Sanctuary Rarotonga-on the beach

Have stayed at the rarotongan beach resort and spa before and checked out the santuary then. We were really pleased with the room which was on the ground floor and straight onto the beach. The room was in excellent condition and had a good comfy bed. All the rooms are beachside overlooking a private beach. Plenty of sun loungers and access to kayaks, snorkeling gear and paddle boards. Tennis court outside the rooms. We had a great time. It was very peaceful and relaxing and found the staff very helpful and friendly. They went out of their way to help us with anything. The Santuary isnt a large resort, so the restaurant isn't large but in a lovely setting by the beach, undercover but on sand. The breakfast was great, but we ate out mostly for lunch and evening meals as some of the dishes were off the menu the night we went. There was entertainment in the evenings. It was low season when we went so it was particularly quiet but loved it and would go back anytime.

Amazing location directly on the lagoon where you get up each morning & make a short stroll to the water. Staff were friendly & were helpful with any requests as well as giving local advice to ensure you got the complete experience in the Cook Islands. This island paradise is perfect for complete relaxation & what you see in pictures is exactly what you get. Good little hideaway which has not been overly commercialised.

From the time my wife and I arrived to the time we checked out the staff could not have been more helpful. Nothing was too much trouble for them. We are parents and have had fantastic holidays with our children who are now grown up but the idea of no guests under 18 is an absolute winner as we had a wonderfully quiet and relaxing stay.....it really is a sanctuary.

Staff are friendly & helpful but it is time for some overdue maintenance at the Sanctuary. Beach area is neglected, needs grooming and tidying up, lots of debris around and genrerally looking tired. Outdoor furniture around pool and beach front needs cleaning or painting, very dirty condition. Looks like maybe residue from sun block, grease and dirt on armrests. Room service pretty basic, didn't remove dirty dishes, shower doors were not clean on arrival. On one evening there was an Function at the Sanctuary so we dined at the Rarotongan next door, part of the same complex.This was very disappointing experience, we waited for an hour for 2 beers & garlic bread. There was only 5 tables with people when we ordered, as the restaurant started to fill up we noticed people that had seated after us getting their mains, I had asked twice what was happening with our order before we finally got our drinks the garlic bread was basically burnt bread with butter and no garlic. Mains arrived shortly after and were not great, very disappointed with meal & service. We visited Trader Jacks and that was a great meal & service!

Ignored by staff when trying to get seats for dinner, check in and order drinks, room was very expensive and for what? I would advise to avoid this hotel unless all others are taken.

The room was very clean and tidy. Room service was efficient and left the room looking like new. Unfortunately, our view was spoiled by a tree growing in front of the balcony (Room 736)! Lunch service was slow and fairly expensive, but the product very good, esp. the salt and pepper squid and the battered parrot fish. The staff were very friendly and helpful, which mitigated, in part, the tardiness of service. Check- in and check-out was efficient and friendly. Overall, I'd rate the hotel at 3.9, and would definitely return. It has the added attraction of being child-free, so it's great for couples wanting a quiet getaway.

What we loved about the Sanctuary was that we could relax in the piece and quiet of the children free settings but also enjoy activities such as kayaking, tennis, snorkeling, massages and watching shows over dinner. The location is great- right on a nice beach. The service was always friendly and helpful. The food and drinks were good from all the resort restaurants we tried. The buffets were good also- especially the "island nights" traditional Rarotongan food and the tropical fruit from the breakfast buffet. We were very happy with our room. And then there were the little things like drinks on arrival, organizing transfers and the daily newsletters, with the weather and activities available for the next day. The only thing we thought could be improved a bit was the cleanliness in places; it was ok but could have been a little better.

The hotel was fairly quiet when we were there which meant it was easy to grab a sun lounger around the pool or lagoon. It definitely has a relaxed and slower pace about it - if you want more activity it is a short stroll next door to The Rarotongan and its restaurants. They were a bit short staffed due to turnover (meals were very slow - a one hour wait seemed the norm for dinner) however the staff do work long hours (the same staff at breakfast were still there at 10pm) and do their best. Tours and activities are organised next door at The Rarotongan. We did not hire a car - like many people we took the bus, which was reliable and sufficient for what we wanted to do (not alot).