Nautilus Resort

We had an amazing stay at Nautilus Resort during our honeymoon.
The staff was incredibly kind and welcoming at all times, making us feel truly special throughout our stay. The rooms are absolutely stunning, even if you’re not staying in one right on the beachfront.
One of the best parts is the location on Muri Lagoon, which makes the whole experience even more magical.
We couldn’t have chosen a better place for such a special trip. Highly recommended!

The service was outstanding and so was the food😋👍🍾. The staff were very helpful and friendly. They kindly went over and above what was requested. Everything in the resort was clean and tidy, including the pool and gardens. We loved having the use of stand-up paddle boards and Kayaks. We didn't have to paddle far to see the beautiful fish and turtles in the lagoon. We have been to Rarotonga 6 times and it was our first time staying at the Nautilus Resort. This has been our favourite place over all. Looking forward to going again 🥰

We stayed at Nautilus Rarotonga for a week in the last week of March just gone. It was my husbands 50th birthday celebration and we had friends and family join us. The team at Nautilus were SO helpful in all aspects, sorted food and set up an area just for us to celebrate. They went the extra mile and had music set up, decorations that we I hadn't even sorted and went out of their way to make it such a great event. The team at the restaurant greeted us with a smile every morning and were so lovely. The resort cannot be faulted. We had the 2 bedroom, beachfront are which had 2 bathrooms, was spacious enough to fit a 6 seater dining table and had a outside table suitable for our friends and family to also join us as well as our own pool and being able to walk from our deck to the lagoon. The are was so well set out, luxurious fittings, the decor was gorgeous and the atmosphere created by such a well set out, lovely room made it more special. The room was cleaned daily and we had fresh sheets and towels every day. The location of the Nautilus is second to none, being able to look out at the lagoon — we were lucky enough to have paddle boards supplied with our room booking and paddled out to the islands. It was the perfect family holiday — not noisy — except maybe us on the party day :) We also booked inside a terrific special so we were lucky enough to have a discount which was helpful and the resort provided complimentary transfers, wine and fruit platter on arrival.

Me and my wife recently had our elopement wedding at Nautilus and stayed for 5 nights. I’ll leave a more detailed review below, but in summary I wish I could leave more than 5 stars.
The resort and facilities:
From the moment we arrived, everything was immaculately tidy and comfortable. Our room was one of the Garden Are’s and it was perfect. Everything we could possibly have wanted was there. We also really appreciated the daily cookies delivered as part of the turn down service.
The location in Muri is one of the most beautiful spots I’ve ever been to. With breathtaking views and one of the most pristine beaches I’ve ever been to. During our visit we took the time to use the complimentary snorkelling gear and had the privilege of swimming with a turtle just off the beach!
The staff:
I want to say thank you to all the staff at the resort who made our stay and wedding completely perfect. Both me and my wife were amazed not just by how friendly they were, but that they got to know us and made us feel valued and welcome. Their attention to detail and positive energy was some of the best I’ve ever experienced at a resort. I wish to thank every staff member there who made our stay something we will remember forever.
The wedding:
Our wedding planner provided by the resort was incredible. She put together the wedding of our dreams and we can’t thank her and the resort staff for everything. Our wedding was perfect and there’s nothing we would’ve wanted differently.

✨ An unforgettable dining experience at Nautilus!
My boyfriend, my mum and I had dinner at Nautilus and were absolutely blown away. The service was incredibly boujee—in the best way—and we were treated like royalty from the moment we arrived.
Our servers, Lewis (or Louis) and Elouise, were absolute angels. Their warmth, attention to detail and genuine care made the night feel truly special. Also, while we were taking photos another staff member kindly asked if we would like him to take photos of us all, and he had taken plenty for us!
• 10/10 service.
• 10/10 food.
• 10/10 breathtaking views.
If you’re visiting the islands, I highly recommend making Nautilus part of your trip. It’s a one‑of‑a‑kind experience that you’ll remember long after you leave.

Confusing place. We visited one evening for a drink — we were staying locally. Sat outside (inside was clearly for in house guests and our preference was for outside anyway). Felt a bit like Siberia as we waited an age for service. Great spot for a drink, drinks were great and the lovely waitress who eventually served us was delightful. We decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and bring the rest of the family back a few nights later for the NY poolside party advertised on the blackboard out front as being open to all from 8pm. I checked with reception on our way out to confirm this was OK — she said NY was for in-house guests only. When I told her about the blackboard out front she knew nothing about it but said if that’s what it said it must be right. We had a delightful dinner elsewhere and headed to nautilus at 8.15pm. Jumped on by the Maitre D who couldn’t even manage a hello — rather just a ‘you’re here too early’. Plainly he hadn’t seen the sign either? Anyway — we stayed for a drink — sat outside in Siberia again — there was no vibe and no service. In house guests appeared put out that ‘outsiders’ were walking past their table by the door to access the bar (we had to given nobody came to us). We left after that. Went down the road and had a fabulous night with brilliant service. Nautilus overall had a pretentious feel which isn’t compatible with Rarotonga and was by far the worst experience of our 10 day trip.

The Nautilus is absolute paradise — tropical gardens, waterfront on the lagoon, Mountains in the background. It really looks and feels like a tropical Polynesian resort. The location is absolutely bucket list worthy. Clear clean water, tropical fish. We saw turtles without any real effort. The food was exceptional; every meal was great. Cocktails by the pool… the standard of the workmanship and maintenance in the Are’s is very high. Everything felt solid, clean and well maintained. We spent everyday swimming in the lagoon. It did rain but it didn’t affect our swimming as the lagoon is so warm and clear. There are deep area’s in the lagoon to swim with ease or shallow parts where you can stand and just watch the busy marine life fluttering around. The staff are truly beautiful, kind, attentive and genuinely wanting us to have the best stay possible. We absolutely loved our stay and would highly recommend to anyone who loves tropical islands, exotic flower gardens, natural beauty and incredible service. We felt the standard was very high and wanted to offer our appreciation to Janet, Justin, Marielle, Tex, Rho, Vahisi, Ron, Aileen, the chefs and the house keeping who kept our room clean, the tireless working grounds keepers. I wish we could remember to name every person we spoke to. The staff were upbeat, professional and happy which was lovely. Nothing was too much trouble. The incredible spa ladies – thank you for our much-needed pampering.

Had lunch here and to check out rooms etc for a future visit. Staff are incredible and counts help enough. Food was exquisite and very reasonably priced.
Nice sandy beach and great swimming. Very safe for the grandchildren and if you don't like the salt water they have an infinity pool overlooking the beach.
Would definitely recommend this resort if you're planning a stay in Raro.

Was so looking forward to our Christmas lunch, yet so disappointed once we arrived.
One mimosa on arrival and nothing for those adults that don’t drink alcohol, besides sprite.
For $160 a head some complimentary sparkling water would have been great. The pasta was hard, lamb chewy and raw fish mushy … to the pastry chef well done on the deserts.
What a shame as it’s such a lovely resort. For $160 a head, we hoped it would have been amazing. Wouldn’t book again.
On a positive note beluga and tamarind house are exceptional …
Thank you to the lovely hostess that was in our area, you were very kind … merry Christmas to you …

The staff were soooo accomodating, so lovely and extremely helpful. Special shoutout to Justin and Katut who were amazing on multiple occasions as we went to nautilus a few times on our trip. The cocktails were the best on the island too!

We stayed for a couple of days here, had to move rooms from beachfront to next door then to a suite. Nautilus was lively, beachfront lovely as long as sunny and not windy. Suite further back but has a lovely courtyard with small (cold) pool. But great to have the space with spots in sunny seating in another area. Food pretty good, could have been better for the cost, but offset by some amazing staff that made it feel like a family.

Stunning rooms, lovely staff, fantastic restaurant. Great location and beautiful gardens. Photos don’t do it justice. Lovely and quiet. All the amenities provided as well as reef shoes and snorkelling gear. A perfect getaway.

We spent one beautiful week at the Nautilus resort when visiting Rarotonga for a wedding. We were greeted by the most friendly staff and atmosphere. Located on the beach with a infinitypool the resort has a great location. Free use of snorkeling gear and kayaks made watersports easy. The dogs and cats were all very friendy and hard to say goodbye to. Would definitely stay here again when ever we’re coming back!

We went for a beach side bungalow with pool, and it was amazing. Great location and very friendly staff. (Plus it’s a five minute walk from the Muir night markets which was a great way to grab dinner a couple times a week. ) we would definitely stay here again.

We came for dinner here recently, to celebrate our anniversary. We ordered the sourdough bread, I ordered the Catch of the Day, and my husband ordered the Black Angus beef. My fish was undercooked, and the accompanying roasted vegetables were way overcooked. The beef was good but portions were small to the point that he had dessert, which he almost never does. We both ordered the Pina Colada cheesecake, but were served a mango cheesecake with no explanation. Delicious but disappointing. Service was fine. Although I mentioned it was our anniversary when I booked online, nothing was said. We thought for the size of the portions, prices were high and there are lots of other restaurants to try next time.

We recently visited the Cook Islands to celebrate our 20th anniversary and wanted to find special places to dine during our week-long stay. Thanks to Cook Islands Pocket Guide, I didn’t need to do much digging. The Guides list Nautilus Restaurant among the top 10 places to eat in Rarotonga and as the best fine dining spot in Muri — and they weren’t wrong. What an experience!
Although we weren’t staying at the resort, it didn’t matter — the service was exceptional from the moment we reconfirmed our booking by phone to the end of the evening. Our friendly waiter, Katut, was generous in offering to take several photos for us, and he remained attentive to everyone’s comfort as the winds picked up.
The restaurant’s view across the lagoon is stunning. We watched kayaks and paddleboarders (the light-up ones look magical at night), but with the island winds, I was happy to stick with my preferred activity: wining and dining.
The meals were beautifully presented. The Coconut Parrot Fish was one of the best seafood dishes I’ve ever had, and the Albacore Tuna Catch of the Day was generous and delicious.
When I mentioned our anniversary during booking, I hoped for a good table location. Not only did we get that — they surprised us with a complimentary dessert. A thoughtful touch that made the night even more special.
We highly recommend Nautilus as a place to celebrate any occasion — or simply as a memorable farewell dinner at the end of a great holiday.

The staff were top notch; welcoming and professional. They remembered our names, preferences and room number. The amenities ie: kayaks, snorkel gear and excursions were excellent.
As we have traveled, we will remember this Resort as one of the tops on our list. You've help make our 50th anniversary celebration seamless and delightful.