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minwayne
Hamilton, Vic Australia

Wonderful holiday in Rarotonga

5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 26 May 2023
First trip to the Cook Islands, stayed in Rarotonga for six nights then to Aitutaki for seven nights.

At the resort we really liked; Our room, plenty of space and very close to the beach and the pool / bistro / bar. View of the beach from our room quite stunning.
absolutely loved our waitress and waiter staff - Laite and Aisake - just clicked with them from the minute we arrived. they went above and beyond with great service for everyone. Meals and drinks were excellent.
Things we didn't like at the resort: Wi fi - had to pay, but it was advertised as included. and not being able to log onto wifi in a lot places in the resort. The linen on our bed was not changed until we asked at reception for it to be changed. They ran out of face washers for about half the time we were there. Floor in our room was not cleaned / swept each day.

We loved the Cultural dancing night. We travelled around the island by bus and did this quite a lot, was a great way to see plenty of places. Went to St Mary's Church on the Sunday morning and loved the service and singing with ukuleles. Loved diving with Adventure Cook Islands - just nearby the resort. Really enjoyed snorkeling and swimming and kayaking on the reef at the front of the resort.

Date of stay: May 2023
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
3.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Haimona Browne, Owner at Sanctuary Rarotonga-on The Beach, responded to this review
Responded 15 Jun 2023
Kia Orana,
Thank you for your 5-star review.
We are thrilled you had a great time and you managed to enjoy and soak in all the facilities, activities and the snorkeling directly in front of the resort.
Thank you also for your feedback on the shortfalls you experienced. i will personally be addressing these with the managers responsible for these areas.
Thank you again for choosing to stay with us.
Kind Regards,
Haimona Browne
Resort Manager
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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    36 - 41 of 704 reviews
    Reviewed 2 April 2023

    My stay at Sanctuary Rarotonga was fantastic. The room was beautiful and air conditioned. The staff were all wonderful and I really want to thank them for their hospitality during my stay. The beach was stunning and much more private than the one attached to the Rarotongan. I really loved the great access to kayaks, stand up paddle boards and snorkeling. It was great to have some activities included in the cost of accommodation. I would recommend getting the breakfast buffet included in your accommodation. Nothing is really in walking distance and we were using the bus so it was great being able to come down for breakfast before we went out for the day. Food selection was great, pancakes, cereal, toast, fruit etc. I would also say to schedule dinners outside of the resort as we found the menu okay but the food elsewhere was so much better. We really liked the Sanctuary pool but it seemed like it got dirty quite quickly and was a bit green when we first arrived. I will also take the time to warn you that the cocktails from the bar were unbelievably strong. There were several we couldn't drink because they tasted like straight spirits so we eventually stopped ordering them. 

    Date of stay: March 2023
    Trip type: Travelled with friends
    Thank mariawC4688SP
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Haimona Browne, Owner at Sanctuary Rarotonga-on The Beach, responded to this reviewResponded 11 April 2023

    Kia Orana,
    Thank you for taking the time to post a review of your recent stay with us.
    We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your suite, the amazing snorkeling directly in front of the resort and the easy access to the complimentary kayaks and SUPS
    I am also glad to hear you enjoyed the swim-up pool bar as well as the island tropical breakfast.
    I apologise about the strong cocktails. Will personally address this with our team in the bar.
    Thank you again for choosing to stay with us and please feel free to contact when planning you next trip to Rarotonga.
    Yours sincerely,
    Haimona Browne
    Resort Manager

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 24 March 2023

    What can I say really… the moment we arrived just pure bliss!! The amazing most friendly staff made it extra special. Home now and so miss them all!! Everything you need is right here.. wake up boom the beach is yours AND NO KIDS!!! Best stay ever and the rooms were perfect and perfectly serviced every day!! We will be back!!

    Date of stay: March 2023
    • Trip type: Travelled with friends
      • Value
      • Location
      • Service
    Thank Flyer49052853292
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Haimona Browne, Owner at Sanctuary Rarotonga-on The Beach, responded to this reviewResponded 25 March 2023

    Kia Orana,
    Thank you for your kind review.
    We are so thrilled to hear you had an amazing time with us and you enjoyed the no kids aspect of our resort.
    Thank you again for choosing to stay with us and we look forward to welcoming you back soon!
    Yours sincerely,
    Haimona Browne
    Resort Manager

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 24 March 2023

    Our stay at Sanctuary was wonderful. The service at the bar and for meals was fantastic. Meli and Akqu were the best their friendliness and helpfulness and overall awesome service made the entire trip. The beach and snorkelling out front is the best on the island. Highly recommended.

    Date of stay: March 2023
    Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    Thank Claire H
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Haimona Browne, Owner at Sanctuary Rarotonga-on The Beach, responded to this reviewResponded 25 March 2023

    Kia Orana,
    Thank you for your 5-star review.
    We are pleased to hear you had a wonderful stay an you enjoyed your meals and the snorkeling directly in the front of the resort as well as the warm hospitality from our staff, in particular from Meli and Akuila. These two staff members are our superstars!
    Thank you again for choosing to stay with us and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.
    Kind Regards,
    Haimona Browne
    Resort Manager

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 20 March 2023 via mobile

    Friend’s birthday
    We had a fantastic time. Staff were friendly and helpful. Breakfast was lots of fruits, toast, croissants, mini muffins. Also hots cakes, cereals with yoghurts. We danced in the evening in the outside bar. We had beachfront studio, with a view of the beach. Small table with two chairs and enough wardrobe space. Coffee, tea with a jug. Water jug, glasses and wine glasses. Outside were lounger to watch the sea. The resort had a swim up,bar with loungers around the pool. We enjoyed using the kayaks and swimming in the blue sea.

    Date of stay: March 2023
    Trip type: Travelled with friends
    Thank McVicarnz
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Haimona Browne, Owner at Sanctuary Rarotonga-on The Beach, responded to this reviewResponded 23 March 2023

    Kia Orana,
    Thank you for your 5-bubble review.
    We are thrilled to hear you had a fantastic time with us and you enjoyed the beachfront location, your Beachfront Suite and the meals. I am happy to hear you enjoyed the kayaking as well - bucket list ticked off indeed lol.
    Thank you again for choosing to stay with us and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.
    Yours sincerely,
    Haimona Browne
    Resort Manager

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 3 March 2023 via mobile

    We previously stayed at the adjoining Rarotonga Resort but opted for Sanctuary this time as it is Adults only - however you still enjoy access to all the the Rarotonga has to offer
    The two resorts are on a beautiful marine sanctuary lagoon offering the ideal setting for fabulous swimming, stand up paddling, kayaking and snorkelling with an abundance of tropical fish
    The rooms are beautifully appointed “island style” the onsite restaurants and bar offer first class food and beverages and the staff are outstanding

    Room tip: The beauty of the Sanctuary Rarotonga and adjoining Rarotonga Resorts is that whether busy or quiet you are well taken care of
    Date of stay: March 2023
    Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    1  Thank vicki1905
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Kerry Morton, General Manager at Sanctuary Rarotonga-on The Beach, responded to this reviewResponded 7 March 2023

    Kia Orana Vicki,
    WOW thank you so much for the wonderfully generous review and for taking the time to share your experience of staying at both our resorts. The Sanctuary Resort is Adults Only and has the only island swim up bar. The location of both our resorts offer our guests a truly amazing experience and the opportunity to explore the marine sea life in the surrounding waters.
    Thank you for your kind words about our wonderfully friendly staff. I will be sure to share your comments with them. We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed your time with us, as well as all activities we have on offer.
    We look forward to welcoming you back to our beautiful stretch of paradise in the future.
    Warm Regards
    Kerry Morton
    Resort Manager

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
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