As we touch down in Fiji, there are a lot of angry people aboard our aircraft. Everyone who was planning to board a sea plane to an island resort will now have to spend the night in Nadi, as we are landing late afternoon due to a considerably delayed departure.
On the other side, those of us at COMO Laucala Island are exempt from the widespread dismay. Unlike other resorts, Laucala Island features a runway for nighttime private jet landings.
There’s just a 50-minute flight between us and the beginning of our holiday.
The population of this 12-square-kilometer island is just 25.
Laucala Island is renowned for its unique approach to business. Dietrich Mateschilz, a co-founder of Red Bull, built Laucala Island more than ten years ago. It was most recently added to the wellness-focused COMO portfolio and is known as the resort without limits.
Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney are among the high rollers who are prepared to shell out big bucks for an all-inclusive vacation that starts at $US5600 ($8371) per night for a one-bedroom villa.
One of the most significant luxury attributes is space, which Laucala offers in abundance.
You could easily spend your entire stay holed up in your villa.CREDIT:COMO/MARTIN MORRELL
On this 12 square kilometer island, there are just 25 dwellings, and my one-bedroom villa sits on a plot larger than the one I grew up in. It contains two distinct living and sleeping pavilions, a freeform infinity pool, indoor and outdoor bathtubs and showers, an al fresco dining pavilion and yoga deck overlooking the beach, and a fully-stocked (complimentary) mini-bar with a large range of wines and spirits.
You could easily spend your whole trip at your villa, and I’m sure many tourists do. Even when I climb in my electric buggy to go exploring – or, if you prefer, your tau, or butler – I rarely run into another guest.
Water sports such as snorkeling and diving, sailing, surfing, and jetskiing are included in the all-inclusive fee. There’s horseback riding and yoga, a tennis court with a pro who will hit with you, and an 18-hole golf course created by David McLay Kidd that enchants me despite my lack of golf skills.
The majority of the products used in the resort’s cuisine are either locally produced or cultivated on the island.CREDIT: MARTIN MORRELL/COMO
Spa treatments are the only item not included in the price, although all guests receive a deliciously relaxing 60-minute massage, which is a great way to begin your stay.
The food is equally delicious. Most of the parts are either bought from local sellers or cultivated on the island. (During our tour of the 97-hectare farm, we find fruit trees, vegetable beds, a plantation of vanilla, cattle, sheep, and poultry.) Dinner is offered at the clifftop Seagrass, where we have teppanyaki; breakfast is served in the colonial-styled Plantation (drink options include a fantastic watermelon, ginger, cucumber, and mint combo).
You may either pack every minute of your stay on Laucala Island with activities or just relax on a quiet beach and watch the turtles swim by. But if I had to choose one characteristic that makes this resort stand out from the others, it would be the fact that the answer is always yes, regardless of the request.
This staff makes things happen and appear seamless, whether it’s fitting in a quick swim before a sunset sail or getting another helping of Laucala’s delicious take on Magnum ice cream.