Tamanu Beach

Perhaps you're looking at this resort as a location for a quiet romantic getaway, and I assure you that it will certainly do the job for such a holiday. However, I stayed at Tamanu with my two best mates on a fishing trip! We thought we'd be the only such group there, but there were others there for activities such as diving and kiteboarding as well as the romantic couples. Tamanu is a delightful resort, one of my favourite parts was walking between our rooms and the restaurant via the beach as the property has some private land in between parts of it. The garden-view rooms we stayed in all seemed to provide some lagoon views which was a nice change from the usual tiny glimpses of blue that an ocean view room provides in major resorts. Staff were wonderfully friendly, as is the hallmark of the Cook Islanders - special mention must go to Shane and Tania in the restaurant who were super helpful and accommodating in getting the fish we caught prepared for dinner each night. We ate one night at a different restaurant on the island and they didn't do justice to our catch the way they did at Tamanu.

We stayed at the Tamanu beach resort for 5 nights. We had the bungalow rooms and we were given the one right at the back. The rooms are fine but a bit out of date and the bathroom in particular needs a makeover. The kitchen was fine and the hammock on the deck was nice. The restaurant was good for dinner but the breakfast was pretty average. It's better price than most on the island and the people were lovely but I would return.

Great stay. Rooms are spacious and lovely bathrooms and outside shower. You can use a coconut to keep the outside door to the outside slightly ajar if you don't want to walk with sand through the main bungalow. A trick we found and a reason for why the coconut is in the outdoor shower! that was handy to wash wet gear and hang them to dry. This was very good. Food was good, and the entertainment on special nights, BBQ, was very good. Waters calm and equipment free (kayak, paddle boards). Did not see much of the sunsetting as we were busy eating or tidying our room etc. It does have a family setting and Tamanu is run by the Henry family. One of Cook Islands past Prime Minister. The resort has bicycles $5 and it takes about 20mins to town leisurly ride. The town is small with a few grocery shops along the way which you can go into, and be surprised at the high price of produce. This explains the price of food and lodging. Overall a pleasant stay with friendly staff who are helpful with bookings or enquiries.

My wife and I stayed in a One Bedroom with Lagoon View (room 207) for 5 nights, and also in a One Bedroom Beach Front on the Sun Deck (room 203) for 3 nights. Both rooms were Excellent - - spacious and comfortable, the decor was inviting with a relaxed island atmosphere. No stuffiness here. The staff gave heartfelt smiles, and genuine thoughtful service in the traditional Aitutaki way. In short, we were treated like family. And you could feel the genuine warmth of their hospitality.

We had 4 nights at this resort and had a thoroughly relaxing time. The rooms are large, clean and tastefully decorated. Staff were helpful and genuinely welcoming. Food at the restaurant was not cheap but given that everything is imported, is understandable. The family that developed the resort are still very much involved and son Nick mingles with guests each day - a nice touch. A lagoon cruise is a must.

What do I say - 7 nights here was just what we needed! Pure relaxation, lovely, friendly staff, delicious food and a stunning location! We stayed in the beachfront bungalow (no 203) for half the time and the garden villa (no 204) for the remainder. Both have ocean views and are spacious. The beachfront villa verandah has the best views. Cocktails & sunsets - perfection. Please note the bathrooms are being renovated in December. They are clean but dated compared to the rest of the resort. The breakfast that is included, will keep you going well into the afternoon. Select from tropical fruits, breads, pastries, Bircher muesli. If you feel the need you can order off the menu but we honestly didn't see anyone do that the whole time we were there. We unfortunately missed the Island Night but did get to the Sunday BBQ. Delicious meats, great fun with the owners of the resort hosting. The GM takes the time to talk to all the guests not just on this night but throughout your stay. All the staff have a smile on their faces and will assist you with anything you ask. The snorkling off the beach is good but watch the tides as it is shallow even at high tide. You can see fish and even star fish from the beach. There are a lot of 'sea cucumbers' so watch where you step! The snorkling equipment available was average, I wish I'd taken my own. We loved taking the double kayak out each day, the water is so clear, very relaxing. Highly recommend this resort!

Take my advise and don't go any further than here to stay when visiting Aitutaki. On a beautiful island with so much to explore (you must visit the outer lagoon on a private trip, trust me) you don't need to stay in the surrounds of a stuffy, posh resort. Tamanu Beach Resort is a family owned, family friendly place to stay with great amenities and friendly staff. We ate there almost every night and, yes, one night we had really bad service but everyone can have a bad day and this should not tarnish the otherwise fabulous experiences we had here. What you must remember is that you're on island time so sit back, relax and enjoy the serenity! The room was perfect and we made some life long friends along the way. Tamanu Beach Resort lends itself to this and we are forever grateful. We can't thank Nick, his family and team or the people of Aitutaki enough for allowing us to share in their secret paradise and making our stay so perfect.

Our family of four had two beachfront villas and loved it. Good comfort, clean and fantastic location and view. One afternoon we could actually see a humback jumping repeatedly just outside the reef. All this from the comfort of our villa patio. Bicycles can be rented in reception and this proved to be an excellent way to see the island and also to visit shops. Snorkelling is good just outside the resort and the location of a giant clam is marked by a bouy some 100m from the beach, Very friendly and service minded reception staff :-) Our departing flight was in the evening but the manager graciously offered us the use of one of the villas until departure time free of charge. What can I say, -outstanding service! The complimentary breakfast is quite good, and better than I have tried elsewhere on the Cook Islands. All in all a very positive experience.

It's been 3 or 4 years since our last visit. We thoroughly enjoyed our first visit, notably because we were in the absolute beachfront bungalow. But this was better... Bungalows have been upgraded, we especially enjoyed the new outdoor showers. Food seemed even better than our first visit , we enjoyed the variety, the standard and the buffets. This is a relaxed family run professionally run business. From the airport welcome to our reluctant farewells. Motor scooters and onsite bikes also appeared to be additions. Which is very convenient. Enjoy a slower pace and chill. New water sport gear ( kayaks and SUP boards ) were also useful. What would I take next time ? Flippers . Reef shoes. Extra insect repellant. ( Tamanu provide coils at the restaurant, plug in units for the bungalows , but i'd be more diligent with repellant next time )..... and a bottle opener for the unit Oh, and a couple of spare days so we could stay longer......