Notices
** PUBLIC NOTICE **
Kia Orana!
RE: New Year's Eve 2025 at The Rarotongan
As we prepare to farewell 2025 and welcome 2026, we wanted to share an important update with our island community.
There will be NO FIREWORKS DISPLAY at The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium this New Year's Eve.
While we will be hosting a wonderful New Year's Eve Party for our resort guests featuring fabulous food, live entertainment all evening long, Cook Islands drum dance show, and our fantastic Raro Elvis, this is a private event for our in-house guests only.
We kindly ask that visitors and locals alike respect our house guests' privacy and avoid coming to our property on New Year's Eve, as there will be no fireworks display. Please note that beach access via our resort is not available to visitors.
Earlier this year our resort introduced a House Guests Only policy. All our resort facilities, including our Restaurants & Bars, are exclusively reserved for in-house guests, who also enjoy being able to invite a family member or friend staying elsewhere on the island for lunch or dinner. To avoid any embarrassment or risk of being offended, we politely request that outside visitors not seek access to our resort facilities and services.
We know many of you have enjoyed our fireworks displays in previous years, and we thank you in advance for respecting our resort policy as we focus this year on creating an intimate New Year's Eve celebration for our in-house guests.
Wishing everyone across our beautiful island a safe, joyful, and blessed New Year 2026!
Kia Manuia i te Mataiti ou!
The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium and Sanctuary Rarotonga-on the beach Adults Only
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Legends of Polynesia Island Night Schedule Update
Kia Orana & Seasons Greetings!
We are excited to share that Te Vaka Restaurant will be undergoing essential refurbishment to enhance your dining and entertainment experience. During this period, our regular Legends of Polynesia Island Night Feast & Drum Dance Show performances will be temporarily paused.
Affected Dates:
- Monday Island Nights: Suspended 15 December 2025 – Resuming 12 January 2026
- Thursday Island Nights: Suspended 15 December 2025 – Resuming 5 March 202
New Year's Eve Celebration: We are delighted to confirm that our special New Year's Eve Island Night will proceed as planned on Wednesday, 31 December 2025, from 8pm – 9pm.
Join us for this memorable evening to welcome 2026 in true Cook Islands style.
Alternative Island Night Experiences: Rarotonga offers outstanding cultural performances throughout the island, and we would be delighted to help you experience authentic Cook Islands hospitality at other venues. Please visit our Front Office, where our team will be happy to provide recommendations and assist with bookings.
We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as we work to elevate the Te Vaka experience.
We look forward to welcoming you back to enjoy our enhanced restaurant and the return of our Island Night performances.
If you require further assistance at any time, please feel free to contact myself or our Duty Manager via Reception.
Meitaki Ma‘ata (Thank you!), and we wish you a wonderful Rarotongan holiday.
Akuila Kula
Resort Manager
The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium | Sanctuary Rarotonga on the beach
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
EXCITING UPDATES FROM PARADISE!
Kia Orana from our beautiful Cook Islands sister resorts!
We're thrilled to share some exciting news from The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium, Sanctuary Rarotonga-on the beach Adults Only, and Aitutaki Lagoon Private Island Resort Adults Only.
DOUBLE THE ISLAND MAGIC!
Get ready for twice the excitement! Starting Thursday, 28 August 2025, The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium now hosts our spectacular "Legends of Polynesia" Drum Dance Show & Island Feast TWICE WEEKLY - every Monday and Thursday from 6:30-9:00pm!
Experience authentic Polynesian culture, mesmerizing drum performances, and a delicious island feast!
- Adults (12+): NZ$99
- Children (3-11): NZ$45
- Little ones (0-2): FREE!
Reservations essential - exclusively for our in-house resort guests
EXCLUSIVE RESORT ACCESS
To ensure the ultimate peaceful getaway for our guests, all resort facilities at all 3 sister resorts are exclusively for registered in-house guests only. This means more space, privacy, and tranquillity for you as our guest to enjoy our pools, beach facilities, restaurants, spa, and all amenities without crowds.
EXTENDED STAY BENEFITS
Make the most of paradise with our new minimum stay requirements at all 3 sister resorts:
- Until March 31, 2026: 2-night minimum stay
- From April 1, 2026: 3-night minimum stay
More time to unwind, explore, and create unforgettable memories!
GOING CASHLESS FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE
From 01 September 2025 enjoy faster, more secure service with our fully cashless experience across all 3 resorts.
Accepted Payment Methods:
- Room charging to your guest account (payable by credit/debit card anytime during your stay or at check-out)
- Visa (including Visa Debit)
- Mastercard (including Debit Mastercard)
- American Express
- Contactless PayWave/Tap & Go (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay)
Important Notes:
- Credit card guarantee or NZ$100 bond per day required for room charging
- No credit card surcharges applied by the Resort (check with your bank regarding any fees)
- ATMs available at The Rarotongan Lobby and throughout Rarotonga & Aitutaki, including both Airports
- Some local, domestic-only debit cards may not be supported in the Cook Islands - please check with your bank
We look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful paradise islands for your wonderful getaway!
SANCTUARY RAROTONGA’S GUEST ACCESS POLICY
To protect the privacy, serenity and safety of our in-house guests, access to Sanctuary Rarotonga-on the beach Adults Only and all its facilities & services is strictly reserved for registered guests only.
This includes:
• Restaurants, Bars, Island Night & Guest Lounges
• Swimming Pool & Swim-Up Bar
• Beach Sun Loungers, Stand-Up Paddle Boards, Kayaks & Snorkelling Gear
• Activities Programme, Games Room, Tennis & Beach Volleyball Courts
• SpaPolynesia
• Resort Gardens & Grounds
• All other Resort Amenities & Services
NO BEACH ACCESS VIA RESORT.
Day Passes are not available.
Staff on-site, Security Officers and Cameras operate 24/7.
________________________________________
Visiting a Guest?
Meeting someone staying with us or attending a wedding or event? Please visit Reception, where our team will register you as their guest for the day. Visits available from 12noon to 9pm; one visitor per in-house guest please.
________________________________________
Interested in Staying With Us?
We welcome prospective guests for guided site inspections, available Monday to Friday at 4pm by appointment. Please contact us in advance to schedule your visit.
________________________________________
Local Residents & Te Arakura Landowners
Ask us about our special local accommodation rates:
Email: reservations@sanctuaryrarotonga.com
Phone: (682) 25 900
________________________________________
Meitaki Ma’ata!
Thank you for helping us maintain a peaceful and private sanctuary for our guests.
________________________________________________________________________________
COVID-19 POLICY
The Cook Islands Government currently has no COVID-19 restrictions for visitors entering the Cook Islands. However, as a responsible visitor, we do ask that guests complete a COVID-19 test before coming to the Cook Islands. If you test positive for COVID-19 we would ask that you reschedule your visit. For guests that start to show COVID-19 symptoms after arriving in the Cook Islands, we provide COVID-19 RAT tests at Reception. We ask that any guests that do test positive for COVID-19 to let us know via Reception, self isolate in their rooms, to wear a face mask and maintain a two metre distance from others when out of the room , order room service for meals and vacate their room for housekeeping service.
