Hotel berhampiran Over-Water Night Show & Dinner, Ngatangiia District

A good hotel, dated but a renovation is happening in 2025. Friendly staff, but not polished service with some simple things not done well, like forgetting cutlery etc. Pool area is nice to get out of the wind, and the beachfront is awesome, as the the included kayaks and paddle boards. The daily happy hour cocktail’s were not very nice, and overly complicated and exotic. A simple rum and coke, or gin and tonic, would have tasted better and pleased more people. There is no 24/7 room service as advertised, and there was no turndown service in our first room, although there was in our second. The first room (garden view) had chromecast and Netflix etc, but our second (beachfront) did not. Bathrooms were dated, and water pressure / temperature poor. Some fresh flowers had been placed in the room on arrival, but had been there a few days and ants were finding them. The included soaps were amazing. The beds were great, location too notch, but for the price I would expect much more. In summary, they try to be 5 star, but don’t execute it well. Still a pleasant stay and we would return if the price was more reflective of the product.

What a great hotel and setting! It was our first time in Raro and Muri Lagoon & we were not disappointed. We prearranged collection from the airport via the hotel which was smooth and easy, really friendly driver who helped with our bags. At the hotel, check in was quick and the staff all friendly, well informed and happy to help. Our room was ready so we checked in to a Premium Family room which had a large double and 2x singles. Open plan feel and just like the images on the website, so no separation between bedroom (other than a net curtain). It was well maintained, clean and tidy and very comfortable. TV, nice bathroom, toiletries, plenty of bath and beach towels, mini fridge, sink, a few plates and cutlery, kettle & toaster and room to store our clothes, plus a safe for valuables. We were near the swimming pool but also adjacent to the road which was a bit noisy at times but no real problem. Good A/C and fans in the room too. Room cleaned and with fresh linen / towels every day. The pool was great for the kids and the beachfront was just amazing. Snorkelling off the beach on our first day we saw so many fish, coral, an eagle ray and a turtle! Such an experience. There are kayaks, paddle boards, Sun loungers, life jackets, reef shoes & flippers all available to use for free for guests and the lagoon is so safe that we used all of them, our son kayaking on his own for the first time. Bar and restaurant right on the beach - we had dinner there almost every evening and the food was always excellent & they catered for some tricky allergies in the family (although limited options) but were so helpful each time. Breakfast is a buffet with mainly cold/continental options but lovely fruit, breads, pastries, cereals etc. and they had cooked options for a charge. The staff were so friendly and helpful always saying ‘Kia orana’ and being chatty, they knew us by name after a couple of days & welcomed our son. A good location too for snorkelling and exploring nearby small islands by kayak or SUP. You can get the bus clockwise or anti-clockwise right outside the hotel (1x each way per hour) which is $5 per person per trip, or you can get a multi trip pass. An AVIS car hire also right next door. There was a kids club too but we didn’t use. Food & drink options available all day and staff would bring them to the beach or pool which was great. Overall we were really happy with our stay and hope to return, thank you to all the staff who made our week away so special.

When we visited the islands (date prob not the same as selection allows) we had a bit of a mixed experience, this place saved us and made everything better, thank you Fern, will never forget your kindness, and Lloyd, superstar, and the beautiful dog :) would love to come back and see you soon, cant speak highly enough of you all xxx

We came as first time travellers to the Cook Islands and left knowing that our strongest wish will be to return. Luckily for us we couldn’t have chosen a better place to stay than at Little Polynesia Resort at Titikaveka only 20 minutes drive (driving at 40kph) from the airport. It has been a privilege for us to have stayed in this resort which was just perfect in every respect; warm and welcoming staff; quietness, privacy and outstanding accommodation; brilliant cuisine at the Little Poly Restaurant; and stunning views across the lagoon some 20 metres from our beachside bungalow. Interacting and talking with staff was such a pleasure, they are very special people who did so much to ensure we were looked after, and very ably led by Chantelle their most charming and helpful manager. The resort setting is stunning, set against the backdrop of a mirror flat lagoon; it’s very quiet and our accommodation was excellent with comfortable beds and pillows, large living space, a private deck and the shortest walk ever to swimming and snorkelling in the lagoon. The restaurant cuisine was outstanding as were the staff who were both excellent in their service and fantastic to talk with along the way. This is a top rated resort for good reason and it was our best decision ever to stay here. As much as it was very easy to just eat, sleep, walk and swim, there is plenty to do. On Rarotonga we would recommend the Progressive Dinner, a very privileged experience, the cultural tour and over water concert at Te Vara Nui Village, a lagoon tour at Aitutaki Island and most of all simply visiting the back roads and plantations of Rarotonga talking with locals – used a hire car for 2 days for $55pd and travelled 74kms! Our stay in the Cook Islands at Little Poly has been such a wonderful relaxing experience and when we can return, it will be straight back to Little Poly! Lindsay and Jennie Macquarie, ACT, Australia

The hotel is right next to Little Polynesian, convenient location, you can take the bus to the town, the beach is very beautiful, can enjoy the ocean view directly from room. The room is clean, with cutlery and a kettle, but the bath water is not stable.

The breakfast was not good. They served canned fruits and packaged fruit juice. The choice was limited.

If you found this review to be informative and helpful, please kindly note as it will help us better focus our future review efforts! We stayed at the Moana Sands Beachfront Hotel in late January on our visit to Rarotonga. This was our fourth trip to the Cook Islands and we’ve tried various accommodations to date, including two rental properties and another resort villas property within the island. Note Moana Sands Group has three properties on the island thus is the source of confusion for many reviews on TripAdvisor. We selected the Beachfront Hotel (believe it was the oldest property of the bunch) due to its ideal location beachfront on the reef for snorkelling. Upon booking the resort, it is important to note that those who have rental vehicles with flights arriving after-hours are still required to pay for a one-way shuttle for one person so the attendee can let you into your rooms. After further discussing with the property manager, you can elect to follow the transport or have one person join the shuttle. The driver from Kai Mani transport was efficient, friendly, greeted us with beautiful leis upon arrival, and waited on us while we sorted out our rental – they are an excellent transport provider. All hotel staff we interacted with during our stay were helpful and friendly. We elected for the deluxe suites on the third floor. The room itself is spacious and includes basic amenities in a mini-kitchenette of sorts (basic small appliances, utensils, mini-fridge). The room did show its age however, and during our stay we noticed the first- and second- floor rooms albeit smaller appeared to have recent renovations. We also found the air conditioner had serious challenges keeping up pace with the warm summer weather. We booked the property with the AC feature as a need to keep us cool, but the vaulted ceiling created more room volume/space to cool. Be aware as with any property in the tropics, that bugs/insects are abundant anywhere and some basic tips help keep them away from your room (keep food in fridge not on counter, clean up crumbs after eating, etc.) The option for a breakfast is a convenient way to start the day, but do note that there were few changes to selection during the course of our visit. Breakfast is continental variety, including fruits, teas/coffee/juices, breads, ham/cheese/veg, yogurt and cereals. During the last few days, we discovered a great way to make a toasted grilled sandwich – two slices of bread, buttered on the outside, with ham, cheese, tomato and onion, on the little George Foreman grill until golden brown. It really elevated the breakfast experience and is highly recommended. There is the option for grill breakfast items at extra cost should guests desire. The beachfront area was not busy during our stay, staff did their best to keep the area and sand nicely kept, and the property offers sports equipment for use. As avid snorkelers, we brought our own equipment and really enjoyed snorkelling the reef. In