The Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort Lihue

Location was great. Very close to airport but didn’t feel like it. It was quiet. Also great location on the island to be able to drive to different spots. It was a nice central location. Environment was relaxed. Hotel was gorgeous. Great view of mountain and ocean. Pool was beautiful and huge. Restaurants close by within walking distance. Room was very clean upon arrival. I would recommend and stay here again.

The beautiful facilities, appearance of gardens/lobby

Spectacular, beautifully maintained facilities on surprisingly uncrowded, beautiful Kalapaki Beach. Our king room was huge, comfortable and spotless, with a balcony overlooking the pool and beach. There was a mini-fridge and safe, Keurig coffee maker stocked with locally grown Kauai Coffee pods. The helpful people at the lobby desk are happy to provide more pods upon request. The swimming pool is huge and never crowded. The beach is perfect for strolling or swimming, with plenty of chaises placed under shady trees. The gardens are lush and beautifully kept, with a wonderful koi pond where we enjoyed a chorus of frogs at night. We chose not to rent a car, and we never missed it. The hotel airport shuttle is quick & easy, and there are fantastic restaurants and cute shops all within a lovely walk along a hard surface boardwalk. There are several restaurants spread-out within the resort - all offered interesting and delicious menu choices. When we wanted to see more of the island (Waimea Canyon is a must!) Polynesian Adventures picked us up and returned us to the hotel after a full day tour.

This was the perfect location for our active family. We loved the beautiful pool located on the property and beach access. Beach Boy rentals had boards to rent and the kids had a blast. We were also easily able to drive to areas to the North and South to explore during our stay. The newly remodeled room was very clean. The elevator was always available with minimum waiting. The food was good, but was pricey. Dukes is nearby, but there is also a small shopping center a short (.2 mile) walk from the resort with several restaurants and an ice cream shop. We happened to have amazing help at check-in and check-out. Parking is expensive, but we sort of went into this as a splurge for our family, so the convenience of having a rental car on property was worth it for us. You could certainly take the shuttle from the airport and stay on property without ever really needing to leave if you wanted.

The layout of the pool and hot tubs and proximity to the beach. The ease of the takout breakfast.