We really enjoyed our stay at Muri Retreat. Recommend you book the large room on the second floor - stunning views and a lovely balcony to watch the sunrise and sunsets. Also I think this room provides the most privacy. Unfortunately it rained for the first four days we were there, plus it was Christmas day and Boxing day so very little was open and we weren't able to rent a scooter until our third day. While the retreat is up the hill a bit it's really not that big a deal - 5 min scroll from the main road and Muri (where there's lots of restaurants etc.) I actually enjoyed the walk! Phoebe and Steve were really easy to deal with, fantastic hosts and even gave us a raincoat! We had five fine days and it was amazing... Raro is really special. If you're on a budget and don't mind a little walk, this place is for you.

I found with some discrepancies with a few of the reviews, and I would like provide detailed information to help out inquiring travelers. For my 9 day stay, it was a mixture of pros and cons, with most of the cons out of anyone’s control. The price on the room for the week was a very good deal and one of the main reasons why I stayed here. The initial communication I found was very good, as Phoebe returned my emails very promptly and she and Steve were delightful to deal with. The only unfortunate exception was I didn’t get my “handy guide” via email, but more importantly, there was a mix up when I arrived for my arranged airport transfer as my ride never showed up/or didn’t wait for me as I was one of the last to get out of customs.

The photos on the site are pretty much accurate, however the location of Muri Retreat is 500 meters from the main road, so if you can walk that in 5 minutes hats off to you. However why would anyone walk when you can rent a scooter or car if it is raining, for a minimal price. There are deals on the scooters if you take them for more than a few days as the daily rate will decrease making it worth your while to scoot around, rather than walking around, save the walking when you are in town. In addition, the walk to and from the main road is pitch black at night, and Ambala Road is extremely narrow, so a flashlight is necessary for safety if you care to walk it.

I took the room on the second floor as it provided the best views and far better privacy than the main floor rooms. The room was very spacious with a large L-shaped balcony. The bed was comfortable and the kitchen had decent cooking supplies and equipment. The bathroom had a nice starter kit to get me going, and I also brought some items with me as toiletries, supplies and groceries are expensive on the island.

I was under the impression that the Muri Retreat would be quiet, one of my main reasons why I chose it. In fact it was for most of the time, except when neighboring dogs would go on a barking tear. Keep in mind that there are several crazy roosters close around and they start crowing at any time they please and most of the day as well, so it is not uncommon to hear them from early morning to late evening, so bring ear plugs if you care to sleep in. In addition, you can hear the people in the other rooms, so hopefully you get quiet neighbors. There is a “no noise” policy which everyone adheres to which is comforting for people who like their quiet time in the late evening. For myself I had a difficult time sleeping as it was hot with 100% humidity and only a fan to cool me down so the windows were open 24x7, in addition I had to ensure my ear plugs were in to cancel out the early morning roosters and close the drapes due to the sunrise.

Many positives to mention here, as there is WiFi available which worked out well for me to periodically check my emails. There was a car port area to park my ride, and free laundry facilities on site, so it was nice to know that I could do a cold water wash a couple of times during my stay then just hang the clothes to dry on the balcony.

Both Steve and Phoebe were very sociable and top notch hosts as I had no issues with the service I received as they were both very accommodating. They recommended places to check out and dine, as well as arranged my airport transfer when I left Muri Retreat where the driver arrived on time to the minute.

In summary, the Muri Retreat is an excellent value for the money with exceptional service by the owner/hosts, the second floor rooms are spacious with great views, however a bit of a distance from nearby restaurants and the beach if you’re walking. In addition it was a bit noisy with the animals and sudden untimely appearances of geckos streaking across the walls, but overall good accommodations.

Tips to Travelers: Get a room on the second floor at Muri Retreat; forget walking, rent a scooter; join the community gym at Kent Hall for a $10 fee which is good for an entire month; best place to snorkel is across the street from “Fruits of Rarotonga”; go for lunch at The Mooring and go for dinner at the Wind Jammer; ensure you go to the market early Saturday morning!

Phoebe and Steve, we haven't forgotten about our stay at Muri!

My husband and I stayed in the Moko (gecko) apartment for 12 nights in September of 2011 and loved it! The property is set back off of the main road, so is very peaceful and quiet. The grounds are immaculately kept (we saw the owners out almost every morning sweeping and tidying things up.) It's about a 5-10 minute walk to the beach and 10-15 minutes to shops and restaurants.
We had so much space in the apartment, including a huge bed in the bedroom as well as chairs and a single bed in the sitting area. There was also a large kitchen with a table and chairs as well as plates, cups, blender, utensils, etc. for self-catering. We had a patio outside with an additional table and chairs...we loved enjoying our breakfast outside in the mornings. There's also a pool with a BBQ and a reading area with books.
The best part of Muri Retreat by far is the wonderful treatment you get by the owners, Phoebe and Steve. They always stopped to chat with us when we were outside and made sure everything was ok. They also offered great advice on places to eat and things to do. Phoebe saw us walking along the road one day and stopped to offer us a lift back to the apartments.
They also offered us paw paw (papaya) from the trees outside to eat everyday and showed us how to open coconuts we found on the property so we could enjoy the juice during our stay. They ended up bringing a coconut grater to the apartments as well and showed us how to grate fresh coconut for our pancakes in the morning. We met other people who were staying at some of the places along the beach and they were disappointed that their hotels didn't do the same for them! It was such great personal touch!
We can't recommend this place enough and definitely plan to stay there again on our next trip to the Cook Islands. Thank you again Phoebe and Steve!

Bill & Kristy
California, USA

Phoebe and Steve are great hosts, they make you feel home and are helpful in every way to guarantee for a pleasant stay in their place. We stayed in the Kaute apartment for two weeks and enjoyed the location and nearby beaches. There are a few minor issues, which I take into consideration when given a rating to the Muri Retreat.

First, the house consists of four apartments and depending on your fellow travelers may become a bid noisy. Second, Muri Retreat is in close proximity to two residential houses, which may spoil your view on the ocean to some extent. If you stay for a longer period of time, as we did for two weeks, you may miss a hammock or deck chairs to unwind. There is a table and two wood chairs on the deck but sitting on a chair does not put you into a relaxing vacation mode.

The location of the Muri Retreat is good as it is really close (10 – 15 walking minutes) to shops and restaurants’; renting a scooter, however, is the better option if you want to see more of the island and go to the nice places to snorkel. Renting a scooter is very easy and one of the rental firms is in walking distance to Muri Retreat. You need, however, a valid driver license from the Cook Island, which you will get on the local policy station for NZD 20.00 (a revenue contribution for the local government, I presume).