Kauai decisions - your input is welcome.

I'm a fairly new ts owner of Paniolo Greens on the Big Island, and we'll be going there for the first time Feb 2013. As background info, we've only been to Hawaii once, about 20 years ago when my husband & I did a cruise where we visited the 4 main islands. At the time, I feel in love with Kauai even tho we only had 1 day there.

Fast forward now: we have the PG unit booked in Feb and asked another couple to join us there; they're trying to decide if they can go. I want to do a 2nd week in Kauai. Quite a while ago, I started a RCI ongoing search for a 2/+ bedroom Kauai unit for the week before or after our booked PG week. Weeks and months went by with no hits. This is my first experience with an ongoing search, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

Since nothing was coming up on the search, I started figuring out another possibility for a week in Kauai. I ended up booking 2 nights in a Westin Princeville studio, and then 5 nights in a pool view room at the Kauai Marriott Resort, using my Starwood & Marriott points.

The more I thought about this Westin/Marriott scenario, the more I thought it would be good because:

• It was not cash or RCI points outlay
• Both places have AC. I'm concerned about no AC. I know I've read that its not a big problem not to have AC there, particularly that time of year, but I just don't know. I've read about people having problems sleeping due to outside noise when they had to keep their windows open. I also hate to be hot when sleeping.
• We could more easily experience things both north and more southernly without such a long drive to the south.
• Since we won't have the experience of staying on a beach on the big island, I thought my husband would enjoy the experience of staying at a resort actually on a Hawaiian beach (at the Marriott).

Today I received a call from RCI informing me about a unit on hold due to the ongoing search, so I must make a decision. It's a 3 bedroom 3 bath at Wyndham Bali Hai Villas with a checkin date of 2/22, for a cost of 38 points. Our PG checkout date on the big island is 2/23. I can cancel my Westin/Marriott reservations and get my points redeposited.

Trying to decide…….thinking about…….

• Nice large Bali Hai unit compared to the small "studio-like" units my husband and I would have with Westin/Marriott reservations. We expect we'll have another couple with us the first week who will not stay for a 2nd week. We could invite someone else for the Kauai week, but haven't given it serious thought yet since we weren't really expecting a large 3 bedroom unit.
• No AC at Bali Hai vs AC at both Westin & Marriott
• No "staying on a Hawaii beach" experience at Bali Hai
• Wondering if the 3 bedroom Bali Hai units are all updated by now? Are these the "Presidential" units?
• The Bali Hai checkin date of 2/22 is a little inconvenient with our Paniolo Greens checkout date of 2/23.

I read many of the reviews on Tug, RCI and Trip Advisors and boy there certainly is some diversity of opinions. One fairly recent Trip Advisor review from May of 2012 is alarming where a couple encountered bed bugs in their bedroom at Balli Hai and they brought some home. No one is more fearful of encountering bed bugs than me.

Tuggers, I welcome your input please. Have any of you stayed in a 3/3 Bali Hai recently? What are the bed sizes in the 3 bedrooms? Are all the units now renovated? I welcome your experienced advice! What else should I consider as I make a decision regarding this Hold?

Thanks!

PS Sorry about being so long winded!

I'd avoid Bali Hai.

I'd still try and get into one unit for a week rather than have to switch. This last June Princeville was 80-85 during the day and cool enough at night you needed covers. Mornings on the Lanai were chilly at 68 degrees with the trades blowing about 15 mph. You seldom need AC in Princeville.

Sterling

Thanks Sterling for your advice.

Any other Tuggers want to weigh in before I have to make a decision about accepting or letting go this RCI unit that is on hold?

You won't need a/c in Feb

And if having a full kitchen and laundry have a value to you, there really is no comparison.
Now if you want the Hotel service and don't mind using the points then stay with the Westin/Marriott plan.

Greg

cmh said:

Thanks Sterling for your advice.

Any other Tuggers want to weigh in before I have to make a decision about accepting or letting go this RCI unit that is on hold?

Click to expand...

How long do you have that you can redeposit your starwood/marriott points?

I would pass on the Bali Hai. The westin is a beautiful resort as is the Marriott beach club. The only drawback to the starwood/marriott are they do not offer much in the way of a kitchen....just kitchenettes (westin is better than the marriott) but if you are ok with that then you will enjoy both resorts.

We stayed at the shell resort in May and even though we had AC the only time we used it was when we were cooking. It was very pleasant most of the time without.

That being said, we really love the North shore and I would consider staying at Wyndham Shearwater or the Cliffs. Neither are as fancy as the westin or marriott but we prefer smaller resorts. I would also consider the point at Poipu or Lawai beach on the south and Pono Kai in Kapaa. All of these are available through RCI.

I would leave my search going and see what else comes up

Background: We own at Hanalei Bay in Princeville (great view), Kahana Falls on Maui (across street from beach, not much view), and The Bay Club in Waikoloa, Big Island (not a great view outside of resort grounds). We previously owned at Kona Reef (original name, ocean view) on the big island and Pono Kai (oceanfront) on Kauai. I've stayed at Lawaii Beach Resort, Marriott on Maui, and the Princeville Resort (original name). We visited Kauai Marriott and would stay there based upon what we saw.

We've stayed directly on and off the beach and don't think that aspect is the most critical feature for us. A good view though is definitely appealing. I'd forgo Bali Hai but keep open the option of canceling your other reservations in case a better choice shows up. We stayed in a hotel unit on Maui due to the location two years ago and I don't know if I'd do so again. Beautiful location and great access but the size begins to wear on you when you are accustomed to a timeshare (and kitchen). However, the bed bug possibility would sway me away from the large unit because I'm not already wowed by Bali Hai. The resorts that you are booked at currently are very nice.

We'll be at Hanalei Bay and Poipu Point Resort later this year. Tough call on splitting up a 7 day trip. Our decision re: moving on the same island was easier because we own a single week at Hanalei Bay so we needed to depart anyway. We reserved a 1 BR at Lawaii Beach Resort but a 2BR at Poipu Point showed up so we took that instead (kids with us). Opting to stay on the same island for 10 days to minimize time lost to travel b/w locations. Too long a trip already from East Coast.

Thank you SO much everyone for your input.

I believe I can cancel my existing Westin/Marriott reservations really close to the arrival date and still redeposit my points, so I think I'll take a pass on this hold and see if what else may come up in the meantime. If nothing comes up, then I still have a backup plan.