Hotels With Swimming Pools in Southern Cook Islands, Cook Islands

We stayed at Edgewater for 12 days as part of a holiday/work scout and it was beyond everything we expected. Basic room was perfect for our needs with great air conditioning which is essential and complimentary tropical continental buffets breakfast each morning. We had an amazing room which was on 3rd floor behind the restaurant with views of the pool, sea and stunning gardens from our window and balcony. The staff were so great, always happy and couldn’t do more for us including see us walking around the island and giving us rides in their personal vehicle and on their personal time. Complimentary snorkelling gear was well used by us and we ate frequently from the restaurant and definitely used the bar a lot. Got a massage at the spa which was blissful and easy to book in for. We will definitely be coming back again, I don’t think we’d want to stay anywhere else! Special mention to staff Ngaoa with reservations help and hospitality staff Veti, Jimmy, Mila and activities team. My only negatives were we had a room that seemed it adjoined to another by a double lock door but when someone was in that room it was not sound proof at all and was very loud. The guests that spent two nights there were unfortunately loud till the wee hours so that kept me awake. Luckily that was only for two nights and then they were gone.

Hotel location is very good, must book a sea view room, the lagoon landscape is superb, not suitable for children, the pool is very small, many stones on the beach are not beaches, the lagoon is very shallow children can snorkel but there is no fish. On the day of the check-in, the hotel said that the sea view room area does not accept children. After the Ctrip communication shop, it is necessary to change to the poolside room. The front desk has arranged a sea view room. The process is somewhat unclear. The hotel facilities are relatively simple and old, the restaurant is not big, the dishes are not much, the breakfast is simple in Western style, and there are fruits such as papaya and orange. The front desk and restaurant staff are very welcoming. Car rental is convenient, and it is convenient to book a day trip. Rarotonga is very small. There are two buses in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The hotel is getting on and off at the entrance of the hotel and it takes about an hour around the island. Ten minutes from the airport, the front desk helps to book a taxi to the airport for $30. The hotel is generally satisfactory and will consider staying.

Paradise on earth, Lonely Planet ranks among the top few, the hotel has complete facilities, but only for adults, not suitable for bringing children The only downside is sand bugs and mosquitoes, and the food may not be very tasty

Restaurant review, had an absolutely wonderful meal, parrotfish grill w veggies that were hard to describe, they were that good! The Ika Mata appetizer was awesome, my wife and I tried to eat slowly and dignified but we failed, too good. On day 22 of our 24 day trip, we’ve enjoyed some great meals but this was by far the best! Our lovely young Phillipina waitress was superb. After finishing the dessert which was also the best we’ve had, the chef came out and spent over 10 minutes describing the dishes and how he was able to pull out so many flavors using minimal amounts of seasoning. My review is not doing justice to the food and service we received.

Avoid at all costs. This is honestly the worst hotel I can ever remember staying at. Think flea-bag motel that you rent by the hour (and, yes, my husband was covered with bug bites after less than a full nights sleep). The adult side of the resort is old and rundown. The poor excuse of a pool is dark even in the middle of the day because it's surrounded by the buildings. No view of the ocean at all. The beach is really pebbly sand with the only access being a boat ramp. There are no amenities on the adult side. No beach towels. No snorkeling equipment. Nothing. And you are only allocated one threadbare beach towel per person per room. The room was a shoe box of a room and very dark. the bathroom was so tiny only one person can physically be in there at a time. There are two lounge chairs per room but you can touch your neighbours chair by stretching out your arm. The lagoon right outside the adult area has a strong current so you need to bring your flippers or be a very strong swimmer. The adult restaurant is inside (with a sand floor to make you feel like you're on the beach. But you can't see the ocean. The food is barely edible and forget any kind of wine list. Staff across the property were rude, surly and generally ignored guests. Do not expect to get into your room before 3pm. We told them we'd be arriving at 10am from Aitutaki (and had to leave at midnight to return to NZ) and asked if we might get in earlier. When we arrived, we were told we could wait in a windowless ”guest” lounge that had hard settees and not much else. There was no access to secure storage for our items, no changing room to try to take advantage of the beach, nothing. We basically had to sit for 5 hours waiting for our room. Even at 3pm, we were refused access to a room and had to demand to see a supervisor (who magically found an available room immediately). The cab driver did warn us that this was the oldest and most rundown property on the island. Wish that person had posted here. I hope this helps others of you avoid this place.

I chose the islander based on location. right across from airport and close to shipping companies. i booked the room on a 3rd party website. check in was easy. room was very clean and a nice bathroom. plenty of hot water. to get on the wifi i had to go to the grocery store, 20 min walk. i think it was 25 NZD for 30GB and valid for 7 days. took a few tries but i got on. the hot spot is in the lobby but i had the range to get it in my room. breakfast was included, not buffet but off the menu. it was pretty good. the only downside is that it can be a little noisy from the bar and dining area. but by midnight its all quiet. not a deal breaker for me but it could bother some. staff was great and helpful i would stay again if i return to rarotonga

The best resort on Aitutaki! Excellent location with amazing views from our beach villa. All of the staff were genuinely happy for us to be there--kind and welcoming. Breakfast was included with very generous portions and delicious food and fresh fruits daily. We ate dinner there every night--fresh ingredients, great value. Although this is considered the low/rainy season, we were really lucky with the weather, it was sunny and hot every day. I highly recommend the Lagoon tour with Bishop--excellent snorkeling and beautiful motus to explore, plus lunch on the beach! The snorkeling in front of our room was great also. Snorkel gear provided (we brought own own), bikes, kayaks, reef shoes and stand up paddle boards also provided by the resort. The most reliable Wi-fi on the island is here. Your room is cleaned daily and they also provide an ample supply of filtered UV treated drinking water. I highly recommend this slice of paradise!!

We absolutely loved Tamanu Beach and our whole family of 6 enjoyed staying there. This is truly a wonderful resort, that is not only loved by tourists but also by locals. The family that runs/owns the resort and their incredible staff truly go out of their way to make you feel welcome, and their love and hard work truly resonates through the entire experience. A few themes run through Tamanu beach in our experience: family, “casual luxury,” and a deep care for the guest experience. So first off, “casual luxury” is truly fitting for Tamanu Beach, and the concept of family echoes through the entire place. This is not a resort where you will get a sterilised, watered down, experience of culture and a cookie-cutter hotel where you could be anywhere in the world. Tamanu beach felt deeply rooted in the local culture with locals working and chatting with tourists, and we absolutely loved that aspect. Everyone we encountered, Aunty Nane who picked us up at the airport with warm smiles, conversation and eis, to Kathleen who welcomed us so professionally and warmly, Mi’i (who was so lovely and helpful to us on our trip) and Zianca (amongst others) who served us meals were all perfect examples of warm, friendly and helpful staff of Tamanu. The lovely Nat (who we so enjoyed chatting with) was so helpful and such a perfect example of warmth and help. The owners /directors/ managers we were blessed to meet Nick and Diane, Helen and Johno, all made us feel at home, and truly welcomed. (And you might just get lucky and hear Nick’s gorgeous singing voice, a true MC who knows how to entertain all whilst making the guests feel special)! When we first arrived we noticed the lock on our door didn't work and Paul was there within the hour to fix it, and had a lovely chat with him as well. **A little sidenote: After meeting the radiant Helen (the matriarch of the Henry family who own the resort and one of the directors of the resort) I read her book (a copy was in our room) — highly recommend the book too. An incredible story that is beautifully written!** We stayed with our four children — the kids in the family area of the resort, and the adults (me and my husband) stayed in the adult side of the resort. It was a perfect set up for us as the kids had a lovely large room, and absolutely stunning pool, and the adults had a quiet “adults-only” sanctuary and pool to escape to. The rooms were large, cleaned daily so impeccably by the friendly housekeeping staff, and the AC, screens and quality fridge/freezer were a much-appreciated bonus to the rooms. A review of Tamanu Beach without mentioning the location would be utterly incomplete. Tamanu is right on the lagoon, which is spectacular. Beautiful clear, warm water, with great snorkeling, water sports, and magnificent sunsets. Some exquisite corals (purple, branch, brain) with lots of lovely little fish of various types were seen by us all, just off the beach at Tamanu. We went to the cultural show /buffet on Sa

This hotel is very cost-effective, especially suitable for traveling with children or families. It is close to the beach on the beach. The location of the restaurant is great. You can watch the sunrise early and the sunset late. Although there are not many types of breakfast, it is perfect for children to eat. Feed fish, the lunch order is good, the price is about $ 15-28, the dinner dinner variety is over $ 18-36, there is a music party after dinner, it is good to have a drink and listen to music; the hotel's snorkeling, kayaking and other equipment They are all provided free of charge. Many children in the hotel have play areas and swimming pools for children. The scenery of the lagoon is also very beautiful, and the clean sea beaches are also very soft. Because they go in the off-season, they are generally cost-effective.

We stayed at Edgewater for 12 days as part of a holiday/work scout and it was beyond everything we expected. Basic room was perfect for our needs with great air conditioning which is essential and complimentary tropical continental buffets breakfast each morning. We had an amazing room which was on 3rd floor behind the restaurant with views of the pool, sea and stunning gardens from our window and balcony. The staff were so great, always happy and couldn’t do more for us including see us walking around the island and giving us rides in their personal vehicle and on their personal time. Complimentary snorkelling gear was well used by us and we ate frequently from the restaurant and definitely used the bar a lot. Got a massage at the spa which was blissful and easy to book in for. We will definitely be coming back again, I don’t think we’d want to stay anywhere else! Special mention to staff Ngaoa with reservations help and hospitality staff Veti, Jimmy, Mila and activities team. My only negatives were we had a room that seemed it adjoined to another by a double lock door but when someone was in that room it was not sound proof at all and was very loud. The guests that spent two nights there were unfortunately loud till the wee hours so that kept me awake. Luckily that was only for two nights and then they were gone.

Hotel location is very good, must book a sea view room, the lagoon landscape is superb, not suitable for children, the pool is very small, many stones on the beach are not beaches, the lagoon is very shallow children can snorkel but there is no fish. On the day of the check-in, the hotel said that the sea view room area does not accept children. After the Ctrip communication shop, it is necessary to change to the poolside room. The front desk has arranged a sea view room. The process is somewhat unclear. The hotel facilities are relatively simple and old, the restaurant is not big, the dishes are not much, the breakfast is simple in Western style, and there are fruits such as papaya and orange. The front desk and restaurant staff are very welcoming. Car rental is convenient, and it is convenient to book a day trip. Rarotonga is very small. There are two buses in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The hotel is getting on and off at the entrance of the hotel and it takes about an hour around the island. Ten minutes from the airport, the front desk helps to book a taxi to the airport for $30. The hotel is generally satisfactory and will consider staying.

Restaurant review, had an absolutely wonderful meal, parrotfish grill w veggies that were hard to describe, they were that good! The Ika Mata appetizer was awesome, my wife and I tried to eat slowly and dignified but we failed, too good. On day 22 of our 24 day trip, we’ve enjoyed some great meals but this was by far the best! Our lovely young Phillipina waitress was superb. After finishing the dessert which was also the best we’ve had, the chef came out and spent over 10 minutes describing the dishes and how he was able to pull out so many flavors using minimal amounts of seasoning. My review is not doing justice to the food and service we received.

Avoid at all costs. This is honestly the worst hotel I can ever remember staying at. Think flea-bag motel that you rent by the hour (and, yes, my husband was covered with bug bites after less than a full nights sleep). The adult side of the resort is old and rundown. The poor excuse of a pool is dark even in the middle of the day because it's surrounded by the buildings. No view of the ocean at all. The beach is really pebbly sand with the only access being a boat ramp. There are no amenities on the adult side. No beach towels. No snorkeling equipment. Nothing. And you are only allocated one threadbare beach towel per person per room. The room was a shoe box of a room and very dark. the bathroom was so tiny only one person can physically be in there at a time. There are two lounge chairs per room but you can touch your neighbours chair by stretching out your arm. The lagoon right outside the adult area has a strong current so you need to bring your flippers or be a very strong swimmer. The adult restaurant is inside (with a sand floor to make you feel like you're on the beach. But you can't see the ocean. The food is barely edible and forget any kind of wine list. Staff across the property were rude, surly and generally ignored guests. Do not expect to get into your room before 3pm. We told them we'd be arriving at 10am from Aitutaki (and had to leave at midnight to return to NZ) and asked if we might get in earlier. When we arrived, we were told we could wait in a windowless ”guest” lounge that had hard settees and not much else. There was no access to secure storage for our items, no changing room to try to take advantage of the beach, nothing. We basically had to sit for 5 hours waiting for our room. Even at 3pm, we were refused access to a room and had to demand to see a supervisor (who magically found an available room immediately). The cab driver did warn us that this was the oldest and most rundown property on the island. Wish that person had posted here. I hope this helps others of you avoid this place.

I chose the islander based on location. right across from airport and close to shipping companies. i booked the room on a 3rd party website. check in was easy. room was very clean and a nice bathroom. plenty of hot water. to get on the wifi i had to go to the grocery store, 20 min walk. i think it was 25 NZD for 30GB and valid for 7 days. took a few tries but i got on. the hot spot is in the lobby but i had the range to get it in my room. breakfast was included, not buffet but off the menu. it was pretty good. the only downside is that it can be a little noisy from the bar and dining area. but by midnight its all quiet. not a deal breaker for me but it could bother some. staff was great and helpful i would stay again if i return to rarotonga

This hotel is very cost-effective, especially suitable for traveling with children or families. It is close to the beach on the beach. The location of the restaurant is great. You can watch the sunrise early and the sunset late. Although there are not many types of breakfast, it is perfect for children to eat. Feed fish, the lunch order is good, the price is about $ 15-28, the dinner dinner variety is over $ 18-36, there is a music party after dinner, it is good to have a drink and listen to music; the hotel's snorkeling, kayaking and other equipment They are all provided free of charge. Many children in the hotel have play areas and swimming pools for children. The scenery of the lagoon is also very beautiful, and the clean sea beaches are also very soft. Because they go in the off-season, they are generally cost-effective.

First time staying at this resort and so glad we did. We had beach front bungalow - Large deck with chairs, just steps from the lagoon. Room was very spacious. Very comfortable bed (King), large bathroom area and an outdoor shower with a clothes line out back. Check in was a breeze, parking out front for the hire car. They have filtered water in the room and you can refill at the bar - fill any bottles you are taking with you for the day activities (They even stored out bottles in the fridge while we had breakfast which was much appreciated) We opted for the Tropical Breakfast which included tea/coffee, Juice, Fruit, a different little treat like a cake or quiche etc, cereal and toast. (Big breakfast) You can pay for the cooked breakfast and we did this on the last day - lovely. Use of kayaks, snorkeling gear etc and also reef shoes on request. On the first night we opted to have dinner at the restaurant - it was a stand out, best meal of the trip. Char-Grilled Rib Eye Fillet with Vegetables, just incredibly delicious!! Very good assortment of wines, cocktails etc as well. Good selection of movies. Staff were fabulous. Only slight hiccup was checking out, sat for 20 minutes waiting to be checked out, in the end because we had a flight to catch, we had to actually go again and ask for someone to do it urgently - I'm not sure what the hold up was, there was no one checking in our out at the time, perhaps there is a specific person who usually does it and they weren't on site? Would definitely recommend, the view is fabulous from your deck - it's an oasis. These boutique hotels have won me over - less people, just so relaxing. Thank you for a wonderful stay.

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

We stayed at Edgewater for 12 days as part of a holiday/work scout and it was beyond everything we expected. Basic room was perfect for our needs with great air conditioning which is essential and complimentary tropical continental buffets breakfast each morning. We had an amazing room which was on 3rd floor behind the restaurant with views of the pool, sea and stunning gardens from our window and balcony. The staff were so great, always happy and couldn’t do more for us including see us walking around the island and giving us rides in their personal vehicle and on their personal time. Complimentary snorkelling gear was well used by us and we ate frequently from the restaurant and definitely used the bar a lot. Got a massage at the spa which was blissful and easy to book in for. We will definitely be coming back again, I don’t think we’d want to stay anywhere else! Special mention to staff Ngaoa with reservations help and hospitality staff Veti, Jimmy, Mila and activities team. My only negatives were we had a room that seemed it adjoined to another by a double lock door but when someone was in that room it was not sound proof at all and was very loud. The guests that spent two nights there were unfortunately loud till the wee hours so that kept me awake. Luckily that was only for two nights and then they were gone.

Avoid at all costs. This is honestly the worst hotel I can ever remember staying at. Think flea-bag motel that you rent by the hour (and, yes, my husband was covered with bug bites after less than a full nights sleep). The adult side of the resort is old and rundown. The poor excuse of a pool is dark even in the middle of the day because it's surrounded by the buildings. No view of the ocean at all. The beach is really pebbly sand with the only access being a boat ramp. There are no amenities on the adult side. No beach towels. No snorkeling equipment. Nothing. And you are only allocated one threadbare beach towel per person per room. The room was a shoe box of a room and very dark. the bathroom was so tiny only one person can physically be in there at a time. There are two lounge chairs per room but you can touch your neighbours chair by stretching out your arm. The lagoon right outside the adult area has a strong current so you need to bring your flippers or be a very strong swimmer. The adult restaurant is inside (with a sand floor to make you feel like you're on the beach. But you can't see the ocean. The food is barely edible and forget any kind of wine list. Staff across the property were rude, surly and generally ignored guests. Do not expect to get into your room before 3pm. We told them we'd be arriving at 10am from Aitutaki (and had to leave at midnight to return to NZ) and asked if we might get in earlier. When we arrived, we were told we could wait in a windowless ”guest” lounge that had hard settees and not much else. There was no access to secure storage for our items, no changing room to try to take advantage of the beach, nothing. We basically had to sit for 5 hours waiting for our room. Even at 3pm, we were refused access to a room and had to demand to see a supervisor (who magically found an available room immediately). The cab driver did warn us that this was the oldest and most rundown property on the island. Wish that person had posted here. I hope this helps others of you avoid this place.

This hotel is very cost-effective, especially suitable for traveling with children or families. It is close to the beach on the beach. The location of the restaurant is great. You can watch the sunrise early and the sunset late. Although there are not many types of breakfast, it is perfect for children to eat. Feed fish, the lunch order is good, the price is about $ 15-28, the dinner dinner variety is over $ 18-36, there is a music party after dinner, it is good to have a drink and listen to music; the hotel's snorkeling, kayaking and other equipment They are all provided free of charge. Many children in the hotel have play areas and swimming pools for children. The scenery of the lagoon is also very beautiful, and the clean sea beaches are also very soft. Because they go in the off-season, they are generally cost-effective.

Hotel location is very good, must book a sea view room, the lagoon landscape is superb, not suitable for children, the pool is very small, many stones on the beach are not beaches, the lagoon is very shallow children can snorkel but there is no fish. On the day of the check-in, the hotel said that the sea view room area does not accept children. After the Ctrip communication shop, it is necessary to change to the poolside room. The front desk has arranged a sea view room. The process is somewhat unclear. The hotel facilities are relatively simple and old, the restaurant is not big, the dishes are not much, the breakfast is simple in Western style, and there are fruits such as papaya and orange. The front desk and restaurant staff are very welcoming. Car rental is convenient, and it is convenient to book a day trip. Rarotonga is very small. There are two buses in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The hotel is getting on and off at the entrance of the hotel and it takes about an hour around the island. Ten minutes from the airport, the front desk helps to book a taxi to the airport for $30. The hotel is generally satisfactory and will consider staying.

I chose the islander based on location. right across from airport and close to shipping companies. i booked the room on a 3rd party website. check in was easy. room was very clean and a nice bathroom. plenty of hot water. to get on the wifi i had to go to the grocery store, 20 min walk. i think it was 25 NZD for 30GB and valid for 7 days. took a few tries but i got on. the hot spot is in the lobby but i had the range to get it in my room. breakfast was included, not buffet but off the menu. it was pretty good. the only downside is that it can be a little noisy from the bar and dining area. but by midnight its all quiet. not a deal breaker for me but it could bother some. staff was great and helpful i would stay again if i return to rarotonga