I stayed for four nights at the Koele Lodge on Lanai in September 2009. The time there was the highlight of my Maui-Lanai vacation. In this review I will try to briefly review the pros and cons of the resort. Location Pros Located on beautiful green grounds in the middle of the island of Lanai, overlooking Lanai mountains Because of its higher elevation, the air here is cooler than on the island’s beaches and it can get quite chilly at night. This is definitely a pro for a person who lives in tropical and humid Hawaii (or other hot location) year-round. Mixture of tropical gardens, pine trees, palm trees and other vegetation Very quiet resort, away from everything Location Cons Not... [Read more]

I stayed for a few days at the Old Lahaina House in September 2009. In this review I will try to briefly review the pros and cons of the guesthouse. Location Pros Located in a quiet neighborhood Two minutes away from a beach It is near a popular Maui luau – Feast at Lele Near Pacific’o oceanfront restaurant located at the 505 Lahaina Shops Location Cons The Old Lahaina House is quite far from the downtown area of Lahaina where all the action is. If you don’t have a car, you need to walk about 20 minutes to get to the downtown area. During daytime it is very hot and there is not much shade on the road. At night there are hardly any street lights and the sidewalk is very narrow... [Read more]

I stayed for a few days at Napili Point resort hotel in September 2009. The resort is located at one of the most beautiful and tropical oceanfront areas I have seen in Hawaii (and I have been in Hawaii for the past 5 years). I will try to briefly review the pros and cons of the resort in this article. Location Pros Beautiful location with ocean and sunset views Close to some of the finest Maui beaches – Napili Bay, Kapalua Bay, Namalu Bay, Kaanapali Beach Many Hawaii activities are available in the area – snorkeling, luaus, shows, etc. Location Cons There isn’t a big choice of bars and restaurants in the Napili Point area. There is a restaurant... [Read more]

Kauai is more laid back than other Hawaii islands. The ambience of Kauai hotels tend to reflect this unique vibe of the island. Kauai boasts of more than 50 hotels, some of which are local hotels while some are part of large hotel chains. The top Kauai hotels beat all other island hotels in providing guests with luxurious accommodation. They are perfect for people looking for upscale travel. All three top Kauai hotels provide spectacular views of the ocean. Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa in the town of Koloa on Kauai’s south shore is considered the island’s best hotel. It has been included in the Travel + Leisure 500 and the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List. The luxurious 5-star... [Read more]

Lahaina’s Last Resort is a cheap hostel on Maui. Rates per night are $49 for a private room with shared bathroom, or $79 for a private room with own bathroom. I stayed at the hostel for a week and below I point out the pros and cons of the place. Lahaina’s Last Resort Pros Lahaina’s Last Resort is located in a very convenient location, just a couple of minutes walk away from Front Street in Lahaina. The hostel is clean and it has A/C in every room. You are provided with fresh towels upon arrival. There is a microwave and fridge in every room. The price is very affordable; you can’t find a better deal in Lahaina so close to Front... [Read more]

Address: 3445 Wilcox Road, Kalapaki Beach, Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii 96766 View Map At the heart of Kalapaki Bay, there stands a resort ready to give you an adventure-filled Hawaii vacation. The Garden Island Inn is located in the heart of the island of Kauai and mere minutes away from the Lihue Airport. Its central location among the year-round sunny beaches of Hawaii creates the perfect setting for the next family vacation. Enjoy the sandy beaches and pristine waters of the Hawaii coast. Indulge in the numerous activities prepared for you, the Hawaii guest. Participate in different beach and water activities, including deep sea fishing, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling and wind surfing. The 21... [Read more]

Address: 4-1516 Kuhio Highway Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii 96746 View Map If you’d like to enjoy a quiet and serene Hawaii vacation, you don’t have to look further than the Hotel Coral Reef in the island of Kauai. Nestled among white beaches in the town of Kapaa in Kauai, the Hotel Coral Reef will give you the best vacation yet. Whether you’re enjoying your vacation inside the hotel or outside, you’ll surely have the best time. At Hotel Coral Reef, enjoy swimming at the hotel’s pool right by the ocean. Shape up at the hotel’s fitness center and cool down at the sauna provided. Rent a mountain bike at the hotel and explore the nature trails of Hawaii. At the end of the day, spend quality time... [Read more]

Address: 420 Papaloa Rd, Kapaa, HI 96746 View Map With everything within reach, a stay at the Kauai Sands Hotel makes you feel you’re spending your Hawaii vacation in paradise. From morning to night-time, be enchanted with all that Kauai has to offer. Wake up to a fresh day with the sun rising by the palm trees and start your day with breakfast at your own kitchen inside your unit. Pump up for the day by taking a quick jog or walk along the ocean. If you’d like to take advantage of the athletic adventures of the island, you can choose from a list of a lot of options. If you’d like to indulge in water activities, head on over to the beach and try some of the water adventures available. Go... [Read more]

Address: 366 Papaloa Rd, Kapaa, HI 96746 View Map The Hale Awapuhi Resort on the beautiful island of Kauai is a tropical and lush treasure of Hawaii’s finest that overlooks the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. Within walking distance from the Coconut Plantation Marketplace, guests at the Hale Awapuhi Resort will have plenty of activities to do on their Hawaii vacation. Although the resort does not feature many amenities within the place itself, guests don’t have to worry about not having enough activities to enjoy. There are a lot of attractions and facilities within walking or driving distance from the resort. That’s why it’s imperative to hire a car while visiting the island... [Read more]

Address: 3-3311 Kuhio Hwy Lihue, HI 96766 View Map Located between the towns of Wailua and Kapaa in the island of Kauai, the Kauai Beach Villas stand amidst lush, tropical gardens and freshwater lagoons. With its many amenities and facilities, you’ll never get bored or restless at the Kauai Beach Villas. Play tennis in one of the four tennis courts in the resort or take a refreshing dip in the cool waters of the resort’s swimming pool or relax at the jet spa provided. Visit the nearby golf course and play a nice game of golf. There are also nearby beaches and facilities for hiking, kayaking and fishing. Explore the island of Kauai and rent a car to drive the different attractions the island... [Read more]

Brad and Billy were the perfect hosts. This was our first Kauai vacation, and we had found out about the Kalaniakai Bed & Breakfast from friends. We weren’t originally looking for the clothing optional experience, and when we found out that it was it made us think twice. We took some time and decided that we would go anyway. We weren’t even looking for a Kauai bed and breakfast, but thought this might be a way to go. We stayed in the Kahuna Suite. It was really nice. It was furnished and styled in a Japanese way, with an outdoor shower, full bath and a king sized bed. the best thing about it was the private lanai. There was wireless, of course, and Jimmy was thrilled, because... [Read more]

We looked at a lot of Kauai hotels and then decided that we needed something fun and different for this Kauai vacation, so we picked the Bamboo Jungle House. At first, Mimi thought it might be one of those places for swingers or something, but after a little research we found that it was actually an old plantation house up in the hills of Kalaheo. If you expect to be right in the mix of things you might want to make another choice of places to stay. The Bamboo Jungle House is pretty secluded. We started to have second thoughts about the location, but quickly forgot about that big Kauai hotel when Lucy and Terry, the owners, met us. They remind me of my parents. They were very attentive and made... [Read more]

Address: 3957 Ulualii Street Kalaheo, Hawaii 96741 View Map It hadn’t been a good year money-wise, but we had promised each other last year that we would take a break and take that Kauai vacation that had been lingering around in our brains for the last decade or so. We looked at Kauai hotel options, and decided that the Hale Ikena Nui fit our budgets and our attitudes. This is no place if you crave excitement and non-stop activity, because it’s located in Kalaheo, which is a really small town with not much going on. Which was perfect for us, because we were just spent from trying to keep the business afloat and everybody happy, including employees and family. Patti made us feel... [Read more]

Address: 6204 Helena Lane Kapaa, HI 96746 View Map This was a break or a retreat for me, so this was not like the usual Kauai vacations I’ve taken in the past. I did look over Kauai hotels, but decided I needed a break from the stresses of day to day, and I decided to look into the Aloha Lanai Bed & Breakfast. Normally, I’m not a big fan of bed and breakfasts, because I want to be able to be somewhat anonymous, and most don’t give you that much privacy. I especially wanted privacy on vacation. But I wanted quiet, and I know that the countryside on the East side of Kauai would have that, if I found the right place to stay. I did some homework, and then emailed Jai. There... [Read more]

Address: 2511 S. Kihei Rd, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii 96753 View Map We wanted a romantic Maui vacation. We had been to some of the other islands and to Mexico, but we had seen the Sugar Beach Resort one time while driving in South Maui, and decided to stay at this cute little Maui hotel. Tommy wasn’t so sure. He wanted a big, active place. I wanted location. I won. I don’t always win, but I wen through all the Maui hotels and this one was really cool. It’s a great setting, right on the sore of Maalea Bay and not far from the mountains. Tommy wanted to go golfing, but I wasn’t feeling like it. I went anyway, as I had talked him into staying at the hotel. We played 18 holes and... [Read more]

Address: 3615 Lower Honoapiilani Road Lahaina, HI 96761-9398 View Map Our Maui vacation was the best one we ever took. We went with Jose and Maria, and they had picked the Paki Maui. We let them do the picking, because this was their fourth Maui vacation and they knew Maui hotels. We both got ocean front rooms and had a great time. Jose and Maria spent most of their day just hanging by the pool or at the beach. The beach was close by, and they walked over each day. We did some golfing and also spent some time at the beach and at the pool. I’m not a beach or pool or sunning type of person, so I was getting bored and wanted to do some exploring. We decided to spend some time just exploring... [Read more]

Address: 2661 Kekaa Drive, Kaanapali Beach, Maui, Hawaii, 96761-1933 View Map We went to visit Chuck and Nancy the the Maui Eldorado. It was our third Maui trip and vacation and their first. We got to the Eldorado and it was much nicer the the place were were staying. I was glad they didn’t take our recommendation for a Maui hotel; otherwise they might not come back. They met us and showed us around their unit. Chuck and I played golf three mornings at the Kaanapali North Golf Course. Later in the day I joined Kyna on the beach, where she had a cabana. It was under 10 minutes to the beach, and even though the place is really spread out, it’s not bad when you get used to it. We liked... [Read more]

Address: 660 Wainee Street, Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761 View Map We wanted to stay in Lahaina for our trip, for our Maui vacation. We decided to stay at the Aina Nalu. It’s the only Maui hotel in Lahaina that is a Maui condo hotel. Which was fine with us. This was just up are alley, as we liked the convenience of cooking our own food once and awhile. The Aina Nalu is a short distance from the waterfront. It’s also close to Fort Street, which is good, in case you don’t want to cook every day, and we didn’t. I especially didn’t. I cook for a living, and the thought of doing it every day on vacation wasn’t thrilling for me. We did use the barbecues a couple of times,... [Read more]

Address: 5900 Lower Honoapiilani Road Lahaina, HI 96761 View Map Jana and I decided to take a break. She wanted to go to Hawaii and I wanted to go somewhere else. It was her birthday coming up, though, and I decided that a Maui vacation wouldn’t be so bad, so that’s where we went. Jana researched all the Maui hotels that she liked, but in the end it was our budget — or lack of– that made the decision for us. Not that the Napili Kai Beach Resort was a bargain Maui hotel, but we like the idea of doing condo this time. We could save on some meals, we thought. We ended up booking the studio, which had a small kitchen and a private lanai, which we used every day and night.... [Read more]

Address: 8992 Kula Hwy. Kula, Hawaii 96790 View Map I had lost my job, and was at a loss as to what to do, so I thought I would go someplace that I really like to decide what to do with the next few years of my life. This would not be a Maui vacation with a nice Maui hotel. That didn’t seem right. I needed to do something serious with my time, as my funds were limited. The Retreat house at St. John’s Episcopal Church was available and as it turned out I was the only one using the place. At first it felt strange to be the only one there, as it had four bedrooms, but after a day I began to enjoy the setting and the silence. The Church itself was open, but I didn’t use it. I’m... [Read more]