LUXURY

Once inside the main entrance of the villa you’re greeted
with an expansive space. There’s a small bathroom at the
entrance that also houses full laundry facilities. We were
on holiday so chose to decline the invitation of clothes
washing. Further inside there is a full-sized kitchen complete
with fridge, gas cooktop and microwave. The mini-bar
houses full-size bottles of beautiful New Zealand wines and
French Champagne, something we haven’t seen since the
Burj al Arab in Dubai. Full-size bottles are usually reserved
for the very high-end of the market, so it’s great to see this
taking on in the South Pacific.
Our villa was the 2-bedroom and offered panoramic views of
the lagoon. Its huge balcony with precariously built-in sofa
perched off the side was just perfect. We spent much of our
Our visit with our private chef took us to the local market
time out here. The living and dining areas were very spacious
and well appointed.
Upstairs, there were two bedrooms where the feel is very
ambient and reserved. The natural lighting is forced through
large louver shutters that cast light patterns at random spots
and make for a very mellow effect. We’re not sure what
brand the beds and linen were, but we should have taken
note. They were superb. I honestly haven’t slept that well in
ages. It was very modern, minimalist and functional. Just the
way I like it.
Dining option 2: Luxury hamper delivered to your room.
Perfect for lunch or brunch by the pool. Hampers include
salads, wine and cooked options. But what we thought was
great is that you can opt to have your salads pre-prepared,
but BBQ meats and local seafood are delivered marinated but
not cooked. The property has a couple of BBQs for this very
reason, so you can cook your own meals either pool-side or
on your balcony or ground-floor patio.
Dining option 3: This is the pièce de résistance... local chef,
Tim Tierney (arguably the best on the island) comes to your
room and cooks for you. The cost is up to $450 per couple,
but well worth the experience.
Te Vakaroa
Value, meet Luxury
All in all, the dining options won’t disappoint. In fact, they
exceed expectations. In a world of ‘me-too’s’ when it comes
to hotels and resorts it’s nice to see a young, energetic and
small property pushing the boundaries and changing things.
One of our highlights was taking a drive into town where
James Rangihika recently checked out one of Rarotonga’s
newest properties on stunning Muri Beach and discovered a
fantastic addition to this friendly island.
I’ve stayed in a few luxurious hotels during my time. Some
have showed incredible levels of service and refinement. In
almost all instances though, there’s a hefty price tag that
comes with you for the ride. ‘Value’ luxury is an interesting
proposition, one that is more important than ever in current
economic times. It also may be seen to some as an oxymoron.
Sometimes, but not often, there are properties out there that
show great value for money. We’ve seen these particularly in
Asia, but hardy ever in the South Pacific.
I’ll always grab the chance to go to the Cook Islands. It’s an
obsession that started some years back and I love revisiting
each and every time. This was my fifth visit in as many years
and I’m in a bit of a routine now - at first chance, I head down
to Avis or Island Rentals and rent a scooter. It’s the only way
to really see the place. It’s exhilarating (especially at night,
riding back from a restaurant), and you seem to see more of
the island, people and culture this way.
Interestingly enough, Rarotonga is quite an expensive
destination for the New Zealand traveller, especially if you
want to do it in style. The average beach-front room will set
you back upwards of $1000, but in some instances can go as
high as $1800.
This is where things start to get really interesting. Te Vakaroa
is the type of resort that at LUXURY Magazine we have
come to love. It’s slightly Balinese, with elements of Cook
Islands look-and-feel and is modern and understated. The
efficient, but not overpowering service is perfect. It has many
attributes that even some of the top Rarotongan resorts can’t
achieve. More on that later. Right now, the biggest attribute
is its price tag. Just $635 for the one bedroom and $695 for
the two bedroom. It is the definition of ‘value’ luxury. And
we’ve found it in Rarotonga.
And what a find it is. We feel that Te Vakaroa is certainly
in the top three resorts in Rarotonga. It’s small. Just three
2-bedroom and three 1-bedroom villas. The 6 villa share one
large infinity pool and Jacuzzi, which is beautifully designed
and built right onto the beach. It’s a great part of the beach
too... just down from the well-known Pacific Resort, Te
Vakaroa is positioned perfectly on the best part of coast on
the island - Muri Beach.
As with many of the small boutique properties in Rarotonga,
there are no restaurants on-site. This isn’t usually a problem
as there are many good restaurants on the island... and all
just a 5-20 minute scooter ride away. Te Vakaroa has thought
outside the box and offers a selection of cuisine options.
Here they are:
Dining option 1: Sails Restaurant next door will deliver each
course to your room. It feels like a combination of roomservice
dining and traditional restaurant eating, where meals
are served course by course as if you were in a restaurant, but
you’re not - you’re in your room. The result is fantastic. You
get a memorable dining experience without having to get
dressed for the occasion!
we met up with Chef Tim at the local Saturday market. He
wandered with us and stopped at various stalls to explain the
local produce and traditional dishes that are still made and
enjoyed by everyone. It was also interesting to see how some
of the local fruit and vegetables that we are so familiar with
in New Zealand differ in Rarotonga because of the climate.
There was an abundance of freshly picked produce that Chef
Tim selected and later used in our specially prepared meal
that evening. If you are into developing your local foodie
knowledge then this is experience is essential.
I really enjoyed my time at Te Vakaroa. If what you’re looking
for is a luxurious, small resort to get away from it all, but still
close to home and great value, you’ll find it here. You won’t
be disappointed. Just make sure you allow time to get into
the relaxation ‘zone’. I could have done with an extra couple
of days. Two not enough, five OK, but seven would have
been perfect.
Room cost:
From NZ$635 per villa
Reservations: For bookings or enquiries please call
Mondo Travel on 0800 955 655.
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