Arriving in the middle of the night

emilyt105:45 UTC12 Mar 2007

Hi,
We're planning on travelling to the Cook Islands in May and are in the process of booking our flights and accommodation. It seems to be a couple of hundred dollars cheaper per person to arrive at about 3am. What is the general thing with accommodation if you arrive at this time? Is there transport available from the airport at that time? Are you usually able to check in to get some sleep? I'm ok if I get charged for an extra night if that's the standard.
Any advice would be much appreciated
Also ... has anyone stayed at Tiana's? Any comments?
thanks!!

agingaquarian05:55 UTC12 Mar 2007

Most accommodation providers can arrange for visitors to be met at the airport - charges vary. If you pay for that night you can certainly check in when you arrive. I'd certainly recommend it.

Don't know Tiana's, sorry.

decdublin14:57 UTC12 Mar 2007

We arrived about 1am and were pre-booked at Paradise Inn... By email correspondence with the guy at the Inn we requested a transfer /pick-up and he confirmed that there would be a mini bus dropping people off at the various accom places... It was two years ago and I can't remember if he had us actually booked on the mini bus or if we just booked ourselves on when we came through arrivals...

There will be people meeting the flight and I'd check with your accom as we did and they'll sort you out. You're supposed to have your first night (at least) pre-booked to put it on your forms for immigration when you arrive... and even if you haev to pay a full night's rate when only arriving at 3am I'd say it's worth it to get in somewhere and get a few hours sleep.... rather than hanging around until lunchtime to check in somewhere... if you're staying somewhere more expensive why not book into budget accom for that first arrival night? they'll arrange your transfer and give you a bed for a few hours...

I can highly recommend Paradise Inn (although it was two years ago!)... we stayed there three nights and then found a house to rent for a few weeks...

ameanjoe06:59 UTC14 Mar 2007

Could you mean Tarani's? If so, I would not give them a very high recommendation...The Paradise Inn was very cool. The people there were great and there was an "honor" bar on the lanai for a "cold one" before beddie-by.... No beach, but at 3 AM I don't think you would want to go snorkeling. There's a shuttle that goes around to all the "major" accomodations that is at the airport for all the late nite arrivals (and departures) also. The paradise can arrange it for you.

silvanocat09:50 UTC14 Mar 2007

There is a Tianas Beach Bungalows which is a different place from Tarani's.

sanduni16:27 UTC29 Mar 2007

Not sure whether you are planning to stay in Raro or moving on to an outer island nextday.Anyway,I arrived 10.30pm on delayed NZ 28 in Raro on the way to Aitutaki few weeks ago and stayed at the Aquarius Rarotonga motel for that night.it is so conveniently situated by the Airport. if you dont have too much luggage you could walk to it in few minutes or they will come and pick you up free of charge.it is brand new and,the guy there told me that they have 14 units plus facilities for backpackers too. it has a swimming pool and a resturant it was nzd99 per night and i would not bother going anywhere else at that time of the night,unless you are planning to stay longer and want a place on a sandy beach.
hope that this will help
regards
S

emilyt113:23 UTC03 Apr 2007

Thanks everyone. We're all booked and counting down to what we are sure is going to be a great holiday :-) We've booked at Tiana's for 3 nights ... i'll post a report on our return.

raffaellabronz04:59 UTC09 Jan 2008

Hi Emily,

Please can you let me know how was your stay at Tiana's?

Cheers

Raf

Arriving in the middle of the night?! Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Cook Islands
emilyt105:45 UTC12 Mar 2007	Hi, We're planning on travelling to the Cook Islands in May and are in the process of booking our flights and accommodation. It seems to be a couple of hundred dollars cheaper per person to arrive at about 3am. What is the general thing with accommodation if you arrive at this time? Is there transport available from the airport at that time? Are you usually able to check in to get some sleep? I'm ok if I get charged for an extra night if that's the standard. Any advice would be much appreciated Also ... has anyone stayed at Tiana's? Any comments? thanks!!
agingaquarian05:55 UTC12 Mar 2007	Most accommodation providers can arrange for visitors to be met at the airport - charges vary. If you pay for that night you can certainly check in when you arrive. I'd certainly recommend it. Don't know Tiana's, sorry.	1
decdublin14:57 UTC12 Mar 2007	We arrived about 1am and were pre-booked at Paradise Inn... By email correspondence with the guy at the Inn we requested a transfer /pick-up and he confirmed that there would be a mini bus dropping people off at the various accom places... It was two years ago and I can't remember if he had us actually booked on the mini bus or if we just booked ourselves on when we came through arrivals... There will be people meeting the flight and I'd check with your accom as we did and they'll sort you out. You're supposed to have your first night (at least) pre-booked to put it on your forms for immigration when you arrive... and even if you haev to pay a full night's rate when only arriving at 3am I'd say it's worth it to get in somewhere and get a few hours sleep.... rather than hanging around until lunchtime to check in somewhere... if you're staying somewhere more expensive why not book into budget accom for that first arrival night? they'll arrange your transfer and give you a bed for a few hours... I can highly recommend Paradise Inn (although it was two years ago!)... we stayed there three nights and then found a house to rent for a few weeks...	2
ameanjoe06:59 UTC14 Mar 2007	Could you mean Tarani's? If so, I would not give them a very high recommendation...The Paradise Inn was very cool. The people there were great and there was an "honor" bar on the lanai for a "cold one" before beddie-by.... No beach, but at 3 AM I don't think you would want to go snorkeling. There's a shuttle that goes around to all the "major" accomodations that is at the airport for all the late nite arrivals (and departures) also. The paradise can arrange it for you.	3
silvanocat09:50 UTC14 Mar 2007	There is a Tianas Beach Bungalows which is a different place from Tarani's.	4
sanduni16:27 UTC29 Mar 2007	Not sure whether you are planning to stay in Raro or moving on to an outer island nextday.Anyway,I arrived 10.30pm on delayed NZ 28 in Raro on the way to Aitutaki few weeks ago and stayed at the Aquarius Rarotonga motel for that night.it is so conveniently situated by the Airport. if you dont have too much luggage you could walk to it in few minutes or they will come and pick you up free of charge.it is brand new and,the guy there told me that they have 14 units plus facilities for backpackers too. it has a swimming pool and a resturant it was nzd99 per night and i would not bother going anywhere else at that time of the night,unless you are planning to stay longer and want a place on a sandy beach. hope that this will help regards S	5
emilyt113:23 UTC03 Apr 2007	Thanks everyone. We're all booked and counting down to what we are sure is going to be a great holiday :-) We've booked at Tiana's for 3 nights ... i'll post a report on our return.	6
raffaellabronz04:59 UTC09 Jan 2008	Hi Emily, Please can you let me know how was your stay at Tiana's? Cheers Raf	7

Arriving in the middle of the night?!