Grand Pacific Hotel
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA historic waterfront hotel in Suva, Fiji, opened in 1914 and restored as a five-star property in 2014.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Grand Pacific Hotel is a historic hotel on Victoria Parade along the Suva waterfront in Fiji. The property opened on 23 May 1914 after the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand commissioned a hotel intended to serve passengers travelling on transpacific routes. Its location on reclaimed land beside Suva Harbour and its ocean-liner-inspired design reflected the role of steamship travel in connecting Fiji with Australia, New Zealand, North America and other parts of the Pacific. The building was designed by Dunedin architects Salmond & Vanes and constructed in reinforced concrete by Hall Hogg & Company. Its colonial architectural character includes high ceilings, louvred French doors and a broad verandah running around the building. The original planning deliberately evoked a first-class passenger vessel: guest rooms were placed on the upper floor, bathrooms initially used saltwater systems, and the wrap-around verandah functioned visually like a ship’s deck overlooking the harbour. The design also sought to improve tropical comfort through ventilation and shade. During the colonial period, the hotel became one of Suva’s principal venues for official receptions, formal dinners, dances and visits by prominent travellers. Its guests and visitors included Australian statesman Alfred Deakin, writer Somerset Maugham, aviator Charles Kingsford Smith, actor Douglas Fairbanks, author James A. Michener and playwright Noël Coward. The hotel also hosted receptions for visiting naval and military figures, including the crew of the German cruiser Emden. Its place in Suva’s civic life was reinforced by repeated royal visits. Members of the British royal family used the hotel’s portico to address crowds gathered in Albert Park, while Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip stayed there on several occasions. The property also hosted events connected with Fiji’s independence in 1970 and, after its restoration, welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their 2018 Fiji visit. Ownership and management changed substantially after the original leaseholder, the Union Steamship Company, withdrew in 1958. Cathay Hotels (Fiji) Ltd subsequently took over the property, adding a 45-room air-conditioned wing and a swimming pool in 1960. The hotel was temporarily associated with a pink exterior, but later renovation plans sought to restore its earlier white colour scheme and colonial character. By the 1980s, however, the ageing property had deteriorated. It was sold in 1988 to the Government of Nauru through the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust and eventually closed in 1992. The Fijian Government expropriated the property in March 2000 with the intention of restoring and reopening it. Political instability, including coups in 2000 and 2006, together with financial constraints and weakened tourism, delayed the project. A later investment structure involving the Fijian Investment Corporation, Papua New Guinea’s National Superannuation Fund, Fiji National Provident Fund and Lamana Developments enabled the restoration to proceed. The hotel reopened on 24 May 2014, one hundred years after its original opening, as a restored five-star property. In July 2020, InterContinental Hotels Group assumed management of the hotel. The property was intended to be rebranded as InterContinental Grand Pacific Hotel Suva after a major renovation, linking its historic local identity with an international luxury-hospitality brand. Grand Pacific Hotel therefore combines heritage architecture, ceremonial and political history, waterfront tourism and contemporary upscale accommodation.
History
The Grand Pacific Hotel was conceived in the early twentieth century as a Pacific travel hub. In 1910, Sir James Mills, managing director of the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, commissioned plans for a hotel that could accommodate passengers travelling through the company’s transpacific network. A two-acre site on land reclaimed from Suva Harbour was selected near the location associated with the original Suva village. The architects, Salmond & Vanes of Dunedin, developed a colonial building whose proportions, verandahs and room arrangements deliberately recalled an ocean liner. Construction in reinforced ferro-concrete was carried out by Hall Hogg & Company, also of Dunedin, and the hotel opened on 23 May 1914. The original design combined formal colonial presentation with practical responses to Fiji’s tropical climate. High ceilings, louvred French doors and a fifteen-foot-wide wrap-around verandah promoted shade and airflow. Guest rooms were located on the second floor and were arranged with first-class-stateroom references, including early saltwater bathrooms and plumbing fixtures associated with shipboard travel. The building faced the harbour and quickly became an important social and ceremonial centre in Suva. The hotel attracted tourists, officials, shipping passengers and prominent international visitors. Alfred Deakin stayed there in 1915, while Somerset Maugham visited in 1916. Contemporary accounts from the 1920s described the hotel as a gathering place on steamship days, when passengers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States filled its public spaces. In 1928, a reception and ball were held for Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew after his trans-Pacific flight reached Fiji. The hotel also hosted a 1929 reception for the crew of the German cruiser Emden. Other recorded guests included Lord Northcliffe, Douglas Fairbanks, James A. Michener and Noël Coward. Royal visits became a defining part of the hotel’s public identity. The first recorded royal visit took place in April 1920, when the Prince of Wales was received during a tour aboard HMS Renown. The Duke and Duchess of York visited in 1927, and an official ball was held for the Duke of Gloucester in 1935. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip stayed at the property during visits in 1953, 1973, 1977 and 1982. In 1970, Charles, Prince of Wales, attended a state dinner at the hotel connected with Fiji’s independence celebrations. The tradition continued after the restoration, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex staying in the Royal Suite during their 2018 visit. A major transition began in December 1958, when the Union Steamship Company decided to surrender its lease. The hotel faced possible closure until a new arrangement was found. Ownership was eventually granted to Fiji-based Cathay Hotels (Fiji) Ltd under Wesley Barrett. The property was adapted for a changing tourism market, including visitors arriving on Pacific cruise routes. In 1960, an air-conditioned wing containing 45 rooms and a swimming pool were added. The exterior was painted pink during this period, although the colour was later regarded as inconsistent with the building’s historic image. In 1974, Barrett announced renovations intended to recover the hotel’s earlier colonial character, including a return to a white exterior and restoration of interior spaces. The hotel nevertheless declined during the 1980s. In 1988 it was sold to the Government of Nauru through the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust. The property closed in 1992 after efforts to keep it operating failed. The building deteriorated while negotiations between the Fijian Government and the Nauru Trust continued. In March 2000, the government of Mahendra Chaudhry expropriated the property with plans for restoration and reopening. Those plans were slowed by limited financing, reduced tourism and political instability following coups in 2000 and 2006. A new development structure was announced by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama on 8 August 2011. The government-run Fijian Investment Corporation assisted a joint venture involving Papua New Guinea’s National Superannuation Fund, Fiji National Provident Fund and Lamana Developments of Papua New Guinea. The reported ownership allocation gave NASFUND a 50 percent stake, with FNPF and Lamana each holding 25 percent. Restoration ultimately returned the property to five-star operation, and the Grand Pacific Hotel reopened on 24 May 2014, exactly a century after its initial opening. In July 2020, InterContinental Hotels Group assumed management. The property was scheduled for a major renovation and planned rebranding as InterContinental Grand Pacific Hotel Suva. This arrangement positioned the historic hotel within an international luxury-hospitality operating framework while retaining the Grand Pacific name and its heritage significance.
- 2020
IHG assumes management
[1]InterContinental Hotels Group took over management and announced plans associated with a future InterContinental rebranding and renovation.
- 2014
Hotel reopens for its centenary
[1]The restored property reopened on 24 May as a five-star hotel, marking one hundred years since its first opening.
- 2011
Restoration joint venture announced
[1]A development arrangement involving NASFUND, FNPF and Lamana Developments was announced with assistance from the Fijian Investment Corporation.
- 2000
Property expropriated by the Fijian Government
[1]The Fijian Government expropriated the property with the stated intention of restoring and reopening it.
- 1992
Hotel closes
[1]The hotel ceased operations after attempts to prevent closure were unsuccessful.
- 1988
Sold to the Government of Nauru
[1]The property was sold to the Government of Nauru through the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust.
- 1970
Independence-related state dinner
[1]Charles, Prince of Wales, attended a state dinner at the hotel connected with Fiji’s independence.
- 1960
Air-conditioned wing and pool added
[1]Cathay Hotels (Fiji) added a 45-room air-conditioned wing and swimming pool while adapting the property to a newer tourism market.
- 1958
Original leaseholder withdraws
[1]The Union Steamship Company relinquished its lease, creating uncertainty about the hotel’s future operation.
- 1928
Reception for Charles Kingsford Smith
[1]A ball was held at the hotel for Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew after their trans-Pacific flight reached Fiji.
Products and positioning
A heritage luxury hotel positioned around Suva waterfront location, colonial-era architecture, ceremonial history and high-end accommodation. Following its 2014 restoration and subsequent InterContinental management arrangement, the property also occupies a contemporary five-star and internationally affiliated hospitality position.
Hotel accommodation · 1914
Guest rooms and suites
The hotel provides upscale accommodation in a historic waterfront building. Its offer includes standard guest rooms and higher-tier suites, with the Royal Suite associated with the property’s royal-visit history. The original building was designed around first-class-stateroom concepts, while later redevelopment restored the property as a five-star hotel.
Food and beverage · 1914
Dining and bar services
Dining, bar and hospitality services form part of the hotel’s operating offer. Historically, the property’s public rooms supported formal dinners, receptions, balls and gatherings associated with visiting officials, royalty, travellers and shipping passengers.
Meetings and events · 1914
Events and banqueting
Grand Pacific Hotel has long served as a venue for state dinners, receptions, formal balls and other ceremonial occasions. Its waterfront setting, public spaces and heritage architecture support both institutional hospitality and private events.
Hotel amenities · 1960
Leisure facilities
A swimming pool was added during the 1960 redevelopment period, alongside an air-conditioned accommodation wing. The restored hotel continues to operate as a full-service luxury property, although the available reference material does not specify the complete current amenity list.
Brand decisions
2020
International management and planned rebrandingStrategyBackground
The restored hotel sought an international luxury-hospitality operating platform while retaining its established heritage identity.
Action taken
InterContinental Hotels Group assumed management in July 2020, with plans for a major renovation and rebranding as InterContinental Grand Pacific Hotel Suva.
Aftermath
The property became associated with IHG’s InterContinental brand architecture, although the reference does not confirm the completion date of the rebranding.
2014
Reopening as a restored five-star hotelProduct launchBackground
The historic property had been closed since 1992 and required extensive restoration.
Action taken
The hotel reopened on 24 May 2014 after restoration, timed to coincide with its centenary.
Aftermath
Grand Pacific Hotel returned to operation as a five-star heritage property in central Suva.
2011
Restoration financing and redevelopment partnershipStrategyBackground
After closure in 1992 and prolonged deterioration, earlier attempts to restore the hotel were delayed by financial constraints and political instability.
Action taken
The Fijian Investment Corporation assisted a joint venture between NASFUND, FNPF and Lamana Developments to restore and reopen the property.
Aftermath
The project led to the hotel’s restoration as a five-star property and its reopening in 2014.
Reported ownership allocation. NASFUND 50%; FNPF 25%; Lamana Developments 25% (2011)
1974
Return toward colonial heritage presentationStrategyBackground
The hotel’s pink exterior and later alterations were not well aligned with its established colonial-era identity.
Action taken
Wesley Barrett announced renovations intended to restore the property’s historic character, including returning the exterior to white and refurbishing interior spaces.
Aftermath
The plan sought to reconnect the hotel with the architectural and literary reputation it had developed during its earlier period.
1958
Change of leaseholder and operating directionStrategyBackground
The Union Steamship Company decided to relinquish its lease, placing the hotel’s continued operation in doubt.
Action taken
The property was transferred to Fiji-based Cathay Hotels (Fiji) Ltd, which adapted the hotel for a changing class of Pacific tourists.
Aftermath
The new operating period brought physical changes, including an air-conditioned wing, a swimming pool and a temporary pink exterior.
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