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Inspiring Romance … For those seeking privacy and luxury, look no further than our award-winning adults only 5 star Little Polynesian Resort. Our leading boutique resort, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, makes an ideal location for honeymooners and couples seeking a romantic picturesque escape in paradise.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Modern
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Main Road, Titikaveka Cook Islands
Little Polynesian Resort
4.6 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
We had a wonderful stay at Little Polynesian. The staff was welcoming, and the check-in process was seamless. The initial view of the pool, surrounded by palm trees with the blue lagoon in the background, instantly made us feel like we were in paradise.
The resort is small and intimate and never felt crowded. The property is immaculately clean and has lush tropical gardens, and the beach is great for long walks. We stayed in a garden bungalow with two private courtyards – one with an outdoor shower and the other with two sun lounges in a garden setting. The bungalow was spacious and included a small sitting area, a large bathroom, and a kitchenette with everything we needed (mini fridge, coffee machine, and filtered water replaced daily). Next time, we would upgrade to a beachfront bungalow to enjoy the beautiful lagoon view from our room.
We spent most days swimming in the ocean and lounging by the pool. Getting around Rarotonga without a car was easy, as there was a bus stop outside the hotel. Check the bus timetable and have cash (NZ $5 per person for each trip).
The dining experience was poolside with a beautiful lagoon view. A generous continental breakfast was included with the room rate, and our dinner favorites included the Island-Style Sashimi, Mongolian Beef Sizzler, and Seafood Special. The food was very flavorsome, generously portioned, and of very good quality.
We enjoy smaller properties, so it was perfect for us.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was a great choice of resort to stay in. The staff were very attentive and the service and food were superb. Most of the serving staff are Fijian and they are incredibly friendly and polite. The room I had was really nice with an exceptional bathroom and additional beautiful outside shower. Gardens were superb with lovely plantings and a real tropical vibe. The highlight is its beach with very swimmable lagoon and the infinity pool is a cool dipping off point afterwards. Food and drinks were well priced and of a high quality. Its the perks that make this place, a beautiful tropical fruit platter each morning and they mix it up too! The cleaning was exceptional with my room cleaned everyday and due to my flight being at 3pm, I was given a late checkout complimentary, great aricon too. I also loved how staff remembered your name and the vibe was very welcoming. The only downside was the bed, which was quite hard to sleep on and the media - a nice tv but bad picture - I blame this on the limited communications options in the Pacific and also who comes on holiday to watch TV? Well when it gets dark at 7pm and the island shuts down after 8. Also its a remote location and you will need to catch the round island buses and/or hire a car/scooter to go anywhere else, although Charlies home of the big fish snadwich (And its big) was only 500m down the road (Slight risk from wandering dogs). Overall they meet your every need and exceed it. This place was brilliant and the grounds were immaculate and beautiful.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled solo
Room Tip:Te Maire Nui tropical garden across road, need transport, remote, near Charlies.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had 11 days of relaxation at Little Polynesian. It was just what we needed, a beach front villa steps away from the lagoon - which was perfect. Out last stay here was to the sister property Pacific Resort on Aitutaki and both are great but we liked our time here more. The property is well located only a couple of kms away from Muri where there are other resorts and a few shops. The depth of the water is better here for swimming and aquatic activities but both properties are delightful.
Staff are all amazing and we thank Tutor (who always calls you by name), Sisi, Leba, Tom, Miri and April for such passionate and individual attention. The continental breakfast is included in the rate and is ample and delicious, we had cooked items on a couple of days which were delicious. Dinners were also of very high quality, especially seafood, ika mata, sashimi, parrot fish, mahi mahi and tuna were all really great. We had a minor glitch in a busy night where our lamb rack and fillet came out bearly cooked we suspect as an attempt to look after us promptly as house guests. They were still delicious but not hot.
The room was well equipped, spacious and light in colour, a lot of the Polynesian resorts are in dark wood tones elsewhere. The bathroom like many on the islands had both indoor and outdoor showers and high quality bath products. Housekeeping was good too although you can't choose which time they get to you as they start at one end of the resort and work towards the other end but this is all part of embracing the more leisurely pace of island life. Housekeeping responded to individual requests to customise the room.
Little Polynesian was an ideal place to stay and we looked at a few other properties on the island, we think that this is as stylish as any of them. When you combine the quality of the restaurant I think it would be had to beat in Rarotonga. It is a hard place to leave ! Thanks Chantelle for such a great stay.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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I would strongly advise you that the Cook Islands don't stop in Rarotonga and go straight to Aitutaki, a hotel that doesn't know how to rate SLH members. The hotel is very small, there's no spa, there's only one restaurant except the guest room, the room service menu is exactly the same as the restaurant menu, it gets tired in a few days, the room facilities look like a domestic express hotel. The hotel linen looks dirty and black and it's wet. The waitress at the restaurant looks very unfriendly because of the seafood crusts, we want some tissues, they have a really bad attitude, they say they don't serve tissues, there's a napkin on the table, the restaurant is full of flies, eat a meal, there's a dozen flies on the table, the room service waiter has a really long face, keeps staring at me. I mean, the funny thing is, because of the dirty hotel towels. We only used our own towels the whole time, we checked out like we couldn't find the towels in the room to ask about it. We had a good attitude here, I said I didn't see a hole in the luggage bag they deposited with me when I left, and I tip you 10 times a day, 10 times a day, to get a towel. Is that ridiculous, and our afternoon plane makes us have to check out at 10:00 a.m. It can't be delayed, I've really had it for the first time. There's no air conditioning in the lobby, no dry wait, hotel staff are just hiding in their offices. Blow air conditioning, no glass of water, no one's going to mind us when we check out, it's speechless, and I'm calling on everyone to leave this very bad experience alone.
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:不要住这家酒店 最好不要在拉罗汤加这种居民岛停留 直接去艾图塔基
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I spent 5 wonderful days at this resort.It was our third time staying at Little Polynesian. Each time booked through Luxury Escapes. The resort is a relatively small luxury boutique resort.We stayed each time in a Beachfront villa which have spectacular views of the lagoon. The room had great vibes and was very comfortable. The bathroom was spacious and well appointed. We found the bed comfortable and the selection of movies extensive.The restaurant is delightful and the food and service fantastic. The tropical breakfast had a good selection of foods and it was served at your table and I loved the small varied treat each day. The gardens are beautiful and the resort is very clean. I was very happy to have decaffeinated coffee available both in the restaurant and in room. Our check in process online worked well and our initial welcome from Chantelle was very informative and thoughtful. A rental car is a good option so that you have easy access to other parts of the island. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this resort! Book it you won’t regret it!
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Have a rental car, bring coral shoes
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First time staying at this resort and so glad we did. We had beach front bungalow - Large deck with chairs, just steps from the lagoon. Room was very spacious. Very comfortable bed (King), large bathroom area and an outdoor shower with a clothes line out back. Check in was a breeze, parking out front for the hire car. They have filtered water in the room and you can refill at the bar - fill any bottles you are taking with you for the day activities (They even stored out bottles in the fridge while we had breakfast which was much appreciated) We opted for the Tropical Breakfast which included tea/coffee, Juice, Fruit, a different little treat like a cake or quiche etc, cereal and toast. (Big breakfast) You can pay for the cooked breakfast and we did this on the last day - lovely. Use of kayaks, snorkeling gear etc and also reef shoes on request. On the first night we opted to have dinner at the restaurant - it was a stand out, best meal of the trip. Char-Grilled Rib Eye Fillet with Vegetables, just incredibly delicious!! Very good assortment of wines, cocktails etc as well. Good selection of movies. Staff were fabulous. Only slight hiccup was checking out, sat for 20 minutes waiting to be checked out, in the end because we had a flight to catch, we had to actually go again and ask for someone to do it urgently - I'm not sure what the hold up was, there was no one checking in our out at the time, perhaps there is a specific person who usually does it and they weren't on site?
Would definitely recommend, the view is fabulous from your deck - it's an oasis. These boutique hotels have won me over - less people, just so relaxing.
Thank you for a wonderful stay.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Pay the extra and get the lagoon view bungalow and dine at least once for a dinner meal at the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We enjoyed a wonderful stay at Little Polynesian Resort. Our spotless, spacious, well appointed and tastefully furnished villa opened onto a terrace with comfortable beach chairs and was steps away from a sandy beach, raked daily, and the beautifully clear, warm lagoon. The view over the lagoon and out to the reef was fabulous. We dined at the restaurant every night of our stay as the food was so good and we were very impressed with the excellent personal and attentive service provided throughout the resort. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This really is a very special resort. It is a "Couples Only" resort, and only has a total of 14 units, this means you can really relax and enjoy the peace , tranquility and amazing views. We were welcomed by management and shown our room, to find a bottle of wine and gifts to celebrate our anniversary . We had a garden room, spacious and immaculately maintained. The unit has a walled garden back and front so you have total privacy , the only downside is , that the high walls reduce the lovely sea breeze you get with the beach front units. Dining is at the edge of the pool, overlooking the glorious beach and ocean . How do we describe the food ? Excellent. I have some diet issues but this was never a problem for the chef and I thank him for that. Being adult only and small the service is very personal, how lovely to be welcomed by our first name when we came for breakfast or dinner. So many little things that happened like being given iced water to drink if we were sitting at the edge of the pool. , All the staff were amazing so I wont name the staff individually but they were all wonderful. Thank you for a holiday we will always remember.
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Date of stay: April 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed 5 nights at the Little Polynesian and agree with many prior reviews. Firstly, the location is fantastic and offers amazing swimming and views of the reef and ocean. The snorkeling is good, not great. Some fish to be seen but you will find much better in other countries.
What makes the resort special is the staff. They are truly amazing and will go out of their way to make you feel at home. What also is excellent is the food. Never had a bad meal and the setting overlooking the pool is lovely.
To be constructive, I do feel the value proposition could be improved considering the nightly room rate charged. It’s simply not in line with other similar properties in other countries that no doubt they are competing with for the tourist dollar.
Firstly, only offering a continental breakfast is pretty stingy. I would also add that a nightly turndown service would be well served . If for no other reason than to change towels. It seems towels are on short supply here because it was always hard work to get replacements. They don’t have beach towels by the pool, you always have to ask. They don’t give you extra towels in the room and sometimes didn’t even get a bath mat.
The rooms are nice, although the bed and bedding was average in quality and the general condition of the room was just ok. Some wear and tear and no attention paid to fixing things was evident.
All in all we had an enjoyable stay, however they could easily go to the next level if they put some value and focus into addressing the points above.
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Date of stay: May 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First class accommodations! Pay a little more for the Little Polynesian, it is well worth it. I think it is the nicest resort in Rarotonga. There are only about 14 Bungalows so no crowds. Bungalows are beautiful, beach front, clean, private, and well furnished. We were pleasantly surprised by the small amenities such as a high fidelity JBL wi-fi speaker. A quick setup and we were able to listen to music from our cell phones. The bed is centered so you can view the ocean thru when you wake up each day. There is also an indoor sitting area and a raised outdoor deck with the same fabulous view. The accommodations include a beautiful and private outdoor shower in the garden, with hot and cold water. The Little Polynesian staff are wonderful. The food was outstanding. The beaches and turquoise water here are MORE beautiful than Hawaii and there are few places on this planet that can boast that!
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Helpful tip. When you arrive dial yourself back to Island time. Some might think service is...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Albuquerque, New Mexico41 contributions5 helpful votes
We were there just last week. There are 2 loungers on your private deck overlooking the beach which is literally 5 steps away. They also provide beach towels. The dining area is beautiful, by the infinity pool, overlooking the ocean. There are places in the open air dining area they could set up a romantic dinner. The staff is fantastic and I am sure they would set u your dinner request. It resort only 14 Bungalows so never crowded and very quiet. Also the food at Little Polynesian was delicious. We loved this place.
Hi there, sorry for the late reply.
I am not sure what the weather is like in December. I would simply Google it.
In September it was just right. Not too hot and not cold.
Aldeburgh, United Kingdom7 contributions1 helpful vote
A car is useful and is easy to hire at the airport but there is a regular bus that does the circuit of the island. Water sports at little poly, snorkel provided and paddle boards and canoes available
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