5 Best Hotels in Kauai, Hawaii

A low-rise, Hawaii-plantation-style design gives this 6-acre beachfront property a pleasant relaxed feeling; the guest rooms are spread over eight three-story buildings, each with a lanai that looks out on lovely green lawns. The rooms are small, with showers and tubs, Wi-Fi, mini-refrigerators, coffeemakers, and microwaves. They are available oceanfront or with garden or ocean views. A free-form pool sits next to a golden-sand beach that's perfect for a quiet stroll, and there's a poolside bar and coffee shop on-site. It's located across the street from Coconut Marketplace, with its many shops and restaurant.

Nestled alongside Wailua Bay and the Wailua River, this low-key low-rise chain hotel is a convenient place to stay as it's within walking distance of Lydgate Beach, with its lifeguard and lawns, and also close to shops and a variety of restaurants. Rooms and suites, in two wings with a choice of beach, mountain, or ocean views, have mini- or full-size refrigerators, microwaves, and coffeemakers; two-bedroom cottages are also available. Complimentary Wi-Fi and cable TV are included, and the hotel has a modest fitness room, a business center, meeting rooms, and a swimming pool. The resort fee includes yoga classes, a cultural sunrise ceremony, and daily two-hour bike rental.

In business since 1956, this small three-story hotel is something of a Kauai beachfront landmark, with clean comfortable rooms, some with great ocean views, and a large pool that overlooks the water---expect great sunrises. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, mini-refrigerators, microwaves, air-conditioning, and flat-screen TVs. The two-room units are good for families; the oceanfront units are, unsurprisingly, the nicest. Conveniently located on the county bus line and a coastal path, the property is within walking distance of shops and restaurants.

Not only is this low-cost alternative close to the airport, but it's also a great base for day trips to all sides of the island. Rooms are basic, well-worn, and small, with refrigerators, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. Newly added studios and two-bedroom cottages have kitchenettes or full kitchens. In summer, it's worth the extra money to get a room with air-conditioning. Coffee is available in the lobby every morning.

Once an oceanfront inn and now an affordable boutique hotel, this property remains no-frills lodging, but rooms—some recently updated—have a refrigerator and are comfortable, bright, and clean. It's adjacent to a public coastal walking and biking path. A big grassy courtyard opens to the beach, where a restaurant and lounge are perched on the sand. There's plenty of dining and shopping at the nearby Coconut Marketplace.