Te Vakaroa Villas

We stayed in December 2023. 3 out of 5 stars. Would give 5 stars if not for the gardener and reception. The villas at Te Vakaroa are centrally located in the suburb of Muri right on the Muri beach lagoon next door to the Sailing Club and short walking distance to the Muri Night Markets and Te Vara Nui Village Spectacular which is a cultural overwater night show and traditional buffet dinner of the local people. We stayed in a one bedroom villa which was roomy and comfortable and nicely decorated. The complex is beautiful and the design is stunning and excellent. The views overlooking the pool and Muri Lagoon out to the ocean are beautiful. On arrival all the lounge cushions for all the chairs was piled high under a villa balcony, which looked a tad uninviting. This place has an excellent location with well equipped villas. HOWEVER, This place had one very big major downfall. “The gardener”. When you pay good money to go on a holiday and relax, and these villas are not cheap accommodation, the last thing you need or want is a person using a leaf blower at 7.30am in the morning. For an adults only boutique resort, to escape noisy children, no one needs this noise. There is no sleeping in at this place, even with ear plugs. On day one of our stay, I asked him why he was using a leaf blower waking people up and why he couldn’t use a broom considering the place is a small complex with only 6 luxury villas. No apology for waking you up, just the gardener advising that it is less noisy then their old blower as it is electric and not petrol and he replied “It would take all day and that I would be woken up anyway at 8am by next door using their petrol blower”. After being abruptly woken up, I then sat there having a few cups of tea and advise by 10.30am, no one else in the area was using any power tools, petrol or electric leaf blowers. Whilst sitting under the outside balcony watching the pool and lagoon having been woken up by the gardener, we noticed the gardener blow all the leaf matter and dust into the pool and then spend an hour and a half using a net to get it out. Would have been quicker to sweep it up with a rake, broom and dust pan and not dirty the pool water which he rectified by putting a bag of salt chlorine into the pool. Would have also been more environmentally sustainable using a broom for such a small area and more importantly respecting paying guests to enjoy their holiday. The next day after being woken up again, the gardener used a broom. At the 2 other resorts in the Cook Islands we stayed at, no other venue was using any power tools before 10am (ie. Checkout Time) this was probably because paying guests could sleep in on their holidays. The day after that, the gardener was back to using the leaf blower but this time at 7.50am. As for reception we found Poko to be a tad apathetic and was hardly ever there. Reception was open only for a couple hours on most of the days we were there. The cleaning staff were friendly and helpful. T

Luxurious villas with direct access to the lagoon. Property was in amazing condition , easy checkin / out . Can highly recommended and would easily stay again in a heartbeat

I can not say enough good things about this place. Our host Nick, was amazing and really made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. Our villa was incredible and honestly made us feel at home. So spacious and top quality and the views from the balcony were breathtaking. The swimming pool and spa were honestly a highlight and the grounds were immaculate. The use of snorkeling gear and SUP boards were a hit with the teens as the beach was meters away. Highly recommend and we will honestly be returning when we can!

This was an outstanding experience right from the start. From the service and explanation of the site when we arrived, the welcome and the quality of the facilities just made everything easy. We have been to Raro a number of times and usually stayed at the bigger resorts, however the more boutique nature of this 6 unit property really made the stay so much more personal. The pool was never crowded, the beach was right there but you have excellent privacy and we didn't miss the restaurants as the night market is literally at the end of the drive. If that dosent work for you there are any number of restaurants, cafes and resorts close by including the sailing club. The facilities in house were fantastic including the washer and dryer in your unit which made our visit so much more comfortable (We were away for 14 days so knowing that we could easily do laundry we brought less gear) The weather was sometimes average (middle of winter) so the heated pool and spa meant that we still swam and the unit had loads of space to read uninterrupted (indoor and out) and if so inclined there was an excellent selection of movies with sky in our unit. For this visit we spend more time on the property than out, relaxing, reading, paddleboarding and swimming then we normally would. We did notice the lagoon cruise team loading up and using the drums but that added rather than detracted from the experience and was fun watching that from the deck. The bedrooms are at the back so very quiet. I cant say enough about this place, when we come back to Raro this is where we will be staying. Thanks for an amazing trip Michael and amanda

We happened upon Te Vakaroa villas while walking along Muri beach. Unhappy with our current choice of accommodation, we checked availability and were so fortunate and delighted that we could spend the last three days of our holiday here. These villas are absolutely perfect for a luxury stay right on the beach. Beautifully appointed with all the amenities you need and a very comfortable bed. Breakfast of cereal, croissants and fruit was brought to our room every morning. We had a one bedroom villa on the ground floor and enjoyed our time relaxing by the beautiful pool and lagoon. The staff were all lovely and a credit to the management. Nick the owner was fantastic to deal with and came to our rescue when our transportation to the airport failed to arrive and he very kindly drove us there himself. We highly recommend these villas and will definitely come back and stay here again.

A perfect place to stay. On the beach, spacious apartment, close to everything and very helpful host. The pool is perfect. Private and luxurious. Thoroughly recommend as a lovely place to stay for those wanting some sun and a special place to relax. Paddle boards available. Everything you need is here. Will be back. Thank you Nick

It’s amazing place at the best part of the island.

We had the most amazing holiday ! The Villa was fantastic and luxurious so much space with it's own living room and deck over looking the lagoon it in a prime position. We loved the breakfast every morning so delicious ! The kitchen was was so well appointed it had everything ! The pool and spa were a perfect temperature, the garden is gorgeous and it is such a well maintained property. The owner Nick was so lovely and helpful and all the staff went out of their way to make the holiday so special. We were sad to leave but will be back !

Very spacious and comfortable with everything you need to be self catering supplied. Great location. The staff were very friendly and efficient. The sunrise, delicious breakfast tray, heated pool and view over the beach makes Te Vakaroa Villas a premier holiday home ! The owner,Nick, went the extra mile to help when our flight was delayed and car hire was a problem