Top 5-Star Hotels in Lihue

My husband and I just returned from the peaceful, tropical Royal Sonesta Resort. We technically had a pool view, however, our room also had a lovely look at Kalapaki Beach. Our room was in the Ha’upu Tower and I would totally recommend it. The room was a good size( 450 sq. ft.) and the bathroom had a very large, recently remodeled shower, sink and floors with beautifully scented bath products. First, the amenities: we used the jacuzzi ( there are many), and the pool daily. We did not find the pool to be lukewarm, as some have said. Perhaps either the heater was fixed or the warm air had heated it sufficiently. The gym was in the process of a remodel, so the equipment was moved to one of the ballrooms. There was a very good selection of weights, equipment, machines, etc. The room temperature was pleasant and everything looked clean. The gift shop( Lamont’s), was very large and had a great selection of food, drinks, lotions, souvenirs, clothes, etc. with everything looking to be of high quality. Next, the food: Duke’s was so good, we ate there twice! We had mac nut and herb crusted fish, kalbi ribs, teriyaki chicken and hula pie for dessert, among other items. While we did not eat at Kukui’s, we did get the wonderful Kauai coffee to go and they allowed free refills until 1000 am. Nice! We really felt the Sonesta had the “Aloha” spirit and found the employees, whether it was housekeeping, front desk, maintenance, etc. to be kind and helpful. And speaking of housekeeping, they will clean your room daily, if requested-they did for us!😀

The service is impeccable, the environment is beautiful, and the facilities are complete. The hotel is very close to the airport and only arrives at the hotel after the golf course. The hotel lawn is maintained daily, there is a self-service barbecue grill, the terrace is large, and the view from the terrace is charming. Place, the view is very charming, like a beautiful landscape painting, it is worth staying again

When you stay at Timbers Kauai Ocean Club & Residences in Lihue, you'll be by the ocean, a 5-minute drive from Kalapaki Beach and 6 minutes from Nawiliwili Bay. This luxury aparthotel is 1.8 mi (2.9 km) from Nawiliwili Harbor and 15.9 mi (25.6 km) from Poipu Beach.Pamper yourself with a visit to the spa, which offers massages, body treatments, and facials. After practicing your swing on the golf course, you can dip into one of the 2 outdoor swimming pools. This aparthotel also features complimentary wireless internet access, concierge services, and babysitting (surcharge).At Timbers Kauai Ocean Club & Residences, enjoy a satisfying meal at the restaurant. Wrap up your day with a drink at the bar/lounge. Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available daily from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM for a fee.Featured amenities include complimentary newspapers in the lobby, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a 24-hour front desk. A roundtrip airport shuttle is complimentary (available 24 hours).Make yourself at home in one of the 47 air-conditioned rooms featuring kitchens with full-sized refrigerators/freezers and ovens. Rooms have private furnished lanais. Plasma televisions with satellite programming provide entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected. Conveniences include desks and separate sitting areas, as well as phones with free local calls.

We stayed at Marriott’s Kauai Beach Club, a Marriott Vacation Club property, on our way off the island. We booked an Ocean Front Parlor using hold points and got exactly what we wanted - a clean room with a true ocean view. The card named Carrie as the housekeeper, and she did an amazing job - the room was fully stocked and immaculate. Her hard work & that of other housekeepers earned the 4th star for this rating! We were less than impressed with the other employees we encountered. No one seemed happy to be working there. The bell staff seemed disenchanted, and yes, you have to use bell staff at this location. Front desk staff were not welcoming. In fact, we wanted in line for 20 minutes to check in & were improperly charged occupancy tax for a night that we did not actually occupy the room. We were incorrectly told that we had to check out by 10 am to avoid paying occupancy tax, which we knew to be wrong thanks to being educated in great detail about the occupancy tax law the previous year by the staff at Ko Olina Beach Club. This front desk employee had a real attitude— we chose not to argue with him. His behavior was indicative of the vibe we got from everyone else we encountered there. If not for the outstanding condition of our room, this would be a 2-3 star rating. We don’t plan to return to Marriott’s Kauai Beach Club unless it is the only location available on Kauai when we can travel. There are plenty of other lodging options available in Lihue. They don’t have the excellent beach front location of this resort, though, and the proximity to great restaurants. We might try the Royal Sonesta, though. It’s collocated & actually maintains the pool & grounds. The Royal Sonesta employees we encountered gave off the same type of vibe (disinterested, unhelpful, unwelcoming) as the Marriott Vacation Club staff, though. Just don’t expect a warm welcome at either location.

This is a very nice property, and the grounds are gorgeous and well maintained. The staff was very pleasant and welcoming. The gym is better than the average hotel gym but needs some love (elliptical clunky) and better A/C. The room was generally clean and up to date (we were in the recently renovated section) but the carpet was dirty. We booked a partial ocean with pool view room. Initially they tried to give us a room on the ground floor which would have a laughable ocean view if at all. Upon our objection they gave us a second-floor room which more or less looked like the example on the web page. Had an issue with ants that they quickly addressed. Beach was small and the water not really swimmable due to rocky bar about 20ft out causing roughness (not an issue for us but may be for others). Had breakfast and dinner once each in the hotel. Not impressive for a hotel of this caliber/price range thus opted to eat elsewhere other days (5-night stay). Overall, it is a nice hotel and would have given it a 5 star except the various little things noted above kind of add up. We'll probably try something different next time.

I hate to give a poor review, but I want to make people enough information to decide for themselves. Pros: The location was great (about a 5 minute drive from the airport and a 5-10 minute walk to a number of restaurants and an ABC store). The 2 bedroom condo was spacious and had 2 full baths and 2 lanais. The stencils on the walls were charming. Cons: If you are a neat freak you might want to look elsewhere. The tile floors were not very clean. I tried to wipe down the floors in the main living area, but we still ended up cleaning our feet off before putting our shoes on to leave. The bathrooms were reasonable as to cleanliness. Another thing to consider is that our unit didn't have central air. There were 3 window units (1 in each bedroom and another in the living area). They operate on a timer and they are loud so it makes it a little hard to fall asleep.

We were planning on having breakfast at Kountry Kitchen but they were closed. Stumbled upon this place instead. I’m so glad that happened! This is a local spot, I’m sure we were the only tourists in there. It doesn’t look like much but don’t let that fool you. Usually the “hole in the wall” places at home have the best food and I guess that’s true in Kauai as well. I got 2 eggs over easy, spam and a hash brown. Best breakfast I had all week and we ate at all of the recommended places that I had researched before our trip. My husband got the bento and it was sooo much food, great variety, and cooked to perfection. We were seated right away even though they were quite busy. Staff was friendly and efficient. We’re going back for lunch sometime this week, it’s that good. The prices were fantastic as most places are very expensive on the island. Highly recommend!