Sanctuary Rarotonga - on the beach — Hotel in Arorangi

The pre arranged airport transport never arrived, we ended up waiting at the airport for over an hour. Root cause was bad instructions from Sanctuary which were meaningless as we were coming from a domestic flight - not international, details which we gave the resort our flight references for.

So we lost an hour, arriving at 2pm we were greeted with a smile & chilled orange juice, things were looking up. I asked the reception guy if the restaurant was still open, he said yes they’re keeping it open for you. Meant to be a joke I think, came across sarcastic & rude, the day just gets worse;

The staff were rude and unhelpful. We had a night excursion booked for that evening so we asked if they rented scooters at the resort to which we got curt “no it’s 3rd party”. After we unpacked & had lunch we went back to reception & spoke to the same guy to inquire about where to hire scooters from. One late piece of advice was take your passports, more lost time, something he could have told us earlier. It’s now nearly 4pm, we received vague directions of walk that way & you can’t miss it we were given, no firms name, no details. We walked just a few hundred metres to find a scooter rental place that had a note on the window saying that they closed that branch in December- it’s now February 2023. We walked back to the resort and complained about the closed yard only to be told there is another place further around the corner which, would be closed now as it’s after 4pm. Vagaries & unprofessional service.

So we figured out the timetable for the busses & caught an anti clockwise bus okay, not as ideal as scooters as we had to wait nearly an hour for the hourly clockwise bus home in the dark.

Now the real fun begins; We booked honeymoon suite, that evening we tried to use the sauna but couldn’t seem to get it working. So we tried to use to steam room, the door wouldn’t close. There were 6 shower heads which worked but no adjustment of heat. The steam controls didn’t seem to work & then the water went off by itself. A call to reception confirmed the resort had water issues. Last, the spa pool, lifting the lid an overwhelming bad smell hit us, putrid like stagnant water though not quite. So once water back on had a shower instead.

In the morning before breakfast phoned reception, spoke with manager about airport transfer being messed up & problems with sauna, steam room, spa pool, they said they’d send maintenance to the room. After breakfast we decided to not wait all day so went snorkelling. After snorkelling & lunch the things still hadn’t been fixed. Rang reception again, spoke to Manager again, they said they’d send maintenance guy. So maintenance guy shows, phones someone about the sauna, it only reaches 43 degrees Celsius & that’s all. Okay, not very hot when it’s 33+ outside. Offered to get tools to trim the thatch roof & fix the bottom of the steam room door after already advising us that the pipes to make the steam were disconnected, we told him no point right??? The spa pool water was green & he agreed smelly, he offered to drain & refill it. Rang reception, manger was busy so walked back to reception to talk to the manager, and got asked “which manager?” The manger heard maintenance guy a had been & said “good”, but was surprised to hear “no, not good”. To her credit she arrived with head maintenance guy not long after, head guy confirmed steam room would never work as pipe was removed & spa lid cover wasn’t suitable for outdoor use. So with our insistence that the “honeymoon suite” facilities didn’t work as advertised we got a room change to a beach front room. They agreed to transfer us to another room but after we repacked & moved it was locked. Another example of terrible customer service.

The bar staff & restaurant staff were great, food & drinks great. The admin / reception staff however were vague & unhelpful to the point of being rude & unprofessional. The manager blamed the airport transport company for the pickup mistake rather than accepting responsibility for their wrong...

LOCATION LOCATION

Being my first visit it’s hard to compare accommodation but the Sanctuary Rarotonga is second to none when it comes to location

We had room 6714 which is almost at the end of the resort and rather quiet, direct beach front access and next to the tennis court

The resort is split in two , parts of one end reserved for adults only and the other end for families, so if you think you won’t see any children by booking here you will be mistaken, both parts of the resort restaurants serve the same menu, but if you want to take part in the resort activities most of them are from the family end of the resort, we spent half the time there but could retreat to our quieter room after wards

The rooms are a little on the small side but equipt with a small fridge, jug and a small clothes hanging closet. For us the accommodation is the second thought , being able to walk out the door jump in the ocean and explore is an experience in itself

The resort supplies all reef shoes, snorkels, goggles, kayaks, tennis racquets free of charge. We booked direct with the resort which gave us free breakfast daily and 10% off all purchases within the resort. I chose to book everything to the room and pay on departure

Don’t forget to book your accommodation for a day before you leave depending on where you are coming from, We left on the 7th but required accommodation for the 6th as the Cook Islands are a day behind NZ so we arrived on the 6th

At the sanctuary the water is sheltered by the outer reef , that some places on the Island don’t have. This makes it shallow, a lot calmer and safe to swim in. No big waves crashing, great for children as it’s like a big pool with heaps of fish, star fish, sea cucumbers, we were lucky enough to see whales passing by quite close to the outer reef

We were able to get Telstra coverage here ( phone calls only )but I brought a Vodafone $69 eSIM pack and my husband hot spot off my phone. We also purchased the wifi from the Sanctuary, it worked for a few days then I couldn’t connect saying my connection wasn’t private and someone was trying to track my data so I didn’t use that again.

I thought I may be bored as I am not one just to sit around all day but was I wrong, there is so much to do on the Island and so much to see, from the ocean to the mountains.Our days were packed with exploring the island

There is many ways to get around the island we took the bus a few times, hired a car for a few days and any tours we booked paid for pick up and drop off from our room

We spent way over the $150 per day I had read you would need but that will depend on the type of holiday you are after, I found all tours and car hire were not overpriced and reasonable for such an isolated Island. If you plan to spend most of your time in the resort it may not be for you as staff are hot and cold , food is average and you will be disappointed

All I can say if you haven’t been the the Cook Islands then why not? Great...

Sanctuary Rarotonga wasn't just a hotel, it was a portal to an underwater wonderland! Stepping onto the beach felt like entering a postcard – pristine sand, cerulean waters, and waves gently breaking on the distant reef, leaving the lagoon within a serene, crystal-clear embrace.

The snorkelling here was like swimming through a living kaleidoscope. I'm talking clouds of butterflyfish flitting like stained glass wings, and even a majestic moray eel peeked out from its coral castle. Every dive was a new adventure, with countless colourful surprises waiting to be discovered.

Speaking of adventures, the pool area was our own private oasis. Sheltered from the wind and sun's warm embrace, it offered the perfect spot to cool off between snorkelling escapades. And let's not forget the swim-up bar – our happy hour haven with delicious cocktails that quenched our thirst and matched the vibrant hues of the surrounding reef.

But Sanctuary's magic extended far beyond its stunning location. The resort's restaurant was a culinary gem. Fresh, flavourful dishes at reasonable prices – what more could a sun-kissed explorer ask for? And those island-inspired cocktails? Let's just say they were the perfect sunset companion.

The true heart of Sanctuary, though, was its incredible staff. Friendly, helpful, and always going above and beyond, they made us feel like cherished guests. Check-in and check-out were as smooth as the lagoon itself, and free parking and a nearby bus stop made exploring the island a breeze.

Kayaking and paddleboarding were included in our stay, adding an extra layer of excitement to our island adventure. We paddled across the glassy lagoon, feeling like true explorers navigating a turquoise sea. Plus, having snorkels, fins, and beach towels in the room meant we were always ready to dive into the underwater paradise whenever the urge struck.

Our room was a cozy haven, decorated with a charming island flair. The comfy bed was perfect for resting after a day of exploration, and the air conditioning was a godsend on those balmy Cook Islands nights.

Sanctuary Rarotonga wasn't just a vacation; it was an experience that left us yearning for more. Whether you're a snorkelling enthusiast, a cocktail connoisseur, or simply seeking island serenity, this place has something for everyone. It's a haven of friendly faces, crystal-clear waters, and unforgettable memories. We can't wait to return and write another chapter in our...