Our family stayed here for an overnight stay and found it to be a great place for the price as well as a great service to/from airport from a very friendly gentleman who made our first & last impression of the Cook Island fantastic.
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Efscotland
LondonGood place to spend a couple of days
Review of Central Motel
Reviewed 29 Oct 2014
My partner and I stayed at the Central Motel before going on to another island and again on the way back, before leaving for LA. As other reviewers have said, it is well-situated in the main town of Avarua, within walking distance of numerous bars, restaurants, the National Library and Museum and the Saturday market. A really good choice for an overnight stopover/couple of days in Avarua. The rooms are spacious and comfortable and the owner, Malcolm, goes out of his way to make your stay a pleasant one. He picked us up from the airport, after midnight, and took us back for our flight to Atiu and on our second stay, for our flight to LA. We were also able to keep the room till we were taken to the airport, at 10.00 pm. An all-round good experience!
Date of stay: October 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Reviews (41)
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19 - 24 of 41 reviews
Capt1962
Brisbane, Australia
811
Date of stay: October 2014
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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.
GMDNZ
Auckland
1727
If you're on passing through Rarotonga, and prefer to be in the main town of Avarua, Central Motel is well located, and a short walk to the main road and faciities.
I had to alter my arrangements more than once before I arrived, but Malcolm accommodated these changes pretty well. The only failing was not getting the lift back to the airport at the end of my trip, despite checking the day before the time and pickup point (the harbour, not the motel). Fortunately I was able to organise an alternative when his colleague did not show up.
The rooms are simple and functional, appropriate as advertised, and the staff are generally helpful. There are a few mozzies about - not normally an issue, but there was a Zika virus outbreak at the time, so make sure you carry insect repellant (I didn't catch it, but plenty of locals and some travellers had). It may well be over - the Cook Is usually don't have such issues - but check when travelling.
Room tip: Ask for an air-conditioned room if you prefer this - some rooms are, some have fans only.
Date of stay: April 2014
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b_and_d_nz
Christchurch, New Zealand
81134
We picked the Central Motel as the best-looking spot to have a rest overnight. It was pretty much as we expected. Relatively clean and comfortable. Service was no issue and the staff who we dealt with were friendly. A big plus was having air conditioning in the room we stayed in. All of this at a very reasonable price. We would probably stay here again if we had to do a night in Rarotonga but might look at other options too.
Date of stay: April 2014
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Rachel H
Canberra, Australia
1110
This place is comfortable and very central to everything. There is nothing else as clean and pleasant at this price point in Rarotonga. The rooms are very large and well equipped, and the owner is a great guy. Makes a point of remembering all the guests' names and goes out of his way to help you out. If you are staying here and want to hire a car, ask him - he has one for hire.
Room tip: Air conditioning is not usually necessary with the Rarotongan climate, so the fan-only rooms are also a good choice.
Date of stay: October 2013
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little_ostow
Europe
87131
I chose this property because I wanted to be in Avarua - the main town of Rarotonga, during my mandatory stopover in Rarotonga before heading to another island, and Central Motel is the only property located in town.
The room is basic with a queen size bed, 2 bedside tables, 2 bedside lamps, a standing fan, a coffee table, a small TV, 2 armchairs, wardrobe with hangers/basket/iron/ironing board, a bar fridge, a kettle, a toaster, tea/coffee making facilities, glasses, plates, and cutlery, as well as an air conditioner. The bathroom has a shower box and electric shaving outlets.
The rooms surround a small courtyard with a picnic table and a spa pool, there is also a small parking area outside the motel. Malcolm the owner lives onsite, making it very easy to get ahold of him.
The motel is located just off the courthouse and government offices, it is about 8 minutes walk to the Police Station (where one can get a driver's licence for NZD20, bring passport) and the CITC mall. There is a lively Saturday morning market at the other end of the town, about 20 minutes walk away, which has a good variety of local produce as well as local crafts.
All the shops within walking distance are closed on Sunday with the exception of Raro Fried Chicken (opens 24 hours).
Airport pick up/drop off is NZD5 per journey, Wifi internet credits can be purchased on Zenbu's website, at less than NZD100 per night the room rates are definitely the best on Rarotonga for a short stay.
I would recommend this property to anyone who wish to have a no frill and no hassle stay in Rarotonga.
Tusen tack Malcolm!
Date of stay: August 2013
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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.