The Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort Lihue

The Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort Lihue Overview

Look, I’ve stayed at a lot of resorts in Hawaii, and The Royal Sonesta Kauai in Lihue honestly surprised me – in the best way possible. When you first pull up, it doesn’t scream “look at me” like some of those massive Maui properties, but that’s actually part of its charm. The whole place feels more integrated into Kauai’s laid-back vibe rather than fighting against it.

What really got me was how they’ve managed to feel genuinely Hawaiian without going overboard on the tiki torch thing (though yes, there are some, and they’re tastefully done). The staff here – and I mean everyone from the valets to the housekeeping crew – actually seem to know the island. Like, the front desk guy told me about this little poke spot in Kapaa that locals hit up, not just the usual tourist recommendations you get everywhere else. The property itself sits right on Kalapaki Beach, which honestly might be one of Kauai’s most underrated stretches of sand. You’ve got Duke’s restaurant right there too, and while it’s definitely touristy, their fish tacos are legitimately good and you can’t beat watching the surfers while you eat.

I mean, it’s a five-star place so yeah, everything’s going to be nice, but what struck me was how they handle the details. The pools are never overcrowded – I think they’ve figured out the right size-to-guest ratio that a lot of resorts mess up. Room-wise, I had one of their ocean view suites and the lanai was actually big enough to use, not just look at. You can hear the waves at night, which sounds cliché but trust me, it matters when you’re trying to decompress from mainland life. The only minor thing – and this is pretty typical for Kauai – is that Wi-Fi can be spotty during heavy rain, but honestly, that might be a feature not a bug depending on why you’re there. Check-in was smooth, parking’s easy (and free, which is rare these days), and the whole place just feels… well, like what you probably pictured when you decided to splurge on a Kauai vacation. The 8.2 rating makes sense – it’s not trying to be the flashiest place on the island, but it nails the experience you actually came for.

The Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort Lihue Accommodations

Reviews of The Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort Lihue

• Christine from United States (9/10)

  The location of the hotel was good, easy to drive either to the north side of the island or the the west side of the island. Staff were very friendly and genuine! The upkeep of the property was impeccable and cleanliness was excellent!

• Rodney from United States (8/10)

  The pool was great, the access to the beach was so convenient not to mention all the restaurants at the hotel. The woman who checked us in was so nice and helpful. The room was comfortable with a stunning view.

• Thomas from Japan (9/10)

  Perfect location, direct access to beach, large swimming pool area, parking nearby rooms

• Nikolay from Russia (8/10)

  The breakfast is a bit expensive. Some information about the restaurants' location is confusing. The location is great.

• Samantha from United States (9/10)

  Pools, location, food, beach, bar!

• Mehrnaz from United States (7/10)

  I liked the facility and the resort. Location was close to airport and we could find stores close by for shopping.
  I didn’t like that I couldn’t see the sunset from our hotel but I guess that was my fault for not checking before hand.
  I also didn’t like that we paid extra for ocean view room and when I got to the room I had a partial view to the ocean, that was a false advertising in my opinion. The room was clean but we kept running out of shower supplies.. so I would suggest to provide more supplies because people keep showering daily or maybe twice per day depending on activities of the day. Especially the rooms with kids.

• Sultan from United States (7/10)

  The facility and staff.

• Catherine from United Kingdom (7/10)

  The location is amazing. Beach a few steps from the pool.

• Donald from United States (7/10)

• John from United States (7/10)

  Convenient location; good food; friendly and helpful staff

Surroundings

Facilities