South Seas Private Hostel, Suva, Fiji

SOUTH SEAS PRIVATE HOTEL (Lonely Planet WorldGuide Top 5 Author Pick, Suva) is a very popular budget hotel among travellers looking for clean, basic accommodation at low prices. Located in an historic wooden building in a quiet residential area close to the shopping district, the South Seas Private Hotel 'really conveys the flavor in its name.' (David Stanley, Fiji Handbook, Moon Publications, 2004) '...A friendly, well maintained backpackers' place, ...deservedly a perennial favourite.'(Rob Kay, Fiji Travel Survival Kit, Lonely Planet, 1993). '....A good option for the budget traveller.' (Jones & Pinheiro, Fiji, Lonely Planet, 2000).

Lonely Planet WorldGuide Review 2006: 'The sweeping interior veranda, classic white exterior and symposium of trees at this glorious old hotel will work the smile lines of any Pacific romantic. Clad in a sea of polished timber, the interior is reminiscent of a 1920s ocean liner and houses neat, simple and spacious rooms. The capacious lounge room is more Ahab than Stubing, with fat, faded armchairs, a neat scattering of doilies and a TV set that could have been used as an anchor were the building actually afloat. Dorms are refreshingly unorthodox, offering large steel bunks and solid mattresses in a series of interconnected rooms. The double rooms are spotless but lack a little of the hotel's flavour and all but one has shared facilities. Portholes and small alcoves with wooden bench seating throughout bolstering the nautical experience.The place is so preserved it's almost pickled. The South Seas' aesthetics are laden with character, but a scant amount of human traffic robs it a little of ambience. Silence often saturates the halls (enough to prompt hushed tones), but this feature may be its greatest plus depending on your preference.....Albert Park, the Fiji Museum and Thurston Gardens are on your front doorstep, so you're in Suva's best locale for a spontaneous rugby match, culture feast and picnic. Head up Pender Street, one block east, for spectacular views of the city.'

Reviewed by Justine Vaisutis

Rooms: 42 single, twin/double, family and dormitory (4-5 beds) rooms, all with fans, insect screens, bed linen and maid service. There is one room with its own private bathroom but all other rooms share communal bathrooms.

Meals:There is no restaurant on site but there is a communal kitchen. There are also many cafes and inexpensive restaurants within walking distance.

Activities:

Bushwalking

Local market (fresh fruit/veg)

Surfing

Canoeing/rafting

Movies

Shopping

Cultural tours

Nightlife (good dance clubs!)

Sporting events

Fiji Museum (next door)

Scuba diving

Our reception desk is open 7 am to 1 pm, and from 2 pm to 8 pm daily.

Facilities

Solar hot water

Book exchange

Communal kitchen

Reading lounge

Laundry tubs

Foreign exchange

Cardphone/public phone

Free luggage storage

TV lounge with Sky TV

Internet cafe nearby

CCTV security & night guard

Spacious grounds

Credit Cards accepted: Visa and Mastercard