LAUNDROMAT
For your convenience Guest Laundries are located as follows: past Salon VIVO and up the ramp in the 300/400 village area; past SpaPolynesia and up the ramp in the 500 village area; and as you approach the 700 village area, opposite the tennis court. A washing machine, dryer and ironing facilities are provided for your use. The washing machine and dryer are token-operated, and tokens can be obtained from Front Desk for NZ$5 each. Laundry powder is also available for NZ$1 a sachet. Dial “0”.
A standard washing cycle takes approximately 45minutes. We ask that as a courtesy to other guests that you please retrieve your laundry upon completion of the washing or drying cycle.
Your guestroom also comes equipped with an iron and ironing board.
LAUNDRY
For same-day laundry service Monday to Friday, please place your laundry in the special plastic bag provided in your room, complete the laundry docket and advise Front Desk by 10am on phone “0” to have it picked up. Your laundry will be returned by 6pm.
LIBRARY
The Resort has a Guest Library located in the poolside Games Lounge. Please help yourself to the free use of our wide range of books, and return after use. There are also a number of popular board games available. For more information on books or board games, please see the friendly Activities Team, or dial 8061. The Library and Historical Society Museum is located in Avarua township, where you can browse for hours and books may be checked out by making arrangements with the Librarian. Visitors pay a deposit of NZ$25 (refundable when you return the books before leaving the island) and a monthly fee of only NZ$10. The Library is open Monday to Thursday, 12noon to 4.30pm, Friday 9am to 4.30pm, and Saturday 9am to 11am.
The National Cultural Centre is also located in Avarua and houses the National Library and Museum, open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm and Saturday, 9am-11am. There is a NZ$2 charge per person to visit the museum. The Museum’s collections are well worthwhile having a look at, and there are often special displays on as well such as the annual Tivaevae (Cook Islands Quilts) Exhibition.
LOST PROPERTY
For assistance with items that have been lost or found please contact Front Desk on “0”.
LUGGAGE
To have your luggage collected or stored please dial Front Desk on “0”. If you intend to visit the outer islands during your stay you can store luggage in the storeroom free of charge until your return. The Luggage Room is located in the Lobby which is manned 24-hours a day. The Resort takes every care to ensure the safekeeping of your luggage, but cannot accept any liability for your belongings whilst they are in storage.
LUNCH
Captain Andy’s Beach Bar & Grill offers a delicious variety of meals from our extensive All Day Menu from 11am to 9pm. Please dial the Restaurant on 8020.
MAINTENANCE
Your guestroom Compendium Folder includes a Maintenance Request Form. If any maintenance is required to your room please don’t hesitate to complete this form and hand in to Front Desk, or you can contact the Front Desk on “0”.
Outgoing mail is posted daily from Monday to Friday. Please drop your mail at the Front Desk for posting. Dial the Front Desk on “0” for further information. The Cook Islands Post Office in Avarua is also open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm. You can buy postcards and postage stamps at the Treasure Chest Gift Shop.
MARINE SANCTUARY – RAUI
1 March 2000 was an historic day for The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa with the placing of a ra’ui upon Aroa Lagoon by the elders of the local community, with whom the Resort had worked closely. A ra’ui is a traditional taboo, in this case a traditional marine sanctuary, which bans fishing or the taking or disturbing of any shellfish, reef life, shells or coral from the lagoon and for 100m beyond the reef. On 1 March 2000 local Cook Islands Maori elders gathered for a formal traditional ceremony on Aroa Beach in front of the Resort to mark the ra’ui. Just as the ra’ui was being declared following speeches, prayers, and the laying of rauti upon the waters, two kakaia (pure-white love terns) flew overhead, and this was seen by those gathered as an extra special blessing and endorsement from above of this important event. The ra’ui provides valuable protection for the marine life in Aroa Lagoon, which is especially beneficial because Aroa – being a dynamic, sparkling clean lagoon - is an important breeding area for fish. Not only has this protection of the natural habitat been a big environmental boost for the lagoon life in Aroa, and hopefully a source of much enjoyment for generations to come, but it has also meant that all of The Rarotongan’s guests who love to snorkel have been able to witness an ever growing kaleidoscope of teeming, friendly tropical fish! For more information on Aroa Lagoon’s marine life and to see a reef fish spotting chart, please contact the Activities Hut on 8061.
Travellers Tip! Buy an instant underwater camera and capture your snorkelling adventure for posterity. Then sit back at home with a hot toddy and a winter fire blazing and pore over the amazing things you saw just a few metres from your Resort room! Hard to believe, but true (and it won’t matter if it’s not art!)
MESSAGES, VOICEMAIL
All messages, faxes and emails are delivered to your guest room.
Our address is:
The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa
Aroa Beach
PO Box 103
Rarotonga
COOK ISLANDS
South Pacific
Phone (+682) 25 800
Fax (+682) 25 799
Email: info@rarotongan.co.ck
Website: www.TheRarotongan.com
If a voicemail has been left on your room phone the indicator light will be bright red. It does not flash. To access this voicemail, dial 61. If asked for a password, enter your room number. If you experience difficulty accessing your message please call Front Desk for assistance, dial “0”.
MICROWAVES
Microwaves are available for hire for NZ$10 per day. Please contact Front Desk for further information, dial “0”.
MINI BAR (ON DEMAND)
You are able to order a personalised selection of wine, beer, soft drinks and fruit juice for your in-room Mini Bar. Your guestroom comes equipped with a Mini Bar refrigerator for your convenience, and a Mini Bar & Room Service Menu is included in your Guest Compendium folder. Simply phone your order through to 8021 between 11am to 10pm daily, or contact Front Desk on “0” after hours.
Alternatively you can drop off your completed and signed card at Captain Andy’s Beach Bar daily between 11am to 9pm, or after hours at the Front Desk. Your requested selection will be in your room within the hour. Room service charge of NZ$7 applies.
MOKO’S KIDS CLUB
The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa offers “Kids Stay & Play FREE!” in conjunction with our Moko’s Kids Club, open year-round Monday-Saturday, 9am-12noon, 2pm-5pm and 7pm-9pm. Children PLAY FREE! at Moko’s, which caters for children aged 4 to 11 years inclusive. Children aged under 4 are also welcome to join the fun when supervised by a parent or babysitter. A large, colourful and superbly-equipped family facility for Resort guests, the Moko’s Clubhouse provides kids with a fantastic range of toys, books, board games, Lego, paints & crafts, trampoline, play shop, ride-ons, play & sports equipment, PlayStation, X-box, videos and a tailored Kids Nature & Culture Activities Programme including island dance (hula) lessons, ei (flower garland) making, coconut painting, moko (gecko) hunting, vaka (outrigger canoe) making, learn to speak Cook Islands Maori, and much much more, all under the supervision of the friendly Kids Club Team. Kids receive complimentary snacks and drinks at morning and afternoon Moko’s sessions, and Moko’s also has its own kids’ toilets and shower. Kids also STAY FREE! when sharing with their parents (maximum 2 adults & 2 children, 11 years and under per room; self-contained Two Bedroom Beachside Suite takes maximum 4 adults or 2 adults & 4 children, and self-contained Grand Beachfront Suite takes 3 adults or 2 adults & 4 children). For more information, please contact the Moko’s Kids Club team on 8017.
MOKO’S KIDS CLUB LATE PICK-UP FEE: Please note that a fee is charged for late collection of children participating in Moko’s Kids Club sessions at a rate of $1 per minute past the closing time for the session.
BABYSITTING is available at the Resort; cost is NZ$12 per hour, plus transport and meal charges where applicable. Due to the popularity of this service, a minimum of 24 hours notice is required. This service is available only to in-house guests, and availability cannot be guaranteed. A maximum number of 2 children per babysitter applies.
Travellers Tips! Here are a few handy hints from the team here at The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa and Moko’s Kids Club on travelling with children to help make everybody’s holiday fun and hassle-free (the best kind!). If you’re travelling with young children who are picky eaters, consider bringing with you (or buying as soon as you arrive) their favourite brand of peanut butter, crackers & biscuits, dried fruit sticks, small packs of fruit juice concentrate, soy milk, milk formula, rusks, special flavours of baby food, or such other supplies as particular brands of babies nappies, teats, a spare baby bottle, wet wipes, baby shampoos, or whatever you may need to ensure the comfort of your youngster. Don’t rely on the local shops having in stock what you may need at the time that you need it, as they at times run out of things like soymilk until the next boat comes in. Another vital travelling companion is Children’s Pamol or Panadol syrup (and a measuring spoon) to help control any unexpected earache, fever or other pain. Your family will thank you for being prepared, as it can be easy to get caught out. A convenience for young families is that you can hire a microwave for your in-room use at The Rarotongan (NZ$10 per day), and of course, there’s a ‘Gone Troppo!’ Kids Menu available throughout the day in the Restaurant.
The snorkelling in the Aroa Lagoon Marine Sanctuary is amazing and safe for all ages. Even kids as young as 4 years old can learn to snorkel, so make sure you bring a good mask, snorkel and flippers that fit your child to ensure maximum enjoyment of this awesome activity. Also ensure you bring well-fitting reef shoes for your child for swimming here at Aroa Beach and around the island to avoid coral cuts etc. By the way, don’t miss the Fish Feeding at 1.30pm Monday to Friday. The lagoon comes alive with fish of all sizes, right next to the water’s edge – really something!
Whenever you’re travelling with children, be it on planes, buses, boats, or on foot, whether for long or for short trips, always make sure you have plenty of their favourite drinks and snacks available, a change of clothes, and even a folding umbrella for sun or showers can come in very handy. Trips can be delayed, and children and babies can quickly dehydrate or experience flagging energy and start becoming fractious, so having on hand plenty of liquids and an energy-refuelling snack is essential in any tropical climate, which they are unused to in any case. Also, you can sometimes get caught in a short-lived tropical downpour (such as when you’re out on a lagoon cruise!) and young children, whose bodies are still learning how to regulate their internal temperature, can quickly get chilled in wet clothes, particularly if a breeze has picked up at the same time. As well as getting over-heated, young children can also quickly chill down if conditions suddenly change. But when you come prepared, it’s all in a day’s adventure in paradise!
If your youngster is troubled by mosquito bites, the locals here swear by Vicks Vapourub for calming down the itching and swelling (I kid you not, must be something to do with the eucalyptus oil!) Another excellent balm is Mauke Miracle Oil made here in the Cook Islands from pure coconut oil and the essences of traditional medicinal plants from the outer island of Mauke. It’s used to help relieve bites, stings, rashes, burns, even warts, but of course if you or your family react to coconut products, it obviously won’t work well for you! The Treasure Chest Gift Shop usually stocks it.
If you’re planning to hire a car or 4WD, either bring your own or hire a safety car seat for your baby or child. Generally vehicles do not travel at high speeds around Rarotonga, but even accidents at low speeds can cause injury. Best of all though, your child retains the good habit of sitting in their own safety seat and being belted up, so you don’t have any hassles when you get back home!
And lastly, it’s always a good idea to have a kids activity pack with you to help while away travelling time, be it a colouring-in book and crayons, a storybook, an ipod, PS2, a magnetic travelling game or a pack of cards.
Kid-friendly activities on & around Rarotonga:
Rarotonga is probably one of the best places in the world to take kids on holiday because there’s a large variety of attractions and adventures which are so easy to get to, as it takes just 40 minutes to drive around the island. Rarotonga is beautiful, safe, clean, and everyone loves kids! VERY hard to beat! Some of the most kid-friendly activities on and around the island include: Captain Tama’s Glass-Bottom Boat Lagoon Cruize with beach BBQ on Motu Koromiri in Muri Lagoon (especially wonderful for kids still too young to snorkel), a 4WD Raro Mountain Safari Tour into the island’s interior (kids find riding on a jeep really exciting!), a gentle walk into the Takitumu Conservation Area to get in amongst the lush local vegetarian and also catch sight of the rare little kakerori, or Rarotongan Flycatcher (if you go on a guided hike into the Area take with you a strong mosquito repellent as in the ‘summer’ months they can be out in force!), and an evening watching the ‘Legends of Polynesia’ Island Night’ performance at The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa (kids love seeing the fast-beat drumming and the dancing warriors and maidens). To book ‘Legends of Polynesia’ Island Night call TE VAKA Restaurant on ext 8020.
School-age kids often also enjoy a guided tour of the Cultural Village because of the insights they gain into life long-ago in ancient Polynesia, and those that are mad on marine life can’t wait to get out on the Reef Sub which takes you over the reef to show you undersea life in the open ocean (a boat with viewing windows in its hull). There’s also swimming, kayaking, snorkelling, sandcastle-building, having a beach picnic and generally having a great time here at The Rarotongan on the warm white sands of Aroa Beach and in the sparkling turquoise waters of Aroa Lagoon. The young and the young-at-heart also enjoy star gazing in the clear night sky above Rarotonga, far away from city lights, where kids can look out for Southern Hemisphere constellations like Crux (the Southern Cross), Cetus (The Whale), Orion (The Hunter), Hydrus (the Sea Serpent), Scorpius (the Scorpion), and lots of shooting stars!
By the way, most of the rooms and suites here at The Rarotongan are on ground level, and most feature a combined bath/shower, which is a welcome sight when you’ve got a toddler who’s been in the thick of things on their tropical beach holiday! We also offer complimentary baby baths available for your convenience; please call Housekeeping on ext 8023. Please note that all new Beachfront Suites feature a glazed shower only (no bath).
MOSQUITOES/MALARIA/DENGUE FEVER
There is no malaria anywhere in the Cook Islands.
Dengue fever is a flu-like illness spread by the Aedes mosquito, which tends to bite around daybreak and dusk. Dengue is endemic (ever-present) in Fiji, Tahiti and on Australia’s East Coast (Queensland). Most of the time the Cook Islands is completely free of this disease as the virus is not permanently present here, but on a few occasions we have had it brought in by people travelling here from other countries. On those occasions our Ministry of Health has instituted island-wide eradication campaigns and has always advised the public of any reported cases. There are 4 different strains of the virus. Young children under the age of 16 and those with compromised immune systems tend to be most at risk. Note that even where there are outbreaks of dengue, by far the great majority of people affected are local residents, and rarely do tourists contract this flu-like illness. Also, not all mosquitoes on the island are carrying or are able to carry the virus, and mosquitoes generally have a very limited flying range.
For your comfort and safety your guestroom at the Resort has an insect screen to keep out mosquitoes which, due to the Resort’s close proximity to the coast, are not common day or night. Mosquitoes can be a nuisance further inland, particularly during the warmer months of the year, and it is recommended you take precautions against being bitten if you plan to trek or take a 4WD mountain safari into the interior. Wear a strong insect repellent, take some vitamin B1 tablets to change the texture and taste of the skin making it unpleasant for mosquitoes, and/or wear clothing that covers areas of skin that are susceptible to being bitten, such as the arms, back and ankles.
House-proud islanders all around Rarotonga are regularly inspected to ensure they are taking all possible measures to minimize mosquito-breeding sites. In fact Rarotonga, having no snakes, scorpions or other poisonous land creatures, is one of the safest places on Earth to visit, and both the public and Government agencies continue to work to ensure that this remains a true paradise, which visitors can explore and enjoy with peace of mind.
Please assist us to keep the Cook Islands free of dengue by following the simple guidelines outlined in this advisory statement below from the Ministry of Health:
Dengue can produce symptoms similar to those of other diseases such as influenza. It is caused by a virus carried by a particular (day biting) mosquito, from a sick person to a healthy one. It can take 5 to 15 days from contact to when the first symptoms may begin to appear.
The symptoms include:
- Sudden high fever
- Pains in the muscles or joints
- Headache and backache
- Pain on moving the eyes
- Skin rash, with or without itching
- Loss of appetite and weakness
If you experience any of the above symptoms or signs within the next two to three weeks you are advised to seek medical assistance – see a doctor. At the same time please inform the doctor (or nurse) about countries you have visited recently, and contact the Public Health Department of the Cook Islands Ministry of Health.
For further information please contact the Director of Public Health or the Chief Health Inspector on telephone number 29 110.
Travellers Tip! The experienced guides at Takitumu Conservation Area have a great recipe for homemade insect repellent: mix half olive oil with half Dettol (an antiseptic) and apply liberally! They insist it keeps the mossies at bay when they’re working in the bush or keeping still for hours while bird watching! If you do get bitten, try the locals’ favourite mossie balm: Vicks Vapourub!
