Rarotonga Backpackers

Two-star quality at best
When we booked our stay with Backpackers we arranged to stay in a beach house, which we chose because the beach huts we wanted were booked up. We were told we would receive a pickup from the airport, a welcome change since our flight got in at 5:40 a.m. Once we arrived at the beachside area we were informed that we (several people were picked up at the airport) were in separate areas (the beach side is completely separate from hill side, about a ten-minute walk down the road). We were also informed we would not be able to get into our rooms until 9 a.m. when the office opened, and were left to fend for ourselves. There was no where to put our luggage, we had access to the common area, although could not use the internet (because we had to purchase time from the office) or the TV (DVDs were also rented in the office). At 9 a.m. we were then told that we must wait another hour because someone was checking out of our house. Please note that we came in on a national holiday (the Queens birthday) so the office had holiday hours, being 9 a.m. to noon. Around 10:30 a.m. we were told to throw our things into a van and that we would be taken to the house (thought to be strange because we were suppose to be beachside). What turned out to be a five-minute drive (fifteen-minute walk) down the road was our stand alone "beach house." The house had no hot water, was filled with bugs (no screens), and completely isolated. At night when we wanted to socialize we were expected to walk back to the house on our own (two girls) and any shared meals (highly advised because the cost of food is astronomical!) were done at the beachfront property. Our last night there we booked a double room so that we would have somewhere to store our luggage (early morning flight), the fan didn't work and was filthy, not to mention the bedsheets smelled like cat pee (as stray dogs and cats wonder freely in the buildings). When we talked to management we were simply told that, "We can't make everyone happy." In the end we weren't charged for our last nights stay ($22/per person) although were still required to pay in full the cost of the beachhouse at $100/night. On a positive side note, all of the travelers that we met there were fantastic, friendly, and extremely helpful. Also the beach area was very pretty although there was too much coral for any real swimming.

Wedding disappointment
What a shame -- I would have had nothing but good things to say about this hostel, especially as we used their wedding service and were overall pleased, except for the fact that the owner has taken some of our wedding photos from the photographer and is using them on her website without our permission. Legally, she can use the ones without us in them, from what I have found out, so she has only kept the ones up with images, but I think it's so insensitive to not respect our wishes about something so personal. She said she would have them removed but has not done so, and told me she has the right to use them as the photographer gave her permission and they are copyright of the photographer. Not so nice. She's just starting up her business, so I would have thought a good recommendation would have been worth more than a couple of photos.

Location, character, and facilities
We just got back from two weeks at the Rarotonga Backpackers in a beachfront unit. The hostel and owners are fantastic. They even arrange weddings, and we were married down the road on a gorgeous beach. I couldn't say enough good things about this hostel. We've stayed at many, and this was by far our favourite. We even thought it was better than the resorts, as we had more privacy, space, and a better location as the beach was not too crowded, and it was a quarter of the cost!

I had an excellent time here - (met loads of great people) the hostel was clean and the pool was and added bonus..I would definitely come back again.

I stayed in one of the twin rooms with a fridge ($48 per night) and it was the nearly the worst backpackers I have stayed in the world, second only to a backpackers in Sydney, which had broken glass, hypodermic needles and vomit on the floor. My experiences were as follows: * This place was dirty. The wrinkled sheets smelt and had pubic hair and bird poo on them. * The fridge leaked all over the floor. * One of the bed legs had rusted through and was broken, so the bed was on a precarious wobble. * One of the fans didn't work, the other moved noisily, slowly and ineffectually. * The rooms lock was broken, and one of the windows, didn't shut properly (in came the mosquitoes). When we asked for a key, we were told we didn't need one, everything would be safe at this backpackers! * In the communal areas, the kitchen was dirty, and all the showers were cold despite the hot water we were promised (we were told to be patient and run it for a while; no water arrived after 15 minutes with the shower turned on. * My part of the room was so narrow I couldn't get my suitcase under the bed, I had to store it on the fridge! Don't be fooled by the glossy pictures on the Web site, it may be touted as a new place, but it is rundown due to lack of maintenance.

A great place to relax. It's in an excellent setting with brilliant views. It's definitely the place to stay if you want a cheap and relaxing holiday.

This place is excellent. It's really clean and it has a pool, which is a nice touch! I would definitely stay here again. The owners were really nice and their home brew wasn't bad, either.

A really excellent hostel. The rooms are nice and the lounge area is huge. It has a TV and DVD player, which is great for rainy days. The hosts, Paul and Rebecca, are incredibly nice people, and they bend over backwards to help you out. You can hire snorkels and bikes here(they are a little crappy, but who cares) for cheap. I would highly recommend this hostel. I gave it only 4 stars and not 5 because there are a few bugs - but you get them all over the island - so I suppose I am just being picky. Overall, it's ace!

This place is ideal for those who want a relaxed, low-budget holiday, gorgeous views, and a friendly atmosphere. I highly recommend it!

On my trip round the world I went to Rarotonga Backpackers which is excellent.