The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium

Great service & holiday, woukd recommend & come back

The resort has everything to offer for our kids and the beach is stunning by the resort.

99% of the staff were top notch amazing and very welcoming, always greeting us with a smile. I don’t want to moan about anyone ever, but I would like to be truthful about my review - there was one staff member (a lady perhaps 40 - 50) at the bar area by the pool who was not so welcoming and when I first got to the resort, I was unsure of how things worked in the resort and she wasn’t very helpful or welcoming. I was absolutely fine about it, no drama but I think some people may be put off from that type of welcome. Again every other staff member was amazing.

The lagoon was amazing! Beautiful snorkeling, turtles out the front, beautiful sunsets. amazing massage

Water park was closed, had to request a room service after 2 days of nothing.

The location was great! 😀

The staff were unfriendly and unhelpful. Felt like they did not want to be there! Service was very very slow in restaurant and bar.

Managed to catch a great special for 3 nights - really good value for money, loved the full buffet breakfast - no extra fees for kayaks, snorkelling gear or paddle boards. All staff from reception to the restaurant team, activities hut and cleaners were so wonderful. Wanted to book a few extra nights but unfortunately had no availability. Can't wait to return!

The breakfast is awesome.so much to choose from and the snorkeling is some of the best in the country I reckon., the water is absolutely amazing

Going home

The lagoon is right on the premise beach.

Very dated resort with old furnishing. Cannot be called “resort” standard. Our room has small cockroaches crawling near the trashcan and ants on the bathroom countertop during our 8 nights stay. The whole premise would benefits from a major make over since location is right on the lagoon.

The friendly staff and location on the lovely lagoon

I felt the room decor was little tired and dated,considering the cost

Don’t be fooled by the grand entrance—it’s just a shiny facade for a resort that has lost its way and its soul. The Rarotongan has recently doubled down on a truly bizarre policy: refusing to serve anyone who isn't an "in-house guest." Want to spend money at the restaurant? Denied. Want to pay for a swim in the pool? Forbidden. ​Management seems to think they are running a high-end fortress, but the stats tell a much more honest story of decline. While they post generic, scripted replies about "caring" for the guest experience, their actual Value for Money rating has tanked to a 7.3/10 (one of the lowest on the island). Even their Facilities and WiFi scores (hovering around 7.1 to 7.7) suggest that while they’re busy locking locals out, they aren't exactly keeping the inside up to scratch. ​The most "un-Rarotongan" part of the experience? The poor staff. The server who had to turn us away was visibly mortified. It’s clear the team is embarrassed by management’s decision to alienate the local community and non-staying tourists. ​If you want to feel like a "valued customer" rather than a nuisance, save your breath and your wallet. Take your business to The Edgewater instead. They actually understand hospitality, value the local trade, and don't need a "registered guest" lanyard to treat you like a human being. The Rarotongan is proof that you can have a grand entrance and still be a total dead end.