Cook Islands accommodation for all budgets and interests. Beautiful Pacific provides an efficient booking service for all cook islands resorts and offers unbeatable knowledge with discounted hotel rates as well as fantastic holiday packages
Rarotonga is the main island in the Cook Islands and where almost 90% of tourists spend their entire holiday. The international airport and main town are along the rocky north coast of Rarotonga whilst most accommodation fronts an almost unbroken beach running down the west coast, along the south coast and midway up the east coast ending at fabulous Muri Beach with its uninhabited lagoon islets. The island takes under an hour to travel around by bus with great views of the lush tropical mountains along the way. However, the most popular way to travel is by moped and costing just NZ$ 65 for four days, most tourists give it a go.
Avarua Town, North Rarotonga Avarua Town on the north coast, minutes from the international airport, is the administration centre of the Cook Islands. Most people end up in town for a shopping trip or part of a bus trip around and it's a nice place to spend a few hours, especially on Saturday morning when the open air market takes place. You'll find everything from brightly coloured sarongs (wrap around dresses), to flower garlands, fresh fish and tropical fruits. The town is very small though with only a few supermarkets, two banks both with ATM machines, several restaurants / cafes, internet booths and several good boutique shops specialising in the sale of black pearls and fine handicrafts. There are a few budget places to stay but without a beach it's not a great option.
The coast along Avarua Town is rocky but a passage through the reef makes it ideal as a harbour for fishing boats and yachts (yachting season May-Sep). There are a few part-sandy beaches to the east of Avarua Town but swimming is restrictive. The mountains are stunning viewed from the main road and you'll find some ancient stone foundations (marae) on the inland road, as well as several dirt tracks leading into valleys. The coastline here is rugged, with mostly pebble beaches, and like Avarua, there is no place to swim.
Apartments Kakera, Rarotonga NZ$ 380 - 600 per couple
Located on the rural east coast of Rarotonga, Apartments Kakera offers modern living in three stylish apartments on the coastal road about 3 minutes walk to the ocean. With a wild beachcombing coral beach to explore, and excellent hiking tracks into the tropical valleys and mountains, Kakera is a good choice for adventurers.
Heron's Reef offers Tidy units, well-appointed and extremely comfortable with new furniture and well-equipped kitchens and is only a three minute drive to the nearest village supermarket, 10 minutes by bus to town, 10 minutes the other way to beautiful Muri Beach with watersports, large sandy beach, a good variety of cafes and restaurants. Serviced weekly but daily servicing available on request. Buses stop right outside the door.
Club Raro Resort, Rarotonga NZ$ 200 - 340 per couple
Club Raro Resort is conveniently located only 5mins from the main town of Avarua. An intimate and friendly resort offering 55 air-conditioned rooms including 15 Lagoon front Rooms overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A great place to enjoy a cooling dip and refreshing cocktail especially with the popular swim up pool bar.
Paradise Inn Rarotonga is located right on the waters edge of a reef-walking beach just five minutes walk into downtown Avarua. This is a great affordable base to enjoy the quaint Avarua Town with its bars, restaurants and shops, and to enjoy lovely sea and mountain views with walking access to some excellent hikes.
West Rarotonga
The West coast of Rarotonga is one long stretch of sandy beach backed mostly by ironwood trees and plenty of small resorts and self catering bungalows. This stretch of coastline stops at Black Rock in the north, opposite the 9-hole public Rarotongan Golf Course. Black Rock is an excellent swimming and snorkelling spot and is a good place to spot humpback whales when they visit the island between June and October. There are six good independent restaurants which all within walking distance of each other. Being leeward side of the island, it is also protected from the prevailing winds. Tropical sunsets are a definite plus.
Crown Beach Resort, Rarotonga NZ$ 500 - 750 per couple
Crown Beach Resort is an intimate boutique resort located on the sunset side of the island with 21 luxurious self contained and fully air conditioned villas. Crown Beach offers a Spa & Massage complex, fine dining at the Windjammer Restaurant, relaxed dining at the Beachside Restaurant & an onsite Dive Centre.
Manuia Beach Hotel, Rarotonga NZ$ 315 - 500 per couple
Manuia Beach Hotel offers 24 Polynesian style thatched bungalows, six of which are absolute beachfront. The hotel offers a romantic getaway ( no guests under the age of 12 years). Hotel facilities include a swimming pool overlooking the beach and a sand floor beach restaurant and sunset bar.
Magic Reef Bungalows, Rarotonga NZ$ 295 - 395 per couple
Magic Reef Bungalows offers just nine thatch bungalows with tropical furnishings in a beautifully landscaped garden set around a feature swimming pool and all with ocean views. Fronting a white sandy beach and swimming lagoon, this small property offers excellent value for money in a fully managed environment.
Raina Lagoon Villas, Rarotonga NZ$ 290 - 340 per couple
Raina Lagoon Villas is a delightful secluded spot with six hand crafted open plan villas in a small garden setting, four of which are absolute beachfront. Sitting adjacent to Manuia Beach Hotel, the lagoon views are stunning and guests can wander along the beach to several excellent restaurants.
The Cooks Oasis Holiday villas are located within a lush garden setting complete with mature tropical fruit trees. Banana, Pawpaw(papaya), passion fruit and coconut are abundant and easily picked when ripe – a great supplement during your stay. A perfect location being only 10 minutes drive to the town centre of Avarua and only one kilometer from the golf course. All Villas are only 60 meters from the sandy shoreline.
The Sunset Resort Rarotonga has 35 spacious self-catering apartments situated either on the Beachfront overlooking the lagoon and sunsets or beside the swimming pools amid lush tropical gardens. The apartments are all within walking distance of seven restaurants offering a wide variety of local and international cuisine.
Sunhaven Beach, Rarotonga NZ$ 260 - 300 per couple
Sunhaven Beach Bungalows is a small private property nestled amongst mature tropical palms at the waters edge on the western side of Rarotonga. The no children policy ensures peace and quiet and there's a fresh water pool. Complementary use of kayaks and snorkel.
Backpackers International, Rarotonga NZ$ 130 per couple
Backpackers International is a small locally run hostel with 9 twin rooms, 6 double rooms and 5 dorm rooms sleeping 3 people each. We are located on the south side of Rarotonga just minutes walk from the beach with good swimming and snorkelling. There's a cafe and small shop just around the corner, and a takeaway restaurant within five minutes walk.
Edgewater Resort, Rarotonga NZ$ 250 - 550 per couple
The Edgewater Resort is the largest hotel in the Cook Islands with 250 guest rooms and suites. The resort is set amongst 6 acres of tropical gardens bordered by a white sand beach. The Edgewater offers plenty of activities including tennis courts, night entertainment and 24-hr service.
Aroa Beach
The South West corner of Rarotonga has the delightful Aroa Beach. This is a great swimming lagoon with fine white sand and benefits from all day sun as well as sunsets and sunrises. The mountains here are particularly attractive and there are nice walks on the inland road.
The Rarotongan Beach Resort is the 2nd largest hotel in the Cook Islands. This colourful resort offers rooms in two-storey hotel blocks and staggered bungalow units facing Aroa Beach. Guests of the Resort can enjoy all-day sun, all-tide safe swimming and snorkelling in a protected Marine Reserve.
Aroa Beachside Inn, Rarotonga NZ$ 265 - 365 per couple
Aroa Inn is located on a stunning fine white sand beach on the quiet south-west shore of Rarotonga with good swimming, snorkelling and kayaking at all tides. All ten self catering units are set in landscaped gardens with lagoon views from private sundecks.
Puaikura Reef Lodge, Rarotonga NZ$ 186 - 213 per couple
Puaikura Reef Lodge is an excellent value motel style accommodation with self catering rooms arranged around a pool in landscaped gardens. With a decent beach across the road and tropical mountains to explore behind the property, Puaikura makes an affordable base.
South Rarotonga The south coast is the quietest stretch on Rarotonga and has lovely beaches and stunning mountain views. There are several tracks inland including the walk to Popoara Waterfall which continues through the rainforest past The Needle and crossing Rarotonga to Avarua Town. The village of Titikaveka has a prominent white church and there's a lovely botanical garden and cafe. The beach along Titikaveka is excellent and stretches for almost 2 miles. There are several lovely small collections of beach bungalows here. Just past Takitumu is the best snorkelling lagoon in the Cook Islands.
Little Polynesian, Rarotonga NZ$ 550 - 950 per couple
Little Polynesian is a stylish boutique resort with beautifully appointed bungalows, contemporary restaurant and pool. This small luxury hideaway overlooks a gorgeous white sandy swimming beach with excellent snorkelling offshore. A no child policy makes this ideal for romantic breaks.
Sea Change Villas, Rarotonga NZ$ 535 - 850 per couple
Sea Change Villas features eight luxuriously appointed villas straddling the south coast road of Rarotonga, each with full kitchens including a dishwasher, separate air-conditioned bedrooms, large living areas and are fully serviced daily except Sundays. Kayaks, snorkelling gear & VIP transfers all included in rate.
Rarotonga Beach Bungalows NZ$ 495 - 595 per couple
Raro Beach Bungalows is a small, intimate property with 3 beachfront and 2 lagoon view self-contained bungalows, each with a tropical garden shower. This boutique-style, Polynesian designed accommodation sits on a pretty beach front adjacent to a marine protected area with great snorkelling .
Moana Sands Hotel, Rarotonga NZ$ 295 - 365 per couple
Moana Sands Hotel is a small beachfront hotel overlooking the peaceful white sands of South Rarotonga. Hotel rooms are over three floors, all with balconies overlooking the beach. The lagoon has good swimming, excellent snorkelling and kayaks are available for guest use. Small restaurant on site.
Whitesands Villas features three fully quipped split level villas overlooking a beautifully secluded white sandy beach with good swimming and excellent snorkelling in the lagoon. This peaceful retreat is the ideal choice for holidaymakers looking to do their own thing (no on-site manager) or to sit and relax on a peaceful beach.
Palm Grove is set in the enchanting area of Vaima enjoying the peace and tranquillity of one of the best locations in the Cook Islands. Twelve spacious garden bungalows set amongst hibiscus and tipani flowers on the mountain side of the coastal road are complemented with eight beachfront bungalows.
Rau's Guesthouse offers budget accommodation for discerning backpackers and is located across the road to a secluded white sandy beach which you can walk along for miles. Rau's offers a peaceful and secure home environment and is very close to Palm Grove restaurant and a supermarket.
Muri Beach, South East Rarotonga Muri Beach is the liveliest and most developed tourist region on Rarotonga with almost twenty accommodations to choose from. Please see our detailed guides to Muri for more information.
Rarotonga Holiday homes is a collection of privately owned houses around Rarotonga for tourist rent. These houses are in prime locations and offer spacious living at affordable prices. All properties are owned by locals living on the island and can offer servicing if required. Minimum stay 3 nights.
