Resort Review: Tokoriki Island Resort & Spa

 

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If I have ever dreamed of paradise, this is definitely it.  The Tokoriki Island Resort & Spa was hands down the most luxurious and overwhelmingly fantastic place I have ever visited.  I mean, I cried while we were leaving!  That has to mean something wonderful!  As I sit here writing this, I literally can’t think of a single thing I would change about our time at Tokoriki.

The resort is located on Tokoriki Island, which is part of the Mamanuca group of the Fijian Islands.  It was a quick helicopter ride over from Nadi (the main international airport where most people fly into).  You are greeted with the Bula Song and escorted to your own private bungalow.  Everyone has their own bungalow at Tokoriki Resort.  The rooms were so welcoming and comfortable!  If we were there longer, there would have been a lot of naps involved.  We wanted to take in all we could in our short stay (3 days) so we were up and out for sunrise and took part in everything we could.  One of my favorite features was the outside shower!  I know it sounds silly but it’s just so beautiful in Fiji, you won’t want to spend one minute inside!  Don’t worry, nobody can see you!

As an adults only resort, there’s something just extra special about being able float in the quiet that a no kids resort can offer.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not overly quiet and stuffy, just a tad on the more peaceful side.  You can also go a little wild if you’re feeling adventurous!  They offer daily trips out to visit an authentic Fijian village, snorkeling adventures (both free and longer paid trips), and you can even be dropped off for a private island lunch!  Truly, this resort is what romance was meant to look like.

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I got to wake up to this every morning. This is the spectacular view from our bungalow.

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Our super comfortable amazing room.

Now I’m not really a huge “Let’s Get A Massage” person but something about this place made us both want to give it a try.  Not to mention the prices are totally reasonable! Well, we had one of the most romantic moments ever at the Tokoriki Spa!  They offer a couples massage for an ultra romantic spa experience.  It was absolutely incredible!  You bathe in a beautiful outside tub full of hibiscus flowers while sipping a glass of champagne.  That is followed by a luxurious side-by-side massage.  We were surprised how much we absolutely loved our experience at the spa.  It was the perfect way to jump into vacation mode!

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The entrance to the beautiful spa. Get ready to be spoiled!

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Not a bad view from the lounge and restaurant, right?

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The view from the beach of our bungalow.

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A storm was rolling in. Don’t worry! It just sprinkled a little bit!

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I took this photo at 6am so nobody was up yet. It’s usually full of super relaxed vacationers.

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Me on one of our snorkeling adventures.

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The church was so pretty!

DSCN0475_2TIP:  If you plan on having any alcohol on your stay, it’s a good idea to pick up what you’d like at the duty free shop in Nadi.  Trust me, you’ll save a lot of money and it’s no problem to transport to the resort.

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Resort Review: The Westin Lake Las Vegas

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What an amazing escape The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort was for my family.  It sits next to a beautiful man made lake that looks like an oasis in the desert.  Ducks and geese are swimming all day, making it a very serene get away.  I visited in the off season so it was too chilly to take advantage of a lot of the water activities available.  There’s kayaking, peddle boats, and I counted 3 different pools for you to enjoy.  There are also plenty of cabanas and lounge chairs for soaking up the famous desert sun when the weather warms up.  We got a glass of wine at the small bar inside and relaxed next to one of the outside fireplaces and just talked and listened to the sound of the waterfall.  Perfect.

The rooms are exceptional.  We had 1 suite and 1 standard room and I was really impressed with both.  Not to mention I slept like a baby!  It has everything you need and little luxuries as well.  That was nice considering I only packed 1 backpack for the trip!  This is a smoke-free hotel, which was a welcome change from hotels on The Strip.  I can sometimes be sensitive to cigarette smoke and it was nice that all of our clothes and luggage didn’t stink when we got home.

Just a few blocks up the road is The Village that’s full of restaurants and shops. It also hosts concerts on the lake!  It was pretty quiet (again probably because of the off season) but I’m told it gets much more lively in the summer months.  There is also a Casino there too in case you have an itch to gamble.  It is Vegas after all!  I believe that opens up some time in March.  The Westin offers a free shuttle up to the Village.  Just ask the guys at Valet!  They’ll also shuttle you (free again!) to The Strip.  They drop you off at The Westin located 1 block from all the fun and shenanigans The Strip as to offer.  We took advantage of the 20 minutes shuttle ride in order to do a little shopping.

Overall, I would give this hotel 5 stars.  We were talking about coming back before we even left!  I think that’s a sign of a great visit.  Don’t you think?

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Me and my Dad looking all spiffy for dinner out on the town.

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Resort Review: The Kahala Resort

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I don’t even know where to start with The Kahala Resort.  It’s so luxurious and amazing!  Coming here was a total surprise from my honey for our 4 year so as we walked in, I was floored.  Not to mention my eyes welled up with excitement when I saw the dolphins (see my last post for pictures of the happiest girl in the world and her dolphin pal).

We might be the luckiest people to have gotten an upgrade to the 9th floor with views of the ocean and the dolphin lagoon.  We were able to sit on the balcony, enjoy our celebratory mimosas, and watch the dolphins play frisbee with their trainers.  The Kahala is also a hugely popular place for weddings and we saw at least 3 happening daily.

The resort is a place for relaxation and since cabanas come with the room, we spent many hours soaking up some rays, eating lunch in the sand, and snorkeling the reef that starts just feet from the shore.  You can paddle board, kayak, and do yoga classes on a paddle board as well but we decided to be lazy so swimming and snorkeling were our activities of choice.

The Kahala is also home to Aracino, one of the best Italian restaurants we’ve ever been to.  We had the 5 course meal with wine pairing and could hardly believe how delicious everything was.  The service was amazing as well and they were able to answer all Tyler’s questions about the meal (he’s an aspiring chef so there were many questions!).  If you’re on Oahu, I highly recommend coming here for dinner.  It’s one of the top 3 meals I’ve ever had so this is an absolute must-visit in my book.

Overall, The Kahala has everything a relaxing Hawaiian resort should have.  I did not want to go home at all after staying here.  I mean, life is good but there’s just something about a vacation that makes everything even rosier.  5 stars Kahala… 5 stars…

You would have found me in this position often

You would have found me in this position often

The Grand Entrance of The Kahala Resort

The Grand Entrance of The Kahala Resort

Super excited about the view for our balcony

Super excited about the view for our balcony

I loved watching the sea turtles swim

I loved watching the sea turtles swim

The view from our balcony

The view from our balcony

Sunset in Oahu

Sunset on the balcony

Sunrise in Oahu

Sunrise on the balcony

Swimming Pool at the Kahala

Look at those people doing that exercise thing *sips mimosa*

Look at those people doing that exercise thing *sips mimosa*

There's a gorgeous wall of orchids that leeds down to the beach

There’s a gorgeous wall of orchids on the way down to the beach