The style was colonial in emphasis, with high ceilings, louvred French doors and the wrap-around verandah that were all designed to maximise cool comfort in the tropical climate.

[3][4] It was not long before the hotel became the centre of the colonial society in Suva, attracting not only tourists but all manner of official visits and grand balls to celebrate important visitors and events.

[9] In July 1929, a reception was held at the hotel to receive the crew of the German cruiser Emden and their commander, Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, as part of their worldwide tour.

[10] Other notable visitors include Lord Northcliffe (1921),[11] Douglas Fairbanks (1935),[12] James A Michener during his time writing Tales of the South Pacific in 1946–1947,[13] and Noël Coward, who stayed for two weeks in 1962.

[14] When members of the British royal family visited Fiji, they stood atop the wrought-iron portico, the "bow" of the Grand Pacific, and addressed their subjects massed across Victoria Parade in Albert Park.

[22] In December 1958 the Union Steamship Company decided to relinquish their lease and the hotel was threatened with closure should a new owner/operator not be found, with the Fijian Government eventually receiving several offers from Singapore, the United States and within Fiji.

[3] However, the pink colour scheme was not well received, and in 1974 Barrett announced a new round of renovations aimed at recreating "the colonial style glory that won the hotel acclaim and a place in the writings of Somerset Maugham", including a return to the original white exterior and the restoration of interior spaces.

However, with a gradual return to stability the Fijian Government restarted attempts to reopen the hotel, with the government-run Fijian Investment Corporation Ltd (FICL) assisting a joint venture between Papua New Guinea's Superannuation Fund (NASFUND), Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF), and Lamana Developments of Papua New Guinea, announced by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama on 8 August 2011.