RESORT ROMANCE
Resort Romance - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Resort Romance | |||||
| By: Carol West, Photos by Robert Muir, Issue 32 – Spring 2007 | |||||
| (Rumours of Romance villas, Raratonga – Cook Islands) | |||||
| HONEYMOONERS IN SEARCH OF BAREFOOT PARADISE HEAD FOR RARATONGA IN THE COOK ISLANDS. | |||||
| Rumours of Romance have long been associated with the Cook Islands. This idyllic group of fifteen coral and volcanic islands have emitted the sirens’ call to many who have passed their shores and today attracts castaway couples from all over the world wanting to exchange barefoot vows under a tropical sky. While some might say that the rumours have been greatly exaggerated, if the couple silhouetted under a palm tree etched onto my breakfast plate is any indication, they’re about to come true. ‘Rumours of Romance’, five spacious lifestyle villas on Muri Beach on the southeast coast of Rarotonga opened 18 months ago and bring a new level of privacy, sophistication and luxury to the ‘Cooks’. Created by New Zealanders Carolyn and Grant Wilkinson together with daughter Tara and husband Matthew Reilly, ‘Rumours of Romance’ is their latest venture into boutique villa-style accommodation and follows their runaway success with Reflections of Rarotonga, a trio of villas a few doors away. Both former airline pilots, the Wilkinsons fell in love with Rarotonga some years ago and wanted to create an exclusive retreat for the luxury traveller seeking an alternative to the island’s resorts. “As the name implies, our main market is honeymooners and people wanting absolutely privacy to reconnect with each other. Australians contribute around 50 per cent of our business, and we’ve become a much sought after wedding destination for young couples and those dipping their toes in the matrimonial waters for a second or third time. Honeymooners constitute around 80 per cent of our guests and we hold at least two weddings each month, particularly in our Ultimate Villa which is recognized as the best of the best on the island,” said Tara Reilly who’s found that when people want the best, the rate is unimportant. With the South Pacific frothing over the coral atoll like a heartbeat and a waterfall cascading into your private pool, saying ‘I do” couldn’t have a more romantic setting. They even hold mini conferences although why you’d want to share this blissful experience with professional colleagues is a mystery. The sun dances with the water sprinkling on my back under the outdoor shower as the turquoise serenity of Muri Lagoon beckons seductively just a few sandy steps away. I’m tempted but having cruised its aquatic delights in the complimentary his and her kayaks, it’s time to explore the interior of Villa 5. The décor is rich in colour yet understated in luxury - a modern home by the sea. Surrounded by impossible shades of blue, interior walls are the colour of latte with cool marble floors and honey hued hardwoods. Towering feature walls of coral stone washed up during the 2005 cyclones has been artfully recycled to create a canvas of natural island style. A glass of bubbles on ice from the complimentary welcome basket of gourmet goodies is the perfect accessory to the three absolute beachfront villas that also have heated spa pools to star-gaze. The bathroom is simple elegance with glass block walls filtering light onto the shower’s pebbled floor its flattering hue reflected in two large carved antique mirrors above Italian ceramic basins that scoop gracefully out of a raw piece of marble. Rather than tear ourselves away to eat at one of a handful of nearby restaurants, a gourmet kitchen and two barbecues are on stand-by. With fresh fish and locally grown vegetables and fruits purchased from roadside stalls plus general provisions from one of the two supermarkets in the main township of Avarua just 20 minutes around the island, I don the cook’s apron and whip-up a simple island feast of yellowfin tuna caught somewhere between the reef and the horizon. But if that sounds like too much hard work, ‘Rumours of Romance’ will arrange in-house gourmet catering from champagne brunches to dinner baskets. All villas have state-of-the-art Sony LCD TV units with DVD players while The Ultimate Villa has a dedicated movie theatre room complete with 2.5m screen and full theatre projector. Peeling back the tevaevae quilt of local Cook Islands’ design appliquéd in tones of sand and clotted cream, I sink into the super king-sized four-poster bed draped in vanilla netting, the sounds of the South Pacific gently receding into the recesses of my mind. So if you’re ready to mix up the ingredients for some Cook Islands’ magic, then wrap yourself in the complimentary sarong, which thoughtfully comes with ‘how-to-tie’ instructions, and an intoxicatingly scented tropical ‘ei’ and romance just might be more than a rumour! | |||||
| Details: | |||||
| - Getting There: Air New Zealand fly daily to Rarotonga via Auckland. www.airnewzealand.com | |||||
| - Staying There: Two bedroom villas at Rumours of Romance begin at $585 for one couple per night for a minimum 3-night stay. The Ultimate Villa is $1,254 per night. Phone +682 22 551 or email info@rumours-rarotonga.com or visit www.rumours-rarotonga.com | |||||
| - General Tourism Information: www.cook-islands.com | |||||
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