| Quick Verdict | |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | 8/10 - solid family resort, not luxury but reliable |
| Best for | Families with kids aged 4-12 and couples |
| Location | West coast, 5 minutes from airport |
| Price paid | NZD $2,300 for our 9-night stay (room type: family) |
| Would we return | Yes - with a seafront room booked in advance |
| Book via | Trip.com |
Quick Picks
This post contains affiliate links – full disclosure at the end
The Edgewater Resort has been welcoming guests to Rarotonga for over 40 years and is the largest resort on the island – 250 rooms on six acres of tropical gardens, right on the western beach with great sunsets, heaps of activities, decent food, a good spa – enough to keep any family entertained.
We stayed here for most of our 10-day Cook Islands trip with two kids (aged 8, and Alex, 6). This is our honest family review of the Edgewater Resort.
In This Review:
- Location and getting there
- Check-in and first impressions
- The rooms – what we had and what to book
- Pool and beach
- Food and restaurants
- Kids club and family facilities
- Activities and entertainment
- The upgrade – and why the seafront room matters
- What we’d do differently
- Scores at a glance
- Is the Edgewater worth it?
Location and Getting There
The Edgewater sits on the western coast of Rarotonga in the Arorangi area – about five minutes from the airport and ten minutes from Avarua, the main town. The western coast is the sunset side of the island, which sounds obvious but can create an extra feeling of paradise when watching the sun set each night – the views from the beach and pool in the evening are pretty special.
The trade-off is that Muri Beach – Rarotonga’s most beautiful lagoon beach – is on the eastern side of the island, about a 15–20-minute drive away. If your priority is waking up and walking directly to the best swimming, a Muri-area property might serve you better. If you have a car, it doesn’t matter. The beach at Edgewater is a nice stretch, the water clear, not great for swimming but decent for young kids to paddle.
Book The Edgewater Resort here
Check-In and First Impressions
We arrived at night in horizontal rain – quite possibly the worst possible introduction to a resort. The reception staff were warm and efficient. We got a ‘Kia Orana’ (Cook Islands welcome) from everyone – whether it be the reception staff, the cleaners or the cooks. Just be prepared when checking in – you’re now on “Island Time”, where things move a little slower than you’re used to.
The resort is large – 250 rooms across six acres – and the grounds are lush: tropical gardens, palm trees, and plenty of cockerels roaming around.
On check-out, they have an efficient left-luggage service for free.
The Rooms - What We Had and What to Book
The Edgewater has several room types ranging from garden studios through to three-bedroom beachfront villas. We spent most of our stay in a standard room before being upgraded to a seafront room for our final nights. If you’re looking to self-cater, your options are limited as there’s no utensils / cooking options in the rooms, apart from fridge and kettle.
Standard Room
Comfortable, clean, adequately sized for a family of four – all in one room. It’s not going to win any interior design awards but it’s pleasant and practical. Air conditioning, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities. Large bathroom and decent sized balcony with table and chairs. Large TV for when you want to plonk the kids in front of it – limited kids channels.
The Seafront Upgrade
On our final few nights, we were upgraded to a seafront room – the main difference being a 18- degree view of the ocean and lagoon The sunsets were great, but the highlight was one morning, we spotted humpback whales migrating past from the balcony – something pretty special.
Pool and Beach
The Pool
The main pool is large and well maintained – the social hub of the resort although we never found it overly busy. There’s a deeper and a shallower end nearer the restaurant so mum and dad can sit by the water’s edge to keep an eye on the kids. Mal’s Bar serves a good range of drinks. Sun loungers are available in good numbers, scattered around. Free pool towels are available from the activities centre nearby. Just return them after use.
The Beach
The beach fronting the Edgewater is a decent stretch of white sand that stretches along the western coast. It’s better for walking and watching sunsets than for swimming – the lagoon is too shallow for a proper swim, and the bottom has some coral and it’s not the silky sandy bottom of Muri. You can take the free towels from the resort down to the beach.
Food and Restaurants
The Edgewater has two restaurants plus Mal’s Bar – a reasonable setup for a resort of this size.
The Spaghetti House
The Spaghetti House is located at the entrance to the resort – solid choice for all your pizza and pasta needs, plus a few other dishes. Open daily for dinner, air-conditioned, casual. We ate here a couple of times, and it was decent feed – good quality and not bad portions. It can get quite busy and often best to book in advance.
The Brasserie
The main resort restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hosts the weekly Island Night buffet with live Cook Islands cultural entertainment.
Breakfast is likely included in your package. It’s a buffet style and decent enough but not mind blowing. Choices includes a handful of cereals, heaps of fruits, juices, eggs, sausages, breads, toast, spreads, yoghurts. Everything you’d expect. It served its purpose for our at-times fussy kids.
For lunch and dinner, the menu is extensive and good quality – just a little pricey. We are here a few times, just for ease, and when we didn’t have a car. Service can be a little slow at peak times, but it is Island Time after all – as the bar above Mal’s Bar will remind you.
Worth eating here a few times during your stay but worth venturing out too sometimes to get a different feel for Island food.
Mal’s Bar
Poolside bar with views over the beach and lagoon. Good spot for an evening drink watching the sunset. It blends into the restaurant and so really the two are combined but the bar does have some bar stools to sit at if you’re just drinking. A good spot to meet people.
Honest Food Assessment
Cook Islands restaurant food is expensive by any measure and the Edgewater is no exception. For families on a budget, the hotel restaurants are a reliable but costly option. We ate out at local restaurants and the Muri Night Market, when possible, to manage costs, returning to the hotel restaurants when convenience trumped budget.
Kids Club and Family Facilities
The Edgewater has a free kids club. We had never used one before and whilst this was a family holiday, with us wanting to do as much together, there were three occasions where we dropped for kids off for 45mins – one hour, so we could get some brief respite. It was never overly busy – and the staff very friendly and accommodating. It’s a very relaxed setting with sofas, beanbags in a lounge area plus a craft area with all kids of tools for craft making.
They have different activities every day – different types of craft, plus a movie is usually shown. All you need to do is sign your kids in when you drop them off and make sure you don’t forget to pick them up. There is a morning session and ana afternoon session, so you can’t drop them all day and disappear. They are very flexible if you only want to drop for a shorter amount of time.
Our kids make sarongs, created cardboard fish, watched movies, played games and painted pictures.
Activities and Entertainment
Island Night
The weekly Island Night is very well run – a buffet dinner accompanied by traditional Cook Islands dancing and drumming. Kids love the energy and can sometimes get to join in. You need to book in advance.
Resort Activities
The Edgewater’s activities staff run various sessions – all day, every day for both adults and kids.
Classes like coconut opening classes, ukulele lessons, drumming lessons, sarong making, coconut cream making, hat making, snorkelling, fish feeding, dancing classes and many more. All simple fun classes that help break up the day. There are usually 6-8 activities per day, running almost hourly – and a bell is rung as a reminder. The meeting point is by the Activity Centre near the pool. Some are clearly more for adults, but kids can join in too and make friends with other kids.
The Spa
The spa is very well run and people from outside the resort come in to visit. It has several studios and you need to book in advance. I had a much-needed message and have no complaints about the service.
Scores at a Glance
Location: 8/10 Perfect for sunsets, convenient for the airport, 15 mins to best beach
Rooms: 7/10 Comfortable and practical — seafront rooms worth the premium
Pool and Beach: 8/10 Good pool area, spacious & plenty of sun loungers
Beach: 7/10 Nice beach just not great for swimming
Food: 7.5/10 Reliable but expensive. Breakfast is same-same but does a good job and as it’s buffet style, a good chance to fill up for the day
Kids Club: 8/10 Free, runs good activities, very well run
Value for Money: 7.5/10 Expensive by global standards but fair for the Cook Islands and when the activities and all-you-can-eat breakfast are thrown it, the value isn’t too bad
Staff and Service: 9/10 Very warm Cook Islands hospitality throughout
Overall: 8/10 Solid, reliable family resort with plenty going on, plenty of space and everything you need for a good family stay
Is the Edgewater Worth It for Families?
Yes – totally.
The Edgewater is Rarotonga’s largest and most established resort for good reason. The kids club, pool, beach access, multiple restaurants and great Cook Islands hospitality make it a reliable and comfortable base for a family trip. It won’t exceed your expectations if you’re expecting luxury – think comfortable mid-range resort rather than boutique paradise.
The western location is a a good spot for sunsets and but great for swimming – it’s best to have a car or take the bus to Muri for the full Cook Islands lagoon experience. The food is pricey but it’s very good. The weekly Island Night is very well run.
The other daily activities they have on offer, all day, every day – like coconut opening, dancing, drumming, ukaleke lessons, hat-making etc make sure that no day is the same.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Edgewater Resort good for families?
Yes – it’s one of the better family options on Rarotonga. The free kids club, large pool, beach access, and family-friendly restaurants make it a practical and comfortable base. Book a room that can accommodate your family size and request beachfront if budget allows. The daily activities that run all day, every day make sure no two days are the same.
What is the best room type at the Edgewater?
Beachfront or seafront rooms for the views and direct beach access. If budget is a concern, garden rooms are comfortable and practical.
How far is the Edgewater from the airport?
About five minutes by car – one of the closest resorts to Rarotonga International Airport. Good for early arrivals and late departures.
Does the Edgewater have a kids club?
Yes – a free kids club runs daily with various activities. It runs in two sessions – morning and afternoon – so you can’t just drop them and disappear, as much as that may be tempting. It’s very well run, very relaxed and very flexible.
Is the Edgewater beach good for swimming?
The beach is better for sunset watching than swimming – the lagoon bottom has some coral and it’s just a little too shallow. Younger kids are fine to do some paddling though. Muri Beach is just 15-20 minutes away.
What restaurants does the Edgewater have?
Two restaurants – The Spaghetti House – pizza and pasta – standard Italian but good quality. Worth booking in advance. They do takeaways. The Brasserie, the main resort restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner, is a good spot although a little pricey. We ate here several times for convenience. Mal’s Bar sits poolside for drinks and light snacks.
Have you stayed at the Edgewater? Drop a comment below – we’d love to hear your experience.
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