Tamanu Beach Resort

The rooms are dimly lit and feature thatched-roof designs, giving them a local feel and a very island and resort vibe, very similar to beach villas in the Maldives – perfect for taking beautiful photos. Dinner at the hotel requires advance reservations, and I was woken up by roosters crowing at 4 or 5 am every day! The hotel didn't provide disposable slippers, toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, or lotion (unlike Maldives hotels), but everything else was basically provided. Disadvantage 1: The shower water pressure was extremely weak, making it almost impossible to fall asleep while showering. Disadvantage 2: The dinner theme changed every day, meaning the dishes I wanted to order today wouldn't be available tomorrow. Personally, I found the NZ$85/person specialty buffet really bad, with very little food. Also, on my first night, I was almost falling asleep when I saw a giant cockroach – it was terrifying! Disadvantage 3: The room's Wi-Fi was poor; uploading photos took a long time, and posting to WeChat Moments was repeatedly rejected. The hotel front desk service was excellent! Very welcoming! Despite the high guest volume, the front desk staff clearly understood each guest's needs and provided information on sightseeing. Free bicycles and motorbikes were also available for island exploration.

I stayed two nights at the Jonagold Beach Hotel on Etutaki. They offered airport pick-up and drop-off, presented me with a flower garland, and upon arrival around 11:00 AM, we were greeted with a welcome drink and a hotel introduction before checking in – a great touch. The garden bungalow we stayed in didn't have a direct sea view, but the room was spacious, and sitting on the veranda to enjoy the scenery was quite pleasant. The beach was beautiful, with countless corals and giant clams; we were allowed to take some, but they were confiscated by New Zealand customs. Breakfast was average, but dinner was decent, costing around $50 per person. The downsides were the outdated facilities in the room, and the door wouldn't lock. We tried for a long time without success, contacted hotel staff who came to check, and waited an incredibly long time. They even claimed we broke it, saying the hotel was very secure and it was okay not to lock it. Finally, they changed our room, but this room also had some minor issues, which I didn't bother arguing with – the shower head wasn't working well, and the water pressure was too low.

The room was modern, but the staff member wasn't good at math. They spent ages trying to calculate 3% and couldn't figure it out, ultimately charging me 30%. Also, checkout was at 11:00, and while we were packing, they were already standing at the door at 10:50, urging us to clean our room. Otherwise, it was pretty good. The beach area is close to all the hotels, and actually, staying at the Tave next door would have been a good value.

Arriving in Aitutaki, a relatively off-the-beaten-path destination, I chose this hotel for my first night. They communicated my arrival and departure times in advance and arranged for someone to pick me up and drop me off. Basically, I could see the hotel as soon as I got off the plane, since there aren't many hotels, haha. They even gave me fresh flowers to wear in my hair! Fresh flowers! They smelled wonderful. The hotel's decor was very unique, with an outdoor walk-in shower, which was great. Everything else was average. The breakfast was so-so; the buffet had very little food, but you could order one free dish.

Beautiful location, with bungalow 201 right in front of the white sand beach, overlooking a calm and pleasant lagoon. The bungalow is beautiful, equipped with everything you could need, including a covered terrace with a table, armchairs, and a lounger. Two deckchairs are available for sunbathing. Inside, there's a separate living room, a huge bathroom, and an outdoor shower in the back. A dream. The cleaning is sketchy and haphazard; but if you ask, you'll get everything you need. The restaurant isn't perfect; it's repetitive but well-managed. Breakfast is poor; limited selection of baked goods and jams, no cheeses or cured meats, and only one watered-down fruit juice. The cappuccino is decent. Different menus for lunch, afternoon, and dinner, but with modest choices, at least for Western tastes. There are two buffet evenings a week, always with the same dishes; on Fridays, meat evening, with a superb fillet steak! We stayed there for two weeks... The average tourist stays three days, which is perhaps why we found the restaurant barely adequate.

落ち着いたき客層で、夕暮れには隣の棟からゆったりとした伝統音楽が流れ、素敵なマダムがベランダで踊っていました。バスアイテムがマイタイの香りで面白かったです。プールも景色がよく、日差しを浴びながらのんびり出来ました。この日は風が強かったからなのか、お庭ゾーンだったからなのか、プールで虫が結構死んでいました。珍しく、自転車の貸し出しがあって、古めなものに乗ったのですが、案の定ブレーキは効きませんでした😂綺麗なガーデンビューで、蜂も間近で見られます。 じゃがいもワッフルの朝食が美味しかったです。