Hotels

Kauai has accommodations to fit every taste and budget, from luxury oceanfront suites to quaint bed-and-breakfast units to reasonably priced condos that will sleep a family of four without requiring that you take out a second mortgage.

Remember to consider when you will be traveling to the islands. The high season, during which rooms are always booked and rates are at the top end, runs from mid-December to March. A second high season, when rates are high but reservations are somewhat easier to get, is summer (June-Sept). The low seasons, with fewer tourists and cheaper rates, are April to June and September to mid-December.

Important note: Before you book, choose your ideal location (you don't want to be stuck with long drives every day).

Taxes of 11.42% are added to all hotel bills. Parking is free unless otherwise noted.

Lihue & Environs

If you need to stay overnight near the airport, try the Garden Island Inn.

The Poipu Resort Area

Big Construction in Poipu -- There is big, big construction going on in the Poipu Resort area. If you are headed that way, be warned that the number of condominium and hotel rooms currently under construction (and not counting the ones still in the planning process) will increase the number of visitor accommodations in Poipu by 25%.

The good news is that Kauai County has very strict guidelines for noise and dust abatement, which is vigorously enforced. Just be aware that you will be facing traffic delays, construction noise, and the general problems caused by a lot of construction work in a small area.

Currently, there are 121 new luxury oceanfront hotel rooms now under construction, which should be completed by spring 2008. Plus another 655 condominium units in three different projects have broken ground, with completion dates ranging from 2008 into 2009. And the county is planning a "roundabout" to replace the intersections of Poipu and Lawai roads to help facilitate the traffic.

In the permit process, with no definite construction timetable yet, are plans for another 280 condominium units, a 64-room luxury hotel, 128 timeshare or vacation rental units, and an 11,000 square foot spa and fitness center.

The projects currently under construction in Poipu are:

Ko'a Kea Hotel & Resort at Poipu Beach, 2251 Poipu Rd., 121 units, opening spring 2008

Royal Palm, Poipu Road, next to Poipu Shopping Village, 166 condominium units: 120 units opening May 2008, 46 units opening May 2009

Pili Mai at Poipu, next door to Kiahua Golf Course, 191 condominium units, opening phase 1 August 2008

Koloa Landing, Poipu and Kapili roads, 300 condominium units, no completion date set

Poipu Road Roundabout, intersection of Poipu and Lawai roads, to enhance traffic flow, scheduled for completion late 2007.

Projects still in the county planning and permit process are:

Poipu Spa and Fitness Center, Poipu Road, fronting the Kiahuna Tennis and Swim Club, 11,000-square-foot spa and fitness center

Kiahuna Poipu Golf Resort, adjacent to Kiahuna Golf Course, 280 condominium units

Kukuiulu Development, between Poipu and Lawai Valley, a master-planned resort community on 1,010 acres, including a boutique hotel with 31 cottages units, a resort spa, a 75,000 square foot commercial village, an 18-hole golf course, and condominiums and homes. Roadways are currently under construction, scheduled to be finished in 2008.

For more information, contact the Poipu Beach Resort Association, tel. 888/744-0888 or www.poipubeach.org.

The King of Condos -- One of the easiest ways to find lodging in the Poipu Beach area is to contact Parrish Collection Kauai (which recently sold to Jonathan Parrish), 3176 Poipu Rd., Koloa, HI 96756 (tel. 800/325-5701 or 808/742-2000; fax 808/742-9093; www.parrishkauai.com), which handles more than 100 "handpicked" rental units for 12 different condo developments, plus dozens of vacation homes, ranging from quaint cottages to elite resort homes. Parrish Collection Kauai has high standards for their rental units and offers extremely fair prices. If the properties are not maintained to their standards, they have no problem taking the units (and, in one case, an entire condominium project) out of their selected rentals. The condos start at $125 for a spacious two-bedroom, garden-view unit in low season, and vacation cottages start at $210 and go up to $1,400 for exquisite multimillion-dollar ocean estates. There's a 5-night minimum for condos and a 7-night minimum for homes.

If you're staying on Kauai for 5 days, ask Parrish Collection Kauai about the "Frommer's Preferred Guest Discount," large one- and two-bedroom condos, well-equipped (full kitchen, washer/dryer, wet bar, TV/DVD, phone, and most units have high-speed Internet), starting as low as $105 a night for one-bedrooms and $135 for two-bedrooms with garden views, or $145 a night for oceanview condos. There's not a better deal on Kauai. Kudos to Parrish Collection Kauai for these fabulous vacation bargains.

Elsewhere on the South Coast

Further inland and about 10-15 minutes from Poipu Beach, the towns of Kaleheo and Lawai offer very affordable accommodations.

The Coconut Coast

This is the land of B&Bs and inexpensive vacation rentals. We recommend Opaeka'a Falls Hale (tel. 888/822-9956; www.opaekaafallskauai.ws), which has two exquisite units with pool and hot tub for $110 to $130 (plus a $50 cleaning charge).

The North Shore

Want to rent a rock star's treehouse? How about coochy-coochy entertainer Charo's beachfront estate? Rosemary Smith, of Rosewood Kauai (tel. 808/822-5216; www.rosewoodkauai.com), has a range of properties from country homes and cottages to fabulous beach homes and affordable condos. Also try Hanalei North Shore Properties (tel. 800/488-3336 or 808/826-9622; fax 808/826-1188; www.kauai-vacation-rentals.com), which handles all kinds of weekly rentals -- from beachfront cottages and condos to romantic hideaways and ranch houses -- along the North Shore. Renting a home is a great way to enjoy the area's awesome nature, especially for those who like to avoid resorts and fend for themselves. Shopping, restaurants, and nightlife are abundant in nearby Hanalei.

What's the Story on "Cleaning Fees"?

Several bed-and-breakfast places and some condo units have instituted yet another fee (an add-on fee, similar to the "resort fee" that hotels charge) called a "cleaning fee." Personally. I hate this! Why not just incorporate all costs into the room rate? I think "cleaning fees" is a chintzy way to look "affordable" but then add yet another cost on to your unit. (Travelers: Be sure to read the fine print; if you are getting a unit for $135 a night plus an $80 cleaning fee for a 2-night minimum -- you really are buying a $175-a-night unit.) I have gotten numerous cards, letters, and e-mail from guests complaining about these "cleaning fees," all saying they feel slightly cheated by this additional cost. B&B and condo owners: Take note that it is better to have one rate (with cleaning fees and all your other costs) than to have unhappy guests.

Moa Better: Chickens & Roosters

One of the first things that visitors notice about Kauai is there seems to be an unusually large number of moa (wild chickens). Kauai has always had a history of having more than its fair share of chickens and roosters running about, but after Hurricane Iniki picked up and scattered the fowl all over the island in 1992, they have been populating at a prodigious rate. Generally, having a few chickens scratching around in the dirt is quaint and downright picturesque. However, the "dark side" of the chicken population explosion is the increase in the number of roosters. In fact, a new industry has cropped up: Rooster Eradicators. Resorts hire these eradicators to remove the roosters from the well-manicured grounds because the large number of these male birds has led to, well, a sort of crowing contest. Generally roosters will crow as the sun comes up. But on Kauai, with the population increase, the roosters crow all day long and throughout the night in some places. Just be warned that part of the "charm" of Kauai is the rooster population, and you might want to consider bringing earplugs.

A Rose by Any Other Name: Timeshares

Timeshares are very big on Kauai, only no one will say that dreaded word. It conjures up slick salesmen from the 1970s hustling people on the beach with promises of nearly free vacations in Hawaii if you just sign on the dotted line. Timeshares denote a condominium project that sells the same unit to several owners, who are allotted a "time" when they can visit the unit. Today, timeshare projects have gone upscale in Hawaii; major resorts like Marriott, Westin, Hilton, and Shell are now building mega-resorts with top-notch units, all furnished with the same top-drawer furniture and equipped with the best electronics and kitchen equipment. But they never, never, call them timeshares. The new, politically correct term is "vacation ownership" -- but the idea is the same: Several owners have a share in the unit and are allotted a certain amount of time every year (from a week to a month) to stay in the unit. These respectable management companies make sure that the unit is well maintained and even rent out the units if none of the owners wishes to stay there. Sometimes you can get "deals" at the various "vacation ownerships" because, quite frankly, they are trying to get you to buy the place (or at least a share in the unit). So guests are offered everything from a free snorkeling trip to a free vacation in Hawaii, if you are willing to sit through a sales pitch. All this is great, as long as you know what you are getting into. The so-called "45-minute" pitch may last all morning, and the sales pressure may not be your idea of a tranquil vacation. So buyer beware; even in paradise there are no free lunches (or breakfasts, or snorkeling trips).

B&B Etiquette

In Hawaii, it is traditional and customary to remove your shoes before entering anyone's home. The same is true for most bed-and-breakfast facilities. Most hosts post signs or will politely ask you to remove your shoes before entering the B&B. Not only does this keep the B&B clean, but you'll be amazed how relaxed you feel walking around barefoot. If this custom is unpleasant to you, a B&B may not be for you. Consider a condo or hotel, where no one will be particular about your shoes.

If you have never stayed at a B&B before, here are a few other hints: Generally the host lives on property and their part of the house is off-limits to guests. (You do not have the run of the house.) Most likely there will be a common area that you can use. Don't expect daily maid service. Your host may tidy up but will not do complete maid service. Also don't expect amenities like little bottles of shampoo and conditioner; this is a B&B, not a resort. Remember that you are sharing your accommodations with other guests; be considerate (that is, quiet) when you come in late at night.

There is a strict no smoking law in Hawaii: no smoking in hotels, restaurants, bars, and public buildings. Most bed-and-breakfast units, condos, and vacation rentals also do not allow smoking. If this matters to you, be sure to check the policy of your accommodations before you book.