Pae Moana is a beautiful house, but very unsafe due to the lack of basic security procedures that are common in other homes on the island. My family and I were robbed on our first night there: intruder(s) entered the house around 4am, came into the bedroom where I was sleeping with my 5-year-old son, and stole my phone; when I was awakened by the intruders’ presence in the bedroom, they fled.
There were no signs of forced entry after the crime; the property manager of Pae Moana admitted to the police that she regularly left a spare key on the patio for the use of the gardener, employees of the transport company that drops off and picks up guests, as well as others. Unlike other high-end homes on Rarotonga, Pae Moana has no alarm system; according to locals, home invasions are common in the neighborhood where Pae Moana is located, and local people know which homes have security systems and which do not. Pae Moana, which was purpose-built for wealthy tourists, is therefore a prime target; lacking basic security, and with a spare key left outside and known to numerous people, it is a sitting duck. Anyone staying there will be at risk of the same experience we had. You can verify these claims and see the original police reports at paemoanarobbery dot com.
For our safety, we left Pae Moana immediately after giving our reports to the police. Despite the evidence of the property manager’s negligence, the owners have refused to refund the NZ$3,500 (US$2,200) I paid them in advance for a week-long stay. Not only that, but they have denigrated us to anyone who would listen as being somehow at fault for the crime, and “foolish” for not wanting to stay in the house after it occurred. As soon as we vacated the property, they relisted it for rent to others. Their total lack of concern for their guests’ basic safety, and their willingness to blame crime victims for their traumatic experience, speaks volumes.
The owners of Pae Moana live in New Zealand, and own a building company; their experience in the hospitality industry is apparently very limited—according to the Cook Islands tourism director, who personally called and wrote to them, urging them to return my payment in the name of common decency, and the norms of the hospitality business. This was to no avail. Of course, the owners of Pae Moana never have to face the people who are hurt at their property; they just pocket the money, and continue to put their guests at risk.
Pae Moana Reviews
Pae Moana is a beautiful house, but very unsafe due to the lack of basic security procedures that are common in other homes on the island. My family and I were robbed on our first night there: intruder(s) entered the house around 4am, came into the bedroom where I was sleeping with my 5-year-old son, and stole my phone; when I was awakened by the intruders’ presence in the bedroom, they fled.
There were no signs of forced entry after the crime; the property manager of Pae Moana admitted to the police that she regularly left a spare key on the patio for the use of the gardener, employees of the transport company that drops off and picks up guests, as well as others. Unlike other high-end homes on Rarotonga, Pae Moana has no alarm system; according to locals, home invasions are common in the neighborhood where Pae Moana is located, and local people know which homes have security systems and which do not. Pae Moana, which was purpose-built for wealthy tourists, is therefore a prime target; lacking basic security, and with a spare key left outside and known to numerous people, it is a sitting duck. Anyone staying there will be at risk of the same experience we had. You can verify these claims and see the original police reports at paemoanarobbery dot com.
For our safety, we left Pae Moana immediately after giving our reports to the police. Despite the evidence of the property manager’s negligence, the owners have refused to refund the NZ$3,500 (US$2,200) I paid them in advance for a week-long stay. Not only that, but they have denigrated us to anyone who would listen as being somehow at fault for the crime, and “foolish” for not wanting to stay in the house after it occurred. As soon as we vacated the property, they relisted it for rent to others. Their total lack of concern for their guests’ basic safety, and their willingness to blame crime victims for their traumatic experience, speaks volumes.
The owners of Pae Moana live in New Zealand, and own a building company; their experience in the hospitality industry is apparently very limited—according to the Cook Islands tourism director, who personally called and wrote to them, urging them to return my payment in the name of common decency, and the norms of the hospitality business. This was to no avail. Of course, the owners of Pae Moana never have to face the people who are hurt at their property; they just pocket the money, and continue to put their guests at risk.