I am thinking of staying in the Princeville. Most people speak positively about it but a couple of people has said that it is boring unless you golf and the weather is not as good.

I want to stay in a place that is not swamped with kids but is fun or not too boring.
Asking too much??

Sam -

Are you saying that you are contemplating staying at the Princeville Hotel or just staying in the Princeville area as opposed to say the Poipu or Kapaa area of the island? Also, it does matter somewhat what time of the year you are going and what you personally are looking for. We do not golf, but absolutely love the North Shore of Kauai, however, temper it with a much longer stay on the south shore because of the time of the year we travel and past experience with precipitation on the North Shore.

I am thinking of the Princeville Hotel in February

I really liked the Princeville Hotel. My wife and I stayed there in June for a week.
If the extra cost isn't an issue, I'd recommend spending the extra moneyfor a suite. We had a Jr. suite that had a terrific view of the Bay and faced the direction of the sunset.

In terms of it being boring, it is what you want it to be. There are plenty of things to do, hiking, kayaking, biking, etc.

The only thing I didn't like about the hotel was the $15 a day parking fee (regardless of whether you self park or valet.) I thought for a resort hotel that was "cheap." My wife and I complained and they removed the charge.

We spent our honeymoon there and love the Princeville! One thing though - Princeville is pretty much at the end of the highway and you'll have to drive a relatively longer way to everywhere else (especially to the west).

We stayed at the Princeville Hotel this past May. It is expensive, but we did it because it was a special anniversary. We liked the area because of the scenery -- mountains, lush, green area, ocean, and the beach. The rain -- we had some -- did not bother us at all. In fact, we welcomed it. I don't know what the weather is like in February.

The hotel is very luxurious. We liked our room. It was large enough, furnished nicely, and the view was great. The food was good. The lobby is huge and impressive.

As far as what to do. We were there for four days. We went to Queen's Bath -- very near the hotel -- snorkeling, swimming, adventure, lovely scenery. From our room, we walked about 2 miles to the main highway and got ice cream and groceries. There is also a restaurant there, and a few other shops. We hiked the Na Pali coast -- the trail starts about 10 miles from the hotel. (We had a rental car.) We went snorkeling at Tunnels Beach, several miles from the hotel. We went to Hanalei Bay, the town which is maybe four miles from the hotel. We ate lunch there, dinner, and also visited the church. We spent an afternoon at the hotel pool, it was very relaxing, the water was the perfect temperature. I did indulge in a massage once, and it was wonderful! To say the least, neither of us golfed while we were there.

One note: If it is really going to bother you to spend alot of money, you might not like this hotel. We did get the feeling when we were there that there is alot of money there.

We were in Kauai in Feb, 1999. Had reservations for the Princeville Hotel and decided to change to the Hyatt Regency (great resort) in Poipu because winter tends to be the rainy season for the northern shore, while it is sunnier and drier on the south shore. Very few children that time of year. Good choice for us as we were on the island for 5 days and the rain never stopped in Princeville..while we enjoyed warm and dry weather. We wanted to hike along the trail on the Napali Coast from Kee Beach..too muddy and dangerous.

Lots of great scenery and beaches on the South shore..but it is also a great drive up to Princeville..very lush and some interesting sights along the way.

It's good to be flexible when traveling. Conditions change.

Hi, Sam -

Getting back to you re the Princeville Hotel, many people like it and many do not. A friend of mine was married there two years ago and was to have spent her honeymoon at the Princeville, but after the wedding, went south to the Hyatt instead. She absolutely disliked the dark woods, large, cumbersome furnishings and heavy Asian influence in decor. The Princeville is not the "Hawaiiana" decor that many people expect, while the views of Hanalei Bay and Bali Hai from the hotel are remarkable. When this hotel was the Sheraton Princeville, it was lovely. Now the decor is dark, depressing (to many) and not islandy as many people anticipate like the Hyatt is with all the beautiful Koa woods throughout and warm, island decor. However, ambiance is just one aspect. Depending on when you are traveling to Kauai, be prepared for more rain on the North shore (can be lots of it) in the winter months. We have been traveling to Kauai for 14 years and absolutely love the North shore the best, (when it is dry). We are always there in February and have literally been chased by the monsoon type rain. When it is dry, no place is lovelier. If you have the time, split it between the North and South shores for two totally different types of atmosphere and landscape and that way you can hedge your bet. The North Shore in its raw beauty is spectacular, but the South shore will afford you sunnier, dryer weather - statistically.

Hi Sam,

One thing my friend told me who stayed there was that most of the rooms do not have balconies/lanais. To me this is a shame since you are in Hawaii, and may want to sit outside with a glass of wine and enjoy the view. Especially since the standard rooms are so expensive. I have heard more positive remarks about the Hyatt. Enjoy!