Rarotonga: Rarotongan retreat

A business opportunity and a slower pace of life beckon in the Cook Islands.

Six years ago, Grant Wilkinson was in Rarotonga on a building project, and fell in love with the island. He and his wife, Carolyn, began looking for land, and decided there was a niche for luxury accommodation.

"There was a lot of average accommodation, but there was very little that catered for the really upmarket traveller," says Carolyn.

Reflections on Rarotonga is the result of their efforts - two beachfront villas sandwiched between separate swimming pools and a white sand beach, and one beachside villa with a secluded garden and waterfall.

"We don't want to mislead people and say the beachside villa is beachfront, because you have to walk 25 steps to get to the sand. With the beachfront villas, you just step off the deck onto the sand," she says.

Using experience gained developing upmarket properties in New Zealand, the Kiwi couple designed their villas with an island flavour, but catered for five-star travellers by using marble flooring, Italian fittings and four-poster beds.

Reflections on Rarotonga escapes any serious cyclone damage because it is built on the sheltered side of the island.

"The cyclones always come from the north and the town gets the worst of it. We've had four and a little hint of the fifth this season. It's extremely unusual to get this amount of cyclones. Usually we go four or five years with nothing."

With the beachfront villas hiring out at $850 a night and the waterfall villa at $500, their market is 70 per cent honeymooners, followed by film stars and high-profile businesspeople.

"We get a lot of VIP guests and have had people arrive by private jet. We had to promise to keep them anonymous. "

The retreat's emphasis is on romance, luxury and beachfront. All guests get VIP airport transfers, a champagne gift basket and free access to a library of 200 DVDs to play on the villas' home theatre surround-sound systems.

Carolyn believes the business has a bright future. This month, Pacific Blue begins flights from Australia and Christchurch. Air New Zealand has around 14 flights a week.

"We are very reluctant sellers, but my husband's health has not been good, and as we have another substantial property underway, which is also requiring a lot of time, something has had to give, and so it is Reflections."

The villas are for sale separately or as a business, which can be run either by the owners or by keeping the existing manager.

New Zealanders considering moving to Rarotonga would find the pace far slower and the weather far warmer, says Carolyn. - shorts and a T-shirt are enough all year round.

"Although the pace is changing and the island is becoming busier, it still has a long way to go to catch up with the pace people live with in New Zealand."

Vital Statistics

FEATURES: Two beachfront villas in Rarotonga, each 139sq m, with its own swimming pool on one side and beach on the other, marble floors, Italian fittings and super king-size four-poster beds. One beachside villa, approx 83sq m, with a waterfall and garden.

PRICE: Options from $400,000 to $1 million.

CONTACT: Grant and Carolyn Wilkinson. Ph 00 682 27333, or visit www.reflections-rarotonga.com.