The Kauai Experience

Best Things Nearby:
The Hyatt (shops, golf course, restaurants). It's an amazing hotel, but at $350 for a garden view, the Embassy is a great deal. They welcome Embassy guests at the morning activity breakfast and have reps from the spa and the hotel tells you all they have to offer. With the economy so bad, tourism has been low. With timeshares, you've already paid for it, so we are their best customers and they know it.

Best Things About the Resort:
What an amazing, beautiful resort! We absolutely loved it. The grounds are lush and wander in and out with koi ponds and pools. The ocean front views are spectacular -- much better than the Hyatt, which is further back from the ocean. Every time I looked at the ocean for more than a 1/2 hour I spotted a whale spot from our room or from the grounds. The rooms are nice (a little too much lavender, pink and green in the decor -- a bit on the ‘80s side) but very spacious and pleasant. Well-stocked (soap, detergent, salt and pepper, etc.) .

Resort Experience:
It is a four/five-star resort in a timeshare. It's amazing compared to the Lawaii, or, god forbid, the Pono Kai. There's no comparison with the other timeshares and we looked at all of them. Plus it rained or was cloudy almost everywhere else on the island, but it was always sunny in Poipu.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Fair
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Very Good

This is a wonderfully authentic Hawaiian plantation experience. It's romantic and upscale with beautiful grounds. The food is excellent--the best on the island, in fact. It is pricey, but everything other than a plate lunch is expensive on Kauai.

The helicopter tour was the highlight of our trip. Much of the island and most of the waterfalls can't be seen from land or sea. The views were spectacular!

We went in a helicopter without doors. What a thrill as they made turns and you looked right down! It was very windy, so tie your hair back or wear a hooded jacket that ties tight. It was also a little cold in the morning, so you may want to go when it's warmer.

We've sailed with Blue Dolphin twice and it's a lot of fun. The morning Na Pali trip is beautiful, with the sun streaming through the mist. I think the whales are more active in the afternoon though (Dec-March). The sunset trip is also very nice. The snorkeling spot they took us too wasn't good--it was too cloudy and there weren't a lot of fish—and I wouldn't pay extra for the dive.