Kauai - Marriott Waiohai Beach Club on Poipu or Marriott Kauai Beach Club in Lihue?
 

We're going back to Kauai in June 2005. We were able to get a great rate for 5 nights at the Waiohai Beach Club for 5 nights; we can also get the same rate at the Kauai Beach Club. These are for 2-bedroom villas. For the 6th and 7th nights, we're not sure what we're going to do (if we use this rate for the first 5 nights).

Currently, we have a regular hotel room reserved with Marriott award points at the Kauai Beach Club for the whole week, but we could cancel this and just reserve the last 2 nights there with points. Right now, we can't use points for the last 2 nights at the Waiohai Beach Club, but the rep told me I could keep calling between now and June to see if there's availability using points.

What are some comparisons between these two Marriotts? We are a family of 5 (kids ages 21, 18 and 16), so the 2-BR villas would be great. We could stay at either resort for the first 5 nights. We're not sure if it's worth moving from one resort to another for the last two nights.

I'm also wondering if we would have a better chance of drier weather if we stayed in the Poipu Beach area.

Thanks very much.

We've stayed at the Lihue Marriott (and are returning next summer) - the pool is fantastic, your kids will love it (it's one of the biggest I've ever seen w/ marble statues of animals spewing water fountains all over). The other Marriott is new and has certainly been difficult to book w/ points and I think it only has the 2 bedroom condos whereas the Lihue property has regular rooms also. We were there last August and it didn't rain once. Personally, I would use the points and spend your money elsewhere - you shouldn't be disappointed w/ the Lihue property.

Dolciani, Thanks for the info. We had to make a decision by this afternoon, so we're going to stay 5 nights at the Marriott Waiohai in a 2-bedroom villa (for $599 total), and then the other 2 nights with points at the Marriot Beach Club.

At the Beach Club, we'll all be in a regular hotel room, so we didn't want to pass up the chance to stay in a 2-bedroom/2-bath villa for such a great price.

But the Kauai Beach Club looks wonderful, too, and I'm sure you're right about enjoying the pools.

Samsaf....where did you get that great rate for The Waihoai Beach Club?

I need some extra nights in May, but was considering using points in Lihue. We stayed there in 2003 (in the vacation club part) and had a wonderful 1 BR/ 2 bath. Liked the resort for a whole lot of reasons...Duke's, Kalapaki Bay...location, pool, etal!!

I called the Marriott's Vacation Club number and asked about a 'preview rate.'

I think it depends on who answers the phone as to whether they tell you about this or not. I had previously talked to a lady on the phone who was no help whatsoever. Also, my husband is a Marriott Rewards member and travels a lot for business, so that might have made a difference.

The rate is $699 for 5 nights (including tax), and then on the last day if we go through a 90-minute timeshare presentation, they'll give us a $100 gift certificate that we can apply to the cost, making it $599. The regular rate for that villa is $379 per night plus tax.

We're going to wait and see whether it's worth it to go through the time share presentation or not.

I've been calling the Lihue Marriott every few days to see if a bigger unit is available, but so far, we just have the hotel room. So at this point, we're staying 5 nights in Poipu in the 2-BR villa and then 2 nights in Lihue in a regular hotel room (using points).

I will keep calling the Poipu property to see if anything opens up for points for the last 2 nights. It would be easier if we didn't have to change resorts after 5 nights.

Just a couple of things. The beach at the Poipu property is one of the best, nicer than the Lihue Marriott in my opinion. Also, the Poipu property is newly renovated so furnishings etc.. should be fresh and new. It is a further ride from Poipu to the North shore if that matters. I do think you will like the Poipu area over the Lihue area. Lihue property located next to a shopping center and port area, cruise and freight ships come in there. Poipu area located on open ocean and no industrial stuff is there.

Thanks Samsaf...I called Marriott's Vacation Club # many months ago..and all I got was a guy who wanted to sell me a timeshare sight unseeen.

I talked to him several different times and finally at the end he told me he didn't have any specials to offer.

Could be we don't have many Marriott points left these days since we have been using them like crazy!

Have fun.

icee2, I also talked to someone who wanted to sell us a timeshare over the phone, sight unseen! When I told her that there was no way my husband and I would buy something so expensive without seeing it first, she got quite huffy about it. So maybe you should just keep calling until you talk to someone helpful.