The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook - Reviews & Aerial Photos Of Resorts

Many of the resorts claim to be oceanfront. But are they really? How close are they to the ocean? Pictures speak for themselves. Below are links to our own aerial photos of over 70 hotels and condos on the island. We have labeled the buildings on many of them so you can see for yourself what might be the best part of each resort to stay in. Refer to the candid reviews of each resort in our 8th edition of, The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, to see if you even want to stay there at all. (Some may be dumps.) We sometimes refer to specific buildings or wings in our reviews, steering you away from some parts of the resort and toward others to maximize your stay.

All prices given are rack rates, meaning without any discounts. Tour packages and direct Internet booking will often bring better rates. Most resorts offer discounts for stays of a week or more, and some will negotiate price with you. Some won’t budge at all, while others told us no one pays rack rates. Also, these prices are subject to taxes of around 13.5%.

The (Solid Gold Value) indicates that the property is exceptionally well priced for what you get. The (A Real Gem) means that this hotel or condominium offers something particularly special, not necessarily related to the price.

These are subjective reviews. If we say that rooms are small, we mean that we’ve been in them, and they feel small or cramped to us. If we say that maintenance is poor, we mean that the paint might be peeling, or the carpets are dingy or it otherwise felt worn to us.

HOTELS: All hotel rooms described have air conditioning, an activity or travel desk, telephones, small refrigerators, lanais (verandas), cable TV and have cribs available upon request. None has room service unless otherwise noted. If you are a smoker, call about smoking policies because most hotel rooms in Hawai‘i are designated non-smoking.

CONDOS: One of the confusing aspects about renting a condo, cottage or house on Kaua‘i is the fact that there’s no central rental source for many individual properties. Most condo complexes, whether large or small, consist of individually owned condominiums. Individual owners have the prerogative of renting their units through any rental agent they choose. Consequently, a 50-unit condo resort might be represented by many rental agents. Usually (but not always), prices for comparable units within a given resort are equivalent through different agents. When we describe a particular resort, we will often give the names or phone numbers of one or two companies that dominate the rental pool. But realize that this does not always do justice to the entire property. When we describe rates, it is for the larger rental agents. Different agents have different policies for the same complex.

Also realize that condominium owners usually have complete autonomy in how they furnish their individual units. Consequently, a resort that we describe as a good deal might have individual units that are not as hot. (Notice how we neatly cover our ‘okoles, so that if you get a less-than-charming condo in a resort we recommend, we can always say you got one of the few duds there.)

Many condos have minimum stays—usually three nights. We don’t always list this because it changes with different rental companies. More and more rental agents are also requiring you to pay all of your condo rental costs before you arrive. It may make you nervous, but you might not have a choice if you’re intent on staying at a particular place.

Three bedroom/two bath units are described as 3/2, two bedroom/one bath units are described as 2/1, etc. Differentiation between half baths and full baths is not made. The price spread for rooms of a given size is due to different views, different locations within the resort and seasonal fluctuations. So when you see that a 2/2 unit rents for $140–$180, you should figure that $180 units have a better view or are closer to the water. The terms Oceanfront, Ocean View and Garden View are used rather capriciously in Hawai‘i, so you should be skeptical of them.

Unless otherwise noted, all rooms come with telephones, complete kitchens, washer/dryers in unit, coffee makers, lanais (verandas), cable tv, ceiling fans and have cribs available upon request. Maid service is usually not available, and none have air conditioning unless otherwise noted. (On Kaua‘i, trade winds often make a/c unnecessary, and few opt for it.) Most condos also have an additional cleaning fee and charge more at Christmas. If you are a smoker, you will want to check policies before you book. Most condos don’t allow smoking in the units, and some even restrict you from smoking on the lanai and property grounds, too.

On some photos you'll notice that the ocean isn't always blue. That's usually because the coral reef from below is showing and light can play funny tricks when you're taking aerial photos. We're telling you this so you don't misinterpret it to mean the water is nasty there. (Except in front of Waimea Plantation Cottages, where it really is nasty, due to it's proximity to the muddy Waimea River.)

(Sorry for the fairly large graphic, but it's necessary because of the number of resorts on the map.)