Local manufacturing giant Hari Punja Group of Companies has announced plans for a $220million 228-room five-star luxury hotel in Nadi’s Wailoaloa beach.
Group chairman and founder Hari Punja said the project would help address the 5000-room shortage currently faced by the tourism industry.
“Fiji has a shortage of about 5000 rooms and this project will go a long way to solve some of the shortages that exist in the hotels in Fiji,” Mr Punja said.
“Because of the shortage, there’s been a phenomenal rise in the cost of rooms in Fiji, which has been giving Fiji a bad name. I hope that a bit more rooms will bring things right.
“One very strong feature (of the hotel) is the very large swimming pool, and all rooms will have ocean view.
“When tourists book, they always ask for ocean view, so the hotel is designed like a ‘V’ and facing the ocean.
“We did a lot of research on the room sizes, and all rooms have got a two-metre balcony facing the ocean.”
Mr Punja also said 50 per cent of the power source for the hotel would come from solar energy.
“All rooms will be covered with solar panels, and we expect to generate more than 50 per cent of our power supply by solar.
“Regarding the environmental impact study, all those things have been completed.”
The hotel will be managed by Australian-owned Rydges Hotels & Resorts and construction is scheduled to begin in June this year.
It is also scheduled to begin operation by June 2026.
Other projects in the pipeline for the group is the Nasese prime residential land development, the development of 10 commercial blocks in Korolevu, and the construction of the Labasa Blue Gas terminal.
The group has also completed three projects — the Wailoaloa commercial land development, Wailoaloa gated residential development and the Blue Gas terminal in Lami.
