The hotel is divided into two sections, the garden wing and the beachfront wing. A roadway separates the two wings.
Check in was very easy. Upon arrival at the hotel, the bellman had our keys all ready and took us directly to our room. There is an $11USD/Day Resort Fee which provides for in room coffee, use of safe, robes and slippers, continental breakfast, evening Mai Tai hour, and shuttle service within a 3-mile radius.
All rooms in the garden wing were the same size. Rooms have either two double beds or one king size bed and a sofa. Lanai overlooking either the garden pool, the garden or one building has ocean view. Rooms in the over view wing were slightly larger with newer furnishing and larger patios. All rooms have coffee/tea makers, mini fridge, iron and ironing board, in room safe, robes, and slippers. All rooms are non-smoking, but smoking is permitted on the lanai.
2 separate swimming pools, one in the garden wing, and also an oceanfront pool with a kids water slide. Small fitness room with treadmills, weight machines and exercise bikes. Pools are not heated and very cold.
There is one main restaurant open for breakfast and dinner daily, and a Japanese restaurant open for dinner daily. Rates for an entrée started at $16USD, with most menu items between $20-25USD. There were also two pool-side snack bars as well as limited meal service available in the lounge (sandwiches $10-15USD, drinks $6-10USD). There aren’t many restaurants within walking distance, so it is better to have a car as there were quite a few restaurants within a 5-10 minutes drive that were more reasonably priced.
Next door to the Sheraton Kauai is the Kiahuna Plantation. This would be an excellent alternative to the Sheraton. There are one or 2 bedroom units . The units looked quite roomy with a separate full kitchen and living room area and a large furnished lanai. There is no pool, but guests can use the garden pool of the Sheraton Kauai. There is one restaurant (open for dinner only). Rates for the one bedroom are similar in price to the garden view rooms at the Sheraton.
Further down Poipu Beach the next two hotels have still not fully rebuilt since a hurricane in 1992.