Hawaii: Honeymoon rentals on Kauai
For a honeymoon on Kauai, a wedding planner might steer you toward a five-star hotel in Princeville or Poipu, where luxury rooms cost upward of $400 per night. But plenty of newlyweds and other romantics prefer the privacy of their own jungle house or beach cottage, with spacious living areas, full kitchens, ample bedrooms and if you’re lucky, a lanai with an ocean view.
Deal: Multiple-night bookings and weekly rates for vacation rental properties in Hawaii often are far less expensive than for hotel rooms, and you’ll get a lot more bang for your buck. Here are sample rates at some of my favorite vacation rental properties on Kauai, which I’ve recommended to friends who were planning their own honeymoons.
River Estate Vacation Homes, (800) 390-8444 – The romantic riverside Kauai Guest House costs from $275 per night for two people (excluding taxes and a $175 cleaning fee). There’s usually a five-night minimum stay.
Kauai Bird Song Cottage, (808) 828-6797 or (808) 651-9460 – An architecturally designed property surrounded by tropical fruit trees rents for $150 per night for two people (excluding taxes and a $100 cleaning fee). Three-night minimum stay required.
Caveats: Most vacation rentals and condominiums charge mandatory cleaning fees, typically $50 to $100; always ask when making reservations. Expect a minimum-stay requirement of at least a few days.
Why Go: For a unique honeymoon experience to give you memories that will last until your silver wedding anniversary.
Why Not Go: If you can’t do without the amenities (e.g., huge swimming pools, room service) of a traditional beach resort hotel.
Have you found a romantic vacation rental house or cottage on Kauai, or elsewhere in Hawaii? Let us know by posting in the Comments section below.
Related Los Angeles Times Links:
Travel: Destination Kauai
The road to Kauai is an ever-inviting garden path
Go!Express in Hawaii: New cheap one-way flights
– Sara Benson, L.A. Times Travel Deal Detective
11 Comments on “Hawaii: Honeymoon rentals on Kauai”
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May 8th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Three years ago, we honeymooned on Kauai. A little research demonstrated that a condo met our needs much more completely than a resort–more space, including a kitchenette, for lower costs. This summer we’ll be returning to the same condo complex, although additional research turned up a wealth of condos and houses. I can’t recommend this type of accommodation enough, unless you’re specifically looking for the resort experience.
May 8th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
10 years ago my wife and I honeymooned at the River Estate noted in this article. get the unit in the back-very nice and the owner will arrange activities for you. He even left us fresh picked papayas on the porch in the mornings! While we missed being able to go to a pool or getting a massage, those were about the only things missed. What was enjoyed was feeling “like you owned the place” (we stayed 2 weeks); being able to experience what life in Kauai was like such as shopping for our own food, going to farmer’s markets, getting up early in the morning and making my own cup of coffee and sitting on the lanai enjoying the peace and quiet. I can go on and on. Would I do it again (the private residence vs hotel)? Yep. Would I recommend it? I would say you need to ask yourself what matters most on your time away.
May 8th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
I just came back from Kauai and there is so much to see and do that you could actually not miss the pool. You can go to the beach and have a wonderful time doing that. You could also get a rental car/bike/scooter and see the sites. You could also get excursions through some of the independent tour operators there. To island hop, you can take a flight for about $50 each way. There is so much to see and do that an exclusive cottage or vacation home would be an ideal honeymoon location!
May 8th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
We thought we had our plans all set to rent a condo in Poipu last night, but when our travel agent called to confirm the reservation this morning, she discovered that Poipu Road is currently a massive construction zone.
Lesson learned: Even if you find a deal on the Internet, call ahead before booking to double-check details. Nothing like being woken up at 7am by a steam-roller or generator-powered nail gun while on vacation!
Q: Have you recently experienced a case of misleading expectations when booking online based on outdated, deceptive or inaccurate information?
Aloha,
– Andrew, Sr. Editor/Producer, travel.latimes.com
May 8th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
My wife and I were married on Kauai, south shore. We stayed in a condo, right on the beach. Watched the turtles swim in the waves every day. Waves crashing at night as we slept. Could not have been better.
The hotels have our stay beat as far as pampering, but they do not come close to being right up against the water. I would do it no other way. And we looked at many of the hotels while we were there. Nothing compared.
May 9th, 2007 at 4:05 am
I highly recommend Suiteparadise.com for Kauai property reservations. My family and I stayed in a condo in Poipu Beach and have memories that will last a lifetime.
May 9th, 2007 at 4:41 am
You missed perhaps the finest, most romantic condo in all of Kauai. It is called LuxuryPoipu, and is located at the Makahuena in Poipui, Kauai. Direct oceanfront, 21 foot high ceilings, all encompassing luxury. for more information, please visit http://www.LuxuryPoipu.com
May 9th, 2007 at 6:21 am
Only a small portioin of Poipu Rd is a mess. It is where the Kolloa Estates are being buiilt. So inbetween Kiahuna Golf Course Entrance and Koloa the construction can be a tad busy. However it will only get worse as more mainland people head over to buy their ultimate house. Alot of estates and land being plotted out for future development. So go now when this area still retains the “old” feel.. Two years from now and the only sightline of the ocean will be inbetween million dollar homes.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:21 am
Our family was just there 3 weeks ago.
May 9th, 2007 at 9:05 am
The best place to stay is Kiahuna Plantaion right on the beach. They are run like a hotel, but you get a full condo with a kitchen and living room. Great price and location.
June 8th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
I am a travel agent and went for the first time to Hawaii on the Norwegian’s Pride of Hawaii. It was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. The ship that carried us there was spectacular. We flew there first class and we were also upgraded to a balcony pent house suite and that rounded out the vacation. Because we paid the full price, we can say that it was worth every dollar. And because of my experience, I was able to tell others about the cruise, the ship, the islands, the excursions and everything else and now have a bride going there for her honeymoon! Denise