Along with our 3 children my husband and I have stayed with Peter and Vicki on several occassions.
We just love Aitutaki, but really it is the warmth and generosity of Vicki and Peter that keep us coming back.
You will not find nicer people to stay with!! We feel like we are coming home to stay with family for a holiday.
The units are perfect - clean - tidy and situated close to the beach and other attractions.
There are two one-bedroom bungalows on the west side of the island, right on the beach/lagoon. They are equipped with a fridge, electric frypan, stereo, small dining table, couch, double-bed and separate bathroom/toilet. Each has a deck with two deckchairs. The owner lives in the main house behind, and regularly drops in coconut bread, banana cake and fruit. The beach itself is nice, although the lagoon is not really swimmable (too shallow), so you do need to walk/drive further down the beach. Dining out also requires a walk/drive. There's a shop just across the road, and a couple more a short walk away. The only thing - not the owner's fault - are the noisy roosters! But at least there are no dogs on Aitutaki, thanks to an earlier, far-sighted decision by a chief.
Stayed with Vicki and Peter at Paparei bungalows for 6 nights with my Wife and two children (2 and 12) and I can safely say we had a great time.
Lodgings:
Terrific, perfect for our requirements, very clean, comfortable and right on the beach. We could sit on the deck and watch the kids play in the water, or we could play in the water ourselves whilst the little one slept. We cooked bacon and eggs a few mornings and had some sausages for lunch one day, so cooking facilities are quite adequate.
Location:
Across the road or only a short stroll away are Cafes (KuKus) and shops, I was happy to walk to the Heineken store which has a good stock level. We also hired a kayak from Kukus across the road for only $20 per day. This allowed us to paddle out to some very good snorkelling or swimming.
Owners:
Peter and Vicki were great to have around, always willing to have a chat or make a booking or give advice. The fresh home made coconut loaf, banana cake and scones were delightful and a very unexpected suprise. Our little one called Vicki Grandma for the whole trip, which she didn't mind. Vickis actual grand children were a pleasure to have around to play with our kids.
Overall, I would happily go back to Aitutaki in the future, and staying at Paparei will be a must.
If you want a tropical sunset this is the place to be. If you want clean and comfortable this is the place to be. If you want genuine warm Kiwi/Cook Island hospitality this is the place to be. We couldn't have chosen better. We did have to travel a whole five minutes to go snorkelling though. To offset that though, the warmth and attention of our hosts well and truly overcame that minor inconvenience and you have to love getting around on a motor scooter. Excellent in every respect.
Unfortunately Peter and Vicki were away, but we were greeted by their daughter Trina at the airport. Straight away her friendly laid back welcome made us feel relaxed and at home. Although the beach isnt exactly a great swimming spot, hire a scooter from across the road and explore the island, its a blast! But it is close to everything you need and close to 'town', although dont expect the police to be there much. But Aitutaki is such a beautiful island, get out and explore it (Dont forget to visit Trina at Koru Cafe!) and then come back to the bungalow to relax and watch the sunset.
