No matter if you’re on a tight budget or not, it’s important to plan your stay there carefully. The majority of lodgings available on the Easter Island are located in the village of Hangaroa. Depending on your travel budget, you can book a room in a well-appointed hotel, or choose to stay in a separate cabana, rent a room from the locals or even camp near the shore. There are over 50 accommodation opportunities there, but bear in mind that the expensive ones are not necessarily the better ones. Usually, meals are included in the price you pay for the hotels or small “residenciales” and you can easily arrange for transportation or guided tours if you’re a client.
For travelers who prefer to be comfortable and spoiled while on vacation, and can afford to pay for that, there are modern hotels with swimming pools. For example, one of the top hotels on the island is explora Rapa Nui – Posada de Mike Rapu, opened in 2007. The lodge is situated on a hill, overlooking the ocean, 5 miles away from Hangaroa. You can choose from one of the 30 rooms available here. In this case, luxury room rates start at around $2000 for three nights in a double room.
Another well-appointed hotel on the Island is the Hangaroa Eco Village and Spa. Here, tourists can benefit from a rich range of therapies and treatments. The spa also has a sauna and two outdoor jacuzzis. Price rates at this hotel start at 150 USD for a double room, in the high-season.
There are of course cheaper offers for those who are more interested in visiting the island and staying less in the room. Hotel Victoria, another place with an ocean view, has 17 free double rooms at the price of $120 per night but also gives families the opportunity to rent an apartment with only $180 per night. Another hotel you can stay in on Easter Island is the Vai Moana Hotel. Rates here for a standard double room start at $115.
The residenciales, guesthouses and cabanas are accomodations suited for budget travelers. For example, at Tadeo & Lili Guesthouse, a double room is only $85 per night. At Residencial Chez Cecilia, if you book a double room for three days you’ll pay $200, but if you book a fully equipped cabana for six persons it will cost you only $127 per night.
If you want to rent one of Mana Ora cottages it will cost you $80 per person, and at Cabana Cristophe, $110 per night.
And finally for the adventurers and open-air campers that come to the Easter Island there is camping Mihinoa, located in Hangaroa, facing the ocean. Here you can rent a room or stay in a tent in the campsite. Either way, the price to pay is small. For a double room, with a private bathroom, the owners charge $45 per night. If you chose to stay in a tent you pay $14 per night.
The best time to visit Easter Island is actually in the winter, when it’s mid-summer on the island. Because the weather is fine, there are a lot of different activities for tourists.
Tapati Rapa Nui, a big local festival takes place in the same period and all the beautiful beaches are opened for tourists that want to do snorkeling diving, fishing, who want to explore the caves on the island or even take horseback rides. That’s why, the January-February period is the busiest time on Easter Island and you have to be prepared for higher prices and crowded areas.