Marriott International will convert a Westin on Fiji’s Denarau Island into a 282-key JW Marriott, the brand’s first Pacific Islands resort, the company said on November 4.
The deal takes the conversion route into Fiji’s luxury resort market. Reservations are due to open in December, ahead of an opening expected in the first quarter of 2027. The signing follows Marriott’s entry into Laos, its 800th property in Asia Pacific excluding China.
Marriott signed the agreement with Dubbo Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF). The resort will be rebranded from the Westin Fiji Golf Resort & Spa as JW Marriott Fiji Resort & Spa.
“Fiji is one of the Pacific’s most compelling resort destinations,” said Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific Excluding China, Marriott International. He added that “we are excited to work with Fiji National Provident Fund” on the project.
The redesigned resort will have two-bedroom villas, each with a private pool. A large family pool will sit alongside an adults-only pool with its own bar and dining.
Dining plans include an all-day restaurant mixing global and Pacific flavours and a Japanese-influenced speciality restaurant using local produce. A wine and cocktail lounge and a dining concept rooted in Fijian tradition are also planned, alongside a grab-and-go JW Market.
Families get a kids club and a teen zone. A new lobby and communal areas are designed to bring the island’s natural surroundings indoors.
For meetings and events, the resort will offer a 309 sq m ballroom seating up to 180 guests for banquets. A 490 sq m pre-function foyer and five meeting rooms complete the space.
“The introduction of JW Marriott is a significant milestone for one of our key tourism assets,” said Viliame Vodonaivalu, Chief Executive Officer of FNPF. He said the fund invests members’ retirement savings with long-term value for Fiji in mind, and described the project as a sign of confidence in the country’s tourism sector.
JW Marriott has more than 125 hotels in 41 countries and territories.
