Hotel Feature: Pacific Resort Aitutaki (Cook Islands)

 Stepping off the tiny Air Rarotonga plane onto the island of Aitutaki, we are greeted with a smile and an intoxicating lei. On the short ride to Pacific Resort Aitutaki, the whole van fills with the floral scent of plumeria and buzzes with anticipation for the start of our island vacations.

From the minute we arrive, the staff greet us with a fresh coconut. As we sip, we slowly start to slip away from ‘the real world’. The General Manager, Norman Luxembourg, comes to greet the new arrivals and gives a brief overview of the days to come. Upon swinging in our hammock (without our phones) and kicking our feet up on our beach loungers, we are instantly transported to ‘island time’.

If you want five-star luxury in the Cook Islands, Pacific Resort Aitutaki is the only answer.

THE VIBE

Walking to your room feels like you’ve been transported to a jungle, then you open the door to your private deck and are on a tropical beach. This luxury resort offers a wonderful blend of the two. With the small amount of rooms and intimate public spaces, we made quick friends by the pool. Everyone recounts their daily activities. There were honeymooners with cocktails and kids with pretend swords in the pool together.  Some people were dolled up for dinner, but most are in flip flops the whole time. The crowd is mostly Aussies and Kiwis, but we did bump into a few Americans. There is no pretension here. Everyone is relaxed and easy-going here.

THE BUNGALOWS

There are 27 beachfront bungalows. Some can be combined for families. The entry level bungalows are 665 sq ft. and have a ton of space. The hotel location is the best on the island, away from the airport, and heavy surf break where you can’t swim.

For those seeking a true sense of place, Pacific Resort Aitutaki embodies remote island decor. Everything sends the message that you’re on vacation on a tropical island: natural-looking lush landscaping (famous landscaper from Philippines), thatched roofs, hammocks, secluded beaches. Each bungalow has a private balcony that looks out to the ocean. There are super bungalows that connect and could house families/celebs. We loved having the screen doors to keep the bugs out, and allow the sound of the waves crashing to lull us to sleep. Waking up to sunsets peaking through the palm trees was incredible. We only saw people on the beach once, so we felt like we had a private beach.

DINING OPTIONS

Rapae Bay is the main restaurant. It serves made-to-order breakfast (made to order) and dinner. We didn’t have a bad meal! The presentation was beautiful, flavors were unique.  Their wine list is extensive and the menu quite eclectic. The sashimi comes directly from the ocean in front of you, caught that day! James, the manager is an Aussie, and a true star. He pops by during the day to see what time you want to do dinner and has the best stories!

Black Rock Bar: Serving lunch, drinks and small poolside bites. They even have a daily happy hour from 5-6 p.m.!

There is an option to have all or half of your meals included and stay solely at the resort. The offer half and full board options. May be a good idea since only a select few options on island.

 PACIFIC RESORT AITUTAKI NOTES:

-Connectivity: There is no free wifi. It’s all paid for (in chunks of data) and it can be spotty. There is a computer to access emails directly, if needed. My suggestion, disconnect and enjoy the island.

-Children: There’s no kids club, but none of the kids seemed to be bored in this natural playground.

-You are in nature, so if you hate the idea of a lizard stopping by to say hello, this isn’t the place for you.

-Spa: This resort is not spa focused, but offers a nice, intimate massage room. You can also take in-room treatments.

-Gym: They have a gym,  but it is just very small. They will be updating equipment, but it is rarely used.

VIRTUOSO AMENITIES:

• Upgrade at time of arrival, subject to availability
• Complimentary Full cooked Ala Carte breakfast for two daily for duration of the stay
• $100 USD equivalent Spa Services credit to be utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)
• Early check-in/Late check-out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi