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We had the most beautiful stay at Matatui villas. A stunning two bedroom villa right on the ocean. The villa was well kitted out with everything we needed for our stay (including kayaks and sun loungers!) - felt like we were in paradise, will definitely stay longer next time.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Recommend hiring a car or scooter
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 spent 8 days here with our 5-year old son and left this little paradise relaxed as never before! This was our first visit to Cook islands and we could not think of a better place to stay – the villas are perfectly situated in a lush garden, just a couple of metres from a nice and peaceful sandy beach. There are lots of younger coconut trees in the front row at the beach so you can take advantage of their shade if you want to hide from the hot sun. We were happy to take the kayaks and saw lots of fish closer to the reef, enjoyed our morning coffees at the beach and finished the day with a cold beer watching stunning sunsets. The villa itself was extraordinary spacious, with 2 bathrooms, good equipped kitchen and a wonderful big wooden patio – just perfect for self-catering. Loved the furniture style and other decoration! There are a couple of restaurants reachable on foot, but it still makes sense to rent a car/scooter or bicycles and go explore some other parts of the island. Make sure you take the short hike up to Aitutaki´s highest peak, Maunga Pu, which starts conveniently just a little further down the road from where the villas are. A lagoon cruise is a must! We got picked up and dropped off at the airport and felt very welcomed and taken care of the whole time of our stay thanks to the lovely manager who was also happy to organise the lagoon trip for us and took us to a local store the first day to buy some groceries. Are-a-Matatui is a great choice if you enjoy a big portion of peace and quiet in a wonderful environment, after spending your day actively around the island, or just relaxing on the beach in front of the villas.
Looking forward to visit again someday!
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Date of stay: January 2017
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.
Our first trip to Aitutaki exceeded all expectations - this place is paradise on earth. The accommodation was fantastic and we could have stayed forever. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a relaxing, peaceful holiday and have been to everyone I come across!
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Date of stay: January 2013
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
It appears I will be leaving my first ever negative trip advisor/air bnb rating! :( I did attempt to sort the below issue with the owners, to no avail.
Basically, we feel the price of the 2bedroom/2 bath villa was way to high for the standard provided.
The Aretai Beach villas are very casual, which is fine....(we have stayed in plenty of budget places over the years -our accom in Muri, Raro is $150pn, & fabulous)...Its just not ok when you are paying $400-500 AUD (or NZD) per night! ie. our expectations were very high due to the high price we paid.
Inconveniences:
No wifi provided for cost and without it its very difficult to get information re things like the weather for the following days so you can plan ahead (& we couldn't find the supposed 'hot spot' so had to always visit other hotels to use theirs w Telcom card)
There is also no shuttle (its quite remote, you cant really walk anywhere to get a good meal so you really need to hire a car, extra $70 per day!) Finding food to cook in the kitchen is a car trip, (but forget it if you arrived on a Sunday, most places closed!)
Very casual service:
On checkin, there was no key provided, had to go and ask for one. They cleaned room after 2nd day (we had to ask though) and no towels were put back in the room, we had to go and ask for some. Overall just not that professional as you would expect in a Luxury Villa.
Villa set up:
No aircon! We were there in June and accustomed to the heat so fans were fine, but had we been there in the other 9 months of the year (or from a colder climate) it would be a different story.
Beach ok but certainly not as amazing as I had expected (our beach at home in Australia is much nicer) for the price tag.
A lovely big mould mark above the ceiling in the kitchen & plastic shower recesses in bathroom
A real lack of information:
There was no house manual in the room so we weren't aware that we were supposed to boil our drinking water! And we were giving it to our 2yo son! We only found out the next day when we asked for one
Not told about daytime mozzies carrying a virus related to denge fever! Usually we would just be diligent in the evening. We were told as soon as we arrived in raro by out host who was quite surprised we weren't told already. (Our 2.5yo ended up contracting Chikengunya while there from the daytime mozzies in Aitutaki!! Horrible virus! Could have been avoided!!)
Lack of good facilities:
In a way I can really see the value in a hotel stay or a villa right next door as you can utilise all the facilities, restaurants, money change, tour bookings, transfers etc and not have to drive everywhere to get any of that done.
Recommendations:
There are still a number of accommodation options in Aitutaki, including this one, which seem to be clinging to the islands heyday over 10 years ago when prices were very high. These days there is a lot more competition so, overall, your money will work better for you elsewhere on the island if you do your research. Check out places around Oohu beach; the only really amazing beach on the island of Aitutaki in our view (the islands in the lagoon are another story...heaven & one foot island...amazing!!)
There isn't a great deal to do in Aitutaki, and for that reason I can see why someone might enjoy staying in the resorts. Honestly though; seeing as the island itself, nor the beaches are as nice as rarotonga; I'd recommend that people just do a day trip...yes its $500pp but that includes flights and your lagoon trip to see the real beauty (Bishops cruises leaves from Oohu beach so you get to tick that off also) and you'll be back in Raro with its fabulous places to eat (Aitutaki doesnt have as good eating! Can be very hit and miss! Definitely avoid 'the boat house', very overpriced, and awful food and service! Aitutaki Village is great though)
Positives 2bed/2bath Villas are nice, certainly not $450-500Aud per night nice though. It has a gorgeous verandah. Has a washing machine, nice kitchen (albeit a bit ill equipped, very limited equipment, cheap aluminum saucepans rather than quality stainless steel etc) and it has lots of space. Frances (Nick's mum) went out of her way on first night to find a restaurant open (Sunday is rest/everything closed day!) & then dropped us off...(the 10 minute drive home in a cab was $30NZD though) Sorted a cot for us for our son Nick was very helpful with questions in beginning. If they get there pricing right, include internet and maybe a transfer service, it might then be worth considering.
As a previous Air bnb host myself previously, my feedback from guests, was that my prices always represented value for money. As a result, my guests were always really happy with what they got and shared this with their friends as a result. Offering value for money is very beneficial in the long run
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Date of stay: July 2015
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 beachside house was perfect for our 5 day stay. Such a relaxing place to just chill out, enjoy the beach and everything that the island has to offer. We were greeted at the airport by Lawton who gave us the most beautiful flowers to put around our necks. He was a fabulous caretaker and looked after us really well. It was raining hard when we arrived but he found us the last rental car on the island. There are a lot of missies but I didn’t get bitten once. See the photo for the repellant I used. (Advised by Auckland travel clinic)
The single beds were extremely comfortable and I don’t think I’ve slept better for so long. The kitchen was well equipped and there was even food left in the fridge for us from the last renters. There’s not a huge abundance of fresh meat on the island so I would advise anyone to bring as much food as they can from Rarotonga unless they want to eat out. We chose to eat out anyway every night and found some great restaurants on the island. For coffee we went to Koru cafe. Cocktails at the Blue lagoon resort overlooking the most amazing lagoon where we really enjoyed swimming. Thursday night we went to Island night at a nearby hotel (need to book) and watched and participated in the most amazing dancing and fire show. $70 pp well spent including a great buffet dinner.
Best massages were had at the Pacific resort. $130 for 50 mins sounds a lot but they were so good.
Best lunchtimes stop was the blue shack where we were treated to lovely toasted wraps with fish.
Great walking just behind the house across the road up to the peak with lovely views. Then if you feel like a further 45 minute walk you can carry on over to the other side of the island then walk back along the road.
Best lagoon cruise we did was the Vaka cruise. Probably also the best meal we had was on the boat and really well entertained by Ali and his fellow crew. Three of them play the ukulele and the skipper played the drum. The skipper was also the star of the fire show at the hotel I mentioned earlier. I can’t say that the coral snorkelling was the best I have ever seen as a lot of it was quite white but it was so enjoyable to swim in that amazing turquoise water and have these enormous big black fish swimming so close to us. On our last night we were treated to a great rugby match between the Raro team and the team from Aitutaki. Apparently rugby matches are the norm on Friday nights. Really friendly atmosphere with children swimming behind and other kids playing handball. It seems like the whole town had turned up to watch the match. There are about 1500 people living on this island and they are all so friendly. We also had three nights on Raro but I much preferred our time on the island. Thank you Frances for letting us stay at your beautiful home.
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Date of stay: April 2019
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 the peace and quiet staying here which we struggled to find when we stay in a hotel. The place was nice and clean and loved the front porch and lazing on the beach reading our books. Mama was very helpful and friendly. She evened booked out snorkelling trip which we would highly recommend!
We hope we can return soon!
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Date of stay: November 2015Trip type: Travelled 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.
We stayed for 5 days in paradise at Are-a-Matatui (nobody on the island recognize this name, you have to say Aretai) there are two groups of bungalows in the same property, they belong to a sister and brother and are managed by mama, a lovely lady that makes you feel at home. We were at the beachfront bungalow, with two bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living/dinning room and a well equipped kitchen but the best is a huge deck with lounges and a big table. It has a washing machine and a drier, TV, DVD, Ipod dock, telephone and fans. It is hot but fortunately there is a breeze and you can have all windows open to cool it down, there are mosquitoes but we just feel them around sunset, we were prepared and use mossie repellent so no problem there. The location is great, right in front of the water but yes the water is full of sea cucumbers (not slugs) and it is rocky but is calm, with a beautiful blue and soft ripples so it is great to kayak or to go walking since you can go quite far into the lagoon, specially in low tide (reef shoes are a must) and it is ok to swim in high tide, it faces the sunset (have your camera ready). There are places to eat close by, we had a car and it allowed us to explore the island, go to other beaches and go to the top of the "mountain" (highly recommended, breathtaking views) and to go shopping in town when we did not want to eat out. Goods are expensive and limited as expected because all is carried to the island by boat, bring some from home, specially if you want to do any cooking or you want something special. We highly recommend Kuro cafe, they make their own bread and sale their surplus, we enjoyed the turkish bread for breakfast every morning. Visit to the lagoon is a must and a highlight of the trip, we went with Teking and had a good trip, surprisingly good lunch and the most gorgeous landscape (seascape?) with endless shades of blue. The whole island have a pace that allows you to relax, this is the most relaxing holidays we have had for long time, it is paradise!
But why not 5 stars? Well, the place is clean but not to a high standard, the places out of the way are overlooked. The TV and DVD do not work and there is internet but no way to access it (we manage very well without but when you rent a place with this extras you expect to have them), Mama does not know how this things work and despise all her good intentions and amiability she can not help. There are other details overlooked, like we did not have soap in one of the bathrooms, the fan in the second bedroom makes lots of noise, the water filter does not work, the rubbish bins are small and do not get empty. The place really needs a manager, the owner is out of the country and you feel awful to bother Mama.
But if you are thinking in stay there, by all means go! these are small details and won't spoil your visit to paradise.
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Date of stay: October 2014
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â If you can afford it, it is worth to pay the extra for the beachfront.
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 our first visit to Aitutaki, 4 days there after almost a week on Rarotonga. We were warned to take mosquito repellant, sunscreen and reef shoes so we were well prepared and had no problems.
We stayed in one of the Are-a- Matatui bungalows which are managed under the watchful eye of Mama, a lovely lady who can't do enough for you. She even popped over with a batch of freshly baked scones when we walked up from a hard day's swimming and lazing on the beach which is only a minute's walk away. We kayaked ( kayaks and other "toys" compliments of Are-a-Matatui) and one of our nicest memories is paddling our kayaks out in front of our bungalow waiting for the sunset (spectacular). Other guests just materialised out of nowhere to view it from the beach, no-one spoke and then the sun just fell into the sea!
I can see that other people have described in some detail the accomodation of Are-a-Matatui so I need only confirm that the bungalows, set in gorgeous tropical gardens, are spacious, clean and well laid out with all the cooking utensils you need. Of course, you don't need to cook - there are a variety of outside eating places around the island - but it's fun to go to the local markets, see what is available and then work out what you can make for the night's meal.
One of the outside eating places we tried was Puffy's, just a short stroll down the road from Are-a-Matatui. It has the best fresh fish, generous helpings and the fullest wine glasses. Just get there early as it is pretty popular and not very big.
You can be as active (or not) as you like on Aitutaki and Are-a-Matatui accomodation should suit you. And Mama the Manager knows all there is to know..
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Date of stay: August 2013
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled 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 our second time in Aitutuki - the first was 5 years ago when we stayed a week at Aretai after having spent a week on Rarotonga. We loved Aitutaki so much we decided to spend two weeks here. Are-a-Matatui is in the same compound as Aretai and is owned and hosted by the same family. The price includes pickup and dropoff at the airport. Mama is ageless and always kind and helpful. Our son injured his foot on a motorbike and she drove us to the hospital and waited until he had been treated, and would not accept our offer of payment.
The accommodations are lovely 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom villas - we stayed at the beachfront one. They are roomy and ideal for families, with most other places on the island being for couples (ie one bedroom or a single room). Both bedrooms had kingsized beds with one being able to be separated into two beds, which was good for our two children. In the lounge room there was also a day bed that could be used for sleeping. There is a large front deck with plenty of seating and lounging room (including two built-ins) and also a table.
There is a kitchenette with oven, cooktop, microwave, toaster and fridge. There is adequate cookware, crockery and cutlery. This is self catering so although there is fresh fruit and a small carton of milk supplied on arrival (with the fruit being replenished a couple of times during our stay) you need to be prepared to shop for things if you want to cook for yourself. Things are limited and relatively expensive on the island (basics like milk, butter, cheese, and canned goods are imported from NZ via the monthly freighter). Knowing this from our last trip we brought in some non-persihables such as cereal, freeze dried food (the same as we usually use for camping), powdered milk, coffee (I bought some Starbucks single use instant), teabags, single use creamer etc so we had supplies and could delay going shopping until we settled in. We mainly shopped at the market with the Heineken sign, but there is also a shop at the harbour called Maina traders.
Also be prepared for mosquitoes - bring plenty of repellant and also some hydrocortisone cream - it is inevitable that you will get bitten. The place is screened but there were gaps in some of the screens (we sealed them with some tape - hopefully this will get repaired at some point but on an isolated island it isn't as if you can go to the local Home Depot to get materials!). But even if the screens had been perfect there are plenty of mozzies outdoors, especially near trees. Most restaurants are open-air also, another opportunity to be bitten.
The beach outside is lovely and good for relaxing - it is virtually deserted, just great for a feeling of being away from it all. There is an area that is a swimming hole just a few steps away. The local lagoon is good for wading and some kayaking and snorkelling (when it the tide isn't too low). Make sure you have reef shoes. The best snorkelling is in the main lagoon. We went on a couple of trips with Kia Orana (Captain Fantastic) - we had also used them on our last trip to Aitutaki. It is a small family operation and takes only up to 8 people. We took a full day tour that included a delicious lunch and on another day had him drop us off on Maina and pick us up later in the day (we took sandwiches, water etc). We also did two diving trips with Bubbles Below where we saw turtles, eagle rays, lots of reef fish and even some whales.
Are-a-Matatui is right next door to Puffy's (simple things like burgers, fish and chips) and a brief walk to Paradise Cove (Island night buffet on Weds nights), Tauono's (fresh stuff from their own garden - this, like most places, is pricey but really worth eating there) and Tamanu Beach Resort (Island night with fire dancers on Thursdays - you can just turn up and watch it for free or you can book for the buffet as well). We rented a car to go further afield as well and can really recommend Cafe Tupuna. We also went for lunch and the island night (with dancers) at Samade.
If you have a family this is probably the roomiest place (as well as Aretai) on Aitutaki and is very well situated.
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Date of stay: August 2013
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â We personally preferred the beachfront villa, but the villa behind it is so close to the beach it...
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.
On arrival the villa was closed and we had to wait for the key to be found.
First thing we checked for the cots (this was essential knowing of the girls sleeping habits) to find that there was only one cot out of the two we ordered. The girls did not have their cots and slept on a single mattress on the floor. They were highly unsettled and would not fall asleep easily. We had such a hard time getting them to go to sleep that thought about asking for the cots we had in Rarotonga to be sent over. In Ratatonga where they had their cots as requested the twins were happy.
Are-a-Matatu was promoted as a house on the beach, which it was, but the beach were full of corral and sea slugs which means we could not use it freely for swimming.
The accommodation was far from what we expected. We could not use all of the appliances except for the washing machine. We were told that the owner was in Australia and there was no one to find out what was wrong with the TV DVD Phone etc. The ceiling fan in my room made a noise and kept me awake...could not turn it off because room was too hot. The tap filter did not work and we had to boil water. The accommodation was to be serviced every three days and that did not happen. The room was serviced twice during out stay (11 nights) and mostly the rubbish bin were too small to accommodate our rubbish. Reason given on one occasion for no service is that the room was not done because the apartment was locked. I could go on but I think you have the overall idea of our experience.
Supplies like toilet paper and soap were not readily available. Most of the inquiries were met with ...do not know, owner is not here ...
Some feeble attempts at smoothing things over were apparent from some sort of politeness shown.
Bad Experience
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Date of stay: June 2013
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Do not have one. Bad experience. Regardless or your need or request, no guarantee that you will...
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 personally preferred the beachfront villa, but the villa behind it is so close to the beach it doesn't really matter. The advantage of the beachfront one is that you have a better view from the front deck."
There are more places to choose from in the Aitutaki area.
LOCATION
Cook IslandsSouthern Cook IslandsAitutaki
NUMBER OF ROOMS
2
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