The Rarotonga Sheraton was started in 1987, with funding from Italy and an Italian Contractor, who soon went bust. Another Italian company took over and the hotel was 80% complete by 1993, when Italy pulled funding over mafia allegations conected to the Italian company. Since then the hotel has been left to the elements.I found myself here in October 2004, on a round the world odyssey.
Unlike most places I either find myself, get tipped off about, or read about on a forum. The Sheraton features in the Moon Handbooks guide to the South Pacific (a recommended read if your travelling around the South Pacific btw). It has no protection or security whatsoever. I hired a scooter for the day, and stopped off for a visit.
Seen from the back of the hotel

All the patio doors were open to the rooms, some of them had been stripped of materials in the ceilings. Some were bare, but had a jacuzzi style bath fitted. The reception area had no fittings, wires hung from the ceiling incomplete. I scribbled a League of Gentlemen phrase on the wall in the reception area. It seemed funny at the time.

I climbed the stairs up to the roof, where an already open hatch gave me access to the roof. I do like a good roof!

Looking over the back of the hotel to the central mountain the island is built around

And a look over the front

A wander around the grounds, and it was back on the scooter to explore the island. I haven't played with the green saturation by the way, it really is like that out there. Taken with my trusty Canon A80, a good buy in 2004.

The Hilton group were rumoured to have bought the site in 2007, however I can't find much on the web to show any work actually started.