# Lawai Beach Resort



## nygiants11991 (Mar 22, 2009)

I am looking for information on the Lawai Beach Resort.


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## DeniseM (Mar 22, 2009)

Here's the TUG Review.

We stayed there a couple of years ago and I really liked everything about the resort, except we were on the first floor and it was very noisy at night.  I had a terrible time sleeping, because there is no AC, so you can't close the windows.  We were in the Banyon Bldg.  The Coral Bldg. backs up to the parking garage, can also be noisy, and some units have no view.  

I would love to go back there, or even own there, but only if I could be guaranteed a high floor in the Ali'i Bldg. - which is a quieter.  The resort is right across the road from a great snorkeling beach, and most units have an ocean view.  One more thing you should know is that right now there is a large construction project directly behind the resort.

Here's my trip report with pictures.

For more info., put this in the google search box - *"lawai beach resort" site:tugbbs.com*






*Likalani Bldg.---------Ali'i Building ----------------------Banyon Building-----------------Coral Building*


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## nygiants11991 (Mar 22, 2009)

Denise
Is the street in that separates the resort and the beach very busy?  Do you know if there is a site I can go to to see the room layouts?  Did I understand you correctly, that the ocean is muddy in front of the resort?
--Shanna


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## DeniseM (Mar 22, 2009)

It is pretty busy - it's the only road down the coast.  

You can go to their webpage - http://www.lawaibeach.org/ and see pictures.

You can also go to google, put Lawai Beach resort in the search box and then click *images*. Here you go - Google Lawai Beach Resort Images

Usually the water is not muddy and the snorkeling is great.  But sometimes during the winter rains, they have had major run off from the huge construction project in the area.  If you were looking at my webpage - that picture of the muddy water was taken at the Wiamea Plantation Cottages, which is no where near the resort.


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## DeniseM (Mar 22, 2009)

If you are thinking about buying there, the units are deeded to a particular building and a unit number in the Ali'i Bldg. should start with an A.  Seriously, I would not buy in any other building.


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## daventrina (Mar 23, 2009)

We have some photos of the resort in this set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dntanderson/779428058/in/set-72157600558592847/

and this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dntanderson/852964429/in/set-72157600558787416/


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## hibbeln (Mar 23, 2009)

We own at the building and have been going there for years with our kids.

The street in front of the house is the one road leading out to Spouting Horn and a small marina, but there is not a lot of traffic.  Most vehicles are coming to the beach you see to snorkel or surf.  So they're putzing along at about 15 mph looking out to check the waves and looking for a parking spot along the road.  Kind of like a residential street in a town.  Look before you cross.  Little-little kids should hold hands with you.  My kids scurry back and forth and I don't worry.  It's not like a 2 lane highway leading to a shopping mall or anything like that.
It's busiest on weekends when the surf is up in the summer and the locals are unloading their surfboards, but the very (!) limited parking keeps the overall numbers way down. 
At night the road is DEAD.


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## Conan (Mar 23, 2009)

We were happy with the location--a nice little beach, some modest snorkeling opportunities, and a great beachside restaurant for sunset-watching.  The road is not a problem, and many south coast attractions are a 10-min drive.

On the other hand, the rooms are about Best Western in quality.  We came there after staying at Shearwater on the north coast and in hotel terms I'd give Shearwater ***** and LBR **


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## daventrina (Mar 24, 2009)

rklein001 said:


> We were happy with the location--a nice little beach, some modest snorkeling opportunities, ...


For somewhat different snorkeling and diving, check out Koloa Landing up around the corner.... 
http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/Hawaii/Kauai/Koloa_Landing/index.htm

Here is the info for Lawai Beach
http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/Hawaii/Kauai/Lawai_Beach/index.htm


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## DeniseM (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi Dave!   

How's Trina feeling?  Can she dive?

I didn't know they snorkeled at Koloa - we'll have to try it!

We REALLY love to snorkel at Lawai Beach!


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## nygiants11991 (Mar 24, 2009)

DeniseM said:


> If you are thinking about buying there, the units are deeded to a particular building and a unit number in the Ali'i Bldg. should start with an A.  Seriously, I would not buy in any other building.



By your picture above the Banyon building doesn't look too bad.  Would you elaborate on your choice of the Alii building only.  We are looking for ocean front or at least a darn good ocean view.


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## nygiants11991 (Mar 24, 2009)

hibbeln said:


> We own at the building and have been going there for years with our kids.



Debi

What building do you own in?

--Shanna


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## DeniseM (Mar 24, 2009)

nygiants11991 said:


> By your picture above the Banyon building doesn't look too bad.  Would you elaborate on your choice of the Alii building only.  We are looking for ocean front or at least a darn good ocean view.



The Banyon Pool is 10 x busier than the other pools - many times there is no one at the other pools.  Plus the public beach parking is in front of the Banyon Bldg., on the resort side of the street, and it is right next to the busy entrance to the resort.  The drive way extends behind the building and when you are on the bottom floor, your open bedroom window is maybe 15 feet from the parked cars and 30 feet from the driveway.  We were in the last unit, on the bottom floor, of the Banyon Building, next to the driveway, pool, and public beach parking.  The noise never stopped - as far as sleep goes, it was the worst experience I've ever had in my life.

The Ali'i is at the other end of the driveway and has much less traffic, because it's at the far end of the resort, plus it's away from the busy pool, and beach parking, and resort entrance.


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## hibbeln (Mar 24, 2009)

We own in the Ali'i (actually will have one of our weeks up for sale here sometime soon).

We stayed in the Banyan Building one night once.  I think the Banyan units are nicer than the Ali'i.  But we prefer the Ali'i because it is straight in shape while the Banyan has a slight C curve to it.  So when you're sitting on the Ali'i balconies no one can see you eating breakfast in your pajamas.  On the Banyan you can see all the other balconies.  Not a big deal, really.  Banyan has a much more resort feel to it (think Mexico) because you have a really pretty pool setting right outside your balcony.  There is the activity that goes with the pool, which you will either love or not love.  Not that we've ever found the pool to be that crazy-busy.  And with occupancy in Hawaii so low it might be deserted.  Staying in the Ali'i almost feels more like staying in your own apartment. But the units are darker and older and don't have the fancy granite countertops.  Seriously though, Banyan or Ali'i I think you'd be very happy with.  Second floor on up on the Banyan building should give you an ocean view.


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## nygiants11991 (Mar 24, 2009)

Debi

Are they fixed units?  

--Shanna


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## DeniseM (Mar 24, 2009)

nygiants11991 said:


> Debi
> 
> Are they fixed units?
> 
> --Shanna



The building is fixed, the units are floating.


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## daventrina (Mar 25, 2009)

She is feeling better, the magic of clean, moist Hawaii Air.
Didn't dive this trip (or even snorkel). This trip was a whale watching mission and we saw whales every day.


DeniseM said:


> Hi Dave!
> How's Trina feeling?  Can she dive?


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## hibbeln (Mar 25, 2009)

Reservations open up 2 years in advance, so I mark the date on my calendar (or else we're there then) and I know exactly which units I want for each week.  I've never failed to get what I want (top floor is our favorite, we like the east end of Ali'i).
Ali'i is a "quiet" pool, so kids can only go in there if they are quiet quiet quiet.  Ha ha ha. Kids + Water = Noise.
My kids LOVE the Banyan pool and hot tub (I do too, they're so pretty and cool looking) so when we go to the pool that's where we go.  It's a 90 second walk over there.
If you were travelling with kids, Banyan would be nice because you could watch them from your balcony (if they're old enough) while making dinner, etc.


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## nygiants11991 (Mar 27, 2009)

DeniseM said:


> If you are thinking about buying there, the units are deeded to a particular building and a unit number in the Ali'i Bldg. should start with an A.  Seriously, I would not buy in any other building.



Are all the Alii units ocean view?


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## DeniseM (Mar 27, 2009)

nygiants11991 said:


> Are all the Alii units ocean view?



Yes - the Bld. is one unit deep with the living room and lanai towards the ocean.  Obviously, higher floors have better views.


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## hibbeln (Mar 27, 2009)

If you're in a 2 bedroom, the Ali'i master faces the ocean.  It is DIVINE to wake up in the morning and look out at the ocean.  That's one reason we like it more than Banyan.  In Banyan, the master is at the back (parking lot side) of the building).  Not that either one is bad, just preference.


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## DeniseM (Mar 27, 2009)

I didn't realize the 2 bdm. units have the living room facing the parking lot - that seems odd.    Since they still have the Lanai, I guess it doesn't matter, but guests would have to go through the bedroom to sit on the Lanai - could be a little awkward.


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## hibbeln (Mar 28, 2009)

Oh wait, no no no, that's not what I meant. :ignore:  I guess I didn't say that right.  *Here's what I meant....*

The Ali'i 2 bedrooms have a "double wide" lanai that stretches all the way across the living room AND master bedroom, *both* of which face onto the ocean.  So the lanai is really quite large and you can access the lanai and look at the ocean from *both* the living room and master bedroom.   The 2nd bedroom and the kitchen face out onto the parking lot.  But you can see the ocean from the kitchen because there is an open counter that lets you look from the kitchen across the dining room table through the living room and out onto the lanai.

Did that make more sense?


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## DeniseM (Mar 28, 2009)

Thanks Debi - that does make sense and it sounds great!


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