Smugglers Cove Beach Resort & Hotel is located right on the beach in Nadi. It is a ten-minute drive from Nadi Airport to the resort, and getting there is easy as a bus collects you from the airport at no charge.
Smugglers Cove is a ten minute drive from the town of Nadi. It is possible to get to town by taxi or by bus -- the bus goes a few times a day, and is not very expensive. Getting a taxi is not difficult either, as they pass regularly looking for business, and reception will call a taxi for you any time you want. Nadi town itself is not the most welcoming place, however, so it might be advisable to stay at the resort as much as possible. There is a small shop a short walk from the resort where you can stock up on cold water and other essentials.
The resort caters for a wide range of guests, as it offers dorm accommodation for backpackers, but also has private rooms that are more like hotel rooms than backpacker accommodation. The dorm itself is a bit misleading. You think you are booking a bed in a four-bed dorm, but it is actually a thirty-four-bed dorm, divided into cubicles of four beds each. This doesn't seem to bother people too much, though. The private rooms are very comfortable, with good air conditioning, and all rooms are en-suite.
There are no self-catering options at Smugglers Cove. Instead there is a restaurant that serves a large variety of meals all day long and until 10 p.m. The food is good, affordable, and the menu is broad enough to suit anyone. There is a free continental breakfast before 9 a.m. each morning. The bar serves a range of cocktails, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, that are ideal for the lazy days and evenings sitting by the pool or in a hammock on the beach, as well as icy cold beers or soft drinks.
The beach itself isn't the nicest as a result of the pollution of the sea around Nadi. There is a vague smell of oil as you get toward the water. It is much nicer to stay by the resort's pool, where you can see the sea but you can't smell it.
There is an internet room with eight computers. Cards for the internet can be purchased at reception. Also a shop at reception is very handy to buy snacks, sunscreen, insect repellent, or some nice fridge magnets or key rings as souvenirs.
All in all, Smugglers Cove Beach Resort is a great place to stay. The staff are all very friendly and helpful, the resort is clean and comfortable, and it is just a lovely place to relax before you head off island hopping, and a convenient place to base yourself on your way back to Nadi Airport again.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
August 2008
Location/Contact
3 Average from 1 Rating
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