| Is there any red-blooded male living who has not | | | | has been able to avoid the high cost of working |
| thought aat least once of packing it all in and going | | | | through wholesalers and travel agents. By only |
| off to the South Seas? Well, this might be your | | | | taking direct bookings they have kept their rates |
| chance, particularly if you happen to have about | | | | 35% to 50% below comparable properties and |
| two million US to invest in a new business. The | | | | also have a higher net return per night. This has |
| popular private resort, Shangri-La Beach Cottages | | | | been one of the keys to their success as an |
| on Muri Beach, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, South | | | | ongoing business. Their goal has always been to |
| Pacific, is now for sale (Feb 2006), as the owner | | | | provide deluxe accommodation at a moderate |
| is considering retirement.The Cook Islands are | | | | price. They do seem to be succeeding at this and |
| located in the heart of Polynesia in the South | | | | as one former guest succinctly put it on the |
| Pacific. They lie about 700 miles west of Tahiti | | | | internet: "Shangri-La provides the best bang for |
| and about 1000 miles east of Samoa and Tonga. | | | | the buck on the island!"Shangri-La is a small private |
| Hawaii is about 2500 miles north, New Zealand | | | | resort that occupies a prime beachfront section |
| about 1800 miles to the southwest. The climate is | | | | directly on beautiful Muri Beach, considered the |
| tropical, similar to that of Hawaii and Tahiti. | | | | nicest beach on Rarotonga. There are twelve |
| Tourism is a year 'round industry. Rarotonga is | | | | deluxe cottages, a large swimming pool, office and |
| the largest of the 15 islands in the Cooks and the | | | | owner's deluxe beachfront two-story home. Five |
| main administrative centre.The population of the | | | | of the cottages are partial lagoon-view and seven |
| Cooks is about 15,000, with about 9,000 living on | | | | are garden cottages. This large property is 4544 |
| Rarotonga. The main island has banks, ATM | | | | sq. m., about 1.12 acres.Although there are resorts |
| machines and dozens of restaurants, shops and | | | | and accommodations all around Rarotonga, Muri |
| markets. There is a modern telephone and | | | | Beach is considered the top vacation spot. There |
| international communications system with internet | | | | are four little islets in the crystal-clear lagoon and |
| and e-mail access. Everyone speaks English, which | | | | the best snorkeling on the island starts adjacent |
| is the official language, along with Cook Islands | | | | to Shangri-La. Several of the top island |
| Maori. It is a stable self-governing democracy in | | | | restaurants are in walking distance, as are shops, |
| free association with New Zealand and a member | | | | vehicle rentals, the Internet Cafe, the Sailing Club |
| of the British Commonwealth. The people are | | | | and lagoon tours. All island tours stop at the |
| very friendly, with a vibrant local culture of dance, | | | | Shangri-La entrance on the main road.The |
| music and crafts. There is a low crime rate.There | | | | Shangri-La is next to the best snorkeling area on |
| is a large international airport that handles | | | | Rarotonga and they have complimentary |
| wide-body jets. There are about 17 flights a | | | | snorkeling gear for all guests. The kayaks are |
| week, which connect Rarotonga with New | | | | very popular with the guests, as there are four |
| Zealand, Los Angeles, Tahiti and Fiji. Onward | | | | islets within a few minutes' paddle of us. There |
| connections to Australia and Europe are | | | | are sunloungers adjacent to the beach, under a |
| well-timed. The main carrier is the well-regarded | | | | large almond tree and a nearby beach shower. |
| Air New Zealand and Pacific Blue---the low-cost | | | | The entire property is fully-fenced, except for the |
| carrier associated with Virgin Blue---now serves | | | | beachfront of course. The large parking area can |
| the Cooks from Australia and New Zealand.Visitor | | | | hold ten cars, or six cars and eight motorbikes |
| numbers to the Cooks have grown from about | | | | and is rarely filled to capacity. There is room for a |
| 40,000 a decade ago to about 80,000 a year | | | | couple of rental cars and motorscoooters if you |
| more recently. Projections show it reaching about | | | | desire to get into vehicle rentals for guests. The |
| 100,000 in the next few years. From the 1970s | | | | local bus also stops at the driveway entrance. |
| until about the late 1990s the only way to market | | | | Tropical plants abound on the property, including |
| Cook Islands' accommodations overseas was | | | | trees such as banana, papaya, mango, coconut |
| through "wholesalers" and travel agents. These | | | | palms and breadfruit and flowers such as hibiscus, |
| middlemen collectively take about 30-35% of | | | | gardenia, jasmine, bougainvillea and alamander. A |
| what the guests pay to stay at an | | | | large lawn fronts all the cottages on the T-shaped |
| accommodation. In the last several years the | | | | property.There are several local law firms that |
| internet and e-mail have opened up new ways of | | | | handle commercial matters and it is |
| marketing accommodations overseas and | | | | recommended that prospective purchasers |
| Shangri-La has been in the forefront of this more | | | | consider engaging a local firm to help assist them |
| lucrative "direct-booking only" system.With its | | | | in the purchase of any local business.No one |
| continuing popularity assured by excellent reviews | | | | connected to this article in any way has any |
| in Lonely Planet, Frommers, South Pacific | | | | connection whatsoever with the owner of |
| Handbook and travel websites such as Trip | | | | Shangri-La and/or its agents and the content |
| Advisor and Lonely Planet Thorn Tree, as well as | | | | herein is provided solely for informational and |
| word-of-mouth by their loyal guests, Shangri-La | | | | educational purposes to the general public. |