Princeville is supposedly the lap of luxury of Kauai. It has become the visiting mecca for many of Hollywood's Golden Children. We booked our vacation two years ago to assure that we would be getting a quality resort (RCI's Gold Crown). The Cliffs Resort clearly divides between the haves and have-nots. Many of the units are beautifully appointed. Apparently this resort is divided between several Owner's Associations and the level of care is reflected throughout the property.
Our two-bedroom unit was one that clearly belonged in the league of the have-nots. Our view was not of the ocean, or garden, but of a trash receptacle and an appliance junkyard (both on site). Leaning further out from my lanai (balcony), I could view rusty tractor trailers that apparently housed items being used to rehab one of the building. At no point was I notified that there was on-going construction at this resort. Hammering on construction began at 7:30am across from my bedroom, accompanied by the garbage truck's rounds.
The unit's furnishings appeared to have been purchased at Goodwill several years ago. My college aged children have had better furnishings in their apartments. Things were not only falling apart, but were stained and torn. Duct tape held the microwave closed, and the oven had a large gap between the appliance and the wall. The doors to virtually every closet jammed, and the screens to our lanais either stuck or repeatedly fell off. The blinds were so rusty, they could not be operated. The linoleum in the kitchen was the type that is found in institutions that have not been rehabbed since the '60s.
Well you may ask, what did management do to make your stay more pleasant? When I brought my list of 25 items that were either broken or dirty to the front desks attention, I was told that the manager would not be in until the next day. If I requested a more to another unit, it would cost me $95! Maintenance was sent, but there was little that was able to be done to clear up the problems. The front desk's attitude was that the unit was slated for rehab in August. When I returned to speak to the manager, he told me they only had units in the building I was currently in to move me to and relinquished my energy surcharge. (Yes, this resort charges $50 per unit for energy consumption, even though there is no air-conditioning on the property.) I guess what bothered me most was that there was never a follow-up from management to see if anything had been resolved.
Please do yourself a favor and don't travel to this resort unless you are able to rent from a current owner and preview your unit. Several of the condos in this property sell for $700,000 and look it. I was able to view one of these units after making the acquaintance of someone who had booked through Expedia. Recommendations for this resort: no one!