Stephanie's Homestay

My partner and I (Australians 🦘) travelled to Taveuni in April 2026 and stayed at Stephanie’s Homestay for about a week. 🌺 One thing to note upfront: if you don’t book both bedrooms, you may be sharing the house and common areas with other guests. This only happened to us for one night, and after that we had the whole place to ourselves for the rest of the stay. It doesn’t bother us at all, and I think it was mentioned on booking.com, but we must have overlooked it and not realised until we were there. 😂 The bedrooms have air conditioning, while the living areas don’t, but there’s a spacious dining area and a well equipped kitchen with an oven and gas stove, as well as a fridge and freezer, which made it feel very homely. You have access to utensils, plates etc, a kettle and toaster. There are also two small shops within walking distance (the furthest is about a 5-minute stroll) so if you fancy cooking, you’re in luck! For those who want a break from the kitchen, know the food provided by the hosts is incredibly affordable (we paid around $20 fjd per meal), with HUGE portions and really delicious flavours. We especially loved the ginger chicken, and meals often came with fresh roti which was delicious. The hosts also run a small vegetable stall and organic ice creamery out the front. I tried the banana ice cream (more like a sorbet than a dairy ice cream), and it was super refreshing, definitely give it a try. There’s a car rental place nearby called Aloha Rentals (where we hired a Hilux for $230 FJD per day or a Probox for around $160 FJD) and the hosts allowed us to park it on their lawn next to our house. Just be careful to drive slow for the family dog Brownie, who’s a sweetie, and often found lounging in the sun.🐾 What really stood out to us about Stephanie’s Homestay is the balance between having your own space and still being part of a real Fijian family environment.

I loved the friendly welcome I got from Vinna and Robert and helpful advice regarding tours, local busses etc during my stay. The homestay was spotless, with freshly painted rooms and new tiles in toilet and shower. My bed was large, with spotless linen, comfy pillows and mattress, and decorated with a welcome floral bouquet - a lovely gesture. The kitchen was spacious, with many food items such as spices and sauces supplied for my consumption. Air conditioner was quiet and efficient, and the locality was only a few minutes walk to the beach, supermarket and airport. A fresh food stall was at the front of the block serving delicious smoothies etc. Being beside the airport runway wasn't a problem as no night time operations occur at Matei and no jet aircraft land there.

Guests should be aware that there is no hot water for showers & kitchen (water temperature was fine for my use). Also, no light is fitted above the verandah vanity basin (I had the place to myself and used the kitchen sink for contact lens cleaning etc).