Anchor's Rest

Anchor's Rest is a house off Betela beach in Rarotonga's Arorangi district, set back on a half-acre of lawn and tropical garden. The beach here is wide and calm, rated among the safer swimming spots on the island. Inside, the lounge and dining rooms open onto a broad veranda, so meals and evenings drift outdoors without much thought. It is a good base for a group. Five bedrooms and three bathrooms sleep up to eleven guests, with two rooms holding their own en suite. The kitchen is modern and fully equipped, there is a washing machine with indoor and outdoor lines, and Wi-Fi and a television cover the quieter hours. A hammock hangs somewhere in the garden. Kayaks and snorkelling gear sit ready for the lagoon, though guests are told the masks and fins are a mixed lot left behind by past visitors. You can walk to a beach bar fifty metres along the sand for a sunset drink, and two local shops sit within easy reach. A short drive brings the wider spread of Rarotonga's cafés and casual restaurants into range. The lawn runs wide enough for children to roam while the sea stays close but not underfoot, a balance the house was clearly built around.