FLIGHTS

Right! Our onto it bridesmaids (3 of the four) have booked their flights and accommodation already!

Well done my girls, and Rory!

Here are the flight details:

Depart: Auckland 9:00 am Sat 4 May.
Arrive: Cook Is (Aitutaki) 6:50 pm Fri 3 May.
Flight number(s): NZ0046:NZ4030.
The Akld-Raro flight arrives at 2:55pm  Raro-Aitutaki leaves at 6pm so a 3hour stop.

Depart: Cook Is (Aitutaki) 4:40 pm Thu 9 May.
Arrive: Auckland 8:50 pm Fri 10 May.
Flight number(s): NZ4029:NZ0045.

These flights have a short stopover (a few hours) in Raro.

We are likely to head over on the same flight and return a day later. Meaning our family will be staying 7 nights. Details below...
Return Flights:

Depart Aitutaki Friday 10 May 7:10pm
Arrive Raro Friday 10 May 8:00pm
NZ743
Depart Raro Friday, 10 May 10:10pm
Arrive Akld Sunday, 12 May 12:40am

Please feel free to email Paradise Cove directly to book your accommodation, and tell them you are a part of our wedding party.  If you contact Kaylene, tell her that they have quoted us $135 per night, plus a 4% credit card fee.  Paradise Cove would like a 2 night deposit which is about $280 incl. credit card fee.

I'm hoping that with a heap of us on the flight from Auckland to Rarotonga we can sweet talk our way into the Koru lounge!  Who is the most persuasive person coming with us - Rory perhaps?  Scott?

PACKAGES

After many hours swearing, cursing, pulling my hair out and feeding Mitchell, while sending emails scouring the net and making phone calls - this is going to be the easiest thing to do...

Book a package through Kaylene at Flight Centre, Chartwell. She is magnificent!!!

She planned our trip over to Switzerland for us last year, and is going to put together our package for our wedding.  She will then fit you all in around our flights and wedding day.  (She is also gorgeous, wink, wink nudge nudge youngest and single brother in law!!!)

Her contact details are...

E: kaylene.johnstone.nz@flightcentre.co.nz
P: 07 854 7200

She said if you can make an appointment to come in that is ideal.  Face to face clients take priority I believe. Feel free to email her your plans eg wanting to stop over in Raro, don't mind flying with Virgin Pacific arriving in the wee hours etc., and then if you can make a time to see her.

After talking to a few people we are moving the actual wedding day to

Monday May 6.

This means that you will need to take less time off work, and for those with kids or teachers it means you can leave in the holidays, hopefully making the logistics of childcare a little easier too.

Kaylene is looking into 5 night and 7 night packages for us at the moment and will email me when specials come out.

I'll post details of our flights etc once they are booked on this blog to help you all make your plans.

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Paradise Cove & Samade

PARADISE COVE

The beach is right out the door!

This is the nicest budget accommodation we can find on the island, plus Craig and Laurene and kids will be staying at a neighbouring property. This is sunset side, with a lagoon and safe swimming but the primo swimming is in the central lagoon.
The price they have given us is $135 per night and includes airport transfers but not Credit card processing fee ( deposit is 2 nights per unit and works out to be $280.80 once credit card fee is added) 
For a family it will be $135 per couple plus $40 per child with a max of 2 kids, so $215 per night.
Just keep in mind that the garden suite is "cosy" with not a lot of extra room to move, but with a beautiful lagoon at your door step who wants to be inside anyway?

SAMADE

Samade Cafe and bar

I am just waiting on a quote from these guys.  Samades is located closer to the primo lagoon swimming, where the lagoon cruises depart from.  The units are not beach front as the Samade Cafe/Restaurant and Bar is at the beachfront.  Units look very slightly bigger than Paradise Cove and they are air-conditioned.

The price they have given us per couple for 5 nights is: $915
This includes breakfast for 2 for five nights (with dinner available at $25 per person)
Airport transfers and Credit card processing fee included

They are Laurene's picks for couples!!!

Vacancy for a Couple to share with Family

Are-a-matatui has beautiful and spacious accommodation, with a FULL kitchen and everything you need to cook if you want to.  Washing machine, all linen and TWO bedrooms each with its own bathroom.  For a family this is the best space you will find.
Rochelle (sister) and Craig's family are interested in staying here and sharing with another couple, for a total price of $460 per night (dividing the cost however you want to).

So you will be staying with Laurene's beautiful and entertaining nieces - Kaea and Elidi, you get all the extra space and all the extra bells and whistles like the full kitchen, washing machine etc for a little bit more than staying at Paradise Cove, which is lovely but doesn't have the space and extras.

Give it some thought, Craig and I and kids will be staying in the beach front Villa, and may also be looking for some roomies, so watch this space.

ACCOMODATION BOOKINGS

If you want to be a part of the group bookings at Paradise Cove, Ranginuis Retreat, Aretai or Are-a-matatui, please try to get back to me either by

1. leaving a comment on this blog, or 
2. emailling me laurene@munchkins.co.nz 
3. or laurenewilliams@hotmail.co.nz

If you just tell me I'll forget!

I know that this is a big thing to commit to so early on but I'd really like to make a tentative booking by the end of August at the latest so we can secure the accommodation, especially at paradise cove because I know most of our NZ travel agents recommend this place.

And of course if I have suggested you stay somewhere and you don't want to, that's fine!  The island is small but has a range of options for a range of budgets.  It is smaller than Raro for those of you who have been there, but because of its shape getting from one end to the other does seem a hike.  There is also no public transport, just feet, scooter, car or transfers.

Sue I haven't checked if the Araura School hall is available!  Check with Gene!!!! LOL :-)

THANKS!

FAMILY ACCOMMODATION

Aretai & Are-a-Matatui

If you are not staying at Paradise Cove with your children, or Ranginui's or Ootu, then this is where you should stay.

Aretai has 3 villas, 2 beachfront, 1 just behind.  They start from $300 for couple, then $50 for each extra person.  Full kitchen facilities, very spacious.  Great swimming and snorkelling beach, not on the central lagoon but has a beautiful sunset.  I have read amazing reviews about these places, that the hosts are incredible, with scones on arrival!

Our family are most likely to stay in the beach front Are-a-Matatui villa. Their other villa is just behind it and is $460 per night, 2 bedrooms each with their own bathroom.  very spacious and a slight step up from Aretai Villas.  The landscaping and private beach here is beautiful.  Not on the central lagoon side but beautiful and safe all the same.

I would love to have Scott and Fliss and family in one of these villas, Paul and Holly and kids in another, and Chelle and Craig and family in another.  Then all the cousins are close to each other, Sacha and her kids will be close by at Paradise Cove, and Ros, Gene and kids are pretty much next door.  Karl you would also squeeze in here pretty easily but if you prefer kid free space then Paradise Cove will be better and keeps you close to us - if you want to be!  At this stage the only other children coming would be your "big kids" Sonia.

I would also like to book these ASAP so please think carefully about your choices.

LUXURY ACCOMMODATION

Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa, Pacific Resort, Tamanu

These are all in the $400+ range, but you also get what you pay for! 
Ros, our resident local, tells me that
Pacific Resort is much more isolated, polished and has great warm, friendly and efficient service in comparison to the Lagoon Resort & Spa.
Tamanu is also supposed to be a little cheaper than the other two.  Bex and Richard stayed here and loved it, though sounds like they'll be staying at the Lagoon resort and spa this time.  They don't allow children.
Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa is the sister resort to the Rarotongan.  It has a "prestigious" position on the lagoon side.  It offers all the things you'd expect from a bigger resort. Definitely need to hire a scooter to see the rest of the island, or to get to Paradise Cove, Pacific Resort and Tamanu.  If you are feeling really indulgent they do over water bungalows!!!!

Please feel free to book these through your travel agent as they will probably give you the best prices.