1 Star -- WARNING: This property management company will take your money and put your family at…read morerisk. We booked a week at Mele Kai (March 11-18) for two families, including kids, one of whom was celebrating a birthday on the island. Nearly $8,000. On March 10, with a massive Kona storm bearing down on Kauai, we reached out to Garden Island Properties to discuss our options. Our VRBO messages went unanswered. Our phone call went unanswered. When we finally got a text response, they told us the rain is what gives Kauai its nickname "The Garden Island" and suggested we bring "a flexible plan and rain gear." We weren't being difficult. We wrote back and told them we weren't opposed to being rained on -- our concern was flooding, loss of power, or being stuck on the island. I asked them directly: "Will my family be safe during this massive storm in your place?" Their response? They told us, "I don't mean to downplay the news coverage, but this is fairly typical winter weather for Kauai." They assured us the rental was "not located in a flood zone." Fairly typical winter weather. Not in a flood zone. Here's what actually happened: The Governor declared a STATE OF EMERGENCY. Roads in Poipu -- the exact neighborhood of this house -- were closed due to flooding. Ho'one Road and Ku'ai Road, right by this property, were shut down. The islands were hit with up to 44 inches of rain and 135-mph winds. Schools and government offices closed. Over 120,000 customers lost power across the state. Beaches were closed under brown water advisories warning of sewage overflow and hazardous bacteria. The Red Cross and Salvation Army mobilized relief efforts. Residents were evacuated into emergency shelters. So much for "fairly typical winter weather." So much for "not in a flood zone." And here's what makes it worse: the forecast they themselves included in their own message showed 90-100% chance of rain with thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 50 mph for EVERY SINGLE DAY of our trip. Their own evidence showed this was not typical. They sent it to us and still told us to come. We never made it to Kauai. We couldn't. It would have been dangerous and irresponsible to bring our families -- our kids -- into that situation. Garden Island Properties refused any refund. VRBO has been contacted twice by phone, was promised a resolution email both times, and as of this writing we've received nothing. $8,000. Gone. For a house we never stepped foot in, on an island we never reached, during a declared state of emergency that the property manager called "fairly typical." This is not a review about the weather. Nobody controls the weather. This is a review about a property management company that had every piece of information -- including their own forecast -- telling them this was a dangerous, historic storm, and they still chose to encourage a family with children to fly into it rather than do the right thing. I asked them point blank if my family would be safe. They couldn't even answer the question. They chose profit over safety. Period. If you are considering booking with Garden Island Properties, understand this: when things go wrong -- and in Hawaii, weather can go very wrong -- this company will not have your back. They will take your money, send you a canned aloha, and wish you luck.

I never leave reviews, but once in a blue moon I do business with a company that's so exceptional,…read moreand whose staff is so above and beyond that I find myself looking for outlets to let others know of my experience. This is the case with the people at Garden Island Properties. A week prior to our departure, we sadly had to cancel our travel to Kauai Island because our daughter was hospitalized. I had already paid in full for our three week rental (60 days prior to our departure date) and I did not purchase insurance. This could have been the end of the story because everyone had already been paid. But, the people at Garden Island Properties worked tirelessly to find another renter so we could recover some of our money. The humanity they showed, and the effort they made on our behalf has made me a loyal customer, and I plan to use them to help me with future rental properties going forth. I will also purchase travel insurance!

Uncle Mikey made my vacation amazing and spectacular. He went so far above and beyond I can't thank…read morehim enough. No need to go anywhere else!!!

Kauai trip was perfect all thanks to Uncle Mikey! We got to know about him through oceanfront…read morerealty international (our AirBnB place). Initially, we were confused and all activities looked pretty expensive. Uncle Mickey has all the local contacts and he gave us the best deals on ziplining and sunset cruise. They are a lot better than booking online ourselves. Works out even better if you have a big group! His recommendations for local restaurants and snorkeling beaches were spot on. His prompt responses, honesty and caring for his customers is truly commendable. Give him a call and that'll be the best start to your Kauai trip :)

My husband and I had a great vacation at Paradise At The Plantation. Alanna our host made our stay…read morevery easy from the second I talked to her I knew this would be the perfect spot for us. There are so many wonderful things I loved about this property 1. The Master Bathroom has a soaker tub. His and her vanities and a shower. It also has an extra large walk-in closet. 2. Garage to park in. 3. Large lanai loved eating our meals out there. Great quality barbecue. 4. Pool and gym. We were able to work out each morning. 5. The area had great hiking. 6. Alanna is an amazing host. Her condo is immaculately clean. Aloha. I shall be back.

Staying here was a top-notch experience! My family came to Kauai to celebrate my dad's full…read morerecovery after a nasty fall from a ladder + major surgery (on his 65th birthday!). Paradise at the Plantation was exactly the right choice for our trip. Alanna (the owner) was helpful, communicative, and extremely detail-oriented. My parents say the bed in the master bedroom is one of the most comfortable they've ever slept in. Loved having morning coffee on the lanai overlooking the pool, and jogging around the resort grounds, including some jogs to Wylie and Sea Lodge beaches (it's a steep climb but worth it!). Paradise at the Plantation was ideally located for exploring the North Shore, Hanalei, and beyond. I wouldn't hesitate to stay here again if I'm ever lucky enough to get to go back to Kauai!

This a Shell/Wyndham resort timeshare property. It has nice studio and kitchenettes. Most do not…read morehave elevators and it is 22 short steps to each floor. When you check-in, they will take a credit card for incidentals and charge about $18/day resort fee on top of other costs. Then they will direct you across to the concierge/1st timeshare contact to get first sales pitch. You can skip and just leave after getting key. I listened to others get the standard offer to get gifts to sit thru a pitch. My room was studio 3rd floor, 44 steps to top. No kitchen, but microwave and fridge. Interesting note is that AC unit is connected to sliding door. If open, it shuts off. Patio is nice, overlooking grass area with BBQ spots and tikis. Grill equipment is in room. Main lobby has bar and restaurant. Coffee in AM and juice is early PM. Good middle spot on the island so you can go north or south when exploring. Due to (prior?) homeless issue (I had no issue), they only have ice at the main desk, also you can get other items like coffee refills there as well. Limited gift, food shop area, but there is a nearby store with all you need. We had no significant issues, other than avoiding the timeshare pitch. Nice location, clean, it is a humid location because it is near the beach and it rains regularly. There are sometimes they leave remodeling items in parking lot, which fills quickly after dark, and the outside trash can also fill quickly. Lots of chickens, which you can't avoid in the islands. I would return in the future.

Check in was a breeze until they told us we must go to the concierge for our wristband keys. What…read moretranspired was an aggressive interaction in which the concierge misled us into believing we were required to sign up for a "safety briefing" which is "required for all guests" staying at the resort. She insisted that all guests go through the process to maintain the "safety and security" of the resort which was completely false and untrue. Instead of feeling the Aloha spirit we felt intimidated and unwelcomed. Aside from the timeshare aggressive pressure sales pitch from the concierge the resort was great. The units have a full kitchen, large living room, separate dining area and comfortable bedrooms. The ice maker in the freezer does not work but ice is provided at the front desk. The pool and hot tub is beautifully maintained and the grounds are groomed daily. The housekeeping and grounds staff are very helpful and friendly.

Enjoyed our stay. Pool was great and never too crowded. The towel exchange was simple and never had…read moreany issues. The non swimable beach was nice for sunrise and evenings. We didn't eat at the restaurant due to cost and minimal options. Staying in this area puts you mid island with access to great beaches, but, know you are still driving every day a min of 30 minutes to get to a more desirable beach if you're looking for calmer water and the ability to snorkel. The room was fantastic and slept my family of 5 well. Well stocked for cooking. My biggest complaint was the "Mountain View" is more like a parking lot and grocery store view. Also, if you're a lite sleeper, the roosters and road noise will keep you awake. I won't miss the roster crow at 4 am.

Due to hurricane damage to our hotel we had to get a new hotel the day before we arrived in Kauai…read more The Waipouli resort looks great online, the reviews were good, but my experience was very different. The lobby hours are limited, like 9am-7pm which is ok but not if you run into an issue past 7pm (which we did) The front desk staff is lovely and welcoming no complaints with them at all, they are doing their best with what they have. The room was ok it was clean but dated you can tell they havent updated things in a long time. The lamp covers are dusty and the sofa in the room has lost its shape. Our room upon entering was soo hot! We turned on the ac and headed to the pool. When we got back to the room it was even hotter like a sauna the front desk sent a guy to fix it but it didnt work so they were able to move us to a different room. The new room was exactly the same but with working ac. Thankfully our friends were at the Royal Sonesta so we would spend our days over there but upon arriving back to our room on day 3 we were greeted by a puddle of water at the entrance coming from the water heater/ac closet. The front desk was closed and we're checking out the next day so we just threw towels at the puddle and were happy to be leaving the next day. All night it kept leaking we used up all the towels available. I'm sure this resort was great at one time but now its dated, sad and lonely the pool water is murky and the surrounding area is covered in chicken poop. The whole resort could use a refresh. The onsight restaurant was closed during our whole stay, it's good the resort is across the street from Safeway and lots of restaurants. I would not return!

My girlfriend and I were looking to go to Hawaii but did not want the whole touristy thing. We…read morewanted to go somewhere where we can fit in with the locals and not be overwhelmed with tourists. Fortunately, I had an old co worker who told me years ago that he stayed at this time share in Kaui. I contacted him about the information and several months later, we made it to the timeshare! Our unit was more than spacious for two people and had all basic utilities.The views of Bali Hai and Hanalei Bay were just outside our windows!!! We scored with the location just outside of town with a short drive to the town center where we enjoyed several food options. We decided to act all touristy for a few days and explored some of the other hotels nearby which was nice to see and what the offered. If you want that small town vibe where you fit in with the locals and have a wonderful spacious time share, this is your place.

Stayed at Hale Honu/KauaiDreamin last August 2012 and we are still gushing about our vacation in…read moreKauai! The unit was clean with unique island decor and is located within walking distance to a grocery store and strip mall. It is also a short drive to Hanalei Town Center where you will find a lot of dining choices from fast food to sit down restaurants. While you are there check out Tahiti Nui Bar, their pizzas are great and the live band entertainment is a blast. We travelled with our teenage boys and there are so many fun activites to do like kayaking, paddle boarding and ziplining to name a few. I highly recommend staying at KauaiDreamin. It is a perfect place for couples and families as well. It had all the amenities we needed. All in all, it's a great vacation rental!

Kenneth, I find it…read moreinteresting that it's taken over a year for you to respond to this, but since you have, let ME set the record straight "for future readers:" * While you are technically correct in stating that you "did not receive any communication regarding [my] concerns DURING [my] stay," your implication that I never reached out you is utterly disingenuous since YOU WERE CC'D ON ALL THE EMAILS SENT TO THE BOARD REFERENCED IN YOUR RESPONSE (and reproduced in my review)! To this day I have never heard from you despite your claim that "Had I been contacted, I would have gladly...investigated the matter." Instead, you chose to write this CYA reply to a bad Yelp review a year later. I didn't think it was possible for the complex to look any worse in the way this situation was handled, but you proved me wrong. Congrats on that! * Regarding the lighting issues themselves, the video, photos & anecdotes in my review speak themselves. The fact that the problem has existed for 50 years or that you claim to not be aware of any similar incidents (dubious) doesn't change anything. Also, the surrounding [pool] grounds does NOT "use low-level lighting" as you claim; there is NO LIGHTING AT ALL as you can clearly see in the attached video from my review above. Additionally, I referenced the Dark Sky ordinance in my review when I suggest the addition of something like the low-light mushroom lights already elsewhere on the property. So using "these important environmental responsibilities" as an excuse for dropping the ball when it comes to guest safety is once again, disingenuous at best (and negligent at worst). * As far as the grill is concerned, this is the least important issue and I guess we can agree to disagree. You claim the grill is "cleaned each morning by our maintenance staff, and the grill tools are inspected and replaced as needed." I used the grill 2-3 times during our stay and each time I had to spend about 10-15 minutes cleaning it off in order to get it in good enough shape to cook fish. Regarding the tools, once again, despite your claims to the contrary I think the attached photos speak for themselves! My favorite part of you response is the totally disingenuous closing paragraph filled with corporate-speak and weasel-words. Here's a friendly piece of advice: don't do that. And honestly, don't bother sending a response - a YEAR later! - if it's going to look like this one. It doesn't help. It definitely hurts. You had the opportunity to respond directly to me a year ago since you were copied on all the emails sent to the board. Instead, you chose to ignore those emails, wait a year and respond to a bad Yelp review with a bunch of falsehoods and dodges. That was your call. It wouldn't have been my choice, but then again you seem to make a lot of choices I wouldn't make. I wish you the very best in the future and hope you find guests that are the best fit for your personal preferences and vacation style.

Our spot while in Kauai. Always a good time. Plenty of parking, large and clean pool, grounds are…read morekept and maintained. Chickens are obnoxious but it's their land.

Calming environment, with walkable trails nearby to the beach. Easy drive to many high traffic…read morespots and fun activities

Maybe tell the housekeepers to change the sheets every time there is a new guest. This was my…read moredaughter's room, and my sheets were stained as well.