We arrived at the Pono Kai after about 17 hours of travel. I asked at check-in if we were able to see the ocean from our room and was pleased to find that we had an ocean-front unit on the top (3rd) floor. This was a one-bedroom, one-bath obtained with Bluegreen points.

The unit was very clean. The master bedroom faced the parking lot and the living room had the lanai overlooking the ocean. If you opened the sliders, you could hear the waves washing against the shore. We got up for our first sunrise and walked along the beach. Paradise.

The kitchen had plenty of room and storage. It was very well stocked with pots, pans, and casserole dishes. There was service for six, even thought the unit accommodated four. Towels are changed out every other day (trash also), with a full cleaning midweek. We had plenty of room for four, although bathroom timing was required.

There is a welcome session/continental breakfast where the concierge brings in various activity people to sell you on their tours. Raffles are held for two-for-one deals after each presentation. Your welcome packet also includes a couple discounts and a restaurant discount card, but we didn’t use this.

My daughter spent a lot of time at the pool, and we also played bocci and croquet. One evening, my son, daughter, and husband joined some of the locals in a sand volleyball game at a park at one end of the beach. I enjoyed the rather central location. Traffic could be an issue at times since it is only on a two-lane road.

Kauai is less commercial than some of the other islands and very quiet. My husband got a kick out of the wild roosters. We took a helicopter tour and a catamaran tour on the Napali coast. One week is not enough time to do all. Next time, we will skip the commercial items and spend more time exploring.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Not Available
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Very Good

Across the street is a business center with public Internet access. The town of Kapaa had many neat shops within walking distance.

Our favorite beach, Poipu Beach, was approximately 45 minutes from the resort.

Best Things About the Resort:
The great view from the lanai, the friendly staff, the tennis courts, and the concierge/activities desk were the best things.

Resort Experience:
The resort was very clean and well maintained. The view of the ocean from our lanai was gorgeous. The front desk staff was very friendly and helpful. On Sunday morning, the concierge/activities desk does a 2-hour presentation on all the activities on the island available to you. They raffle off buy-one, get-one-free tickets, so it is definitely worth going to. Most activities cost $100 or more a person.

The one-bedroom unit we were assigned was very spacious and appeared to be newly remodeled. The bedroom did not have air-conditioning, but it did have a ceiling fan. There was ample parking at each unit. The resort offers web TV for a fee, but they don’t have an Internet provider, so you must use your own. We found it was easier to go to the Internet café down the street.

The resort offered shuffleboard and tennis. We were surprised that there were no restaurants on site, and the pool seemed small for the size of the resort. The resort did provide beach towels.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

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

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Poor
• Amenities: Poor
• Unit Satisfaction: Poor
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Fair