We had an excellent standard room with a balcony facing the ocean. The unit was exceptionally clean and the staff most helpful. There was inside/outside dining and lounge, a poolside bar, and a grotto with a waterfall.

This was the best part of our trip. Aloha Airlines delayed our flight both coming into Lihue and leaving Lihue (hence the name eight days, nine nights). We were supposed to stay for seven nights but ended up with nine nights because of delays. On a side note, don't fly Aloha at all. Service, food, comfort levels all horrible.

The Radisson was our choice for hotels when Aloha delayed our flight leaving Lihue. Their pool is split into four good sized pools (one three foot depth kiddie pool and a separate beach-like sand pool) and includes a spa/hot tub. They have a decent restaurant and nightly fire-lighting ceremonies as well as evening musical entertainment, occassional luaus, and a nightly happy hour when they serve free mai tais, beer, and other drinks for an hour. Their meals at the bar are good and relatively inexpensive for good burgers, etc. Entertainment at night in the family friendly lounge was awesome thanks to Tim, the ukelele master!

The accommodations themselves were great. The room we stayed in was an ocean-front deluxe suite which was absolutely huge! King-sized bed, sofas, chairs, desk, and a tiny kitchen area were great. The view was fantastic. Service was excellent!

Overall, fully recommended for a good time!

For a few days of stay in Kauai, I wanted a nice hotel with a central location and tropical ambiance that didn’t break my budget. Radisson Kauai Beach Resort soon appeared in my search screen.AN UNDERRATED HOTELThe three-star rated hotel had many nice amenities and facilities comparable to a luxury hotel. It is very close to the Lihue airport and is central to most attractions in Kauai. The entrance is fairly impressive with torch lights and tree groves lined up along the drive. Free valet parking is available there. The lobby is elegantly furnished and brightly lit with large chandeliers. Among other things, you will find your spacious room equipped with Queen Anne-style furnishings and a 27-inch screen TV with internet access and a remote keyboard.VERY PLEASANT HOTEL GROUNDOutside, the resort has two large swimming pools, a jacuzzi, a fresh water lagoon, a bar, plenty of lounge chairs, and wooden bungalows. So what’s so special about these? The photos below will answer that question. The beach just outside is windy and untamed, its current too strong for safe swimming most of the time. However, you shouldn’t miss a walk along the shore at sunrise, when it can be almost a spiritual experience (see my journal titled “A Romantic Walk On The East Shore”). ENTERTAINMENTMusicians and hula dancers perform every late afternoon by the pool, preceded by a torch-lighting ceremony. Boys and men, if you are tall and handsome, be prepared to be abducted by the hula dancers during the show and not be released until you have hula-danced with them. The resort also has luaus a couple of nights a week and a compilation of some Broadway shows in Thursday evenings. One suggestion: If you plan to go to only one luau during your stay, go to Smith’s Tropical Paradise Luau; it has the most impressive show in Kauai.EAT, DRINK, SHOP, AND WHAT ELSE?The hotel has a nice restaurant which serves breakfast buffet and American style dishes for all meals, at fairly reasonable prices between $10 and $20. The restaurant has outside tables on a terrace—a favorite place for guests except when raining. A bar inside serves drinks, and local musicians (usually with hula dancers) perform there in evenings, which can be an overkill unless you have just arrived and are dying to hear Hawaiian music. A coffee shop serves Hawaiian coffees (what else?) with some pastries; you can also rent computers for about $10/hour. Note: for the same price you can get internet access on your room TV for one full day. There is also a gift shop, an art gallery and activities center. For guests who just arrived, they offer a presentation about Kauai with free breakfast buffet--it’s pretty informative and they treat you well until you decide not to buy their tours. (Just kidding.)

For more information, check out www.Radisson.com and search for the Lihue location. Special vacation packages are available through RCI as well as discounts through AAA and other memberships.