Sunset Resort is a 3.5 star property and is idyllically situated on the sheltered western side of the island only minutes from Avarua township. The secluded beachfront location provides guests with an unspoilt view of Rarotonga's crystal clear aqua blue lagoon and breathtaking sunsets. This personally managed, privately owned resort has an intimate atmosphere that will make every guest feel welcome and ensure they experience the magic of Rarotonga and its people.
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
Charming
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Ara Tapu, Avarua Cook Islands
Sunset Resort
820 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.
As we traveled during "low season" during the rainy season, the site was not full. But we SO enjoyed it. Even the "garden studios" by the pool were simply gorgeous, and very roomy with a bathroom, kitchenette, king-size bed, table and chairs, and sofa and coffee table. A large balcony, which on the second floor really added to the living space. (Note no elevator so you will need to carry your suitcases upstairs.) But mostly you will want to enjoy the great snorkeling right off the Resort's own beach. We saw lots of fish, a few "giant clams," blue starfish and many different kinds of coral. We really enjoyed their bar area from 4-7 pm, Monday-Saturday as a place to meet other guests and just enjoy the time and atmosphere. Continental breakfast was adequate, with fresh fruit and breads daily; although it became somewhat repetitive after 6 days! We found the main restaurant (Anchorage) a little pricey and with a limited menu, mostly fish. The staff are friendly and helpful. Housekeeping kept the room pristine despite our constantly bringing in sand! This is definitely not your cheapest place in Rarotonga, but people who stay here do come back year after year, mostly Canadians while we were there. And there's an absolutely great bakery just across the main road with pastries, sandwiches, meat pies, cheese cakes, etc. We plan to return to Rarotonga AND to Sunset Resort.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Upstairs, garden rooms give more privacy if you want that and are close to the beach.
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.
Response from Sunset R, Manager at Sunset Resort
Responded Mar 3, 2020
Kia orana Thank you for taking the time to write a very detailed review. We appreciate all feedback and I will hand your comments onto the Restaurant as well as our housekeeping staff. Our breakfast is complementary but guests can purchase additional cooked breakfast items from the Restaurant menu. I am please to read that you enjoyed your stay and we would love to have your return again soon. Meitaki
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Great place, small, quiet, friendly staff will visit with you, included continental breakfast. Chickens wander in and out with their cute chicks but the roosters can be annoying in the early morning. Poolside room is nice. Windows are all vented so not a noise barrier. Bring earplugs. 2 pools one you can walk in shallow, the other one is underwater lit at night. Beachfront is awesome with hammocks , numerous loungers and deck chairs and lots of palm trees for shade. Snorkeling out front in the lagoon is great when the waves are calm and beach walk is accessible in both directions. Resort provides reef shoes as the water is shallow and lots of rock/coral. The 2 pools are nice and never crowded. There is a waiting area by the pool with showers and towels in change rooms for those who can’t get early check in or late checkout. The Anchorage restaurant on-site is on par with any of the others nearby, meals available all day.
Tip: Avoid visiting in January which is the wettest month of the rainy season November to April. It rained almost every day, mostly light showers and still warm but we got stuck in 10 days of high wind and surf so no ocean activities.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Ocean front is best but comes with a cost. Stayed poolside second floor more private but ground...
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 stayed at this adult only resort for a week of rest and relaxation. Such a beautiful resort and so helpful. We were picked up from the airport by Rua, who was really friendly and knowledgeable. Greeted at the resort by really friendly engaging staff and shown to our lovely room, everything was wonderful. We had drinks at the Birdcage bar, lovely quite bar with friendly bar person. The resort has two pool areas one at the birdcage and the other by the restaurant. A short stroll to the beach where there are numerous seating areas, with loungers and hammocks. We ate a few times at the restaurant, the anchorage. The food was flavoursome and the cost was in line with other eateries on the island. A quick dip in the pool every morning before the heat set in. A boutique type resort with a smallish number of rooms. The cocktails were awesome. Would definitely be back😊
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip 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.
Response from Sunset R, Manager at Sunset Resort
Responded Apr 3, 2020
Kia orana Thank you for taking the time to write your review.It seems that the Sunset Resort was the perfect fit for you and we would love to see you back at the resort again. We have a regular newsletter that we can send you with updated information on what is happening at the resort. If you would like to receive this, please email us at welcome@thesunetresort.com. travel safe and see you soon
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Our travel agent recommended the Sunset Resort on the island of Rarotonga, Cook Islands and it truly exceeded all of our expectations. I wanted to visit somewhere special to celebrate my 60th birthday and we selected the perfect spot. From the warm and inviting welcome of the receptionists including Robyn, Tina and Haley along with the management, they couldn’t have made our stay any nicer. They were always smiling and helpful, answering all our questions. And on my actual birthday, which Robyn shared with me, they presented me with a lovely card and a bottle of sparkling wine in order to celebrate. What a lovely touch.
We stayed in one of the wonderful beachfront suites, which is steps away from the palm tree lined white sandy beach and crystal clear turquoise waters. The whole island has a protective reef around it and coral in abundance. The snorkeling was excellent, as was the swimming.
They are two pools on the property and a bar beside one of them, which has a great happy hour. The Anchorage restaurant beside the entrance where breakfast is enjoyed, also has wonderful meals at lunch and dinner. And their staff were also extremely friendly and great at their jobs.
The location is great being only about a 10 minute drive from the capital Avarua and on Saturday we enjoyed the open market there. At the end of the road of our resort, there’s a fabulous little bakery serving homemade sweet and savoury items.
One highlight was daily watching the manager’s dog Lilo (sp?) come running down the side road and rushing into the water with such joy pouncing around.
It’s a birthday and vacation we will always hold dear to our hearts and thank everyone at Sunset Resort for making it so special and memorable.
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Date of stay: November 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
Response from Sunset Resort, General Manager at Sunset Resort
Responded Feb 3, 2023
Kia Orana FandFFandF We are so pleased to hear that you had a fabulous 60th Birthday - it is really important to us here at Sunset Resort that people have a very special and memorable experience when staying with us. Thank you for sharing this. We will pass this onto our team. Have a great year ahead - and welcome to the special over 60s club. Kind regards Kev Cathy Leilo and all the team here at Sunset Resort
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One of the few places you can stay in Rarotonga for less than 3 nights (but in a poolside/garden view room only). The beachfront rooms have great views and the beach is good for snorkelling. We enjoyed the bird cage swim-up bar and the atmosphere of the whole resort. Staff are friendly and helpful, and self-serve washing facilities are free to use (note there's no facilities to hang clothes but there are dryers with tokens for NZ$2 each). There is a restaurant on-site and continental breakfasts are included. There are also several other restaurants within walking distance. Would recommend this resort to anyone thinking of going to Rarotonga.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Book dinner at the on-site restaurant on Wednesdays - they do a barbeque with live music
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.
Response from Sunset Resort, General Manager at Sunset Resort
Responded Mar 3, 2024
Kia Orana MJoy93 Thank you for taking the time to post your review - we really appreciate the feedback. Guess what is on our list of "to dos" a guest washing line! Great to read that you enjoyed the resort and you found your stay here with us really enjoyable. We will pass you review onto our staff. Have a wonderful year ahead Kind regards Kev Cathy and the Sunset Resort Team
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My wife and I have just completed a 7 night stay at Sunset Resort. This place is perfect for a quiet relaxing break. It's much more laid back than the bigger resorts with kids and bars that are open all day. There are a number of poolside areas where you can choose the mingle with other guests or find some quiet space to yourselves. Or there are loungers and hammocks on the beach. The location of this resort on the NW of the island offers calmer conditions. There are a couple of roosters on the Resort but everyone has those. We weren't bothered by them at all in the garden rooms around the main pool. WIFI vouchers are best bought at receptions and reception is generally good but there are "blind spots". The staff are fantastic and keen to make you stay a memorable one. Snorkelling is OK strain off the resort but better further around the island next to the Rarotongan Resort. For those looking for a friendly, quiet, relaxing holiday; you won't do better than this.
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Date of stay: June 2022
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Garden rooms by the main pool are good value. Beachfront rooms are also great but may be more...
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.
Response from Sunset Resort, General Manager at Sunset Resort
Responded Jun 18, 2022
Kia Orana Secala Thank you for your lovely review - we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us here at The Sunset Resort, and we look forward to hosting you on your next visit. Kind regards
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Staff were a highlight of the trip. They even went the extra mile to return my swimwear to the airport on the day I left. Lovely pools and stretch of beach and beautiful gardens. Breakfast was basic but fresh and evening meals delicious. Wifi, like any parts of the Island, little on and off but staff were very helpful in sorting the issues.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Rooms by the pool were noisier than others depending on guests but this never went on beyond 9pm...
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.
Response from Sunset R, Manager at Sunset Resort
Responded Mar 3, 2020
Kia orana Thank you for taking the time to write your review . I will hand on your positive feedback to our staff We hope to see you back again soon Meitaki
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It was our second trip to the Cooks and we weren’t overwhelmed on the first visit where we stayed at the Crown .
I picked this Resort because it had a Two Bedroom Apartment on the beach verge . The only thing we found disappointing was that one of the 3 AirCon units were working . The office explained covid was making it hard to get replacement parts locally . I understand this but felt they should of carried a stock of spares for the resort .
That aside the Resort appreciated our understanding and gave us a small bar tab. That being said , it was a wonderfull place to stay and we really enjoyed our time with them . If the Air Con was working ( it was quite warm for us ) I would of given them a 5 star .
Watch the Restaurant ( Anchorage ) it is very hot and cold Service and food . Note it’s contracted to others .
We took our own meat into the Cooks and the unit was well set up for cooking . But missed a BBQ . You can buy food relatively cheaply and set yourself up for the week .
Reece and Floppy
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
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.
Response from Colleen Darby, General Manager at Sunset Resort
Responded May 19, 2022
Many thanks for your feedback for your one night stay with us. We appreciate your comments re the Air Con units and we do have spares most times, but the supply chain is challenging post Covid but we work tirelessly to get this sorted. Disappointed to read your comments re the restaurant and while we know they too have their challenges because of covid we will certainly pass on your feedback. We appreciate all feedback.
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This is a great resort. The staff were friendly and helpful, the rooms were clean and bright with regular change of bedding and towels. We had a beach front suite which was spacious . You do need to keep the doors closed so the air conditioning functions correctly. We ate in the restaurant most days. Breakfast was a good selection of fruit, cereals, yoghurt, toast and jam/marmalade/peanut butter etc. You could pay if you preferred a cooked breakfast. The lunches and evening meals were good too. There is a problem with mosquitoes but you can’t expect anything else in the Pacific Islands. We would definitely return to this resort.
Joy and Charlie V
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip 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.
Had a great time. Beach is beautiful and great snorkeling. Room well appointed. Was able to buy groceries at local market, and cook in room, to cut down on costs for lunches and dinners. Enjoyed complementary breakfast each morning. Staff knowledgeable and very friendly. Would like to salute Kevin, the manager, who let us use his car for three days! Both pools were beautiful as were the grounds. Beach had lots of lounging chairs to watch sunsets in the evening. Please note: Make sure you book rental car before you arrive as all were in use for all our time in Rarotonga (thanks again to Kevin). Great stay ~ Thanks
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
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.
Response from Sunset Resort, General Manager at Sunset Resort
Responded Jan 20, 2024
Kia Orana steveIP7720QI Thank you for taking the time to post your lovely review, we really appreciate it and will pass this onto our team here at the Resort. Great to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us and that Sunset Resort provided the accommodation that you were expecting. Yes, with regard to rental cars at times it can be very difficult and we do try to let people know this in advance - very sorry if we had not given you a heads up in your case. Once again thank you for your lovely comments - we will salute Kevin on your behalf :-) - have a wonderful year ahead Kind regards Cathy Kev and the Sunset Resort team
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There is no free wifi available on the island apart from at the airport. From memory about an hour free access. Admittedly we were on bikes so I dropped back on the way home a few times to catch up on FB & upload a few happy snaps. Otherwise the hotel offers paid access or you can a buy blue sky pass & there are a few hotspots around the Island to connect to.
Our lagoon is ideal for snorkelling but we don't offer paddle boarding here, that is mainly done in Muri. We have snorkels, masks and reef shoes available complimentary.
There are more places to choose from in the Avarua area.
PRICE RANGE
₱10,818 - ₱13,297 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the sunset hotel arorangi, sunset hotel arorangi, sunset resort rarotonga
LOCATION
Cook IslandsSouthern Cook IslandsRarotongaAvarua
NUMBER OF ROOMS
35
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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