My wife and I recently stayed at Rumours of Romance in the Cook Islands for 1 week for our honeymoon.

After spending a number of hours online researching different Pacific island countries, we chose to visit the Cook Islands due to the accommodation on offer at Rumours. As it was our honeymoon, we wanted something special, but as we are not made of money we also had to stick to a budget. After looking at many different resorts all over the pacific we could not find anything in our price range that we thought looked special, that is until we found Rumours. We went with their Beachside Romance Villa, which at NZ$850 per night is by no means cheap, but when compared with similar accommodation in other areas is very reasonable. We decided to stay 7 nights which included the honeymoon package with over $1000 of extras, including a flight to Aitutaki for a day trip and a champagne brunch. As $850 for one night's accommodation is a lot of money for us at this stage of our lives, I always thought in the back of my mind that I would end up disappointed. I am glad to say that it was quite the opposite.

From the warm welcome at the airport (by Tino I think his name was) and the friendly guided transfer to the hotel, it took us no time at all to get into the laid-back relaxing feeling of "Cook Islands time". When arriving at the villa we found that it was a rare case of the accommodation exceeding the website photos. Everything was as good if not better than we hoped it would be and it really was good quality luxury accommodation. The decor and colours were soft and had the feel of island living while having all the comforts and luxuries. On top of this we had Muri beach right outside which was perfect for snorkelling, kayaking or just going for a walk or soaking up the sun. As Rumours' accommodation is aimed at couples we were happy to find that we had a lot of privacy and peace without having to put up with the noise that comes with family resorts.

The staff at rumours really make the stay that much more enjoyable. Tara and Toni were always friendly with a smile on their faces and always went above and beyond to make the stay stress-free. From delivering breakfast to working around our schedule to service the villa to recommending places to eat or visit, it was the most stress-free and carefree week of our lives, which after the chaos of a wedding is just what we needed.

In summary, Rumours was great value for money luxury. I would not hesitate to recommend it for anyone looking for a romantic getaway and would love to return there myself.

We spent a great 12 days at Rumours of Romance in Villa #4.
This is our second visit there in less than 10 months. When booking a return trip we weren't sure if "Raro" would live up to our expectations after our great first visit, (our honeymoon). Indeed we had an even better time than the first; even though it rained for some of the days. The weather did not prevent us from getting out and about and enjoying ourselves. The weather was very warm by our standards as when we left Canada it was a cool 8'C. In Raro it was 27'C every day.
The Team at Rumours of Romance are absolutely fantastic, they cater for your needs and are very willing to assist you in any request/planning or booking you desire. They are very familiar with all the amenities on the island and can recommend numerous places to visit or eat. Confirmation of bookings is usually done within a matter of hours.
The villas are well appointed and cared for each day. Your daily breakfasts are freshly prepared each morning and brought to your villa at your chosen time.
As this is an adult orientated place, it is a great place to relax and enjoy the quiet and tranquility of the Cook islands and yet have all the amenitites at your fingertips.
In closing, yes we would definitely recommend Rumours of Romance and we plan to return in July 2009.

Steve and Dori, British Columbia, Canada

We stayed in a Beachfront Villa #2, it was just like the web site. The accommodation, location and service was fantastic. Our expectations were exceeded.

The kayaking in the lagoon directly infront of the Villa's is just superb. We even kayaked down to the Little Polynesian for lunch which was a great way to spend an afternoon.

The facilities in the Villa enticed us to want to stay and have BBQ's as we just loved the environment we were in. It really felt very homely.

The staff were so helpful and nothing was too much trouble.

We stayed there for our 25th wedding anniversary of which we had a Chef and Waiter prepare a meal for us, although it was an expensive way to go, we thoroughly enjoyed the evening, it did help as the weather was superb and the couple that came to the Villa were so friendly we did not feel awkward.

We had many a good experience whilst being on Raratonga, but we must mention the Quad Bikes, that was so much fun, it was wet, muddy and exhilarating.

A definite recommendations from us.

We have just got home from Rarotonga where we stayed at Rumours of Romance. We stayed for five nights - the first three in the beachside villa then upgraded for the last two in the ultimate villa. The service was wonderful - everyone was so helpful and we were made to feel so welcome. The place is very private and peaceful. The private facilities (pool and spa) are gorgeous and the views of the lagoon are amazing. Rumours of Romance would have to be one of the nicest places in Rarotonga to stay!!