Timeless History
In June 1928 aviation history was made when Charles Kingsford Smith landed the “Southern Cross”, his Fockker monoplane, opposite Grand Pacific Hotel on Albert Park enroute to Australia on his epic Trans Pacific flight from America.
In June 1928 aviation history was made when Charles Kingsford Smith landed the “Southern Cross”, his Fockker monoplane, opposite Grand Pacific Hotel on Albert Park enroute to Australia on his epic Trans Pacific flight from America.
In June 1928, Charles Kingsford Smith, a renowned Australian aviator, made aviation history when he landed his Fockker monoplane, the “Southern Cross,” opposite the Grand Pacific Hotel on Albert Park, Suva. He was en route to Australia on his epic Trans Pacific flight from America.
The Grand Pacific Hotel became part of this historic moment, as its location was the landing spot for this momentous journey. The crew of the “Southern Cross” consisted of Kingsford Smith (captain), Charles Ulm (relief pilot), Harry Lyon (navigator), and James Warner (radio operator). They departed from Oakland, California, and travelled via Honolulu before undertaking the 5,000-kilometer leg to Fiji, which was the longest ocean flight ever attempted at that time. The journey took thirty-five hours, and they arrived with less than an hour and half of fuel remaining, landing in Suva to a tremendous welcome. Kingsford Smith and his crew stayed at the Grand Pacific Hotel as guests of the Union Steamship Company, who owned the hotel at that time. The aviators recuperated at the hotel, and Kingsford Smith addressed a throng of 10,000 people from the hotel balcony. A public holiday was proclaimed, and the crew attended a celebratory ball held in their honour at the hotel. After departing Fiji, they arrived at Eagle Farm Aerodrome, Brisbane, as international heroes. The Grand Pacific Hotel remains a significant part of this historic moment, and the location where Kingsford Smith landed is now marked with a plaque on the hotel’s sea wall. This aviation milestone and the hotel’s role in it are a testament to the hotel’s rich history and enduring legacy as a luxurious and iconic landmark in Fiji
With fine décor and harmonious fittings complementing a sparkling harbour backdrop, a true luxury escape awaits. Thoughtfully equipped for any occasion, this suite comes complete with separate living, dining, sleeping and working spaces. Dine upon fine marble, gaze across the horizon from a plush lounge chair, and unwind in the ensuite’s soothing plunge bath. End the day with a perfect night’s sleep in the deluxe bedroom, resting between pure cotton linens and our signature cloud mattress.
*Please note that Club InterContinental access does not apply to complimentary upgrades.