This place is a gem for military families. I didn't even realize that there were military accommodations in Kauai, until some friends mentioned it. Luckily, when I called, they had one cottage left, not renovated, oceanside. I took it and thank goodness I did. Location - This is as far as you can go west in Kauai (in civilization) before you hit the State Park and then Napali Coast. Even though it is the furthest point, Kauai is not that big, so don't deter the location from booking. Waimea is about 10 mins away! Also, bonus, our cottage was one of the non-renovated ones so our rate was even cheaper. Score! Pros: - Price can't be beat. - Stand alone cottage and we got ocean front. Our view was the beautiful ocean and the Forbidden Island, The Island of Ni'ihau and the other little island. The sunsets here are gorgeous (we, unfortunately only had one good day as the rest of our vacay, it was raining). - Full Kitchen (microwave, coffee maker, full stocked kitchen), 2 Closed Bedrooms (1 queen in one and 2 Full in the other), Stacked Washer and Dryer, TV, AC - the deck to go out and look at the beautiful sunset or early morning or just going out there to hear the ocean waves crash - the NEX on post has a commissary section in their store. Not a lot to choose from, but that's just Kauai. Cons: - the little bugs are ridiculous at night! Looks like fruit flies and they just get through the screen. During the day is fine. They just love to come out and play at night. - the moaning of the Wedge tailed Shear Water birds. They have started a colony and they are protected. Every time they dig a hole, the military puts up a wooden shelter over it. They just have the weirdest moaning noises and they only do this at night. We thought it was our own kids fussing to go to bed. No, it's those birds. So, this isn't really the PMRF's problem and more their effort to protect these birds! Overall, you can't beat the price and the best view on land of Ni'ihau. Can't get any closer unless you take a boat tour. Also, the convenience of being able to use your benefits of gas station and NEX is a no brainer. Also, this will be another review post, but the on post restaurant Shenanigans had really great food for the price (closed Mons)! We ate there 2 nights as it was right there on post! read more

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The best if you are able to stay here. The prices in this entire state are sky high. Not sure how the locals survive. The base have less expensive gas but only premium. If you want to save money shop the chain stores, but that hurts the local business, just like where you live. Much of the local stuff comes from China. Local work at the chain stores so it is good and bad. Groceries compared to where we live were doubled or more at local stores and even on the base. Best prices were at Target and Costco because of bulk buying power i.e. Amazon. Base does have a great restaurant. This island does have something you cannot buy, weather, but just prepare for sticker shock and bring plenty of plastic. My thing is to go to the beach, get sun and pick up trash. Some of God's best work so please treated it kindly. MAHALO! read more

The base is easy with military and their guests for access. The MWR is easy and friendly to deal with. The cottage has amazing location, it has most every you need for cottage. They even called me the day of arrival and made sure it was easy check in. The not so good, there were bugs little nats and ants in the kitchen and bathroom. AC only goes to 78F. read more

PMRF Barking Sands Cottages - The beach in front of the cottages - Guest Houses Near Me

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Drove out to the base while visiting Kauai. Thought we would look at the cabins to make future reservations. The woman at MWR was not pleasant! Asked about the cottages and all she cared about was if we were active duty. Nope. Retired. You have to make reservations 6 months in advance. Ok, great, but can I see the area to see if it's something we want to do? NO!! You are not allowed out there due to privacy of our guests. Can I go to the beach in front of the cottages? NO! Tells me there are other beaches we can visit and directs us to majors bay instead...which is literally the beach area the cabins are at! What is with the attitude? Guess we will go to bellows instead, at least the staff there are nicer. read more

We loved staying here! It is a bit far removed from most activities, and the cottage we had was in need of repairs. However, for the price and views, it was perfect! If you are not military and staying as a guest, you aren't able to access the base without your sponsors. That part makes doing something separately from your group difficult. read more

Beautiful location with awesome folks working there. We spent a week here at Barking Sands on the Island of Kauai and have to say it will be hard to top this vacation. It was like having your own private beach with beautiful sunsets every evening. We laughed, grilled and bonded as a family with a beautiful back dropped called Barking Sands. read more

If you are connected to the military, or traveling with those, this is the place to stay! Really, where could you get a nice private cottage with the beautiful beach and the ocean in front of your window, Waimea Canyon on the back, sleep with ocean waves, with less than $100 a night? Tip1. There is a full sized Refrigerator and Washer/Dryer. Bring your food and little clothes. Tip2. Wedge tailed shearwaters might disturb your sleep at night. If you are light sleeper or don't want to hear human baby like cries at night, use ear plugs. Tip3. If you are an authorized alien like me, expect to take a month for clearance. Plan ahead! We had stayed Cottage #1133. That probably is the most quiet, but next time we want to stay at #1127, the very ocean front! YELP 365 - 204/365 read more

PMRF Barking Sands Cottages - Guest Houses Near Me

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If you are military this is the place to stay. The newly renovated cottages are nice! Washer and dryer, stove, refrigerator, kitchen stuff coffee maker, toaster, utensils, pots, pans, outdoor bbq, etc... Free WiFi! This place is a chill spot very quiet and I heard they are very strict with the quiet hours. We stay at #1131 and didn't heard the ñeñe at night(they really sound like crying babies) Beach is nice but is recommended not to go in to surf unless you are experienced surfer cuz is a short break. I just wish they had beach chairs and umbrellas to chill at the beach, ready for the renters to use. They should have that included with the cottages. Most of the people come out of island and cannot carry with that. We went for 4 days and didn't the time to rent and mwr was closed pretty much the hole time, and that's a - for me. I recomend before you get there stop by walmart or costco if you have membership to replenish on snacks and water. The shopette closes early. Just make sure to check the open hours at the NEX. When we got there it was closed and had to go back and drive 15 min to a crapie market to buy expensive snacks. Gas station was closed the whole time we where there. We got gas at costco it was the cheapest in the island. Make sure to hit the restaurant sheningans. We had dinner by sunset time and it was an amazing view. I post some photos on the restaurant yelp page. read more

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All of the reviews here are spot on. You won't find a better value anyplace on Kauai unless a distant uncle passes away and gives you his estate. Some helpful hints. Stop at Costco on your way from the airport and stock up on everything. Don't forget the charcoal, each cottage has a small BBQ for your use. We got everything from beer to steaks and salad stuff, we were glad we did because island prices are double that of the mainland. Even at the small NEX things are pricey and the selection there is limited. If cooking is not your thing, then you can always go to Shenanigans. It is right down the beach to the south. The prices are very reasonable and the food was pretty good. We didn't have a single meal out in town, aside from Anata's Thai food truck that we thought was decent. The cottages are well equipped with clean linen, towels, kitchen utensils, pots, pans and dishes. You will likely want to go the the MWR equipment rental and get some beach chairs and maybe an umbrella. We got beach towels at Costco and felt good about it after we saw what the cottages had & the selection from the NEX. The cottages have cable tv and wifi. The only TV was in the main room, no TVs in the rooms. We watched a couple movies on our iPad via Netflix. We stayed for a week but could have stayed another week and been very happy! read more

PMRF Barking Sands Cottages - Sunset view from the lanai - Guest Houses Near Me

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Mahalo PMRF for these beach cottages! Amazing little hideaway that I'll make sure not to tell friends and family about ;) These cottages (from what I've heard from the gals at the front desk) are 2 bedroom + pullout couch, and 1 bath. There are two types of cottage: ocean front & ocean view. They price at $115 now. I don't doubt that these prices will rise in the near future seeing their popularity and demand. Active duty gets up to one year in advance to book. Now retirees like myself and my husband, get up to six months. The gals up front said they're usually booked six months in advance (go figure). So the best way to get a reservation is to call them directly and ask for the next availability. That way you can start planning out your next "stay-cation" in paradise! read more

This is a special hidden gem for military families on Kauai. We've stayed here several times and fell in love with the peacefulness of this part of the island. It's not for everyone, such as the folks that want to be in the heart of everything such as walking distance to shopping and restaurants. It's quite a hall from civilization. Waimea and Hanapepe are the closest towns with restaurants, although you do have Shannanigams right on base as well as the PX for drinks snacks and food. We have stopped in for wines and fresh produce several times. They have everything you need. We have stayed at the cottages several times as well as the main house where the top ranking soldiers and distinguished guests stay, the lanai is huge and private, our favorite spot. We typically stop at Costco and the farmers market and load up on all the essentials and don't leave for a few days. That's a true vacation. The girls in the office are super nice and will help you book activities at a special military rate, pack your patience, you're on Kauai time. There is also a fitness center that has everything you need to get a good work out in. My husband goes daily. I prefer to run and walk along the private beach. We are so honored and blessed to have this magical place to visit often. Thankful that the military has perks such as this one. read more

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It's hard not to be appreciative of the amazing view, secluded beach, and quiet atmosphere. However, the unit we stayed in, 1109, was a hot mess. The carpet smelled, the air conditioning unit smelled like mold, the bathroom was a mess. Some of the units are new or reconditioned, this was neither. There are louvers on the windows that mostly don't work. When they say it's an equipped kitchen, they mean it has a stove, microwave and a couple of random cooking pieces. Don't expect to cook complex meals. The two beds in one bedroom are so high that my 4' something tall mother-in-law had trouble getting on and off them. There is absolutely nothing luxurious or refined about this unit. It's also two stories which was difficult for my mother-in-law with mobility issues. We did appreciate the kiddie pool, big pool, although the hours can be difficult to understand and restrictive. My father-in-law rented fishing equipment for two dollars a day and he and my husband caught our dinner one night, fishing right off the beach. There is no crib, we brought a Peapod plus, which is a pop-up tent for a toddler. It is not suitable for infants. We used the extra blanket as an extra pad underneath, as the carpet itself has no padding, and it worked great. There is no air conditioning in the living room or bathroom, but the bedrooms do have air conditioners that are stinky but work well. We also brought a travel highchair, but the chairs in this unit weren't really suitable to use it so she ended up eating at the coffee table. I also brought tape and used paper towels to cover the sharp edges of the glass tables in the unit. It is really not kid friendly so consider what you need to bring to make it safe for your child. My kid is almost two and we had to tell her constantly to not touch things, stop running around the glass tables, and had to make sure all the doors were always closed because of the staircase up. It's what any parent would do anywhere, but there are absolutely no amenities for children in this unit. I left toddler bowls with lids, sippy cups and tableware if you need it. If you do stay here make sure you request a reconditioned or new unit. They have windows that close, less mobility issues and appear to be much nicer. Ask them to tell you if you will be in one of the two-story units, although some of those have been redone as well. Ours just sucked. read more

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These beach cottages are restricted to those in the military and the DoD. If you are able to get a reservation here...good for you! It was hard for us to get a reservation during a holiday weekend. It was so worth it. We frequently visit Kauai for all that the island has to offer. And this place is literally, a hidden gem. It wasn't so hidden before 9/11. Access for the public is now restricted after 9/11. When you go to the beach, there is literally less than 20 people on the beach...and the beach is very big. WE LOVE IT HERE! Visitors are allowed to use the pool but you'd have to check if they are open---limited hours. The NEX is more than sufficient for your needs at the cottages. The cottages are clean, spacious and thank heavens----air conditioned (we had split air). I think though that the cottages may be due for an upgrade soon. The cabinets in the kitchen were very old and sticky and the closet doors in the bedrooms were a bit old. But we really didn't care, it is the location of this place that made everything great. There is free wi-fi and cable TV. The outdoor patio is very relaxing. There is a table and small couch outside; a BBQ to use as well. Chickens...lots of them, for entertainment ;) Views of Ni'ihau and Lehua are great; the sunset is breathtaking. The price per night is $115. I hope we can get reservations again! If not, we will still visit the beach. Major's bay is a great place to visit as well. Utilize MWR and their price list. I wish I remembered to do this before I arrived. I bought all of our tickets at full price online. Give them a call ahead of time. If you're on Oahu, go to the NEX at PH and purchase there. Aloha and Enjoy. read more

I decided to to write several reviews to provide the details I would have liked before traveling here so look for several reviews rating different aspects. Location, location, location! The cottages are on the beach in Kauai. The longest beach on the island. It is clean and beautiful. The water is cool enough to refresh you from playing or laying in the sand. There are sections that you can walk in without stepping on coral. We brought water socks but have not used them. The locals would love the chance to hang out on this stretch of beach. Their access has been denied since 9/11. Boats of tourists come to snorkel off shore daily to get a glimpse of the beach. Take time to express gratitude for your privilege to enjoy it. The base has a restaurant, Shenanigans (I rated separately), a NEX, and a variety of facilities. The NEX has a limited supply of "fresh" items you are better off getting veggies at the Ishihara's about 20 minutes from the base. Btw - my best advice is to stop at Ishihara's on your way in. Be sure and get some poke, it is amazing and fresh. If you go in the afternoon and supply is low do not worry go back in the morning to get what you missed. And the containers worked well for leftovers. Back to the base - there is a pool, playground, exercise loop, a gym, an outdoor theater on Friday, Saturday, an Sunday nights. There is a children's movie and an adult movie on Friday and Saturday. 100% I'd check and the security patrols often. read more

Great place however they need to get the ants under control . They were in kitchen and like it

What a treat to stay here! It was so quiet and peacefully. We relaxed by the empty beach, watched the huge waves constantly roll in and saw the amazing stars at night. The cottage was huge and conveniently located to the state beach park at the end of the road and Waimea Canyon. The NEX was close by and had the basic things we needed. Shenanigan's Bar and Grill was a nice place to relax by the beach and have a drink. We didn't like that we had to clean the place up when we left; vacuum, sweep, take out the trash, strip the beds, etc. Plus the fruit flies were insane. But we highly recommend this place. read more

If you are not a military family, you can stop reading now, as you can only rent the cottages if you are active duty, guard, reserve or retired from the military. We stayed for three nights/four days and it was absolutely fabulous. Prices are based on rank, and since the BF was a Navy Reservist E6 at the time we went, we paid $85 a night for a non-beach front cottage. Now, saying it wasn't beach front is really just splitting hairs, because what separated the non-beach front cottages from the beach front cottages was the street. There is no maid service, so you are expected to clean the unit before you leave, but that wasn't an issue for us. It is way off the beaten path, and for a former local like myself, I prefer to stay in the South or East side, as that is closer to all my family and friends. However, the price for this unit can't be beat, so when the BF and I return, we will stay here again read more

We really enjoyed our stay. Was fabulous place to go to. The cottages are nice. Our screen door would continually fall out of the track which made it difficult for the kiddos to open or close. The bed was not the most comfortable. In fact, my wife is complaining of a sore back from it. She tossed and turned all night. The view from the back deck is worth all the pain of an uncomfortable bed. The beach is beautiful. However, not the best for surf, boogie boarding or snorkeling. The exchange had all the same groceries as Walmart. However neither has meat, so you'll need to go to a grocery store for that. We went to Safeway in Kapa'a when we arrived. About a 15 min drive from the airport. read more

First time to Kauai. The cottages are a great deal! Some of the are due for updates, but they were still clean and the beds seemed to be brand new. ONLY down side is proximity to a lot of sight seeing, tourist attractions & dining options. It was over two and a half hours to get to the north shore. Made for a long day. Although the restaurant on base is pretty good, eating there more than two or three times would be my limit. That being said, for the price you really can't beat being 50 yards from a private beach!! read more

Absolutely perfect. The size of the cottage blew me away. It's huge! Also very clean and modern. We came without kids but want to take them next time and just hang out at the cottage for a week. It's right on the beach, there's a full kitchen and the NEX has all the basic groceries you would need. It's the longest beach in the state of Hawaii, and it's the widest beach I've ever seen, and we were the only ones on it! You have a stunning view of the sun setting behind Ni'ihau, the forbidden island. Service is military, so expect to do everything yourself (unless you lock yourself out in which case they come running to your rescue) and you absolutely cannot check in early, not even just to start filling out paperwork. If you are familiar with Bellows on O'ahu, it's much, much nicer than that!! read more

If you are military family, this is a must....even if just for a couple days while exploring the west side of Kauai. My family (2 & 6 yr old) enjoyed the private beach just to get away from hotel living. Superb facilities with all the comforts of home....plus the sounds of the ocean, sunsets, and shooting stars at night. We will be back again! read more

Great place, clean rooms. We had a great time staying here. They offer many things to do for discounts.

These cabins are nice, stayed in a two bedroom renovated cottage. There is Wi-Fi and living room space was adequate. AC is wall mounted in each bedroom. we left bedroom doors open during the day in a attempt to cool the rest of the cottage. The beach is beautiful, I would rate it up near some of the best beaches I've seen in Hawaii. The surf makes swimming in the ocean not very practical, I would not recommend swimming here for kids or poor swimmers. The shore break here is dangerous (better off going to the pool on base). The beach is great for sunsets and evening strolls. These cottages are in a remote location. Everything in relation to the cottages is far away. Plan accordingly. If you want time away from civilization on a beach paradise this is it. However, if you plan on seeing other parts of the island I would not recommend it due to the excess driving you will have to encounter. The weather here gets really hot, best months are during the winter. read more

The cottages were perfect, we were only there in the evening, because we were our enjoying the island. The full kitchen was great and the ACs in the bedroom were a life saver, it definitely got warm in the cottages if we returned before the sun went down. There were only 2 negatives; cleanliness the cottage could have been a little more clean mostly the bathroom, and wasps, there were wasps all around the cottage, they did come spray which was greatly appreciated, but there were several wasps nests, I just think if they know it's a problem they could do some preventive measures, it was scary to sit outside because they were so many. Other than that I loved it, the NEX had pretty much the basics on things you will need the little base was so cute and quaint. I recommend staying here and will stay again when we go back to Kauai. read more

Military accommodations for current, reserve and retired personnel. Fun for family, beautiful beach view to watch sunsets and sunrise. Clean, gym, pool, restaurant on grounds and mini store. Not too expensive and good for families. read more

My fiancé and I stayed at barking sands for two nights while visiting Kauai. While I think these cottages are great if you plan on staying there and relaxing on the beach everyday and staying mostly on the west side however, if you plan on exploring the island each day, like we did, the driving will become a pain in the buns. The cottage itself was a typical beach house, older appliances and furniture. The bathroom desperately needs renovating as the shower had mold in it. But the lanai had a stunning view of the beach and we spent most of our time out there in the evenings looking up at the clear night sky, scattered with stars. There is also a full kitchen, air conditioned bedrooms, and an open floor-plan. Overall, if you plan to sit on the beach all vacation and relax on the lanai in the evenings while your hubby cooks for you (Ha!), then this place is great and the best deal on the island. If you plan to explore the island, Somewhere in Kapaa or Lihue is much more central. read more