Palm Grove

When planning the trip to Rarotonga, our travel agent offered a number of accommodation options to choose from. I read up on each one, but for some reason, I was continually drawn to Palm Grove. We are so pleased I chose this resort. Once we got thru customs, we were immediately greeted by Thai with leis. Once we checked in at the airport location, we were whisked away to the resort. Our flight from Honolulu arrived late at night, but Thai made sure everything was "good to go" upon arrival. Our bungalow was situated on the beach (less than 20 yards from the ocean) with amazing views. From that point on, our stay was fabulous, the service was impeccable, and anything we needed was readily available. Daily room service, daily breakfast at the Yellow Hibiscus, laundry, pool, Vodafone service, scooter rental, kayak, snorkeling gear, and more. Mama Tum and her crew went above and beyond to ensure our stay was amazing, and it was. Oh, and if you wanted to be "one with nature," the roosters, hens, baby chicks, myna birds, and our local canine (we named Cook) will keep you company. If I may make a brief plug, please donate to the Cook Islands SPCA as they help many of the animals survive day to day. Can't say enough good things about Palm Grove. Definitely a place we'll return to next time we visit Rarotonga.

The location is perfect right next to the stunning beach, and the area and garden are well maintained. We stayed in a beachfront studio, and the view was amazing. It felt like we had our own beach, and you can snorkle right from the beach. The accommodation itself was spacious. It could use a bit of an upgrade, but the view made you forget it was a bit dated. The staff was absolutely fantastic and made you feel so welcome. The breakfast is very basic. The Sunday BBQ was so good, and we also enjoyed the a la carte options. You can walk to a small supermarket and a few restaurants.

Beachfront villa was an absolutely superb location to stay in Raratonga. 100% recommend. The private beach and lagoon snorkeling was the best I've every experienced (turtles, octopus, eel and a huge variety of fish!). With kayaks and snorkels you can use free, it made this accessible and easy to enjoy. Staff were lovely, they helped us book activities and serviced the room regularly. Great breakfast buffet, shared book library and laundry facilities. Their Yellow hibiscus restaurant was yum and well priced for lunch and dinner; and located a short walk to Wigmores (supermarket) and adjoining food venue provided essentials and variety to allow us to make home meals and try some local kai. Would be great for couples or families who want special but more affordable options in Raro.