Intercontinental Fiji vs. Marriott Momi Bay

Two western brands in Fiji. Both five star hotels. Both located on the island's drier west side. Which hotel did I think was better? Quite the cliff hanger here, keep on reading to find out.

Location: Intercontinental

It's hard to beat a location that is on this beach!

The Marriott is located on a private road that was just recently built. And this road is a 20 minute drive from the main road, which is somewhat frustrating. The Intercontinental, on the other hand, is a bit closer to the main road, and is situated on one of the best stretches of beach in the world.

Food: Marriott

I'll be honest though-they both sucked. The Marriott wins here because the breakfast buffet was spectacular, but other than that, there was not much to write home about when it came to the food at either resort. Also, the Marriott used American newspapers as placemats and that kind of pissed me off. The Intercontinental stayed a bit more true to its Fijian roots, something I appreciated from a Western hotel.

With views like this, the food doesn't really matter that much-which is one thing the Marriott did better than the Intercontinental, food and views

Service: Tie

Had we been staying in the main area of the Intercontinental, I may have given the edge to the Marriott. It was almost weird how often I would see the same staff at the Marriott, no matter where I was. I ended up bonding with some of them, something I appreciated. The staff at the Club in the Intercontinental were, as I said before, on the level of Ritz and Four Seasons, but that did not quite translate to other staff members around the resort.

Pool: Intercontinental

The Sunset Pool at the Marriott is absolutely beautiful, but the area around it is strangely small. Thankfully, we were waking up early and did not have to worry about finding a place because by around 10:30 in the morning, basically all of the seating areas were occupied. The main pool just looks ugly, and doesn’t take enough advantage of the amazing views over the man made lagoon. The swim up bar is a nice touch, but not enough for me to say the pools at the Marriott were better than the at the Intercontinental. The separation yet proximity of the pools at the Intercontinental was very nice, and even though the water was cold, the views and spaces around the pool were perfect. The Club pool was beautiful as well, especially at night when it was light up. But that is something not everyone can experience, so don’t expect to visit the Club pool unless you're staying in the Club.

The Club pool at night made for an amazing aesthetic.

Beach: Intercontinental

I'll keep this one simple. The Marriott has no beach and the Intercontinental is on one of the best beaches in the world.

Rooms: Intercontinental

The rooms here are massive, from the most basic room type to the Club suites. Outdoor Cleopatra tubs add a unique touch, and the rooms are decorated in a way that feels Fijian rather than American, like the Marriott. Granted, we were upgraded mid-stay to a beachfront villa at the Marriott, and that was fantastic. Still not quite as big as at the Intercontinental, but being right on the beach, steps from the ocean (during high tide), was really beautiful, especially for couples.

The overwater villas had potential, but their lack of privacy and the absence of any snorkeling in the bay defeat the purpose of an overwater villa.

Resort Layout: Marriott

They have done a great job with the landscaping and layout of the Marriott. At the center of the property is a huge man made lagoon with overwater bungalows stretching across in the most picturesque manner. And getting around here was much, much easier than at the Intercontinental.

The main resort area was centered around this lagoon which offered amazing views thanks to the perfect reflections.

Winner: Intercontinental

What it comes down to is the beach honestly. The fact that the Marriott does not have a real beach with crystal clear water and coral reefs the way you would expect a Fijian resort to offer is a real let down. Even if the Marriott won every other category, I would still return to the Intercontinental because of the beach. But don't get me wrong, the Marriott is a beautiful property with good food, amazing views and a great pool/bar area.