Castaway Beach Villas…
a well kept secret until now

Thousands of tourists travel hundreds of miles each year to visit our beautiful country. Rimmed with sandy white beaches and a crystal clear lagoon our warm island paradise is what holiday dreams are made of. But why should we let the tourists have all the fun?
Thanks to Rarotonga Resorts Management Ltd who manage Castaway Beach Villas, Manuia Beach Boutique Hotel and Lagoon Lodges, we locals can now too indulge in a tropical weekend getaway here in our own backyard. For just $299 two adults and two children can check in to Castaway Beach Villas or Lagoon Lodges on a Friday afternoon after work and check out on Monday morning. While Manuia Beach Boutique Hotel is the only one of the three that does not allow children, it is a great option for those mummies and daddies that are well overdue some romantic alone time.
My hubby and I decided to take advantage of this local special and we checked our little family of four into Castaway Beach Villas on Friday after work. We chose Castaway because we had never been there before and the element of mystery added to the excitement of having a weekend away from home.
Located in the heart of Arorangi opposite the Raemaru Stop store, Castaway boasts 12 self contained units. 4 of these are beachfront studios, 6 are poolside studios and the remaining two are large 2 bedroom poolside apartments which is where we stayed. The property is set on the beachfront, complete with tropical gardens lined with sandy pathways and coconut trees. It is a lovely resort with a relaxed atmosphere which is kept in pristine condition by dedicated staff.
During check in we were greeted by Joyce Fortes who radiates a gentle and natural warmness which makes you feel instantly at ease. Many of you will know Joyce as an angelic Cook Island dancer who performs at various island nights during the week. During the day, however you will find her with her Manager’s hat firmly on at Castaway Beach Villas.
Joyce took up the role as Manager in March this year and lives onsite so is always close by to make sure that guests are well looked after and getting the most out of their holiday.
She showed us to our home for the weekend and I was pleasantly surprised at how big and luxurious the apartment is. The master bedroom is very spacious with an on suite toilet and shower. The second bedroom has two large single beds, bed lamps and dresser drawers – so our children have all they need. The main bathroom is beautifully tiled from top to bottom and is complete with a shower/bath with spa jets. The kitchen has a stove oven, large fridge, dishwasher (I’m in heaven) and a handy microwave. The sitting room is decked out with a comfortable lounge suite, TV and DVD player and leads on to a huge veranda overlooking the pool area.
Once we have unpacked we waste no time in taking a family swim in the pool which has just been repainted. It is a cool blue oasis from the afternoon sun. My children love the pool, their laughter and happiness is music to my ears. This is a real treat for them. The bar and restaurant area are set around the pool and are open each evening except Saturday’s for dinner. Even if you aren’t a guest at Castaway you are most welcome to dine here .
“Our chef does a great steak and mushroom sauce meal with chips and salad for $15.00. So all you Titikaveka and Arorangi residents, you don’t have to drive all the way into town for a good steak, save your petrol and come to Castaway for dinner”, laughs Joyce.
On the topic of food, Castaway successfully launched their first Pizza Night on Thursday 17th December. For $20 you can choose a tasty large pizza (Hawaiian, Meat Lovers, BBQ Chicken or Seafood), and also receive a 1.5 litre Coca Cola and your choice of either a garlic bread or hot chips. Castaway will advertise which day of the week future Pizza Nights will be held so keep your eye out in the paper.
Another popular treat at Castaway is their Happy Hour and A Half. It’s on every day from 4.00pm – 5.30pm and locals are most welcome. During this time for every drink you buy you will get one free. You can’t get any better than that! That includes the $10 cocktails which are delicious. I should know seeing as I sampled the whole cocktail list. Our friends Charles and Deborah Joy Manarangi-Trott joined us on Saturday afternoon and we had fun ordering all the cocktails on the menu so we could taste them all - and then fight over our favorites.
Call Joyce if you’re interested in holding a special occasion at Castaway Villas – she may be able to extend the Happy Hour and a Half special to a longer time period if you ask nicely! They can also provide kati kati platters to nibble on.
On Sunday afternoons the beach bar is open and you can bring your family down and enjoy a cold one and some hot snacks on the deck while your kids have a swim at the beach. Stay until the sun goes down and be spoilt by views of an amazing sunset.
The weekend seems to fly by and my children have had the time of their lives. They were in and out of the pool, made friends with other guests and spent plenty of time in the sea using Castaway’s snorkeling gear which is provided for guests.
During our stay we met NZ couple Dan and Tira from Manurewa who are just blown away by the hospitality of the staff and are able to name each and every one of them to us. They are not just sad about leaving Rarotonga the next day but also for leaving behind their new friends.
“Castaway’s small but personal and we’ve had people say it’s like they are visiting close relatives” says Joyce.
Trip Advisor on the internet has comments from guests that have stayed at Castaway and one in particular stands out and also sums up how I feel about the staff. Anonymous from Cambridge, NZ wrote, “staff who were dedicated, humorous and ALWAYS helpful. It was the people here that really made our stay unforgettable”.
On Monday morning after a healthy tropical breakfast which is included with your accommodation, I can’t help but wish we could stay longer. This has been such a relaxing and enjoyable family weekend and just what we needed before the busy lead up to Christmas.
So friends, don’t let this awesome opportunity pass you by, treat your family to a special weekend with Castaway Beach Villas or Lagoon Lodges or whisk your leading lady away to Manuia Beach Boutique Hotel for a romantic weekend. Leave your day to day worries at the door and enjoy what these resorts have to offer. They are little secrets just waiting to be discovered by you. This local special will be running right until the end of May 2010 subject to availability.
A special thanks to Rohan Ellis and your team at Rarotonga Resorts Management Ltd for running this weekend special especially for us the people of the Cook Islands. Meitaki Maata – and just like the Terminator I want to say “I’ll be back” – for Happy Hour and a Half that is!

Herald Issue 463 10 June
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- Budget 2010 – fiasco or disaster?