Page 21 - Fiji Traveller 7

expensive. But it's something you'd never buy in your own
country. And you can take it home, put it on the mantelpiece or
coffee table. And that brings back memories. They drink a bit of
kava and do a bit of dancing and stuff. They thoroughly enjoy the
experience.”
“They really enjoy the cultural activities a lot,” Rosalind says
of her guests. “Going to the sand dunes and learning about the
Kaila Na Ua history of Korotogo and Sigatoka, and then the Taveuni Hill Fort,
which is a little hidden part not a lot of people know about, but
they give you a tour guide, and they show through the history of
how Tongans came here and fought with the Fijians, and that's
how Korotogo came about.”
The Lakes are committed to sustainability. Everything
compostable goes into compost bins and then back into the
garden. Guests are given a bus card so they can get around
like locals.
“People can be independent, and they can just walk down the
driveway and catch the bus and live as a Fijian for a day or a
week and they just love it,” Warren says.
This philosophy extends to fittings in the rooms.
“We support everything local,” Rosalind says. “We had a
pastor, and he approached us, and he thought we just might like
to buy one painting of frangipanis for above a bed. And we said,
‘No, we would like eight, one for every room. He started doing
without his signature - he was too shy to sign - and we said, ‘We
want you to sign.'"
The rooms also feature tapa from Vatulele, coconut wood
cabinets from Pacific Green, magimagi as decorative accents
and local tanoas.
“The rooms are very modern, but we try and give it that Fiji
influence as well,” Warren says. “And then you've got the big
In 2015, Rosalind and Warren Lake saw a little ad in the New open decks that have a little bit more outdoor area and you're
Zealand Herald for the sale of a Korotogo resort. looking at the bure and you're looking at the pool and you're
“We came over for the weekend, fell in love with it, thought this looking at the sea, and the gardens are beautiful. And when
is just what we wanted to do,” Rosalind says. They put a deposit there are berries on the trees, we get all those nice green and
on the property straight away and by September of that year, the red, and yellow parrots flying like around like mad.”
Lakes had moved to Fiji. For all the activities available close by, the Lakes want their
They spent the next four years renovating and building guests to truly relax.
accommodation bures, decking around a pool and establishing “We try to encourage people to put the phone down, talk to
a verdant garden that now bears guavas, lemons, ivi and other each other. Turn it off and go and enjoy Fiji,” says Warren.
fruits they share with guests. At the end of the day, that can involve walking down to the
Kaila Na Ua opened in in 2021 and its guests hail from beach at the heart of Korotogo.
Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the US. “We've got a little sitting area, and a little bonfire there. A lot of
Those guests are spoilt for choice. They can join the Sigatoka people go down there, especially when it's sunset, and sit there.
River Safari, bike to the local cafés or visit Nakubuta pottery They might have a glass of wine, and then just light the fire.
village. Sometimes, they'll have a guitar down there, so it’s just really
“A lot of our guests go there. It's a Woman's Club that runs it, relaxing."
so it's very well organised,” Rosalind says with a laugh.
Warren adds: “They buy little bits and pieces and it’s not kailanauaresort.com

21