Originally Posted by
KI-NRT
Agreed! As you said, Princeville doesn't have the best hard product, but its location is unbeatable. And it's not just the views, either. Princeville is just a stone's throw away from one of the world's most spectacular coastlines, the Na Pali Coast.
Also, The Kalalau Trail is absolutely one of the world's best hiking trails. Even if you're not the heartiest person out there, it's definitely worth doing doing the first part of the trek (~2 hours one way); you won't regret it!
Absolutely agree. We did the Kalalau trail once for the first part (2 miles to Hanakapi'ai Beach), and once all the way to the Hanakapi'ai waterfall (another 2 miles).
That said, since the weather is far more variable (rainy and windy) in the area, it's probably not the best choice for those wishing for a sun & beach holiday. But the rest of Hawaii offers that, and it might be worth staying at Princeville if combining with properties elsewhere on the islands.
I recommend staying at the StR Princeville between May and June before the summer holiday crowds begin--and because rainfall is least common during those 2 months (but it still rains). But it isn't a bad idea to combine the StR Kauai with another hotel in Hawaii (or even the GH Poipu Kauai on the sunnier side of Kauai).