Lomani” is the Fijian word for “love,” and we can’t think of a better word to describe our stay there. We will absolutely be back!

We highly recommend Lomani Island Resort for a truly romantic honeymoon, milestone birthday or anniversary celebration, or as a beautiful, playful gathering place for a small wedding or group of adult friends and family. They offer everything you need to truly relax in a quiet, safe, uncrowded setting, to play and recalibrate to a slower pace of life and to experience Fiji’s warm culture and spectacular natural beauty.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Fiji. In need of further inspiration? Check out Deborah Ortloff’s guide, Enjoy the Simplicity of Dravuni Island, Fiji.