Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced the opening of Sheraton Resort & Spa on Tokoriki Island, Fiji – having undergone a US$18.5m (€14m, £11m) renovation and conversion prior to raising the Sheraton flag.

The 35-acre resort – which can be reached by either a 12-minute helicopter ride or an hour’s boat trip – is owned by a local Fijian proprietary company called Ritam Investments, which is part of the P Meghji Group. Tokoriki Island is the northernmost island within Fiji’s idyllic Mamanuca group.

The previously independent resort features a total of 101 guest rooms and suites, including 30 Tokoriki Retreats with private plunge pools.

The Tokoriki Retreat Spa features four treatment rooms for therapies inspired by its location. Products at the spa are supplied by both Pure Fiji and Thalgo. Treatments include massages, body wraps, body scrubs, facials and mani-pedis.

“We are delighted to embark on this new chapter with a leading and internationally recognised hotel company, Starwood Hotels & Resorts,” said Ritam Investments’ director Romid Meghji. “The Prime Minister, Rear Admiral Vorege Bainarama and his government have implemented generous investment incentives to encourage investment in the local economy. We are confident in the long-term security and growth of the Fijian market and trust that we will reap the rewards of this positive investment climate.

“We believe that our new venture will be a great success and a significant boost for the local economy,” Meghji continued. “We have already created around 110 jobs on Tokoriki Island, 51 of which are for members of the local community.”

Recreational facilities on-site include an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, tennis courts, kids club, two boutiques, a cinema which accommodates up to 50 people and a restaurant called Flying Fish Tokoriki – brought to the island by award-winning chef and restaurateur Peter Kuruvita.

The resort’s meeting facilities comprise space for up to 140 guests.

The Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, Fiji, is the Sheraton brand’s eighth property in the Pacific region and Starwood’s fourth operating property in Fiji – joining Sheraton Fiji Resort, Sheraton Denarau Villas and The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa.