# Please help me pick a resort on Kauai for next summer



## uscesq (Jun 26, 2012)

Planning on Kauai next summer and need help.  I'm betting this group has stayed at every resort on Kauai so I figured why not draw on that collective wealth of knowledge.

Family (6 of us) has settled on Kauai but we want to try a new resort.  We've stayed at the Westin at Princeville and the Westin on Maui (both the hotel and the timeshare).  Love the space and cost of the timeshares.

LOVED the Westin resort at Princeville (decor, resort amenities, comfort of beds) but didn't like the fact that we had to walk down a steep trail to get to a beach that wasn't very user friendly (lots of rocks to wade through to get to the water and the snorkeling was nothing like outside the resort on Maui).

Also, really like the layout of the Westin timeshares because of the separate studio lock-off.  My sister and her husband will be traveling with us and it's nice for them to have their privacy, rather than just another bedroom in a suite.

We like a resort with the option of on-site dining and cocktails and prefer easy beach access for the kids.

So, where should I stay?  Thanks, folks!


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## Kona Lovers (Jun 26, 2012)

Check into all of them.  We own at the Pono Kai in Kapaa, and love it.

Aloha,

Marty


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## cissy (Jun 26, 2012)

I like Marriott's Kauai Beach Club.


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## chellej (Jun 26, 2012)

Maybe someone else will confirm but I think the westin is the only one that has the lock out. We liked the Westin but it was not our favorite.  

We have stayed at:

 Hanalei Bay resort....loves the location and the resort, steep but paved walk to nice beach that is shared with the old princeville resort, they do have carts that will come and take you back and forth, nice tennis courts but older units and no onsite dining.

Pahio Shearwater: great views but no onsite activites, or beach access, standard 2 bedroom units, very small pool

Pahio Ka ' o Kee - nice but older units - no onsite dining or beach access

Pahio Beach Resort - nice but older units, hotel with resurants next door, beach access but not a good swimming or snorkeling beach, standard 2 bedroom units

Kauai coast resort (Shell) - beautiful rooms but standard  2 bedrooms, great resturant, beach access but definitely not a swimming or snorkeling beach, can walk to coconut marketplace for dining and shopping

Marriott Kaui Beach Resrt - beautiful resort, nice family friendly beach, great dining but only has "kitchettes" as far as I know, great pool


Our favorites are the Shearwater, Hanalei bay and Kauai coast (Shell)


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## artringwald (Jun 26, 2012)

Over the years we've stayed at 14 different resorts in Hawaii. Our favorite of all of them is still the Point at Poipu, although it sounds like you have different requirements than we do. The pool is very kid friendly for young children. The pool side bar and grill is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It has no beach, but the Hyatt next door has a beach, shops, and restaurants. For one of the best family beaches in Hawaii, Poipu Beach is one mile away and has great snorkeling, safe swimming for kids, picnic tables, showers, and a playground. However, nearly all the units are 2 bedroom. Here's some pictures: http://artringwald.smugmug.com/Travel/The-Point-at-Poipu


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## Eagle7304 (Jun 26, 2012)

How about the Marriot Waiohai Beach Club in Poipu. We toured it and would love to stay there some day. We like the idea of being able to walk to the beach. Unfortunately, they are two bedroom timeshares that do not lock off, but it looked like there was plenty of room


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jun 26, 2012)

uscesq said:


> LOVED the Westin resort at Princeville (decor, resort amenities, comfort of beds) but didn't like the fact that we had to walk down a steep trail to get to a beach that wasn't very user friendly (lots of rocks to wade through to get to the water and the snorkeling was nothing like outside the resort on Maui).
> 
> Also, really like the layout of the Westin timeshares because of the separate studio lock-off.  My sister and her husband will be traveling with us and it's nice for them to have their privacy, rather than just another bedroom in a suite.
> 
> ...


Of all of the resorts on Kauai I think the Marriott Kauai Beach Club is the only one that meets all of those criteria.

- lockout units
- on-site dining and cocktails
- great children's beach right outside the door.

In addition, being in Lihue it is centrally located to get to almost any part of the island. It also has a wonderful on site swimming pool in addition to the beach. The only disadvantage is that the units are converted hotel rooms, which means the kitchens are not fully equipped.  If you're planning to eat dinners out most of the time that's not much of an issue though.


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## daventrina (Jun 27, 2012)

The Point at Poipu, or one of the Marriott's .
Keep in mind that the   Marriott Kauai Beach Club sits inside the harbor. But the beach is well protected and is located close to Lihue.
The Hyatt is nice and in a good location, but not timeshare.


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## RichardL (Jun 27, 2012)

*Best in Kaui*

Try the new Marriott Lagoons which is built next to the Marriott Beach Resort Lihue.  Designed to be originally a high end resort like the Four Seasons but the opened as a new Marriott.  Unit are very very upscale.  You have access to the Marriott Beach Resort.

I like the location of the Marriott at Poipu, the beach is wonderful.  The resort is very mellow and comfortable.

I still appreciate and like to go to the Westin Princeville, because Princeville is a small sleepy town and I like the vibe.  I would not ever consider going down a goat path to the beach.  However, on a scale of 10, going to the sister
St. Regis hotel and using its pool facility and "beach club" is a 20.  I tipped the beach boy and got 2 lounges, an umbrella, and water and cold grapes on occasion.  The beach had a view that was fantastic and the surf was mild. It is paradise, but so is all of Kaui.


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## gomike (Jun 27, 2012)

Marriot Waiohai Beach Club


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## jlr10 (Jun 27, 2012)

We have stayed at both Marriotts,  Hanalei Bay and the Point at Poipu.

Kauai Beach Marriott has the lock offs, restaurants and a sandy beach.  it is close to the airport and a beautiful large resort.  But it was built as a hotel and still feel more like a hotel to us, and although it has a beach it is not what I typically picture when I think Hawaiian beach.  It is a harbor where cruise ships can dock, but is very protected providing mostly flat waves. It ha one of the largest pools in Kauai and the resort is very lush.  It has a mini kitchen and small fridge.  if you don't mind the tiny kitchen it would be a good choice.

Marriott Waiohai has the best beach access. Walk out the door and there you are on a great beach. It also has several pools, including one for kids, and a quiet relaxation one, intended for adults but quiet children are welcome. But no true restaurant, but a grill in the marketplace store, and some salads and sandwiches served at the bar in the middle of the day, and cocktails into the evening. There are restaurants across the street, and others within easy walking distance. No lockoffs, but nice sized rooms.  The laundry facilities are in the guest bathroom, so relatives would not get privacy if you do laundry.  This is a good choice for the beach location, and easy access to restaurants, and is a resort that is smaller and family feel oriented.

Hanalei Bay will have the best view, and have access to the Princeville beach, which is accessed via a paved road, with a hill that some find tiring on the way back. There is golf cart service to/from the beach upon request.  The units are not true lockoffs, but the master bedroom has a separate entrance, a private bath and its own lanai/balcony. The second bedroom also has a bath and access to a lanai/balcony that is shared with the living room.  There is no restaurant on site, as it was burned last year.  Reconstruction is supposed to start in the fall, and may, or may not be completed by sometime next year. -Construction is Hawaii time so who knows how long it will take, and other than the St Regis there are not restaurants in walking distance.  There is a beautiful pool and spa that was just redone and they are putting new beds and soft goods in all the timeshare units, and starting on upgrades and bathrooms shortly.  The second phase will be a longer process, so travel next year would be a dice roll on whether you got the upgraded baths and kitchens.  There area also privately owned/rented units here, some of which are very nice, and offer stunning views of Hanalei Bay.

The point at Poipu is a beautiful resort. -Although I know there are issues with water intrusion and management, we still thought the resort was stunning.  The two bedrooms are separated. So although not lock offs there would be some feel of privacy. We found the living space to be smaller than the other resorts but found the rooms to be in nice conditions, and some have nice ocean views, but not on the beach.  I can't comment on the dining as DH stayed here and ate in the unit. I only joined him for the last 2 days and we went out both days so I never looked into a cocktail or eating situation. They have a large pool with easy entry which is great for kids, and I believe had a snack bar or grill next to it.  I don't think I would want to own here due to ongoing management issues but I would take a trade here and be quite happy.

I am not sure if you will find all you are looking for in any one resort on Kauai, so you may need to prioritize on what is most important.  Any of these four resorts would be a nice choice.

I would recommend reading the TUG reviews at they will give many opinions on what each resort has and does not have to offer.


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## PamMo (Jun 27, 2012)

We love the units at WPORV, too, and are looking forward to another stay there this fall. Like you, I wish it had better beach access. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in a 2BR oceanview suite (II trade) at the Marriott Kauai Beach Club last year. The resort is huge. It is part hotel/part timeshare, so there are LOADS of amenitities - gorgeous pool, several restaurants, shops, spa, craft markets, activities for kids, etc. The beach on Nawiliwili Bay is sheltered, so it's nice for hanging out or learning how to surf or paddleboard. (Although we had a lot of chop and 4' waves the day we took lessons.) We weren't sure how we'd like the Lihue location, but we loved it. We always do a lot of driving in Kauai, so it was nice to have a home base with everything you need close by. I just wish the units had a full kitchen and washer/dryer.

We've stayed at the Sheraton Resort in Poipu while friends were at Waiohai, and I wouldn't hesitate to book a week or two at Waiohai in the future.

Does anyone know with the water intrusion issues at the Point at Poipu - will the resort be undergoing major construction for a long while? I would be concerned with disruption and noise there.


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## uscesq (Jun 27, 2012)

Thanks all, what great feedback.  This is EXACTLY what I was hoping for.

Does anyone know if people staying at the Westin Princeville have beach and pool privileges at the St. Regis?  The last time we stayed there the St. Regis was still under construction.

You've all helped me significantly narrow my search.  Thanks again.


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## PamMo (Jun 27, 2012)

There is a free shuttle that runs between WKPORV and the St Regis. They also have free valet parking for WKORPV guests. You can eat/drink in any of the restaurants/bars at St Regis and charge the bill to your room, and use the roped off section of the beach. They have lounge chairs and bar service on the beach, but only registered St Regis guests can use the pool. Some WPORV guests have posted that they were able to use the pool, but I have seen several guests asked to leave when they could not produce a room card. Rules clearly state that the pool is for registered St Regis guests only.


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## daventrina (Jun 28, 2012)

PamMo said:


> Does anyone know with the water intrusion issues at the Point at Poipu - will the resort be undergoing major construction for a long while? I would be concerned with disruption and noise there.


I would expect that the construction will take a while (years not months). I would expect that it will be a building by building basis. The Tahoe resort construction has been managed this way.  There will likely be an impact on availability. The work at Tahoe seems to have limited disruption and not a significant noise impact if it is an example of how the work will be completed the Point. We sure hope it comes out nice. It sure cost us enough.
 I included some photos and a short note about the work at Tahoe here.


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## artringwald (Jun 28, 2012)

PamMo said:


> Does anyone know with the water intrusion issues at the Point at Poipu - will the resort be undergoing major construction for a long while? I would be concerned with disruption and noise there.



This is the schedule according to the owner's presentation:
2012 Building 4
2013 Building 6 then Building 2
2014 Building 3 then Building 8
2015 Building 9 then Building 5
2016 Building 7 then Building 1
2017 Building 10, Lobby then Shop Building

Their web site says that construction has started, but I haven't seen anything to confirm that. The wind and the crashing waves should help mask the construction noise.


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## daventrina (Jun 29, 2012)

artringwald said:


> This is the schedule according to the owner's presentation:
> ....


Thanks for the update....


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## tfalk (Jun 29, 2012)

uscesq said:


> Does anyone know if people staying at the Westin Princeville have beach and pool privileges at the St. Regis?



Beach - yes... Pool - no, according to WPORV.COM 

"The hotel pool is not available to the Westin Condo guests although charging priveledges are granted"


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## MichaelColey (Jun 29, 2012)

We've stayed at Kae'o Kai, the Point at Poipu and Kauai Beach Villas.  We loved both Kae'o Kai and the Point at Poipu.  We didn't like KBV as much, but I think it really depends on whether you get an ocean view unit or not (we didn't).


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## rickandcindy23 (Jun 29, 2012)

What exchange companies can you use?

When exactly are you going (you said summer, but when?).

And do you have an internal trading preference? 

If you don't have Starwood preference, you got a pretty lucky exchange.  

If you have Marriott preference, then you have a good chance to get a Marriott.

But if you don't have Marriott preference, then the chances of you getting something at a Marriott in the summer, especially a large unit, is not likely. 

I think the Westin is the best for luxury, so for me, walking to the beach is a minor inconvenience.  I would take the Westin second to Wyndham Shearwater, and if you don't have the ability to exchange through RCI, you cannot get Wyndham's Shearwater.


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## KauaiMark (Jul 1, 2012)

*KBC...*



cissy said:


> I like Marriott's Kauai Beach Club.



"...option of on-site dining and cocktails and prefer easy beach access for the kids."

Also a vote for Marriott's Kauai Beach Club


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 1, 2012)

KauaiMark said:


> "...option of on-site dining and cocktails and prefer easy beach access for the kids."
> 
> Also a vote for Marriott's Kauai Beach Club



Agreed. If you go back to the criteria the OP listed, the only resort on Kauai that meets the listed criteria is Kauai Beach Club. If those criteria are what the OP wants, then KBC is what the OP should be looking for.


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