Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort

This is rated as one of Kauai’s top hotels. It shouldn’t be.
I’ll never understand who designs hotel rooms. Shouldn’t there be a box on the designer’s form that considers lighting for people who shave in the morning? And what idiot puts translucent glass blocks above the shower wall that separates the bathroom from the bedroom? Did they ever think about how someone turning on the bathroom light in the middle of the night casts light right onto the bed?
Basically the Ko’a Kea Hotel has beautiful rooms, thoughtlessly designed. The setting has minimal beach front. What saved the day is great staff. Everyone we met was gracious and helpful, most with big smiles.
But with Poipu’s top room rates, I expect both good staff and good facility. This doesn’t cut it.

Just spent 6 nights at the Koa Kea and really enjoyed our stay. We arrived in Kauai after spending a few nights at The Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki and Koa Kea easily surpassed TRH in every way (except maybe history).
First, I want to address a complaint I saw in a few reviews here. Valet parking — was such a non-​issue. I don’t think we waited more than 90 seconds on average, and the longest wait for our car was maybe 3 minutes. The resort is small (121 rooms) and the valets get to know you by face and name. They are super-​friendly and genuinely want to help out with information. They also have beach towels you can take if needed. Our experience was that the valets would usually ask us where we were off to, whether we needed directions or any other info. Upon returning to the hotel, they would greet us and ask us how our day was, etc. We didn’t feel the need to be especially cryptive like others. These guys are just trying to do their jobs the best they can, no need to make it more difficult for them. Case in point, one day, we were getting a pretty late start — 11:30am and the valet asked what we were planning for the day. We told him we were going to drive up to Waimea Canyon to see the Kalalau Valley Lookout. He said it was beautiful, and mentioned that generally the clouds roll in after noon and the best chance to see it clear was earlier in the AM. We decided to go up the next morning instead and were there in time to see the valley… and the clouds as they started to roll in at noon. They also gave us good tips on parking at Ke’e Beach when we did the Kalalau Trail hike to Hanakapiai Beach.
The rooms are pretty spacious, with a lanai and a big bathroom and huge shower with both traditional showerhead and an overhead showerhead. Bathroom products are L’Occitane. Pool and hot tub are large, spacious, and never felt crowded. The sight of kids was an exception rather than the norm. I went for a run one morning to the Grand Hyatt and that property as well as the Marriott Waiohai definitely had a ton of kids. Pool area also offers food/​beverage service, snorkel/​surfboard rentals, lessons, etc. Regular daily housekeeping plus turndown service at night (where they leave a small bottle of Fiji water on ice and turn on the radio to soothing Hawaiian tunes — ok that bit was a little odd). Rooms also have small refrigerators — can fit the big liter bottles of water as well as an entire lilikoi chiffon pie from Hamura’s — ask me how I know. Nespresso machines with 6 capsules. Very good, but pricey, restaurant Red Salt on site.
Would not hesitate to stay here in the future.

My wife and I came to Kauai for a «babymoon». We decided to splurge and chose the Ko’a Kea Resort, and it has been worth every cent. The resort is nestled between the larger (and noisier) Sheraton and Marriott Resorts, but I mention this because the Ko’a Kea is way more low key (a good thing) and perfect for couples looking for peace & quiet. The rooms are clean, comfortable, and cozy; the staff from the valet to the front desk to housekeeping are EXCEPTIONAL. The intentionality of the staff at service excellence is much appreciated. Thank you!

It’s the luxury boutique hotel of Kauai! It is right on Poipu beach with an excellent restaurant, Red Salt. The pool overlooks the ocean and the service is impeccable. I strongly recommend you pay more for the ocean view room. It’s on the sunnier side of Kauai so you should have plenty of sun to lounge at pool or Poipu Beach. It has less than 200 rooms so you feel like you receive more personalized attention. I highly recommend.

My husband & I returned from Koa Kea last week after spending a portion of our honeymoon there. We were in Kauai for 9 days; the first 5 we spent at the Grand Hyatt (right down the road), and the last 4 we spent here. The thought process was to spend the first half of our honeymoon in a bigger, livelier hotel with lots of restaurants, etc. and then finish it off at Koa Kea which we knew would be a more relaxed, boutiquey environment. Unfortunately, in retrospect, we should have stayed at the Grand Hyatt the whole time. Here’s why:
–Koa Kea is a 1970’s motel that has been renovated. The lobby & Red Salt restaurant were the nicest parts of the hotel. Everything else was very underwhelming. The wallpaper in our room was peeling off, there were cracks on the balcony ceilings, and the rooms were just standard hotel rooms — nothing plushy or special about them. When we walked outside of our door, we were in an open-​air hallway overlooking a parking lot. Not the romantic atmosphere we had in mind.
–Be careful when you think you have an «ocean view room». While technically we could see the ocean from our balcony, we had to lean over the railing and turn our heads to see it. while everyone from the pool bar awkwardly stared at us.
–You have to walk through the main pool/​pool bar area in order to get ANYWHERE in this hotel. It’s quite annoying and awkward to have to parade through a crowd of people every time you are coming or going. There’s absolutely 0 privacy here.
–We requested an upgrade to an ocean front room and were told it would be an additional $ 100/​night. My husband got them down to $ 75, which was still a ridiculous amount of money. While the view was certainly better, the room was the exact size as the previous one.
–There’s no option for self-​parking, it’s valet only. despite the fact that the parking lot is extremely small. The whole valet system is extremely inefficient; we could have gotten our car much faster ourselves, but instead, you have to stand there and wait for someone to go inside, get the key, come back out, and drive the car up. The worst part? The valet guys GRILLED us… EVERY SINGLE TIME we left the hotel. Every time we left, we were asked if we need directions, and we’d reply no, to which they followed up by asking us where we were going. We’d reply vaguely («dinner!») and they’d ask, «where?» No lie. EVERY single time we left. It was to the point where we dreaded coming/​going because we knew the questions were coming. not to mention, the obligation to tip every time. We already paid the ridiculous $ 25/​day resort fee, so having to tip constantly on top of that was obnoxious.
–Most of the staff was friendly, but there was definitely a stuffy vibe at this hotel. Koa Kea is definitely trying to represent themselves in an upscale manner, but they don’t have the accommodations to back it up. Apparently it was named the #1 resort in Hawaii by Conde Nast Traveler which must mean they have some great PR people; the title, in our opinion, is not at all reflective of our experience.
–We didn’t receive complimentary champagne, even though the hotel knew we were there honeymooning. It’s not a huge deal, but we read other Unilocal reviews where people received champagne so we know Koa Kea is inconsistent with the way they treat their guests.
–As I see others have mentioned in their reviews, the air conditioners are SO LOUD in the rooms. It woke me up almost every night.
We loved Kauai and had an amazing time on the island, but we definitely will not be back to Koa Kea.

We have been at Koa Kea 6 times in the last 4 years. That says it all.
Great at every level.
Superb hotel, with great Red Salt restaurant and the heavenly Sushi Bar in charge of super-​kind Justine. Not traditional sushi, but a very creative, well balanced, multi-​layered-​flavor, free-​style sushi. Bliss.

My initial impression: underwhelmed. I was expecting something amazing… For the price we are paying. If we had paid about half what we did, I could be happy with this room. They do have high end products in the bathroom which is a nice touch but the room is just ok… We have 4 nights here so maybe it will grow in me and I’ll have more to say… The staff has been very nice.
Things are looking up. The staff knew it was our honeymoon and brought up a bottle of champagne. Very sweet

The rooms are nice, the staff is nice, but I felt like a lot of the people who stayed here were very pretentious. The food is okay, the breakfast smoothies are delicious though. Stayed here for a few nights and then went to the Marriott next door that was much less expensive but just as nice if not nicer than this hotel. The private beach is okay, but it’s extremely crowded & the drinks at the tiki bar aren’t very good compared to other places on the island.

Wife and I enjoyed a pleasant 3 night stay here recently. For some reason, I thought the property was much larger than it actually was.
LOCATION:
— Situated not far from Poipu Beach (lots of kids) but far enough.
— Short drive to Kukui’ula Village which you’ll be visiting a lot. Contains most of the restaurants (Merriman’s, Eating House, Savage Shrimp, Bubba’s, Lapperts Ice Cream), boutique stores and etc.
PROPERTY:
— Nice and clean. Smaller than expected but that’s not a problem.
— Tucked in between the more family oriented properties (Marriott and Sheraton). Definitely a nice escape away from all the kids at the beach
— Clean pool. Never crowded. Plenty of sun chairs although guests seem to leave their used towels on the chairs all day and never come back.
SERVICE:
— Exceptional. From the front desk to valet, everyone was wonderful.
ROOMS:
— Kind of hard to have a «bad» room here. We had a garden room which was on the 1^st floor and just a few steps to the pool from our back door.
— Excellent rooms and comfortable beds. Ask for firmer pillows if you don’t like the soft feather pillows.
— Strong fridge for extra drinks from the market
FOOD:
— Didn’t try any of their food but they do have a full restaurant for breakfast and dinner.
— Free coffee in the morning.
An overall good stay and I would definitely recommended it to adults/​couples looking for relaxing vacation.

Stayed for an amazing 3 nights in June. Our partial ocean view room truly had a partial view (I think I caught a view of the surfers in the distance!)… But other than that, it was paradise.
Full disclosure– we aren’t usually the type to stay in super expensive resorts, but this was certainly an experience that made me realize that the extra money is worth it. The staff was beyond accommodating, the grounds were beautiful, and what we liked most was that it was quiet, felt very private, and wasn’t overrun with crowds or kids. (And I do absolutely adore kids, especially my own. But not the place to stay with them. The hotel right next door looked amazing from that standpoint and is where we would stay if we came back with the fam!)

This hotel is so adorable. We booked this one because it was so cute, great location, and adorable pricing with military discount. It looks like a boutique hotel! I am not sure if it is affiliated with a big chain, but it didn’t seem like it. Everyone was so friendly & helpful. We had free champagne for it being our anniversary and everyone gets a free gift of macadamia nuts. There is an activity booth where you can get towels, rent equipment, or just ask questions too. The bar opens at 11 for food and drinks. The drinks are a little pricey but it’s to be expected in Hawaii. When we come back to Kauai, we will not stay anywhere else besides this place.

As newlyweds, my husband and I booked our honeymoon at Koa Kea. This hotel truly made our time on Kauai special and we couldn’t speak more highly about the service. It’s very apparent that this hotel takes pride in what that they do, as they think of every little special touch to make their guests’ visit that much better.
The room was heavenly! I’ve never slept on a more comfortable bed and the shower is like being under a waterfall! All of the products they leave for you are high quality and smell amazing. We loved that every evening when we came back from dinner or a long day at the beach, we had ice water at our bed side waiting for us. In the mornings, a newspaper and breakfast menu waiting on our door.
We got a couples massage at the spa and we both agreed that they were the best massages we had ever had. The Red Salt Restaraunt on site had delicious food and we enjoyed eating there multiple times. Vegetarian friendly options are always nice!
Aside from having such wonderful service from the staff, what we loved most about this resort was the fact that it was quiet and much more intimate than the surrounding resorts & hotels. The pool was never crowded and the beach (which is walking distance from our room) was always peaceful. I did see some families with small children, but the majority of the people we saw were couples.
It was our dream honeymoon and I couldn’t recommend this resort more if you’re looking for a romantic getaway. We are already talking about coming back here for our first anniversary. I cannot imagine having a better experience at another resort. Thanks Koa Kea! See you soon :)

Stayed at Koa Kea for a week recently. Got an ocean front room on the third floor with an amazing view. However, the room was small and there was nothing special about it except the view. The air conditioner in the room was busted and made so much noise throughout the first night that we weren’t able to get much sleep. We complained in the morning and got moved without too much hassle to an ocean front suite next door for the rest of the week which was amazing. It had a beautiful living room, a huge bathroom with a tub, two lanais and other little things that the ocean front room did not have.
Although the suite was great, there were few things that bothered me about this place. Our previous Hawaii trips had been to Maui and Big Island and we stayed at Four Seasons during both trips. This place although as expensive as Four Seasons, does not match the accommodations and service of Four Seasons whatsoever. Here are some examples of that:
* Concierge was helpful most of the time, but seemed to have an attitude.
* The valet guys were pleasant and helpful. However, when we came back from one of our adventures on the island with dirty towels, instead of taking care of the towels, they directed us to drop them in the dirty towel box near the pool.
* Most of the other staff around the hotel did not seem interested in their jobs. The towel/​beach item rental guy seemed so unhappy and did not look up or smile even once during the whole week. Others looked away to avoid saying hi.
* Not enough options for food on the resort. Dinner at Red Salt was good, but breakfast was just ok. Sushi at the lounge was fresh, but so boring.
* The drinks and the service were not good at the pool bar.
* As small as the pool area is, the food and drinks ordered by the pool stay around for hours and hours with birds hanging around the dirty trays, which is disgusting. They don’t have enough staff in this area to provide the service that’s expected.
* Housekeeping was nice, but mediocre. It seemed like they just made the bed daily and did not do much else. I had a glass of Mai Tai from Red Salt on my second night, which I took back to the room with me. That glass stayed in the lanai during the whole week with fruit flies all over it. We left with that glass still at the lanai.
* On our last morning, we checked out with concierge and told them what time we were going to be leaving. There was no offer to send someone to help with the bags.
I don’t know what the other resorts are like on this island since this was my first visit there. I chose Koa Kea because the Hyatt did not have any availability since this was a last minute trip and I didn’t want to stay at St. Regis. Overall, this place is ok, but I don’t think I’ll be staying here again.

Honeymoon paradise!
This boutique hotel is much smaller than those surrounding it. I felt Ko’a Kea had better, personal service. The valet guys remembered us & were so helpful with directions & recommendations. We loved how all the guests were couples! The pool wasn’t crowded & we were just steps away from the beach! They had an AMAZING deal, which gave us continental breakfast, beverages & a hot entrée from their restaurant, Red Salt. You can also have your breakfast sent to your room! Seriously the best breakfasts I had at a hotel! PLUS $ 50 each day to spend on food and/​or drinks! If we didn’t spend all $ 50, the $$ could be used the following days.
We were having issues with wifi in our room, which they tried to fix. We still had issues so they gave us access to another hotel room that we could use for wifi!
My husband & I also got a couples massage at their spa. I highly recommend the lomi lomi massage. So relaxing!
The service was spectacular here. Thank you Ko’a Kea for treating us so well during our stay!

Just returned from our 10 day honeymoon at this resort. What a lovely slice of heaven!
My husband and I wanted a small intimate hotel, on the beach, so we could unwind during our honeymoon. This place is it! Beautiful location on Poipu beach. We stayed on a ocean front room, and we were just feet away from the beach, seriously. We would open up our lanai door and just enjoy the view every single morning when we woke up. Just gorgeous.
We had the breakfast package at Red Salt, the restaurant, which was a great deal. We could eat the continental breakfast they offered along with a hot entrée each, every single day.
The pool and pool bar are lovely, right in the middle of the resort, and within feet of the beach.
Service was wonderful. The valet guys knew us by name. We ordered room service several times and they were always prompt and professional.
Would recommend this place to anyone that wants a nice little getaway and doesn’t need all the big frills the big resorts may offer (i.e. large lobbies, bars, and additional restaurants/​pools). It was a perfect honeymoon spot for us, but whats more important than the place you choose to stay is the company you choose to keep ;) People make memories, not places!

The Ko’a Kea was the perfect choice for our entire stay while on our honeymoon.
We initially were to stay at the St. Regis in Princeville, but after reading such wonderful reviews of this hotel, we made the switch. We prefer smaller, boutique hotels to giant resorts, and the Ko’a Kea seemed geared more for couples than families. (Read: less noisy, more romantic.)
The hotel is on the south shore of Kauai, and it’s absolutely beautiful. Convenient enough to restaurants and shopping, and despite being adjacent to a larger hotel, it still felt isolated and secluded (in a good way). We had an ocean-​view room (not as swanky as ocean-​front, but still lovely). Every room has its own lanai. The bathroom was plenty spacious (always appreciated for a gal that travels with a ton of beauty products), and had gratis L’Occitane toiletries.
Our package included a daily breakfast in the hotel restaurant, Red Salt. It features a buffet of fresh fruit, juice, oatmeal, and breakfast pastries. We also were able to choose an entrée from an extensive list of options. Favorites were the lemon-​pineapple soufflé pancakes, Kona lobster benedict, and avocado toast. Normally I turn up my nose at hotel breakfast, mainly because I want to try other places and not be limited to eating at the hotel every day, but this was too good to pass up.
Amenities offered at the hotel are fairly typical: an on-​site spa/​fitness center (I’m not a spa person so I can’t comment, and the only workout I’m looking to get on my honeymoon is of a different variety), a business center (why would I use that on my honeymoon?!), wi-​fi (included in the dreaded daily resort fee), a swimming pool (if I’m 3 feet from the ocean, I am never going to choose a pool), and a gift shop. We also took advantage of the whirlpool on an evening when we had it to ourselves. It was often crowded with couples, and since it wasn’t very big, we felt joining others was way too «want to join our swapper group?» so we waited until it was unoccupied. There was also an activities hut that let you rent snorkel equipment, beach chairs, or take surf lessons, so be sure to get on that.
The staff was so friendly and helpful, especially the valet guys. Erin, one of the servers/​bartenders always took care of us. She was never without a smile and made great recommendations about Kauai.
My husband’s bosses had left a generous gift card for us at the hotel and we used that with wild abandon (fruity cocktails, surf lessons, snorkeling, incidentals at the boutique), which certainly made our stay more enjoyable, but even without it, I’ve no doubt we would have had a wonderful time.
I loved Kauai and I loved this hotel, and while I’m not sure we’ll return (there are just too many other places in the world we want to visit), if we do, we’ll definitely make this our home away from home.

This resort was the perfect honeymoon experience. We got a package from Costco that included a rich breakfast plus $ 150 food and drink credit. The restaurant Red Salt was the finest food we experienced on Kauai.
The customer service, warm, family like environment among the staff made us feel like we belonged and never wanted to leave. Each and every personas welcoming, fun to talk to and full of amazing suggestions about how to enjoy the island.
We would come back in a heartbeat!

We have been here at the Koa Kea Resort since Thursday (still have 6 days and counting). AMAZING! Besides the fact, the service is impeccable, the resort is pristine and the beach is amazing! The staff is unbelievable. We just adore Jaime and Erin. AMAZING! Yes, I said that twice. Because we tip our hats to this resort.
Ok, so here is the lowdown:
–Get a rental car. Pay more for the jeep soft top. It is worth it. Beautiful weather
–Get the ocean front room. Yes, more expensive. But, literally you are on the ocean and walking distance from sand.
–Do the jurassic park helicopter tour. Worth It
–Go to the Beach House (only for happy hour, food is not that great for dinner)
–Go to Tortilla Republic and get the jalepeno margarita and the brussel sprouts for a side for dinner. We went back twice for the sprouts
–Try the sushi at hotel. wonderful.
–Beds you sleep on are amazing. So much better than the heavenly bed from Westin
–Red Salt (restaurant in hotel). 5 stars!
We looked at Grand Hyatt and even the Ritz. This by far is the best. Service, staff, food. Can’t say enough. Really. Trust me. Book it!

I wanted to love the Koa Kea. I was prepared to love it! And from the moment I walked in, I LIKED it a lot, but never got to the «love» phase. If you’re considering the Koa Kea for a Kauai trip, it’s definitely recommended. It’s just not quite the kind of place that you can’t bear to leave once you arrive. I’ll keep this to the top points to make it easier for anyone considering:
PROS: Location, size (perfectly sized!), grounds, attentiveness, 24 hour shop, impeccable cleanliness, great spa services even if the «spa» is basically non-​existent.
CONS: Terrible beach access (one small cut-​through in the shrubs without even a real step), high room price (actual cost and comparative), ridiculously LOUD restaurant, slightly outdated décor, early pool-​bar closing time, and, perhaps most importantly … something that’s hard to define, but I think it’s «ohana.» The staff is all very professional, very nice, some are truly personable … but there’s an ineffable lack of genuine pleasure that is often found at top-​notch resorts, just a tiny bit of stuffiness or aloofness that I can’t quite put my finger on.
The location can’t be beat, but if you go, skip the restaurant and make sure you are able to navigate the TINY access to the beach — that last point is truly bizarre given the Koa Kea’s location and its otherwise thoughtful service.

Words cannot describe what an amazing time we had at the Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort — the property, its hospitality and its staff are 5 stars all the way!
My wife and I stayed at the Ko’a Kea the on the first leg of our Hawaiian honeymoon and what a great decision it was! We stayed for 5 nights (¹¹⁄₁₁ — ¹¹⁄₁₆) and true to form, its Poipu Beach location was sunny all 5 days.
We first arrived around 5:30pm and the staff quickly handled our bags, checked us in and escorted us up to our room all in an effort to get us up to our balcony in time to see the sunset. Amazing! Once we viewed the incredible sunset, we decided to walk the property and grab sushi downstairs at the hotel’s restaurant and bar, Red Salt. The service was fantastic (Shannon) and the sushi was excellent. When we returned back to our room on the first night, there was a bottle of champagne waiting for us along with a beautiful bouquet of hawaiian flowers and turn down service. It was absolutely the perfect beginning to our honeymoon.
A week out I decided to splurge on an Ocean Front room upgraded up from an Ocean View room (leveraging the AMEX promotion) and wow am I glad I did! We were literally a stone’s throw from the beach on the 3^rd floor. The room was a good size, modern and well put together. The overhead fan was perfect. We slept with our screen door open all 5 nights and were able to hear the waves crashing below. The bathroom and its shower were great, and the L’occitane products stocked each morning the the bathroom was a very nice touch.
The valet guys were awesome and super friendly (Dustin and Frank) — talk about incredible hospitality! They were always helpful with our bags, local attraction recommendations and always quick to bring around our car.
The property is well manicured and feels personal. Tiki torches along the walkways are lit each night giving the property an incredibly intimate and Hawaiian feel. The beach out front is the perfect size for the property and offered good casual self-​service snorkeling opportunities during our stay. The pool and its bar were excellent! Some reviewers have commented that the pool is smaller, but we thought it was the perfect size… and c’mon — the beach is literally a stone throw away! There are plenty of lounge chairs around the pool and on the lawn facing the ocean. There are 2 showers along the walkways to shower off your sandy feet after taking your sunset beach stroll. You can see thousands of stars at night from the lounge chairs and beach out front.
The location of the Ko’a Kea is incredible! It lies between the Sheraton and the Hilton Grand Vacation Resort — and offers the same incredible views, weather, dinning, drinking, hospitality and activity options without the crowds. Poipu Beach (state park) is less than a 10 minute walk away along the ocean front walkway.
The Ko’a Kea crowd is exactly what we were hoping. All honeymooners and babymooners here. I could not have picked a better place to stay. The Ko’a Kea is relaxing, classy, casual, modern and lively all rolled into one!
Tips:
— Dine at Red Salt. It’s amazing and well worth it.
— Have a (or several) Coconut Mojitos at the pool bar, you’ll thank me later
— Tip your staff! They are incredibly kind, helpful and hardworking
— If you’re going on to another island after your stay at Ko’a Kea, use the coin operated washer/​dry on property.
— Consider doing one day on/​one day off for activities. The property, its beach and its service are incredible… so make sure you take advantage of and enjoy it. We lounged on the property for 2 ½ days and explored the island for 2 ½ days (Just Live! zip lining and Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours are a MUST!)
In summary, the Ko’a Kea is an amazing property with a great location and excellent service. We can’t wait to return! A huge THANK YOU to the Ko’a Kea staff for an incredible stay!