Unless you are planning to pitch a tent or
stay with friends, you basically have three choices for
accommodations on Kauai: Stay at a 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, 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 11.42% in taxes to your bill.
Kauai Timeshares
 One of the most affordable options for
Kauai accommodations 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 timeshare units
available for rent at really 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 usually the most affordable
way to stay comfortably on Hawaii. Most of the
timeshare resorts on Kauai are lovely and the units are in good
repair and in desirable locations.  They also allow you
plenty of space; while some are studio or 1 bedroom units, most
are two bedroom, two bath units that accommodate six
people.
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)
 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
11.42%. 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. Here are a few lists to get you
started.
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