Lovely places to stay. Lots of friendly people & staff r helpful. Manger of the rarotonga back packs Paul was wouldful. Would stay there again in a heartbeat. Best time ever good vibe there I thought.

Great accommodation in the perfect location. Right next to the best snorkeling spot on the island. Staff are very helpful. Paul saved us a bunch of times. Really happy with our choice.

I love hostels, but I this place quite disappointing. The main complex where I stayed was dimly lit, tired, sad, poorly equipped, and lacking any kind of personal touch. Just very little attention to detail or atmosphere in my opinion. Eg. Just two toilets, cold showers, no board games, a useless pool table, a poor kitchen. The deck is good and the beach area is really nice. A few hammocks, a great view, and a reefy beach where you can dip but not swim (it's too shallow and sharp, but that's coral reef for you). You can walk to a few bars / restaurants from here. There is a small convenience store maybe 15 minutes walk, and a supermarket about 35 minutes walk. The beach huts looked nice and the bungalows looked even better. If I had a bigger budget, or was in a group / couple, I would definitely upgrade.

Beautiful Stay We stayed in the complex on the North East side of the island. A quieter area. Beautifully tranquil and picturesque. A 10 minute walk to the nearest shop and takeaway. The hut/house we stayed in was well equipped with a TV and a decent kitchen. The accommodation is comfortable and the adjoining veranda has an astonishingly beautiful view. Eating meals there was our favourite thing to do. Understand that everything at Raro Backpackers is reflective of the price. Being much cheaper than most other accommodation options on the island. That said we were perfectly comfortable for our 20 day stay in the beachfront hut. You walk out and you’re immediately on the beach. The area is tranquil and private and there was a washing machine and phone on site. The light pollution is low and great for stargazing. We stayed in October 23, meaning we were fortunate to see whales from the hut almost every day. A priceless experience. Expect bugs and lizards but that’s part of the island. Take precautions with food and the ants that will get to it. Paul was a great host and very accommodating. Thanks for a dream stay.

We stayed for 9 nights in the beachfront complex and we had an amazing time. The view from our room was nothing but the best, the bed was comfy and the kitchen had everything we needed. We rented the bikes for a whole day and some snorkelling gear for a couple of days. Paul was really accommodating and helpful, answering extremely fast to emails and made sure we were getting picked up at the airport. There’s a bus stop right in front of the hostel, which made everything so much easier. Would recommend.

We stayed here for 11 nights and was an awesome, budget friendly accommodation option on the island. Right on the beach, the views you wake up to are totally worth it. We got stuck due to the storm and extending our stay was super easy. Paul and his staff are great, and any issues were resolved promptly. We stayed in one of the beachfront villas, which is worth it for the views.

Stayed in beach huts, which are basic but have everything you need. Paul was very helpful, told us what to do for the scooter licence and has scooters and bikes available to rent. Location is great, right on the beach, with a few stores, cafe and restaurants a short walk away.

Friendly owner, beautiful location. The swimming pool is a great plus. Hammocks by the beach are great for relaxing! Overall nice vibes. You can also rent bikes or a scooter at the reception. Would definitely go back

Stayed there for almost 3 weeks and had a wonderful time. Paul and his staff are super friendly. The kitchen and bathroom area are getting cleaned everyday and are just messy if the guests are messy. Awesome location directly on the beach. Would everybody recommend to stay there!

I stayed in one of Paul's Beach Huts for eight nights in November 2022. It was an absolutely wonderful space: clean, comfortable, and well thought-out. It had a great balance of offering privacy and opportunities to meet fellow travelers. The location was fantastic. Throughout my stay, I consistently saw Paul working on projects, improving the property. You could tell that he sincerely cares about creating a great guest experience, and not settling for "good enough". Even when he was working, he never hesitated to step away from his projects to check in with folks making sure that they had everything they needed to enjoy their stay. He is knowledgeable, friendly, and an excellent host. Rarotonga Backpackers is a great place to stay, especially if you're an independent traveler. It has a personal touch that makes you feel much more connected to the local community than you might feel at one of the larger resorts.