Where to Stay

Where to Stay in Kauai

If you’re planning a vacation to Kauai then you’re one lucky dog! It’s one of my favorite Hawaiian islands and probably the prettiest one at that. If you’re very far into the planning process, you’ve probably realized that picking the right place to stay is likely the trickiest (and most important) things you’ll have to do. Where you stay on Kauai can make or break your vacation and there are soooo many options that it can be overwhelming. Not to worry! I’m going to break it down for you, give you an overview of the island.

Side note: After you read up on the lay of the is(land) and know which part you want to stay on, check out these posts for specific recommendations:

7 Kauai budget hotels

12 Kauai beach resorts

20 cool Kauai Airbnb rentals

5 Best Family Friendly Resorts on Kauai

5 best Kauai honeymoon resorts

Top 10 luxury resorts in Hawaii

12 Favorite boutique hotels in Hawaii

Here’s everything you need to know about where to stay in Kauai:

Lay of the Land

Kauai is divided into four major sections (North Shore, East Shore, South Shore, and West Shore). Each section has its pros and cons and own individual personality. Depending on what you’re looking for and what’s most important to you (budget, convenience, stellar views, beautiful beaches, luxury resorts, etc.) one area of the island may be more desirable. Here’s a breakdown of Kauai’s four main areas:

North Shore: In my opinion, the north shore of Kauai is the most gorgeous place on the planet. It has beautiful beaches and the lush green mountainous landscapes that most people’s Hawaiian dreams are made of. As you might guess, it’s so lush because it rains more here than other parts of the island (especially in the winter). The north shore is home to the charming little surf town of Hanalei and some pretty spectacular luxury accommodations. While it’s stunningly gorgeous, it’s also a bit remote if you’re planning on exploring sites on the south and west sides of the island.

East Shore: The east shore is often referred to as the “coconut coast” and is the most developed part of the island. This is where you’ll find the most reasonably priced accommodations and it central location makes it a convenient location from which to explore the north and south shores. There are of course lovely beaches on the coconut coast (hello, this is Hawaii!) but you won’t find any awe inspiring backdrops as you will on the north shore and the amenities are usually not as convenient as those on the south shore. You’ll find more “local” beaches on the east side.

South Shore: Kauai’s south side is the driest and sunniest part of the island, which makes it very popular with tourists. There are plenty of big resorts so you’ll find plenty of shopping and dining options. You’ll also find a nice selection of beaches but expect them to be more crowded than beaches on other parts of the island. The south side is a convenient place from which to explore the west side (Waimea Canyon and Polihole beach) but not so convenient for seeing north shore sites.

West Shore: The west shore is definitely the least visited part of Kauai (except for visitors to Waimea Canyon) and not very many people stay here. It’s very barren, dry, and isolated, and not convenient to seeing the rest of the island. Really the only people who are going to be staying over here are hikers and backpackers.

RELATED: 15 Things to Do on Kauai

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Where to Eat on Kauai

Where to Stay on Oahu: Waikiki or Not?

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Oahu is Hawaii’s most visited island (largely because it’s home to the state’s capital, Honolulu, and its major tourist hub, Waikiki). Waikiki (a beachfront neighborhood in Honolulu) is home to about 95% of the island’s hotel rooms, so by default, it’s where most tourists end up. Waikiki is basically a big city on the beach. Think endless high rises, flashy shopping centers, all the major chain restaurants, and a million people. All of the major hotel chains are represented as well as plenty of budget options and even trendy new boutique hotels.

And then there’s the rest of the island. So the big question is…to stay in Waikiki or not?

Psst…once you finish reading this post and have a better idea of where you might like to stay, read these posts for specific suggestions:

25 amazing Oahu Airbnb Rentals

10 Oahu budget hotels

12 Oahu beach resorts

5 Best Family Friendly Resorts on Oahu

5 best Oahu honeymoon resorts

Top 10 Luxury Resorts in Hawaii

12 Favorite Boutique Hotels in Hawaii

Why You Might Like Waikiki

So…if it’s so crowded, why do people stay there? Simple. It’s Hawaii’s oldest resort area (the Moana Surfrider was built in 1901), and people have been flocking there ever since. It’s also a really beautiful beach with stunning views of Diamond Head in the background. Most people who have never been to Hawaii end up in Waikiki, usually because flights to Honolulu are cheaper than the other islands, and because they’ve heard of it. They think, “it’s popular for a reason…it must be where you’re supposed to go.”

Here are a few more reasons why people like staying in Waikiki:

You can find cheap hotels. Just like any major city, the more hotel rooms there are, the more competitive prices are.
You don’t need a car. Shuttles are a dime a dozen from the Honolulu airport to Waikiki and most visitors just stay in Waikiki/Honolulu and don’t venture out to the rest of the island.
Waikiki is pretty densely populated with attractions (museums, historic and cultural sites, the zoo and aquarium, etc.) so most of it’s easily walkable.
There’s a good (and reasonably priced) trolley system around Honolulu/Waikiki and Oahu has a decent public bus system for getting around to some of the major tourist attractions.
There’s a LOT of shopping. From luxury designer brands at the Ala Moana to major chain stores at the Royal Hawaiian Center, to cheap souvenir outlets everywhere, Waikiki is a shopper’s paradise.
There are a ton of restaurants. You’ll find major chains (Cheesecake Factory, Hard Rock Café, etc.) and pricey resort restaurants as well as local joints (as you venture away from Waikiki into Honolulu).

Why You Might NOT Like Waikiki

Now, a few reasons you may not like Waikiki:

It’s very crowded. On the beach, you’ll be shoulder to shoulder with fellow sun worshipers.
There’s soooo much traffic! Even if you have a car and you’re willing to get out and explore, expect a headache getting around.
There’s so much to see on the island besides Waikiki (the truly beautiful parts!) and getting around by bus isn’t too convenient.
If you do rent a car, many Waikiki resorts charge as much as $40/day to park it.
You may come home feeling like you’ve had more of a city vacation instead of an island vacation.

Where to Stay in Hawaii

If you’re planning a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, you’re in for a great time. It’s not the island that most first time visitors to Hawaii choose to visit (most favor Oahu or Maui) and it’s usually because they’re intimidated by its size (you really can’t see the entire island from one central location). Actually, all of the other Hawaiian Islands could fit inside the Big Island TWO TIMES. This is of course why they call it the Big Island. So yes, it can be overwhelming but the Big Island is home to some of the most spectacular sites in the world (the world-not just Hawaii) so it’s a shame to skip it just because the logistics are tougher to figure out. So here’s what you need to know to figure out where to stay in Hawaii:

The island is divided into two sides: Kona side and Hilo side.
The vast majority of visitors stay on the Kona side even though the island’s best attractions are on the Hilo side.
It’s a Big Island so it’s not really possible to stay on one side and drive back and forth to the other, which means if you want to see the whole island, you’ll need to stay in at least two places.

Side note: After you read up on the lay of the is(land) and know which part you want to stay on, check out these posts for recommendations:

25 fantastic Big Island Airbnb rentals

7 Big Island budget hotels

10 Big Island beach resorts

6 best family friendly resorts on the Big Island

5 best Big Island honeymoon resorts

Top 10 luxury resorts in Hawaii

12 favorite boutique hotels in Hawaii

Here’s an overview of the island broken down by area:

Kona Side

Kona side refers to roughly the entire West side of the island, including the town of Kailua-Kona (often referred to just as “Kona.” This is the dryer side of the island (no lush jungles or rainforests here) and it’s mostly barren lava fields as far as the eye can see. But no rain also means the best beaches (the vast majority on the Big Island are found on the Kona side) and therefore all of the resorts and condos. This side of the island is mostly made up of:

Kailua-Kona: This is where the main airport is and it’s a good home base for exploring this side of the island. There aren’t many beaches in Kona but you will find a lot of budget accommodation options. You can easily drive to beaches located north and south of town and you’ll be close to most of the island’s cultural and historic sites. You can also easily daytrip to the Pololu and Waipo valleys from here. One of the downsides of staying in Kona is how touristy it is. This is where the cruise ships dock so you can imagine what that entails but on the upside there are a lot of shopping and dining options.

Staying at the Fairmont Orchid, Big Island

There are many reasons why I love Hawaii, but high on the list is that good beach resorts are plentiful. Yes, I love to snorkel colorful reefs, hike to waterfalls, and stargaze atop volcanoes, but to me nothing says vacation like laying around the resort pool/beach eating guava popsicles, working on my tan, and reading the day away.

That’s why on my most recent trip to the Big Island, after snorkeling Kealakekua Bay, trekking to waterfalls in Hilo, and exploring the summit of Mauna Kea, I was beyond thrilled to check into the Fairmont Orchid for three days on doing absolutely nothing.

The Fairmont Orchid is a relaxed five star resort situated on 32 ocean front acres about 20 miles north of the Kona airport. With plenty of amenities including a pristine pool complex, golf, tennis, a spa, a sandy beach with good snorkeling, resident sea turtles, a handful of restaurants, and numerous cultural activities, it’s possible to be “busy” just taking advantage of everything the resort has to offer.

In this post, I’m going to share a travelogue of my stay at the Fairmont Orchid, give you a list of 15 things to do at the resort, and finish up with tips for enjoying your stay.

My Travelogue

This trip to the Big Island was a mother/daughter trip with my mom, my aunt, and my cousin (and extra special because we were celebrating my cousin’s high school graduation).

We checked into the Fairmont around noon on Saturday and they had a room already set for us. We had signed up for the Fairmont President’s Club and had received an email/text asking when we would arrive, so it was super nice having our room ready and waiting since we were itching to hit the pool!

It was a little overcast, but that didn’t stop us from finding some chairs at the pool and wasting the day away until sunset. I mostly spent the day reading, but I did take a few breaks to swim, and wonder around to check out the beach and the sea turtles. They come up on the beach to rest right in front of the pool.

RELATED: Not very familiar with the Big Island? Read up on the lay of the (is)land and my favorite beach resorts, budget hotels, Airbnbs, honeymoon resorts, family friendly resorts, luxury resorts, and boutique hotels.

We had dinner near the pool at Hale Kai (we ate here a few times and the avocado toast, margherita pizza, fish and chips, and lobster fried rice were all VERY good).

After dinner, we ventured out of the resort for the only time the whole three days we were there…for a Target run! I know. We needed some more books and sunscreen plus it’s always fun to see what a local Target has. Kind of a side note but the Target in Kona is great! They stock a lot of cover ups and dresses that most Targets don’t have, and I found a line called “Aloha Royale” with an awesome romper that I wore for the rest of the trip.

We arrived back to our room to a special surprise! We all LOVE chocolate covered strawberries so this was a huge treat.

We got up pretty early the next morning (I can never sleep late in Hawaii), and headed down to the Orchid Court to try their breakfast buffet. I loved it. First off, I love a buffet in general because I like to try a little bit of everything and be a bit more adventurous than I would if I was ordering off a menu. Also, there was POG (pineapple, orange, guava) juice and I have a tiny obsession with guava so I was happy. All of the American breakfast favorites were well-represented (eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, potatoes, etc.) plus some Asian favorites (I’ve never had noodles and pot stickers for breakfast!) and a very exotic looking Asian condiment section. There was a continental section with breads, bagels, muffins, pastries, etc. and a lot of fruit options.

After breakfast I stopped into the resort store to check out their swimsuits (so many cute ones!) and pick up a new sunscreen that I wanted to try. I highly recommend Coola if you’ve never used it before. 70% of the ingredients are organic (although it’s not reef safe) and it smells amazing!!

Next up I headed down to the pool deck to settle in for the day. I pretty much passed the day by reading, swimming, checking for turtles, strolling down to the beach, and hitting up Brown’s Deli for snacks (they had amazing locally made guava popsicles!).

We made dinner reservations at Brown’s Beach House for a special celebratory dinner. Here’s a tip: when eating at open air restaurants, I like to make reservations about 30 minutes before sunset so not only do you get dinner with an (even better) view, but it’s also not dark the whole time you’re eating dinner.

I’d wanted to try the lilikoi (passion fruit) margarita since I arrived and it was so good! Bread service was delicious and we all had various seafood entrees. I did a mix and match of a couple of side items (lobster tails and truffle mac and cheese).

We had a great meal and sunset along with the live music did not disappoint. The setting at Brown’s Beach House really is one of the best on the island. And to top it all off, our server Janice (who was so sweet!) brought out a celebratory dessert for us to share! It was the perfect last night in Hawaii.

And to cap it all off, we had this sweet surprise waiting for us in our room!

On our final day, our flight didn’t leave until 9:40 PM so we pretty much had the whole day to hang around. When we checked in, we were approved for an extra late check out (we got to stay in our room until 7PM for an extra $120) and it was sooooo nice!!

We just woke up and headed out to the pool/beach like it was another day. We had breakfast sandwiches from Brown’s Deli, and I finished off my fourth book of the trip.

We had a quick dinner at Hale Kai before getting cleaned up and heading off to the airport. We were all so sad to leave Hawaii, but especially to leave the Fairmont Orchid. Every trip to Hawaii is special, but ones where I get to spend quality time with my family and friends while resting and recharging are my favorite.

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15 Things to Do at the Fairmont Orchid

1.Snorkel: There’s pretty decent snorkeling right around the beach. You can either pick up a complimentary snorkel set and head out on your own or you can go on a guided adventure with a Hui Holokai Ambassador. There’s also an intro to snorkeling and reef etiquette class offered on Sunday mornings.

2.Stand up paddle boarding: Either rent a board for an hour to paddle around Pauoa Bay or take lessons! If you’re planning to use a lot of water and beach gear during your trip (boogie boards, floating mats, paddle boards, kayaks, etc.), consider getting a Fun & Sun Activity pass. It’s $75 for your stay and includes unlimited rentals.

Hilton Waikoloa Village: Is this “luxury mega-resort” really the best on the Big Island?

I don’t write a lot of hotel reviews on this blog (you can read my where to stay archives here), but I feel pretty strongly about this one so I definitely wanted to share my experiences.

On my most recent trip to the Big Island, I booked part of my stay at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. I’ve heard so much about it I was sure it must be “the” place to stay on the Big Island. Some things I’ve heard from friends/peeps on the Internet:

“You’ve definitely got to at least check out the Hilton.”
“It’s so big it even has its own transportation system.”
“It’s the best place for families on the Big Island.”
“It’s so awesome you’ll never want to leave.”
“It’s practically its own town.”
“It’s like Disneyland for grown ups.”

That all sounds great! Sign me up! So I booked five nights in the Palace Tower at the Hilton Waikoloa Village in late May 2018.

Here’s a quick rundown in case you’re not familiar: The Hilton Waikoloa Village is on the “Kona side” of the Big Island about 40 minutes north of the airport in a resort development called Waikoloa. It’s a sprawling 62-acre ocean front property with an impressive list of amenities. 3+ pools, 3 separate accommodation towers, a full service spa, two golf courses, tennis courts, more than a dozen restaurants, a dolphin encounter experience, a protected snorkel lagoon with a sandy beach, plus boat and tram transportation. It’s the kind of place that’s designed to have everything you could ever want on vacation so you never have to leave the resort.

To preface, I’m not entirely against this concept (although I think Hawaii needs to be explored and a trip there without leaving the resort and actually seeing Hawaii is a bit of a waste!) I’ve spent plenty of days at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa just bumming around the pool and beach and on this same trip spent almost 3 full days at the Fairmont Orchid just soaking up rays by the pool. Also, although I don’t have kids, I’ve traveled with them quite a bit and am honestly pretty much a kid myself. So “family friendly” resorts are not a deterrent to me, and I’m not bothered by a lot of kids running around a resort.

All of this being said, here was my overall impression of the resort/my stay: I wasn’t very impressed.

But before I get into the nitty gritty of it, here’s what I did like about the resort:

It’s in a great location. Being up in Waikoloa (as opposed to in Kona) feels slower and a little nicer. The air quality (vog) was also a lot better than in Kona and southwards.

Waikoloa has a couple of little centers with restaurants, shops, markets, and a gas station so there are some conveniences without having to drive all the way into Kona. Waikoloa Village is also pretty close by.

It’s beautifully landscaped. The grounds of the resort are lovely. There are a ton of bridges and waterways plus so much flora and fauna. The resort also has an incredibly large Asian art collection that’s displayed throughout.

It’s a Hilton. My five night stay racked up almost 30,000 Hilton Honors points.

And…that’s honestly about it.

Here’s the obvious complaint: this resort has no beach. Yes, they’ve created a man made snorkel lagoon that feeds into the ocean (so it’s possible to see turtles and fish) with a tiny sandy beach, but that’s it. The whole shoreline is rocky.

However, my biggest complaint about this resort is the complete lack of service. Seriously, besides housekeeping, who I saw a lot of, I think there were about 10 people working at the entire resort. I don’t expect chair service coming around every 10 minutes to see if I want a drink at a place like this, but being at one of the main pools and having to walk and search for 10-15 minutes to find water (to buy!!!) is pretty ridiculous.

12 Favorite Boutique Hotels in Hawaii

Admittedly, the most challenging part of planning a trip to Hawaii is picking the perfect place to stay. Hawaii pretty much has it all…mega beach resorts, Airbnbs, super swanky luxury resorts, tree houses, campgrounds, etc. But one of my favorite types of places to stay is in a boutique hotel. Depending on which one you’ll choose, you’ll still get all of the amenities of a larger hotel or resort, but with a bit more personality.

RELATED: Not very familiar with the Hawaiian Islands? Read up on the lay of the (is)lands for Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island.

So if you’re looking for accommodations with character and a bit of local charm, here are 12 amazing boutique hotels in Hawaii…

Maui

Hotel Wailea: This “adults only” hotel is situated in Wailea up on the slopes of Haleakala. It has great sweeping views, but it’s not beachfront. While there is a luxury shuttle service to take you down to the beach, you may not want to leave the quiet and luxurious pool area. This place has great amenities (including restaurants) and feels quite removed despite being to close to all of the other shops, restaurants, and resorts in Wailea. Pricing starts at $320/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

Paia Inn: Paia is Maui’s perfect little “hippy” town on the north shore. It’s got a great surf culture, a ton of boutique shopping, amazing restaurants and beautiful white sand beaches. This little inn is right in the middle of the town so you can walk everywhere (including the beach). Pricing starts at $225/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

Andaz: This boutique property (by Hyatt) is actually one of the best (and trendiest) beach resorts in Maui, but its concept is very young and hip. The resort is very luxe and the pools and restaurants here are top notch. If beach and pool time are at the top of your must do list, you’ll love the Andaz. Pricing starts at $450/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

Travaasa Hana: If you really want to get off the grid and truly escape for a while, you’ll definitely want to check into the Travaasa in Hana. Located on the secluded Hana side of the island, the rooms here don’t have clocks or televisions, leaving you focused on connecting with each other and Hawaii. Pricing starts at $350/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

Oahu

The Modern Honolulu: This is probably the trendiest place to stay in Waikiki/Honolulu right now. Located on the edge of Waikiki (near the harbor), this resort is, as its name suggests, very modern. It’s low key luxurious and a bit fresher than a lot of what you’ll find on the main Waikiki strip. Pricing starts at $215/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

The Surfjack: The Surfjack is an Instagramer’s dream. Every space in this small boutique hotel is styled to perfection. It’s not beachfront, but it’s also one of the best bargains in Waikiki. If you’re trip is all about getting out and exploring the island, this is a great home base. Pricing starts at $165/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

The Royal Hawaiian: The “pink palace of the Pacific” is the most iconic hotel on Waikiki. It’s been featured in movies since the 1960s and while it’s all kinds of vintage glamorous, it’s also high on modern luxuries. It’s right in the heart of Waikiki so if you want to see and do it all while staying at some of the coolest digs in Waikiki, this is your spot. Pricing starts at $299/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

Moana Surfrider: Opened in 1901, the Moana Surfrider was the first hotel built in Waikiki. It’s historic and quite regal but still relaxed with all of the modern conveniences you could want. There’s nothing quite like sipping a drink on the porch here while gazing out towards Diamond Head. Pricing starts at $250/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

Best Big Island Honeymoon Resorts

Hawaii is one of the top honeymoon destinations in the world and for good reason…it’s tropical, it has all of the amenities and activities you could want, and it’s relatively easy to get to for being on the other side of the world.

Before I let you in on my favorite Big Island honeymoon resorts, here’s my biggest tip for planning the best honeymoon…pick the right time of year to go. Hawaii is an extremely family friendly vacation destination so when kids are out of school, expect even the swankiest resorts to have a pool full of kids. While a lot of places have adults only pools, kids are always around everywhere else you go, so if you’re looking for a quieter time to go, pick spring or fall (or at least avoid the summer and winter holidays). I’m not telling you this to make you think Hawaii isn’t the perfect honeymoon destination (it is), but many people mistakenly believe that by staying at a super expensive beach resort they’ll limit the kids (noise) around, but that’s not necessarily the case. When you go has more to do with it than where you stay.

RELATED: Not very familiar with the Big Island? Read up on the lay of the (is)land here.

That being said, here are 5 amazing Big Island honeymoon resorts…

Four Seasons Hualalai: Four Seasons Hualalai is the most extravagantly luxurious resort in Hawaii hands down (even more so than the other Four Seasons resorts) and it’s practically made for honeymooners. The resort pretty much only has king size beds and the amenities are so vast and wonderful that you’ll never want to leave! Pricing starts at $749/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

Fairmont Orchid: Another five star resort, the Fairmont is a totally dreamy place to spend your honeymoon. Set on a gorgeous white sand beach, the pools, spa, and restaurants at the Fairmont are top notch. I absolutely loved my stay at the Fairmont! Read all about it here. Pricing starts at $270/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel: If you’re looking for a trendy spot with vintage Hawaiian vibes to spend your honeymoon, you’ll love the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. It’s located on one of the best beaches on the Big Island. Pricing starts at $385/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

5 Best Oahu Honeymoon Resorts

Before I let you in on my favorite Oahu honeymoon resorts, here’s my biggest tip for planning the best honeymoon…pick the right time of year to go. Hawaii is an extremely family friendly vacation destination so when kids are out of school, expect even the swankiest resorts to have a pool full of kids. While a lot of places have adults only pools, kids are always around everywhere else you go, so if you’re looking for a quieter time to go, pick spring or fall (or at least avoid the summer and winter holidays). I’m not telling you this to make you think Hawaii isn’t the perfect honeymoon destination (it is), but many people mistakenly believe that by staying at a super expensive beach resort they’ll limit the kids (noise) around, but that’s not necessarily the case. When you go has more to do with it than where you stay.

RELATED: Not very familiar with Oahu? Read up on the lay of the (is)land here.

That being said, here are 5 amazing Oahu honeymoon resorts…

The Royal Hawaiian: This iconic Waikiki resort (nicknamed the “pink palace of the Pacific”) has been featured in movies since the 1960s. Its style speaks of a bygone era but it’s still high on modern luxuries. It’s right in the heart of Waikiki so if you want to see and do it all while staying at some of the coolest digs in Waikiki, this is your spot. Pricing starts at $299/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

Turtle Bay Resort: If the noise and crowds of Waikiki aren’t your thing, escape to Turtle Bay Resort on the north shore. It’s isolated location insures a quiet and peaceful vacation but the resort offers plenty of amenities. It’s also in the heart of Oahu’s north shore with it’s famous surf breaks, food trucks, and snorkeling spots. It’s also conveniently located for getting to Hanalei, the Polynesian Culture Center, and Kualoa Ranch and it’s only about 45 minutes from Waikiki. Pricing starts at $295/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.

Four Seasons Oahu: Nothing says luxury like the Four Seasons so if you’re looking to splurge on your honeymoon (or you just expect a high level of quality and service), you won’t be disappointed with the Four Seasons. It’s located in the upscale resort community of Ko’olina on the west side and is situated on a perfectly calm little lagoon next to Disney’s Aulani resort. You’ll get seclusion while still only being 30 minutes or so from Waikiki. Pricing starts at $450/night. Click here to check pricing and availability during your stay.