Aston Islander on the Beach

My husband and I would not think of staying anywhere else...this was our fourth visit and this resort is our favorite no matter what island we are on. The staff is friendly, the Hotel is clean and the grounds are well kept. We have never been diasappointed at the Islander! You are centrally located to attractions, beaches and restaurants. If we go....tell Wesley we said thanks for all the great info! Bonnie & Dave Gonyer Fife Lake, MI

We were VERY pleased with our accomodations! We wanted an ocean view (not ocean front) and the got a third floor, corner room that was perfect. The hotel is older and has been renovated very nicely. Construction is so solid we never knew there were other guests, except when we saw them walking on the sidewalks. Our room was spotless. I would return to this resort again and it comes highly recommended.

I booked 5 months in advance for an Oceanfront Room. The room I got is the second room from the end in a unit which is perpendicular to the oceanfront. They insist it's oceanfront. Beware, if they say it's oceanfront, it's not necessarily so. I would have rated them high but for this dishonesty.

This would've been a wonderful place to stay if the walls weren't so thin. I heard my neighbors above running track meets everynight and a bellowing bear next door that had no concept of decorum. I could even heard them slam the toilet seat in their room! Parking is a little challenging if you stay out past 8:00 P.M., otherwise it's O.K. The location is WONDERFUL! It's on the beach and it is conveniently located to the Coconut Marketplace where you can get a great meatball sandwich at Aloha Kauai Pizza, and other needs too. On the property is a new restaurant called Trees. Great eclectic pupus AKA Tapas and live music, a hidden gem, try the Beignets! The hotel grounds are beautiful free WiFi in the lobby, and nice staff. If it wasn't for the noise, I would stay here again. If you can sleep through possible noisy neighbors, it's a great value.

Overall, it was a pretty nice place to stay: Nothing fancy, but comfortable, clean, and no serious problems. Good value for the money and I would stay there again. The hotel beach is pretty empty and good for relaxing or splashing around (not great for serious swimming or snorkeling), although I'm still glad I rented a car so I could explore other beaches. The pool looked nice, although I didn't actually use it, since I was more interested in swimming in the ocean. As other reviewers have pointed out, parking can be difficult late at night, but it's simple to park at the nearby marketplace. The refrigerator and dishes in the room came in very handy. Kapaa is a nice town to stay in, since it's possible to drive anywhere on the island from there in a relatively short time and there are some nice restaurants (and a Safeway). My only (minor) complaint is that the staff weren't particularly helpful when I complained that there wasn't a bottle opener in the room. (They did tell me I could have the bottles opened for me at the hotel's pool bar, but they were unable to simply lend me a bottle opener.)

Type:Area Attractions Distance: Long walk from hotel

Smith Family Luau

It's nearby and great. Before the luau, you can wander through the beautiful gardens with peacocks and geese. After the ceremonial uncovering of the pig, there's a nice buffet, followed by entertainment. The show includes dances from all the various cultures that influenced Hawaii.

Type:Area Attractions Distance: Requires transportation

Captain Andy's Na Pali sailing

Although it's a fair drive from the hotel, taking a trip on a catamaran to the Na Pali cost with Captain Andy's Sailing Adventures is a lot of fun. They served dinner and drinks on board after snorkeling and stopped so we could watch the sunset. I would definitely do this again.