Now that I am pretty convinced that my kids, 5 and 9, will feel comfortable at the 4S in Maui, I need to know how it is at the Princeville. Too snooty or formal? Is there a pool for children? Do you feel like you have to dress up when you are just walking around the resort or is shorts/top ok? I think I would prefer the HBR for us but I have been reading too many complaints about the room conditions and service. Can anyone help me please.
Thanks!

We saw plenty of children when there and I spent most of my time wearing shorts and an aloha shirt. I don't not remember seeing a seperate kiddie pool.

One caveat, every most every Starwood hotel uses little gimmicks to increase revenue. At PV, they may try and tack on a "Parking Charge", regardless of whether you use the Valet or not. Tell them you don't agree to it as there are no other parking options EXCEPT those at the resort. They will waive it. (Starwood isn't the only one that does this stuff. They know some wil complain, but many won't. So they view it as almost free money.)

I think your kids would like the hyatt kauai better. The pool has a great water slide and there is a manmade lagoon/beach that you can kayak on.Kids are usually not big on views and luxury, which are Princevilles strong points.

We are staying at the Hyatt for our last three nights in Kaui but there is no room left at the Hyatt for our first two nights (unless someone has a secret website I don't know about??).

I agree with Koa that your kids would like the Hyatt better. The pool at the P-Ville has a beautifu view but it is just a pool, nothing fancy.

No, you do not have to be dressed nicely to walk around the hotel shorts OK.

The P-Ville is very different from the Hyatt, I don't think of it as a sprawling resort like the Hyatt is.
P-Ville is compact and cascades down a hillside.

We just got back from a 5 night stay there. The hotel is not too formal, wear what you want, people are not over dressed, but they are not wearing shabby clothes either. We were disappointed with our stay there, our room had bugs and the ocean at the hotel is basically unswimable due to all the rocks around it. The view and view are fantastic. There is no seperate pool for kids and there were deifinatly less families there than any of the 4 hotels we stayed at. Service was just ok.

Scott,
How deep was the pool? Since there is not a separate kids' pool, that would be important for my family with my 5 year old.

Ashley,

My daughter is a great swimmer, so I did not really pay attention to how deep it was. I think that it was around 3 ft deep on the sides and were about 5 to six feet in the center of some spots.

It's not a good hotel for kids.

Ashley, you say:
"(unless someone has a secret website I don't know about??)."
Just a suggestion, call the hotel itself via their regular phone number, not some 800 number, maybe you'll get someone actually there willing to help & dig if necessary. Sometimes going old style, "off web" is useful even today.
Good hunting, Paul.