Hilton Kauai Beach Hotel Resort

Frommer's Review

Formerly the Radisson Kauai, this property went through a $7-million renovation in 2006 to convert it to a condo-hotel (which means that while the hotel will continue to operate as a full-service resort for visitors, a portion of the rooms in the hotel will be available for private ownership). Then, the Hilton took over the management of the property and spent another $14 million to renovate and add such amenities as a business center, an executive-club floor, Hilton's bedding and bath items, and an expanded fitness center. The 25-acre beachfront property, located 4 miles north of Lihue, commands a 3-mile stretch of the beach, next door to a top-ranked municipal golf course. There is a complimentary airport shuttle. The rooms have all been renovated and updated with plush new carpeting, a Balinese-style wood entry door, marble bathroom and floors, top-of-the-line bedding, and high-speed wireless Internet service. The Hilton also added a new quartzite stone decking at the resort's four-pool complex, a 12-foot waterfall cascading into the main pool, a flume and lava-tube waterslide at the sand-bottom pool, and a whirlpool spa in a stone grotto surrounded by ferns and a waterfall. The entire property is nonsmoking; the only places you can light up are on the oceanside luau lawn and in the parking lot. The location is good, about equidistant from both north- and south-shore activities, and also close to the Wailua River and its kayaking, water-skiing, river tours, historical sites, and waterfalls. The only problems here are the windy conditions and the lack of safe swimming on the beautiful white-sand beach. There is one item that they have recently instituted that I find beneath the dignity of a Hilton -- guests must sign for a beach towel and if you don't return by 10pm, you will be charged $15 (per day) for your towel. Since a majority of the guests are families, this policy has really created havoc -- on my last trip, numerous guests told me they have a hard time just keeping track of their kids' slippers, yet alone where the kids may have left the beach towel. I hope the Hilton will amend this not-so-family-friendly policy.

Facilities: Restaurant for breakfast and dinner and a pool side restaurant for lunch; bar (w/nightly entertainment); 4 outdoor pools; tennis courts; fitness room; 2 Jacuzzis; watersports equipment rentals; spa; fitness center; concierge; activities desk; car-rental desk; business center; shopping arcade; salon; massage; babysitting; coin-op washer/dryers; laundry; dry cleaning

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Back to Top