The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa, Aitutaki

The food and service was absolutely amazing!!!!!! The resort was quiet and the ultimate place to get away. The overwater bungalows oozed romance and were very nicely decorated. Exceptional location...a million miles away from anything!!

Incredibly over priced. We were on an overwater bungalow (partially overwater), and it has been the nicest thing we had. Breakfast was cheap, and all other services. Snorkeling equipment was old and broken, and coral shoes (complimentary) all destroyed and damaged, and no one for big size foot. Fridge in the room was empty. Why they put it ? Water, dirty. Much better water in Rarotonga. We had to go dining to other restaurants, becsue their food was not good. I'll never go back or suggest.

This is the best located hotel accommodation on Aitutaki, with sublime views across the lagoon that take in a number of islands that customers can paddle too. You don't get that at the 'flashier' Pacific Resort. You also don't get as many mossies as the latter! We are not fans of resort living, something we discovered the moment we sit down. But, we did adjust. The menu was average to good - but on the expensive side. The staff were on the main, very good, friendly and bright. The bure was lovely, spacious - with a good terrace. The buildings need a bit of a touch up, which is underway - and new management might scrub the whole place up. The overwhelming memory is one of lying in a hammock strung between two palm trees, staring out at the most amazing aquamarine lagoon I have ever seen in my life, with the biggest choice being when and what to eat. Truly perfect if you want a week of doing absolutely nothing!

We visited the ALRS for the second time in December 2006. We had fond memories of our visit 2 years previous and we were delighted to have had an even more pleasurable trip on this occasion. Aitutaki retains its status as an un-pretentious idyllic paradise, where the pristine beauty of the Island and the fantastic culture of the people highlights the shortcomings in our own communities. This is not a destination for high-pressure tourists seeking entertainment. It is simply one of the most beautiful places on earth where you are welcomed by the friendliest, most giving people. If you don't enjoy this place - you need to take a look at your needs in life. The ALRS staff, from the manager down made us feel like part of the family during our stay and made leaving so much harder. We will be back at our first opportunity - keep up the good work!!! Steve & Tracey.

We stayed in the "overwater" (only partially overwater) bungalow, which was fairly well appointed and had an outdoor shower overlooking your own small, private garden. And, we had an unusual visitor in the mornings and evenings: a moray eel (feeding). The islands and water around Aitutaki are spectacular. Sadly this resort had just suffered through 2-3 hurricaines in the few weeks prior to our arrival and the bridge to the island had been partially washed out. Although staff were working on fixing things, and the grounds were being upkept, the units suffered damage. The room we stayed in sprang leaks during the rainWe brought this to the management's attention, but nothing was done to move us, fix the problem, or reduce the price. Also of note was the fact that we had biting bugs in the bed (to this day, I am still not clear if they were bed bugs or not). Staff at the hotel were very nice and tried to be as accommodating as management would let them, with the exception of the head chef (who was great). Despite asking several times to speak with the hotel managers, they made themselves happily unavailable. Cleaning staff was inconsistent. One set of staff were dilegent, while the others were lazy (and even left the door open when they finished, so anyone could walk in): hence the medium rating for cleanliness. I also rated the service down. Not because property staff was bad (they most certainly were not), but because management was not interested in service: only the bottom line. Nearly 18 months after our visit, their website still has outdated information. For example, they refer to complimentary bus transportation to town. Upon arrival, they post charges for this service. If I had not had the print out from their website with me, we would have had to pay (note: we didn't pay, rather used a chunk of that money to tip the driver who was exceedingly gracious and helpful). The website also stated free Pareus would be available to guests staying more than 5 days. When pressed, the front desk staff (after speaking with the manager) instead offered us ones from their sister property in Rarotonga, or we could elect to have ones sent when they were ready. 18 months later, we are still waiting. We also asked for the meal voucher special. When we found that we were not eating as much as it was worth (we felt no need for a full dinner), we switched. Because we still had one full day of a meal plan, we had dinner (included in the meal plan price). The next day we went back to our regular routine. The hotel charged us the three meals for the last day the voucher was good, and then used the meal plan voucher for the following day. Despite offering to make it up to us with free drinks: these also never materialized. If you are expecting good snorkelling, you may be disppointed at the property. The lagoon cruise is the best place to do your snorkelling. I recommend booking your own through Aitutaki Adventures: who pick you up free from the resort, rather than the one leaving from the resort. The lagoon facing side has a heavy current, so swimming without fins at certain times is something I only recommend for good swimmers. In summary, the property is beautiful: the lagoon and sunsets are lovely; the rooms mostly acceptable to above average (depending on the room); the staff helpful and friendly; and the management while good at marketing, do not know how to make that marketing come to life. Note: I am a certified meeting professional, and know a fair deal about hotel management which is one of the reasons I am so hard on them in my review. I know what services to expect and what not to expect, yet while on vacation (as I was here), believe it or not, I am much less demanding than I would be professionally.

The resort has a fantastic location on its own motu, overlooking the beautiful Aitutaki lagoon. Fortunately, the beauty of Aitutaki makes up for the disappointment of this hotel. Most of the facilities desparately need a facelift, starting with the bungalows. Think peeling paint, mold in the bathroom, and cheap furniture. The food was better than the other reviews indicated, so maybe there is a new cook. The garden bungalows are quite small, and we (2 adults and young daughter) felt quite cramped. Unfortunately, the Flying Boat bar was closed during our stay, which was also quite a disappointment. I would definitely recommend Aitutaki to anyone traveling in the region, but you may find better accommodations at the Pacific Resort or the Etu Moana.