Safari Island Lodge - Fiji, Rakiraki

WARNING: do not pay anything in advance for this place! even better: avoid the place right away! Our booking at Safari Island Lodge was the worst experience we have ever had in any of our travels throughout the world. Inspired by the description in the Lonely Planet (�one of the finest beaches in Fiji�) and the advertising in the internet (�Paradise awaits�), we booked four nights in the �Beachfront Bure Deluxe� at a rate of not less than 220 FJD without meals. It were the tightest booking conditions we have ever experienced: full payment in advance, no refund, and in case of no show the booked nights can only be used within the next two years (in most places in Fiji, the conditions are much less restrictive. Ask!). The next shock came promptly: Not only added the owner an extra 5% credit card fee (no other place in Fiji we have been to added an extra charge!), but moreover he charged the price not in Fiji Dollar (FJD) but in Australien Dollar (AUD), a 30% price increase! Only after lengthy communication we were refunded (albeit not fully) mid January... Expecting beautiful beaches (�white sandy beach, clear blue waters�), a lovely atmosphere and a �Deluxe� bure , we arrived at Safari Lodge on 30th of December, 2006 � and once again were at shock: The promised �white sandy beach� was virtually not existing and absolutely not comparable to the internet advertisement, the whole area was more like an untidy construction site (a new bure was built a few centimeters away from our bure), the bure did not have any atmosphere of �deluxe�, there was even no chair on the veranda or inside the bure to sit on, the mosquito net had holes in it, there was no decoration or anything that would have made the bure nice and charming, and nothing had any touch of �luxury�, shortly: disappointing in every respect and absolutely not worth the high rates! For swimming and snorchelling the owner Warren Francis recommended �the other side of the island� (near McDonalds and Betham�s, a few minutes walk � so why not staying there right away?) . However the beach (�one of the finest in Fiji�) and the expected comfort were our main reasons for our booking at Safari Lodge! In such a location we did not want to stay, and left the place. Before, we tried to explain the situation and our feelings to the �extremely considerate� owner (Lonely Planet) in order to achieve a compromise regarding the accomodation rate, but Francis did not accept any compromise on refunding even part of the money paid for the accomodation, in spite of the striking difference to the advertisement in the internet. He just offered to pay back for the meals (which should be self-evident � and we haven�t received the refund for the currency confusion by that time anyway...). The �extremely considerate� owner emerged as a cash-hungry trademan, exactly the type of person you don�t want to do business with (although he plays to appear friendly and empathic!). We reported the case to the Lautoka Tourist Police and also informed the Fiji Visitors Bureau. Both already knew the place and its owner, due to many complaints they received from many tourists. We also heard from many travelers who were unsatisfied with Safari Lodge and suffered from similar experiences like us. Apparently the Fiji Visitors Bureau received so many complaints that Francis nearly lost his license last year. Therefore, the Fiji Visitors Bureau apparently does not sell Safari Lodge anymore, due to �bad management�. We strongly advise other travellers under no circumstances to pay anything in advance to Safari Lodge, without having seen the place (or even better: avoid the place right away), in order to avoid such horrible experiences! The �Beachfront Bure Deluxe� is absolutely not worth the price and absolutely disappointing in nearly every respect.