Kuaui Radisson vs. Princeville
 

I'm seeking comments from recent travelers/visitors to Princeville Resort and newly renovated Radisson in Lihue. My big question is whether or not the Princeville is worth the cost? Is this property comparable to a Four Seasons? If not, I'd rather go bargain basement at the Radisson that has more perks and was recently renovated. Comments please.

Just so you know the Radisson is a Radisson in name only. It is not owned by Radisson only marketed by them. Odd I know.<BR><BR>When we were in Kauai we did not like the look or the location of this place. There are so many other places that were far more appealing. There is a huge cost difference between these two places maybe something in the middle, the Marriott perhaps. Lovely grounds nice beach. Would stay there is a minute!

I second the Marriott. We satyed there last month and it was fabulous. Much more elegant than the Radisson, but not terribly overpriced like the Hyatt or Princeville.

Bellis:<BR><BR> The Princeville is in a beautiful location and the rooms are excellent. But I found the food and service to be average at best. Since The Four Seasons resorts(in both Maui and the Big Island) excel in those areas, I would not put the Princeville in that class.

We stayed at the Radisson and had no complaints. We liked the central-island location better than staying in the north or the south of the island. They do have a happy hour by the pool each night with hawaian dancers and mai-tais. It was a nice way to get acquainted with fellow travelers. The room was fine but not paricularly memorable. Would I stay there again? yes if we decided to stay in a hotel but next time we'd like to rent a condo for the week. Grace

The big question is ......what area of Kauai do you prefer. Although the Marriott is nice I do not care for the location. The Radisson has a good CENTRAL location however, you will always be traveling. <BR><BR>I am a North Shore fan and for that reason alone I would recommend the Princeville hotel. <BR><BR>I recommnend purchasing the Ulitimate Kauai book to review all aspects of the North and South shores and then picking your accomodations.<BR><BR>PS: I have been to Kauai 5 times in the past 15 months and staying on the North shore, South, and central locations if you need any more info

It was funny to read this b/c I had originally booked a Jr. Suite at the Princeville for $450+ and just switched to the Radisson. We got a rate of $135 ENTERTAINMENT discount for an oceanview room and thought we could use the extra $300 per night for great dinners or activities. The pools at Radisson looked nice in the picture and we probably won't spend too much time in the room so I was worried that at Princeville I'd regret spending $450 for an elaborate room & not enjoy it enough.<BR>And now that I'm planning our activies, it seems better to be Central. The helicopter, Movie Tour, and kayaking are all right there. We only have to drive for a NaPali cruise, Princeville golf & to generally explore the island. Seemed good to me. Any more opinions would be appreciated!

IMHO, you could stay in a hut/tent/shack anywhere on Kauai and have a fabulous time. But I just really really loved it there.

I just got back from my honeymoon (5 nights on Kauai, 2 nights on Oahu, 11 nights on the Radiance of the Seas). We stayed at the Kauai Coast Beach Resort (condos-timeshare) which is about 8 miles north of the airport in Lihue. We had never been to Kauai before, but we found the location to be extremely centrally located and ideal for us. We love to drive and had a convertible, and it's so beautiful there and the weather was perfect, so we enjoyed all the time spent on the road seeing the island. BTW, next time we'll stay at the Marriott - what a beautiful hotel! We had dinner one night at Duke's Canoe Club at the Marriott - great food and a gorgeous setting. And don't miss The Beach House for dinner one night, but I'm sure you already know that!

Thanks everyone for the responses and advice...As it turns out, I discovered a great villa to rent in Princeville which is just slightly higher than the radisson per night. This will be a welcomed transition as we will be in a hotel the previous 8 nights with an infant.<BR><BR>I would highly recommend http://www. kauaivacationrentals.com to plan a villa stay...great site with good pics of their properties.<BR><BR>

Just got back from 6 nights in Kauai. Stayed at the Radisson. Loved it. The room was nice, people and service very friendly, nice pools and grounds. The central location was great (easy access to north and south beaches). Would stay there again but would probably get a condo next time to save $ on food. The happy hour was great!

Princeville sits on a great piece of property and is quite nice. The Sunday brunch is delicious there also. However, the golf course, pool, etc. don't stack up to other 5* Hawaiian resorts in my opinion.