I'm a hardy traveler, and actually quite easy to please, but this place has absolutely nothing to recommend it. If it were possible to give this place ZERO stars, I would. The problems with this place are really too numerous and serious to list in full, but here're the lowlights:
(1) Even though the property claims to be "Beachfront", there really is NO VIEW OF THE BEACH from anywhere except the owner's family's private cookshack (Their website misleadingly makes the cookshack look like a charming bungalow on the beach--it's not). If you try to use the beach (for sunbathing only, because the high reef makes swimming there impossible), the people using the cookshack and the flies that swarm to feed there will be right on top of you!
(2) There is effectively no place to park your rental car, or even a scooter for that matter. If there are more than 3 cars total at the property (bearing in mind there are 12 units), you WILL either be blocked in or trap someone else!
(3) The single-lane, deeply rutted, rocky/dirt drive into the place (think Oregon Trail) WILL high-center your rental car or dump your scooter.
(4) There were plenty of electrical outlets in our room, but none were functional. The noisy mini-fridge was plugged into an outlet in ANOTHER room with a 50' extension cord under the doors!
(5) The ceiling fan was broken.
(6) Mosquitos on this side of Raro are ferocious and legion, and THERE WERE NO SCREENS ON THE LANAI DOOR and no mosquito coils or repellent were provided. This is a big issue, because there was an outbreak of Dengue fever when we were there. Nevermind the enormous wolf spiders coming in from the lanai.
(7) Showers consisted of alternating spritzes of cool and scalding-hot water.
(8) The mattress was so badly sprung I slept on the floor.
(9) Two TINY handtowels were supplied--for two persons' use of both shower and sink-- and never replaced with fresh during our entire stay. After our allotment of ONE roll of toilet paper ran out, we had to buy our own. The toilet seat was unattached to the commode.
(10) The restaurant that is affiliated with the "resort"--named Kaena-- was closed down--good thing, apparently, because the chef seriously poisoned himself by eating the bacteria-laden fish caught inside the reef. Makes you wonder if he served it to patrons as well.
(11) Both (mismatched) lanai chairs were literally collapsing. There was no lanai table.
(12) There is a private residence built TIGHT against the rear of the main building. The three dogs who live there took 8 hour barking shifts, 24/7. Probably 365, too.
(13) No two stair steps were the same height or depth--virtually every step was a trip hazard equal to the extension cord. While this was funny in daylight, not so at night, because there is NO WALKWAY LIGHTING.
(14) The place has an ominous, depressing feel to it. It may be mana, it may be Feng Shui, but it's oppressive and undeniable.
Given the complete unfitness of this place, the asking price of NZ$195/night is preposterous-- I wouldn't spend NZ$195 to stay a YEAR there,
If, however--God Forbid--you find yourself stuck at Sunset Beach Reefcomber, go see Mark at Island Hoppers Travel in Avarua. Mark happily fixed us up on short notice with airfare to an outlying island, beautiful, comfortable lodgings there on a quiet stretch of beach, and all for less than HALF the price of this dump!
Fair Warning: The Sunset Beach Reefcomber also has a sister "resort" on Aitutaki, called Maina Sunset Motel. We looked at this one, too, and--difficult as it is to believe--it looks EVEN WORSE than the Reefcomber!
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