Octopus Resort

Great resort and tucked away from everything. Beach gorgeous and beautiful blue water. Staff were accommodating and friendly. Villa hut we stayed in was cute with a outside shower. Food was delicious.

I’ll start by saying that we came from Barefoot Manta where we had had an amazing experience so my disappointment with this resort is in comparison to that. The rooms are nice. They do have AC, fans, and a safe. They were average size (less spacious than Barefoot). Very pretty shower set up, on open air. It felt like the staff was not into it. It did not feel warm or fuzzy at all - like they were just serving the food but did not care about being there. This was the biggest difference with Barefoot Manta. The other big difference is that you have to pick your dinner time (6:30, 7:00 or 7:30) and by the time you show up, your table is preset. You can’t sit where you want and have limited flexibility if you want to sit with others. Not as conducive to meeting others. Food was mostly good and presented nicely. We enjoyed breakfast the most, with a combination of buffet items plus a selection from a menu. Can’t drink the water in the room. Need to go to the bars to get the water refilled. Good selection of activities but for many you had to pay (like the hikes). There is a binder in the room telling you which ones are free. Good set up if you have kids. Have like an activity center for the younger ones and saw a separate one for the teens. Did not go into either or know what they actually offer or if free. Staff at the dive shop was more amicable than any of the others. Reef no where close to as good as Barefoot. But if you go, the reef to the right of the rope they ask you to start from is better than the left.

My boyfriend and I just spent 4 nights at Octopus Resort. The house reef was the highlight for us, although I did find the water to be frigid. We also enjoyed the Island Hopping Snorkel activity - the only day time snorkeling activity offered during our stay. Shortly after our arrival, we went to the dive shop to learn about the activities at Octopus and get signed up. The employee who helped us was not able to describe the activities well (the activities are well described in the guide book in the rooms) and was not particularly interested in helping us. He told me there was no need to sign up for the island weaving activity and just to show up at the scheduled time of 2:00 the following day. I went to the dive shop at 1:55 the next day where I found one employee taking a nap and the other on his phone. After a few minutes, the guy on the phone asked if I was ok. I replied that I was there for the island weaving activity. He told me I was early. A few minutes later (after the scheduled start time of 2:00) I asked if the activity would be happening. He told me it wasn't time, so I left. Each time I stopped by the dive shop, I was met with the same lack of enthusiasm. Once I stopped by to borrow a mask and had to wait several minutes for an employee to leave the "group smoke break" that seemed to be taking place. The food was okay, but not great. The service at the restaurant was excellent. The evening activities seemed to be well run. Be advised that there are far more guests than beach loungers. If you have not secured a chair by 9:00, you probably won't get one. Overall, we were a little disappointed by Octopus - mostly due to the staff at the dive shop not having time for us and by the lack of daily organized snorkeling activities.

It’s a 1.5-hour boat ride to the resort, which is definitely worth it. For a family of four, we got a large room with one king bed, two bunk beds and two single beds in a separate room. There is a big hanging bed in our balcony with the beach in front. The restaurant and pool are next to the beach. The activities for each day are very dynamic, so don’t bother to book the activities before arrival. We booked in advance to snorkel with menta ray, but after checking in, we found that the day for the activity has changed, and there’s no schedule for this activity during our stay, which were disappointing. As we are in a group of four, they made an effort to meet our need, which we very much appreciated. The same applies to the morning hike to the top of the island, which is physically demanding but a great experience. We enjoyed our stay there.

We’ve visited other islands in Fiji like Paradise Cove and Blue Lagoon, and sadly Octopus Island was the most disappointing. After spending thousands, we were given a bure right next to ongoing construction—something we were never told about, yet still charged full rates. When we asked to move, they wouldn’t accommodate us at first. We were finally moved, but only for part of our stay. The spa, however, is a bright spot—lovely ladies, excellent massages, and very reasonable prices. The bar is just “ok.” Most of the time, staff seemed unsure about where drinks were, what they were, or how to make them. Food is hit and miss. Breakfast was good. Lunch one day was “grilled” fish that was definitely not grilled. Dinner choices were limited—the veggie option had run out, and what we did get was bland. The bures themselves are nice, with AC and great Wi-Fi throughout the resort. Staff try to be friendly, but many seem tired. The beach is a small but pretty area. Chairs are all taken by 8am, so our tip—find the little secret spot near the bar to lounge for a while. Overall, this could be a fantastic place, but for the price and reputation, it fell short compared to other islands we’ve stayed at in Fiji.