Tourist Hotel For
p. 36 · Read in the full issue
Rarotonga
MR. JIM PRICE, an American, who first went to Rarotonga about five years ago as skipper of his yacht Myrtle-S, and later returned
from Honolulu to a job in the Raro tonga power station and more re cently was engineer in A. B. Donald & Co.’s vessel Charlotte Donald, is reported to be building a native-style hotel at Muri, Rarotonga.
At present accommodation for visi tors to Rarotonga is restricted, most
of the accommodation in the Govern ( ment-operated Rarotonga Hotel a:; Avarua being occupied permanently by Administration and business-firm staff. A special annex has been buili in the hotel grounds to house the staff of the NAC aircraft when the plane stops overnight, but other round-trippers often have difficulty in finding private accommodation ano when they do it may be of a very poor standard, indeed.
Mr. Price’s hotel, though several miles out of “town,” should be a dis< tinct tourist attraction if he can over come the transport problem to “town” and the rather heavy incidence o:< mosquitos in the area. Muri, on Ngatagiia Lagoon, on the east coas< of the island, is ideal for swimming and canoe sailing and is probably the most attractive coastal spot on Raro< tonga.
The hotel will, we understand, com sist of a central dining hall of palm ! thatched, open-sided construction, ano a series of small, native-style living’ huts.
As an American, Mr. Price shoulo know how to run a hotel the way dollar tourists like it run. The people of Rarotonga wish him gooo luck in his new venture which de-; serves to succeed.