Sailor’s Stopover: Bay View Barbers Lodge, Savusavu, Fiji
Budget local accommodation
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Review: Bay View Barbers Lodge
Getting there
Bay View Barbers is the building pictured to the left of the Waitui Marina
The hub of cruising life in Savusavu happens between Waitui Marina and the Savusavu Yacht Club at the Copra Shed Marina, with Nawi Marina opposite. Bay View Barbers Lodge is a 2 minute walk away, and just a few more minutes into town. Getting here from Savusavu airport is only a 5minute taxi ride over the hill (FJ$5-$6), with plenty of regular rides going past. Or if you land at Labasa Airport, it’s about an hour and a half taxi ride to Savusavu through some pictureque mountainous countryside (don’t pay more than FJ$120-$130). Bay View Barbers Lodge is an ideal base for sailors needing a low-fuss spot in Savusavu. You can walk to the fresh market, grab a curry in town, and still be close enough to dinghy in if your boat's moored in the harbour.
The people make this a great place to stay — owner Mr Mukesh took me on a ride to the best snorkel locations
The vibe
Bright entrance with stairs to climb (be prepared if you have heavy bags)
Balcony view from the lodge overlooking Savusavu harbour
This is a super local place — with a very lived-in vibe, as in, the bedding is far from new (stained but clean), the bathroom door handle was missing, and the bathroom tap needed fixing. As a solo woman traveller arriving here, on first impressions I thought it might be a bit dodgy but I felt safe the whole time (all the door locks work), and the hosts are kind and genuinely helpful. They’ll go the extra mile to give you a ride (still paid) or help with local intel or help you sort your local SIM card etc. It’s not a modern AirBnB or touristy resort, but it’s got everything you need if you’re on a budget.
And the outdoor balcony has a great view of the harbour which is the perfect place for a morning coffee (pick one up from Graces Kitchen next door which has the best fresh food. I highly recommend the Pad Thai, crispy chicken wrap, iced coffee, and berry waffles!).
Plus, there’s a barber shop downstairs — the owner Mr Mukesh owns this too (hence the name Bay View BARBER Lodge).
The room situation
Basic but clean
Bonus points for the functioning aircon
Flush toilet and running water
A few fix-it jobs to be done but stayable
Clean*, quiet-ish (someone’s usually sweeping or mopping the corridor tiles at 5:30am), and comes with the essentials — aircon (mine was working only at full blast), ceiling fan, small fridge, and TV (I didn’t test that out). Some rooms get more natural sunlight, and look out over the bay (they seem lovely) but mine was darker and more of a compound style overlooking housing. It’s far from luxury, but it’s affordable, especially if you’re staying a few nights to wait for your boat to arrive or need a short convenient stay near provisions.
*zero cockroaches and no bed bugs but I did find a mummified gecko on the door jam. RIP.
Good to know
THE AIRCON WORKS. And there’s a ceiling fan, so the rooms are cool. Which is one of the most important things in Fiji!
The beds are comfy — also another most important factor in a stay
Apparently there’s Wi-Fi, although I couldn’t find the network, so stuck to my phone data
Deluxe rooms are more equipped with in-room cooking facilities
Walking distance to town, and the airport’s only a short taxi ride away
There’s a laundry service on site
If you’re planning on a few days in town, book ahead—it can fill up fast in season
Verdict
The online pictures I found looked a little nicer than what I found but having stayed here I would stay again Bay View Barbers Lodge is the kind of spot that works perfectly when you're between passages. It’s not fancy, but it's friendly, central, and built for practical stopovers—and that’s exactly what makes it a win.
