Pono Kai Resort

This the best timeshare condo in Kapa’a!
Staff is super friendly.
Short walk into town or walk/​bike the several mile path along the ocean!
Resort is oceanfront, but not all rooms are, though you will be very happy with any unit at Pono Kai!

We exchanged our time share for this location for our honeymoon and compared to the airbnb locations we stayed at that were far less expensive, this was a bust! The kitchen was crawling with ants so much that I didn’t want to cook. Washed everything down and kept everything, including a resealable bag of rice and chips in the fridge — still ants everywhere. The décor is faded and tired and uncomfortable. The noise level as far as buzzing appliances, hearing people in the next condo over etc was exorbiant. The beach is dirty, dirty, dirty and almost non existent. The pool, over chlorinated and small. They say you have «free internet for 3 devices» we couldnt even open google on our laptop or phone and could not use the wifi since it was so slow. Even on vacation this is deplorable and unacceptable. Location was good in the center of town, but really, that was it. To top it all off, the day we were leaving our doorbell rang multiple times in quick successful two hours before checkout — it was the housekeeper telling us to check out. We’re adults, we know when check out is and should be allowed to enjoy the last two hours on kauai. Would not recommend this place.

The location in Kapaa makes up for the lack of amenities. Rooms and furniture are old and dirty, housekeeping was subpar, and you’re shortchanged on bathroom and kitchen supplies. Rooms are cleaned with stays longer than 9 days, without much to clean your own unit. Bugs, including roaches, make their way inside. Weird layout leaves bedrooms by hallway/​parking lot noise and sleeping far from AC unit. Run-​down inside, great outside with ocean and path right outside and good shops/​restaurants/​activities within walking distance. Least favorite place we have stayed on Kauai. Weigh your options.

One word… ROACHES! I get were on a tropical island and all but seriously there’s an infestation problem here they needs aggressive attention. I had to switch my rental car out mid week because I parked to close to the building and a scouting party of roaches moved into my rental vehicle. Ridiculous. The resort solution. .they «sprayed «and placed bait traps when we were out and about. Really. .ever hear of professional pest control?

Well we’re happy! First time visiting Kauai. We are in C306 and you couldn’t ask for a better view. Unit is simple, clean with a well thought out floor plan. In fact, I think the C building has the best ocean view than the other oceanside buildings. No trees obstructing view at all.
Staff is fun and courteous. Love the main strip of shops and such. Totally walking distance. LOVE the bike trail with is fully paved. Took a nice morning walk and watched the sun rise.
Yeah it’s nice!
PS check out the Pono Market next door… Local fav. Homemade poke, sushi and well… too many things to list.

We’ve come here for years! One of our top resorts ever! Location is the best on the island, IMO. We go through our vacation travel club and always get great condos. Well be back again!

We had a great time. I highly recommend staying there. They have so many things to do right on the property, and it’s on the beach ! Walking distance to some cool restaurants and shops as well.

The Pono Kai Resort hands-​down the best place I have stayed in Kawai thus far. Everybody was so friendly, professional, very knowledgeable about the island, and just all-​around great service from nice people. The front desk made sure we had a smooth check in and check out. We played shuffleboard, croquet, bocce ball, tennis, went swimming in the heated pool, and relaxed inside the warm hot tub after a long day. One of my favorite parts, all these activities are right there on the resort’s grounds.
The beach had easy access, soft sand, mellow waves, and warm water. We spent a lot of time at the Pono Kai Resort because of all of the amenities they had to offer. They do have an area where you can rent beach chairs, snorkeling gear, ice chest and so much more to be able to lounge around on the beach right there at the resort. Word of advice, rent your equipment first thing in the morning when they open up at 7:30AM to be sure you get what you want for the day before it’s gone. You can also go to housekeeping and check out beach towels for the week you are there. Second word of advice, remember to return your beach towels to housekeeping the day before you leave or you will be charged for missing beach towels on your credit card.
Our room was clean, the landscaping was immaculate, the Oceanview was breathtaking no matter where you were staying at the resort and I couldn’t say enough about the beach access we have from the resort. I walked my 6yr old son out to the beach every morning for the sunrise and every evening for the sunset, the beach is right there at your fingertips.
My overall experience at this resort I would give an B+. I had to give a B+ instead of an A+ because of the noise of the people above you in the condo. I literally thought I was hearing thunder the first two days I was there because of the rumbling sound of people above us. We spent a lot of time in our room and at the resort, so a few times I had to walk outside and head towards the beach once I heard the people back in their condo above us, because the loud noises would get on my nerves. You can hear them pulling out chairs, walking across the floor loudly, we could hear them taking a shower and even flushing the toilets in the condo above. We stayed for eight days in our condo and went through two sets of families above us during our week stay, so it wasn’t just because we had loud upstairs neighbors, it was definitely because there is no sound barrier or insulation between the ceiling above my head and the floor beneath their feet. I did pick the bottom condo because of my 6yr old son being able to play in the grass area right outside our living room sliding glass door and the 2^nd reason, I took my parents (in their 60’s) that were unable to climb the stairs up and down every time we wanted to go somewhere or out to the beach. I would most definitely stay at the Pono Kai again. But if it were just my husband and I going to Kauai, I would definitely pick the top condo because of the noise. But on the other hand, I would put up with the noise again just to be able to see the look on my kids and my parents faces on our next Hawaiian family vacation (someday again, I hope)
I still give this place five stars, that’s how satisfied we were with our overall stay at the Pono Kai Resort. Until next time my friends, Aloha from the Fabre-​Scott and Villa family

Nice and decent. Not great beach access since the closest part in the photos in a rock wall.
Free wifi was good!
The sales people would NOT give up. They called so much I had to ask them not to call again. Happy to say they didn’t call again. I know sales, once I say no I say no leave me be.
But the place itself was decently clean. Had no issues with the room or the staff. I would return although it would be nice to get a little nicer bedding.

Ditto everything said by Amanda below. Wish they had built the bedrooms on the ocean side so we could hear the surf and see the water instead of dealing with the light from the hallway coming in our window, but since we were also an end unit, at least no one passed our windows. We stayed a week in a two bedroom unit, B-​308, like Amanda’s an end unit ocean front. Our daughter and her boyfriend were with us and there was plenty of room for us all.
The only thing I would add is that the paved 9-​mile trail which goes by right outside the building runs along the ocean in a park-​like setting all the way past Kapaa (restaurants, shops, etc.) and way up north into the breath-​taking serenity of nothing but ocean. And they’re planning to extend this trail way to the northern end of the island eventually. There’s a bike rental place right next to the resort and for $ 20 you can ride all day. In the other direction the trail ends near the Safeway, so it’s also practical for walking for groceries (if you’re a good walker). The resort has croquet, a small pool, putting green, shuffleboard. We had a lovely time and plan to make it an annual return.

Just recently stayed here for my cousin’s wedding which was also on the resort property. This resort has a great location on the eastside of Kauai, right next to the water. I stayed in the B building, and from my room, I would walk out the back patio and onto the sand in a few meters. The staff are super friendly and accommodating. Cyrus helped us out with a lot of tours at the concierge desk and he was super friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed my stay at the Pono Kai Resort and would stay there again.

There are better resorts and there are much worse resorts. I’ve been coming to this resort since ’86 and I’ve never had a bad experience. The people that work here and the people that vacation here are some of the best. When I come to Hawaii I come to relax and besides true life in Hawaii is relaxing. I’ve got a view, a beach, a pool and my fanciest shoes are new Reef sandals. Oh yeah!

I gave it 2 stars for the beautiful view. Other than that, our stay was very unpleasant due to the strong mold and mildew smell, which affected my breathing when I slept, even with the windows opened. They did not give us another room, and housekeeping could not remove the smell. They gave us an air purifier which did not help with the smell. The upstairs unit’s floor squeaked on every step which was very annoying. The upstairs toilet, when flushed, sounded as if our bedroom was flooding from above, directly at our heads. I would never come here again. Please don’t qualify this as a resort!

Great location gives this resort a good name. We stayed in D-​308, which is owned privately from VRBO. What a perfect spot. 3^rd floor (elevator if you need it), but no one staring directly in or walking too closely by. The view is 50 yards to the beach in front and mountain view to the left. The grounds are well kept with herb garden (free to use), free gas grills everywhere and a gorgeous koi pond. Staff is friendly and the concierge was the cheapest for our helicopter ride with Sunshine.
The condo itself has a full kitchen and everything you need for a day trip to the beach or shopping bags for the many farmers markets. There are microscopic ants, but hey, this is the tropics. We haven’t seen much else in the form of bugs inside or out. The condo décor is older, but the queen bed is super comfy. Only gripe is the layout, the bedroom is right on the outside hallway and when you keep your windows open for the cross-​breeze, lights shine in and people are close. Luckily, this condo is on the end and people really have no business walking next to the windows.
Kauai has a chicken population of 8:1 per person, so bring earplugs, because the roosters start crowing at 0400 and all throughout the day.
I’m so happy with our visit here. Awesome hikes, beaches and the weather is nice (it rains/​sprinkles once a day). I do wish I would’ve brought more long sleeves, because without the sun, the constant wind gets chilly.

Outdated and mediocre resort.
I just spent a week with my wife and friends. I’ll keep it simple.
Pros:
Clean outdoors.
Great location.
Easy access to the beach.
Free BBQ grills (gas) outside.
Great variety of kitchen items like wine opener, blender, BBQ tongs, etc…
Cons:
Tiny ants everywhere! We had to make sure the silverware were clean and completely seal any food we had.
Small pool area.
Everything is old. Old facility, furniture, kitchen, bathroom. Smells a little moldy. Water started leaking from the ceiling whenever A/​C was turned on so we had to move to another room.
Front desk lady was not friendly at all.
WiFi is extremely slow. You have to pay extra for faster speed.
Rooms aren’t very quiet. You can hear the person upstairs walking because the ceiling makes a creaking noise. You hear everything outside as well. When a car parks. When someone passes your room.
I’ll probably find a better place next time I visit Kauai.

Just spent an entire week at this resort for our honeymoon. We are still speechless. Everything from the customer service, cleanliness, location !!! It was trulyagical especially the room we got! Panoramic ocean front views!

Had a great 7 night stay here with my husband and 5 year old twins. I used to come here as a child, and couldn’t wait to take my own family there. We stayed in a 1 bedroom+ loft unit (f306). Views were great, and we got the most awesome trade winds up there. We rarely turned on our A/​C the entire week. The unit had everything we needed. The property itself is beautifully maintained and has many activities to keep you entertained. My kids enjoyed the putting green that is right on the ocean. They also liked feeding the koi fish breakfast/​lunch/​and dinner each day!!! Pono Kai is also located in a great spot. We walked to many restaurants and shops while there. Lastly, the staff there was incredibly kind and friendly. I recommend this place without a doubt.
My only suggestion to management would be updating the pool, or perhaps thinking of adding a second pool that is more kid friendly (I’m thinking waterslide!) and keeping the existing pool for adults only. The large grassy area in front of building F would make for a perfect ocean front pool! The pool is very small, very basic, and was quite crowded the entire time we were there.
Keep up the great work and see you next time!

My husband and I just arrived home from our one week stay in Kaua’i where we had accommodations through our timeshare at the Pono Kai Resort. Upon our arrival, we were informed that we had been upgraded from a studio-​type room that would have had just a microwave and mini fridge, to a one-​bedroom condo with a full kitchen. At no cost! We really appreciated the upgrade, since we now had the option to cook if we wanted to spend a night in. Located centrally in Kapa’a, the Pono Kai was close to just about any place you may want to explore. Go up north an hour or two, and explore beautiful, lush Hanalei Bay and Princeville. Go down south/​southwest and explore the much hotter, drier area of Waimea. Close to the airport and central to everything else, such an awesome place to be!
Our room was located on the third floor — room J304. We didn’t expect to have much of a view since we were in the building closest to the back of the resort and near the parking lot and street, but our view was stunning! We had a balcony view of palm trees, the grassy grounds, the pool, and even a peek of the ocean. Despite being located basically in the parking lot, all of the rooms in building J face the grounds, not the lot. So you couldn’t really get a bad room.
The A/​C in the room worked well and was much appreciated after a long day exploring in the humid heat. The bed was comfortable. The kitchen was well-​stocked although the dishes weren’t cleaned very well… I just did them myself before using. The balcony had a lounge type chair, a table and four regular chairs to enjoy a meal outside overlooking the grounds. I have to comment on the noise factor of the room — I am grateful we didn’t have a first or second-​floor room because I can only imagine how we sounded to them. Probably like a couple of elephants stomping around. There were a couple of spots in the condo where no matter how much you tiptoed, the floor produced loud, obnoxious squeaks. It’s probably just an old building, and an upgrade someday would definitely do the Pono Kai some good.
It was a fantastic trip and my husband and I agree we would both definitely stay here again if given the chance.

I stayed at the Pono Kai with my family for a week to celebrate my mom’s birthday. We had a two bedroom/​two bathroom + loft unit steps from the water. We were on the top floor, so we didn’t have any issues that other people had with hearing their neighbors above them I noticed that this resort is a mix of people who live there full-​time, and rental units. The location itself is perfectly located in the middle of ‘town’ and is pretty close to everywhere you would want to go on the island. Since our unit was right on the water, we could hear the ocean and have a perfect view of every sunrise.
I booked this rental through Interval International, so I don’t know if that made the check-​in and check-​out process incredibly fast and easy. They do have a welcome breakfast where you get some nice music and some free breakfast, but the best part is the opportunity to win free excursions and prizes like helicopter tours, kayak tours, luau’s etc. You only win one, and sometimes they do a two for one on certain prizes, but it is a way for the local tour companies to sell their stuff to you. The prices are expensive, and I found that pretty much everything they offer is cheaper if you book it yourself online :)
I really enjoyed the week stay here and I would definitely come back here to stay next time I am in Kauai. The units themselves are super spectacular, but they are spacious, and have all of the basics you will need for your stay… plus free AC and wifi-​but the wifi never worked while we were there unless you were in the lobby. Great resort, great location, great views.

First time here, really loved Kauai! Resort is in a great central location. It is close to yummy poke (pono market), snorkeling (lydgate beach) and paddleboarding (wailua river).
The resort isn’t super fancy but the grounds are well kept and feels like home.
Would love to see some upgrades, especially central air. The place can only get better.