Crown Beach Resort & Spa

We didn’t stay but came for dinner at Oceans Restaurant one night. The reception team were amazingly friendly and helpful to our toddler who arrived upset. They cheered him up with fruit and friendliness and when we left they were genuinely interested in his well-being, remembered his name and saw him off with a smile. Overall they went above and beyond to accomodate us. The Sunday roast dinner was good value by Raro resort standards but don’t expect a full variety buffet with zillions of options. Still the beef chicken and lamb very very nice, though the dessert options were limited and ran out. A very pleasant night out in Rarotonga.

Upon arrival, the initial impression of CROWN BEACH RESORT & SPA may leave you feeling a little uncertain. The property appears a bit tired, with empty ponds that seem to have been out of order for some time. A glance at the gym reveals a decently sized space with free weights, but unfortunately, it's in need of maintenance. Moving on to the villa, however, the experience takes a turn for the better. The private courtyard with a swimming pool is delightful, clean, tidy, and well presented. The villa itself is spacious, featuring a comfortable king size bed, a relaxing sitting area, a convenient kitchenette, and a spacious bathroom. It provides all the necessary amenities for a comfortable stay. The main swimming pool offers beautiful surroundings and views of the sea, and the fact that it's consistently empty meant that we were able to enjoy it to ourselves on most days. The staff at CROWN BEACH RESORT & SPA was a mixed bag. While some seemed disinterested, others went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. This inconsistency was a bit disappointing. When it comes to dining, the food was a hit or miss. The quality varied from day to day, with some meals being bland and others absolutely delicious. Internet access was limited to the reception or bar area, and even there, it was slow yet expensive and unreliable. This could be frustrating for guests who need to stay connected during their stay. As for the beach, it was just okay, not particularly snorkel friendly, for better options, a 10-kilometer journey south was necessary. (We hired e-bikes from across the road and 10-20mins later - there’s decent beaches to choose) In conclusion, CROWN BEACH RESORT & SPA has its highlights, such as the lovely villa and the serene main pool, but there are areas that need improvement, like the maintenance of facilities and the consistency of the staff and dining experience. For those seeking a peaceful - adults only retreat, it has its charms, but for a more well-rounded resort experience, there may be better options available. 6 out of 10

Be careful ordering the seafood platter We waited 2 hours As they forgot we ordered Then when we got the platter Cold was on top off deep fried Which is contamination I did approach the chief and bar stuff and they was totally rude about Pic is below You can see raw tuna on deep fried food Yes I got hot and cold platter But please separate plates

Beautiful resort right on the beach. Staff are amazing. Always friendly and welcoming. Got married here and it was perfect. Perfect holiday. Rooms are wonderful. We had the beachfront villa and what a treat to see the ocean every day. Don't want to leave but will be back. Highly recommend this place.

Just spent 8 nights at Crown Beach resort. We felt very spoilt here, had a courtyard pool room which was wonderful. Such a comfortable bed and pillows, huge fluffy towels. Pool towels also in the room and filtered water in the rooms as well which was perfect. Nightly bed turn down with beautiful flowers left on the bed. Plentiful complimentary breakfast, which includes cooked breakfast, cereals, toast and beautiful fruit. All the staff are wonderful friendly and hard working. Good snorkelling in front of the resort too. Cocktails and all the evening meals we had were excellent. We will definitely return one day, highly recommend Crown Beach.

We arrived in Rarotonga to be transferred to the Crown Beach Resort (C.B.R.).There was no record for our transfer. After providing our confirmation number much discussion ensued. The transfer company (Island Hopper) tried to shift the blame away from themselves. Finally we were put in a taxi to the C.B.R. At the reception the greeting was: We need proof of your transfer confirmation and a credit card for incidentals. No apology was made, no attempt of a solution. Instead we were told to „take it up with our travel agent“. All this unpleasantness for the paltry sum of NZ $30 (which we had to pay for our way back to the airport 4 days later). After traveling for almost two days from America we were taken aback about the rudeness of the welcome at the C.B.R.. Unprofessional, uncaring, nothing of the supposed friendliness of the Cook Islands. While the grounds are well maintained, the pool and beach area are nice (although I personally collected a handful of broken green glass from beer bottles. Be careful to walk barefoot!), the employees seemed subdued and not motivated. Extra coffee grounds for our room never arrived, fresh beach towels had to be requested, food was average at best. Specialty coffee for breakfast NZ$ 5, better take your beach towels and umbrellas to the reception upon checkout, otherwise you will be charged. Rarotonga has changed. We visited in the 1990s multiple times. Then it was heaven, now it is completely overrun with tourists. This change was reflected in our treatment at the C. B.R.. We did not enjoy our stay there.

We had always stayed here in the past as it offered excellent quality on all levels. Sad to return after 5 years to find their Oceans Restaurant had gone downhill in quality. They still advertise Flambe restaurant on premises - it doesn't operate. Ate elsewhere most nights. Still lovely surroundings and we always loved the pool area however staff don't come to see if you want anything like they always used to in the past.

The beachfront villa we booked fulfilled all my dreams of a tropical island! It was about three steps down onto the sand from our deck! The villa was very spacious and well equipped with air con and celiing fans and rooms were serviced each day. The staff were unfailingly helpful and charming. Nothing was too much trouble. The restaurant has gorgeous views across the beach to the lagoon and there is plenty of 'play' equipment to use should you feel the need to be energetic. Meals were excellent and everything made for the perfect, relaxing holiday experience.

This was our third visit to The Crown Beach resort. I can only say that we were so disappointed compared with previous visits. We had the same room which was fine. But the toilet is built for kids butts! The rubbish bin was broken. The freezer had ice buildup and looked dirty. The food - to be honest it was most disappointing. My open steak sandwich was chewy, had 1 slice of tomato and cucumber, but the sauce looked like a separated white sauce with a few peppercorns thrown in. It was horrible and none of us could eat. Breakfast was buffet…. The food inside the stainless steel platters was cold and sometimes empty. The best thing during those days was croissants! We would go out each day and have a late lunch about 3pm so when we went back we didn’t have to eat tea. One night we thought we could have a dessert… how could that go wrong? Turned out a chocolate brownie was more the size of a cake, was bland and dry. The walnuts were bitter. I had a chocolate sundae which was a couple of scoops of ice cream and a spit of chocolate sauce. We had a staff member take our order then came back twice as she’d forgotten what we wanted. Maybe pad and pen would help!! Reception staff were helpful and friendly. And Ruth was the only staff member in the restaurant that we viewed as hardworking and friendly! The beach at low tide is very rocky now which I think was a result of the king tides. The lagoon was pretty dangerous as was rough and had rips. The entrance didn’t say Welcome when you see the pond turning green but still had goldfish in. The roofing in the restaurant was falling into disrepair with mould and loose wood with nails visible above the carved statues. It’s sad to see the resort we liked a couple of years ago become so unappealing. We won’t be going back here.