Hello Kauai Folk,

I'm taking a honey moon this August to Kauai for about 6 days. I've found a reasonably priced vacation package with lodging at the Aston Islander On the Beach. Anyone ever stayed here or heard trip reports about the quality of the hotel??????? Thanks.

Jhooten

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The Islander is beloved by many. It is a very MODEST property but it's cute and friendly. There are about 5 buildings but not all of them are parallel to the beach so some rooms do not have views. The rooms are nice sized, have a fridge, a/c, good sized bath. Very small pool, nothing special. Thre is a pool bar that is fun but $$$$. Best bet is to go across the road to Safeway and get your own mai tai fixings.

The beach isnt great for swimming (some underwater rocks, heavy undertow at times) No lifeguard either.

Lots of shopping and dining within walking distance. (Locals love Kintaro, Mema, and Caffe Cocco all about a block down on the highway.) The restaurants in the mall arent too great except maybe for Hula Girl Grill.

Hello,
Stayed there over Labor Day weekend last year. Good value, nice people & convenient location. My only gripe was the a/c was a bit noisy - and it was needed in August. Hotel rooms don't have the crossflow of the typical condo.
I posted some photos at http://members.aol.com/ourfoto
We booked thru' an American Airlines package then upgraded to oceanfront (call them the day before arrival as that's when they make the allocations). Check the Rants n' Raves here on Fodors too.
Have a great trip.

We're going back for or 12th stay in about 221 mo' days.

At first, in 1989, we stayed there becau$e we had to.
We now stay there becau$e we want to.

vivi hit the nail on the head on "very modest".

Lot of good and cheap eats within walking distance. (Tropical Burger, Ono Loa, Aloha Pizza, Aussie Tim's BBQ, Lizard Lounge..."Fancy ones" too.
Pacific Cafe, Coconuts, Lemon Grass, Huki Lau, Bull Shed.

We love the Sand Bar (their pool bar). Killer Mai Tai according to Mrs Kal. Kona Fire Rock for me.

Met a lot of interesting people from all over the globe that we stay in touch with throughout the year at the Sand Bar.
If it's your honeymoon and you want "special", you may want to look/see if the other mid-range places like Sheraton, Marriott, Radisson, HolInn, et al as they may have some cooking in August, too.

alllohaaaaa and mucho mahalos on the pending nups,
Kal

ps to Pspercy-You could go back and join us in Dec. if you weren't busy buying more memory, ammo and fishing supplies! \/

Package deal, hmmmm? Did you consider upgrading to the Radisson? Kal is the expert on the Aston Islander. The parking can be very crowded there, due to the number of hotels and bars squeezed into the area.

DB,
Parking is a prob. sometimes.
Especially a few years ago when the tech crew from Jurassic Park "Umpteen" was staying there w/ big trucks.

But they were good for a few free rounds at the Sand Bar so....

Kal...

We drove in one evening after visiting the Hula Girl because I wanted to locate/see this hotel. I could hardly maneuver due to all the parked cars. It seems to me there was a Red Robin or something back to the side, does anyone actually go there for the hamburgers?

DB,
Musta been Kareoke night at the Jolly Rodger? It gets a lot of people.

Last time we ate there, Moby Dick was a minnow.
A LOT bettah' places around there but still a cheap meal.

If we're going to get cheap food, slow service and medium food, we'll go to Al and Don's! At least you get a good view.

A couple of times last year we had to park between the Coconut Mktplace and the Hwy. for the night.
Aloha,
Kal

Is kareokee night a weekly thing Kal? We are staying at the Islander at the end of July and would love to get in on some kareokee!

Corgs,
I think it is everynight at The Jolly Roger but try the Tradewinds instead. It's located in the CocoMktplace right across the pkg lot.

http://www.kauai-tradewinds.com/

More fun, better food (pick from just about all the restaurants in the CocoMktplace-they deliver.

And see if you can still get a MGD "Big @ss Beer". Great souvenir glass. I have them on the dresser right next to my fish bowls from Blue Lou's and Mario's Southside Saloon.

Mahalo,
Kal

We stayed there last year. The hotel is ok , it is low cost but clean a/c is noisey, pool is small, no ambience, no resort feel, parking is a problem. I would pick another hotel if you could , especially on a honeymoon, i dont think you would be to happy, unless your expectations are very modest. I was not un happy with what i got , but would not pick it again. We booked 14 nights on 3 islands and cost for room was a consideration. If it were me on a honeymoon i would pick best hotel lowest cost room rather than low cost hotel best room. But at any rate have a great trip , and congatulations, you will love kauai. nick

Kal, would love to be there in December but, for reasons you know, it doesn't look very likely.
Now the Jolly Roger definitely deserves to be called "very modest", LOL.

Thanks Kal for the info re: Tradewind web-site. Who says that Kauai doesn't have a night life? ....Karaokee, Darts, Big Ass Beer...

...61 more days!!

If you are looking for reasonable place, try Waikomo Stream Villas. We stayed there a few years ago. Units are about 1100 sq ft condos for about $80-90 per night. Not on beach but you can walk to beach. Shopping plaza about 5 min away. We really enjoyed making breakfast in the AM and sitting on lanai overlooking pool.

I guess decision time on Kauai is "save money on a room and have more $$ to do things" or visa-versa.
Either way, you're on Kauai!

You may want to check into the hotel next door, the Coconut Beachboy. A Shell vacation resort, I believe. Remodeled over the past 2yrs. and seem pretty nice.

paul-"modest" is VERY kind to the
Ol' JR.

Corgie-61!!!! yer killin' me...220!

Yep..."Karaokee, Darts, Big Ass Beer..." The holy vacation trinity.

The only prob is I usually become a big ass while drinking beer and singing kareoke until they throw darts at me.

Kal

Hi J. We just got back from 9 days at the Islander. We chose it because of good reviews and the price we were able to get thru American Airlines Vacations. This was my 4th visit to Kaua'i and my partner's 3rd. The Islander is a moderate hotel, very clean and comfortable. We had a "garden view" room but could see the ocean. The staff was pleasant. Our A/C worked fine and was not very noisy. The furnishings were up to date. We only had a shower, no tub, and it was fairly small, with no shelf for shampoo etc. The carpeting had a few small stains but otherwise everything in the room was fine. The grounds are manicured and have coconut palms, hibiscus, plumeria, ferns, and there are some ironwood trees along the beach. I thought the grounds were very pretty--exotic to me as I live in the Midwest. WE didn't use the pool, as noted it is not spectacular. (In our 8-9 trips to Hawai'i I think we have used a total of 3 pools--that's not high on our list.) The hot tub was nice and hot, fairly small and gets a lot of use. We didn't go to the bar, but it sounded like the folks there were having a VERY good time. (We preferred to stretch our liquor budget by shopping at Safeway or Longs, then imbibe on our lanai or a lounge chair under the ironwoods.)

It's very convenient to walk to Coconut Mktplace to eat or do a little shopping. The Jolly Roger has been closed for close to 2 months now. We usually parked in the lot by the Jolly Roger, just around the corner from the hotel.

If price is a major factor for you, and you want to be in this convenient east-side location, I think you will be happy with the Islander. We felt it was a very good value, very pleasant place to stay.