Marriott Waiohai less busy than Maui?

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Can anyone tell me whether the Poipu Beach area/Marriott is any less crowded/commercial than Ka'anapali? I'm trying to decide whether to try to head over to Kauai for a few days if we can work out flights, car, etc...

Thanks
Avery

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Avery, I will ask my neighbor tomorrow. They just came back from the Waiohai and had a fantastic time but I didn't ask if it was crowded and she didn't comment about it.

I read somewhere today that there are a lot of children there when the schools are out. In March, Popu beach was more crowded than Ka-anapali beach but it was very windy the days that we were there. I gave you a link to the Waiohai pictures in the other post and it showed the beach. It is nothing like Waikiki beach. That is crowded!

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

avery,

it's rated extremely high on tug's.........

http://tug2.com/RnR/RatingsAndReview...D-0AB5A8379C97

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Poipu area was very very busy when we were there in summer.

We preferred the north coast Princeville area. If you can go to Kauai for a few days do it. Lovely island.

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

Can anyone tell me whether the Poipu Beach area/Marriott is any less crowded/commercial than Ka'anapali? I'm trying to decide whether to try to head over to Kauai for a few days if we can work out flights, car, etc...

Thanks
Avery

Avery,
We were at the Waiohai June 6-11 this year-it's a beautiful resort. I never felt crowded-granted it is busier there than other parts of the island-we stayed on the North shore as well and it was so quiet and peaceful there. Kauai in general is a LOT less commercial than Maui. We went from Kauai to Maui and my first thought was "who put the city next to the ocean" when we arrived in Maui. I know better-I have been to Maui several times-it just felt different after visiting Kauai. Yes, activites on Kauai are $$-but the scenery is free and it is a feast for your senses-the scents there are unbelievable. So just plan on sightseeing and chilling at the Waiohai. The resort, pools and position on Poipu Beach are awesome. I can't imagine "crowded" on Kauai can compare to "crowded" on Maui. I think you would probably be very happy if you decided to go-even if it's a shortened time frame. Now-if you do go-head across the street to the Poipu Shopping Village and get your boys a Puka Dog. You can't leave Kauai without having tried one

Aloha,

Tracy

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

Avery,
I forgot to say that I admire your spontaneity-I am an obssessive overplanner and don't even know how to do spontaneous - hence the "Stresscadet"
I am having a great time following your trip.

I wanted to add that we were a Party of 10 at the Waiohai and we never had a problem with seating around the pool at any time-I know early June is not late Aug-but for what it's worth......

Looking forward to your pictures.

Tracy

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

We stay at Po`ipu in august almost every year (and just returned from there on Monday). We've also stayed in Ka'anapali in August.

The Po`ipu area is definitely less crowded and less commercial. A couple of factors:

• Much of the Po`ipu area is zoned residential, not resort. Much of the residential area, especially in the Po`ipu Kai area east of Brennecke's Beach, is detached, single family homes. The Po`ipu area is not (currently) as intensively developed as is Ka`anapali.
• The beach area is longer and the wdth of the beach area is longer in Po`ipu than in Ka`anapali.
• Kaua`i has many more other beaches to visit, which reduces the congestion on "main" beaches, such as Po`ipu. We just completed our sixth visit to Kaia`i and we're still getting to new beaches on the south side that we haven't previously visited.

If you want uncrowded beaches, probably the only place with less croweded beaches than Kaua`i is wet Moloka`i. The most crowded conditions we have seen at Po`ipu were still less than what we've experienced at Ka'anapali. And if even that is too crowded, it's easy to find less crowded spots by just driving a few miles.

The only caveat I would add is that I have seen it pretty crowded at both Beach House (across from Lawai Beach Resort) and Brennecke's Beaches. That's because those beaches are both small beach areas with specific features that attract beachgoers. (Beach House is a popular snorkeling area and often has good surfing break. Brennecke's is an extremely popular boogie boarding and body surfing location.)

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Avery, I called my neighbor and she said it was busy. You definitely must like kids because there are many there. I asked her if it was busy at the beach and it is too. It didn't bother her because she has three kids between the ages of 6 and 10. You will be sightseeing too so it should be OK. I asked her if the restaurants were crowded and she told me that they had dinner at the Beach House once and had to make reservations a few days ahead.

We stayed a few times in Princeville too and twice at the Alii Kai which is a very nice and roomy two bedroom condo. It is in RCI and II. Alli Kai is not a resort like the Waohai but we liked it very much and it was peaceful when we were there. It is a condo project on a bluff with panoramic views over the ocean but very few units would have this view. It is a beautiful area around a golf course and we like it better than Poipu. They may not have A/C. There are more timeshares right around there but I don't know anything about them. The Waiohai Resort is very beautiful and we loved our stay so I would keep it unless you don't like kids.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

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We stayed a few times in Princeville too and twice at the Alii Kai which is a very nice and roomy two bedroom condo. It is in RCI and II. Alli Kai is not a resort like the Waohai but we liked it very much and it was peaceful when we were there. It is a condo project on a bluff with panoramic views over the ocean but very few units would have this view. It is a beautiful area around a golf course and we like it better than Poipu. They may not have A/C. There are more timeshares right around there but I don't know anything about them. The Waiohai Resort is very beautiful and we loved our stay so I would keep it unless you don't like kids.

IMHO - Hanbalei Bay resort is about the nicest "plain" timeshare (i.e., not carrying a Westin brand) in the Princeville area. Almost all of the 2-bedroom units have unobstructed veiws of Hanalei Bay and the resort has direct access to the beach (unlike every other resort in Princeville, including the Westin's under construction). A lot of refurbishment has been done, but is being completed without a special assessment (hence refurbishment is proceeding in stages). We came within a whisker of buying a resale there a couple of weeks ago, before we decided to focus more on the Po`ipu area instead.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

IMHO - Hanbalei Bay resort is about the nicest "plain" timeshare (i.e., not carrying a Westin brand) in the Princeville area. Almost all of the 2-bedroom units have unobstructed veiws of Hanalei Bay and the resort has direct access to the beach (unlike every other resort in Princeville, including the Westin's under construction). A lot of refurbishment has been done, but is being completed without a special assessment (hence refurbishment is proceeding in stages). We came within a whisker of buying a resale there a couple of weeks ago, before we decided to focus more on the Po`ipu area instead.

Steve, I agree with you as I looked at the pictures when you mentioned it the other day. I had never heard of it but it looks very nice and I would love to stay there one day. I rather have the spectacular view than the luxury because we don't use the amenities much but I llike the beautiful grounds and surroundings at a resort.

PS. Here is the link. We make it only harder for Avery to make her final decision.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Thanks, all. If we go, it will be to the Marriott since i'm holding it. I'm not sure if II will let me make the switch I'm going to try, but first want to be certain I want it. Can anyone give me an idea of how long a drive it is from Poipu to the North coast/Hanalei Bay/Napili?

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Decided to stay on Maui

Ok, executive decision is to stay on Maui (but we're moving to the Marriott here on Sunday). Kids d/n want to travel to Kauai, and we would end up losing a day in each direction given the flight schedules. And we'd have to come back to Maui the day before our LOOONGG trip home, not fun. Add the chance I might find it crowded at Marriott Poipu, we are going to make Kauai a destination on our next trip, maybe as soon as next summer, when we can spend a full week...

THANK YOU ALL for helping me with this.

Aloha, off to snorkel somewhere...

Avery

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

I think you made the right decision because island hopping is almost a whole lost day so you would lose almost two days of sightseeing or relaxing and flying today is such a hassle too. Now you have a reason to go back again.

Enjoy your snorkeling!

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Steve, I agree with you as I looked at the pictures when you mentioned it the other day. I had never heard of it but it looks very nice and I would love to stay there one day. I rather have the spectacular view than the luxury because we don't use the amenities much but I llike the beautiful grounds and surroundings at a resort.

PS. Here is the link. We make it only harder for Avery to make her final decision.

We've stayed at Shearwater. I would take a 2-bedroom resale at Hanalei Bay over a 2-bedroom Shearwater in a heartbeat.