Royal Sonesta Kauai

We booked a day room at this hotel and are impressed with the service. From the shuttle driver, bell men, front desk, to the gal at the pool who took drink orders, everyone is exceptionally helpful and friendly. After checking out and getting to the airport I realized I left my watch in the room. A live person answered the phone and Mike and Maria located my watch then offered to send the watch over on the shuttle. The hotel turned a stressful event into an example of amazing hospitality. We look forward to returning to this beautiful hotel and compliment all the staff.

This resort is beautiful--everything is clean and well cared for. But management has no heart. Five days before our stay I was diagnosed with breast cancer and two days into our five-day stay, I found out I had to leave a day early to get an MRI at home. When I explained this to the hotel desk clerk, then the front desk manager and later the general manager, I was told I would need a doctor's note to avoid paying a penalty--one night's stay for leaving one day earlier (we were there four out of the five nights) even though I shared the email showing the MRI appointment. I was there for a conference, which took up most of the day and didn't have time to be on hold to a doctor's office to get a note and really it's all so new, I didn't know which doctor to ask for the note. I know the hotel has a business to run, but this was an extraordinary circumstance and with proof of the appointment they should not have penalized me. It's not as though I was leaving for something fun or even something I wanted to do. So disappointed.

This was our first time staying here. After figuring out our reservations at the front desk, our whole stay went smoothly. We were able to get rooms next door to each other. Although it was bit of a trek to my room, I enjoyed the walk through the resort. I had an awesome view of the main pool and beach. I didn’t stay much on the balcony but I enjoyed the sunset views. My room was quite comfortable and quiet—although the roosters were confused when to crow. A safe and refrigerator were provided. The staff were all friendly. The beach was an easy walk from the hotel. Eateries were also an easy walk. There were nearby souvenir shops. And there were tennis and pickleball courts and a golf course just a walk up the hill. The resort also provided a shuttle to and from the airport. This resort is quiet and relaxing.

Very nice location, beautiful views of the ocean -- but the most notable and fabulous feature of this hotel is the incredible and huge swimming pool! I love to swim, but often find it annoying at most resorts to have to swim around young kids, people standing around, etc. in order to do a real swim. This pool is so huge that you can set out swimming around the pool and not have to stop for anything, because it is so spacious. Although I was not as thrilled by the dining choices (only one breakfast venue at a ridiculous price), and limited lunch and dinner options, I would return to this resort for the swimming pool alone!!

FYI This hotel is near the airport. That means it is far from almost all attractions. Expect to drive 20minutes, to over an hour, to get anywhere, even adjacent towns. The hotel is situated so that sunrise and sunset are not visible. The hotel is on a bay, so the water is sheltered. This calmer water might be good for young children. I did see people surfing, so maybe the tide or distance from the shore affects the waves. Pros The entry drive into the hotel complex is beautiful. Landscaping is beautiful. Self park is close to the entrance. But the self park costs $10/day and is crowded. Slots are small and many people are double parked, because the lot is not designed correctly. I got a “ticket” for double parking. So parking is more a ‘con’ than a ‘pro.’ Rooms seem to have been remodeled and are clean. The rooms are “industry standard” size, so they are not large. The staff is friendly if not always helpful. The spa is good and not crowded. The gym is good. Large flat pool that would appeal to children. A small kiddie pool with slide. Several hot tubs. Cons Infrequent room service. We had service twice over seven nights. There was also a towel refresh. This automatically reduces the review by a star. I’m not interested in how the hotel rationalizes this poor service. This is a beach hotel, sand sneaks onto the floor. Some add on charges are ridiculous. While we were here, we noticed that the in-room charge for a liter of Evian water went from $7 to $9. Let me repeat, the price of water increased two dollars for no reason in front of our eyes! Another star off. Why don’t they give us water, anyway? The bathroom is substandard. One sink. Shower in tub. No glasses (!?). No amenities like Qtips. WiFi doesn’t work well. The restaurant situation is not good. There is construction going on but the workarounds are poor. As far as I can tell, the only place to get a drink during the day is the pool bar, or the unappealing pool restaurant. All food and lounges close at 9pm (… not positive about this, maybe there is some hidden bar). The place is large and not really romantic. There are some closed shop fronts, suggesting that there might have been more shopping options in the past. So, I recommend staying elsewhere in Kauai.