When visiting Kauai there are many sites to see and many places to stay. When looking for the right place to stay there are options and staying at one of the Kauai rentals on the beach can allow for a more intimate close stay on the beach. Staying at a beach rental can let you enjoy the beach in private.
Where should i stay in Kauai?
Unless you are planning to pitch a tent or stay with friends, you basically have three choices for accommodations on Kauai: Stay at a budget hotel, use a timeshare unit, or rent a house/condo. Each have their advantages.
Kauai Hotels
Whether you want a budget hotel just to sleep in or a beautiful resort to luxuriate in, you can find either one and most everything in between. The benefits of staying at a hotel, depending on which category of accommodations you chose, may include transportation from the airport, daily maid service, resort amenities and the ability to stay for short periods of time. If you are staying on
Kauai for less than a week, a hotel is probably the way to go.
The down side is that it’s the most expensive type of accommodations on the island. You’re paying a significant rate for a small room, without as much space to spread out. Most hotel room will have no kitchen facilities, and if you’re the type to prefer eating out for every meal, or have plenty of money to spend on dining out, that’s not a problem. But if you are traveling within a tight budget and are happy to fix your own meals for at least part of the trip (and therefore, save a substantial amount of food costs), staying at a hotel without kitchen facilities may not make the most sense for you.
There are some beautiful hotels on Kauai if you are looking for luxury: The Kauai marriott timeshare rentals, The Hyatt Regency Kauai and The Princeville Hotel, to name a few. And there are several quality mid-range, hotels to choose from as well, including the Islander on the Beach or Aloha Beach Resort, and more. Check with Hotwire to find great rates at these quality mid-range hotels.
The selection for low budget hotels isn’t as great on the island, but there still are a few worth staying at. Rates at the little Tip Top Motel are in the $50 range.
When staying at a hotel, maid service is included and there are no additional cleaning fees. Some hotels are charging an energy surcharge, and all will add approximately 11.5% in taxes to your bill.
Kauai Timeshares
One of the most affordable options for kauai budget accommodation is staying at a timeshare resort. Many people own timeshares and are able to exchange into a resort on Kauai. This cuts down considerably on your costs, since you have already paid your fees for the unit. However, just because you don’t own a timeshare doesn’t mean you can’t use one. There are actually a lot of kauai timeshare rental units available for rent at good prices. I have found that renting a timeshare unit from an owner who is not going to be using their week for that year is an affordable way to stay comfortably on Hawaii. One great company to check out is SellMyTimeshareNow.com, a site that advertises timeshare resales and rentals for their clients. Prices that can be found are extremely low, and all the resorts offered are high-end. Most of the timeshare resorts on Kauai are lovely and the units are in good repair and in desirable locations. Diamond Resorts the Point at Poipu for example, is located directly on a white sandy beach on the southernmost tip of Kauai and boasts large private lanais and enormous living rooms allowing you plenty of space; while some are studio or 1 bedroom units, most are two bedroom, two bath units that accommodate six people. Diamond Resorts International is a popular timeshare brand with three locations in Hawaii, the others being the Ka’anapali Beach Club and Papakea Resort both in Lahaina. (You can learn more about this brand along with other Kauai timeshare rentals by visiting SellMyTimeshareNow.com.)
When staying at a timeshare, you pay no cleaning fees, but will have to pay a timeshare tax between $30 and $50 for the week, based on the size of your unit.
The drawback to staying at a timeshare is that it is the most restrictive. You have to go when the week is available. There is usually little flexibility of dates once the week has been reserved. Sometimes the owner of the week is able to request & reserve the specific week you want. Either way, you are locked into a seven day stay that cannot easily be changed if your plans change.
Kauai Condos/Homes (Vacation Rentals)
Condos in Kauai Renting a condo on Kauai from either a vacation rental company or directly from an owner can be an excellent option. Benefits include being able to spread out in a space all your own, ranging from cute little studios to beautiful 5 (or more) bedroom estates, as well as the option to choose the dates and length of stay that best fit your schedule (unlike a timeshare unit where you are locked into specific check in and check out dates). If you are traveling with a group of 4 or more people, or with a family who enjoys spending a lot of time together, renting a condo or home that everyone can fit comfortably in is a much more desirable option than booking multiple hotel rooms.
The drawback to renting a condo is that it can be more expensive than getting a timeshare unit, and les flexible than a hotel, and you will have cleaning fees (anywhere from $75 to $250) added on to the rent. If staying for more than a week, the cleaning fees are usually not cost prohibitive. However if you are planning to stay only a few days, the cleaning fees are like to be the same as if you were to stay two weeks, and when you average it out as a cost per day, it can get to be quite expensive.
In addition to cleaning fees, you will be paying tax of approximately 11.5%. There are many sources online for home & condo rentals. Many owners have their own website which is great–I want to see lots of pictures and have detailed information before I consider renting a home, and I would advise you to do your homework.