Ko'a Kea Resort on Po’ipu Beach

Guest Reviews from Our Customers

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

3453 reviews

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  Friendly staff but lacking privacy and beach access

  My wife and I recently stayed at the Koa Kea Hotel & Resort in Kauai for our anniversary, and while there were some bright spots, our overall experience was mixed. On the positive side, the staff was incredibly friendly. We were greeted by Ian, who was extremely welcoming and even gave us a container of red salt as an anniversary gift, which was a lovely touch. However, there were several aspects of our stay that were disappointing: * The View: We booked a partial ocean view room, but in my opinion, it was not. The property is close to the water, but a large stretch of volcanic rock blocks the view. My wife and I joked that you’d have to hang off the balcony and have your partner hold you by your ankles just to get a glimpse of the ocean. * Dining at Red Salt: We had reservations at Red Salt to celebrate, but the atmosphere felt odd. The seating is right next to the hotel lobby. we were just one table away and the restaurant was far too brightly lit. The food and drinks were okay, but the ambiance left much to be desired. * Housekeeping: One day, the housekeeping staff left an envelope for tips on the nightstand, which felt uncommon and a bit rude. * Beach Access: The hotel does not have direct beach access. The walkway and stairs are broken, with exposed nails and damaged wood. To get to the beach, we had to walk through the neighboring Marriott or Castle Kiahuna Plantation bungalows, which felt awkward.

  Sep 07, 2026
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  Romantic stay at Ko’a Kea

  Lovely stay in a great location. Friendly staff, great food, and amenities such as room service, daily yoga and daily mass.

  Sep 06, 2026
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  Super Bummed

  We are extremely disappointed. Food was not good and overpriced. Hidden fees and injust pay for spa providers who do an incredible job. Spa treatment was 215 then they surprise you with a 45 service charge - which is what the service provider gets - that’s it! Then you need to tip them because they deserve so much more than that. So 215 quickly becomes 300 dollar facial. The person who cleaned our room kept doing weird things. They had the tv on when we never turned it on during our stay, kept switching the hand lotion and soap, so every time we went to wash our hands it was hand lotion, and stole precious sea shells from our room located in a safe spot. They gave us a complementary dessert because we were on our honeymoon, but it was literally one bite. This was more offensive than anything. My husband said that it felt like they constantly had their hands out, and that he would never stay here again nor recommend it to anyone. Also there are NOT enough chairs at the pool and you literally need to fight for a seat.

  Sep 06, 2026
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  Splurge for the 1 Hotel or something nice

  There's really no reason to stay here. The service level is exceedingly poor, with nonstop emails and texts trying to get you to buy more things, and also texts about attending mass. I've never been texted to go to religious services by a hotel before in dozens of countries. It's offensive and makes guests feel uncomfortable. The lobby hasn't been updated in 20 years and is tiny. The pool is small, with not enough chairs. There are no activities really, and no beach. The resort fee is a scam as half the inclusions are....the opportunity to buy more things. Manager lied to us that the hotel was fully booked, despite every room category being sold on the website (we had booked a package with an upgrade if available). When we pointed it out, a better room was magically available. The rooms are fine (Garden view looks at the parking lot, limited ocean view looks at the bar but if you step out on the balcony and crane your neck I guess you can see a spot of ocean.) But I'm sure they are at the Sheraton too. And despite its Mormon heritage, they don't text you to go on a mission.

  Sep 05, 2026
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  Exceptional Boutique Luxury Hot3

  This resort is exceptional. I’ve stayed at several 4- and 5-star luxury hotels over the last 10+ years and Ko’a Kea is at the top of the list for several reasons. The hotel staff is a perfect balance of professional, friendly, and warm, with speedy responsive service across all areas from checkin, concierge and housekeeping, to the pool, restaurant and valet teams. Checkin and checkout is a breeze. We had a partial ocean view room on the second floor of one of the “side” buildings with a cute balcony that has a table and two chairs that is perfect for early morning nespresso coffee that you can make in your room (nespresso machine and pods provided). All areas of the hotel were spotless at all times that we were there. It was an easy 35-40 minute commute from the Lihue airport to the hotel which is located on the south shore. This hotel is not officially adults-only, but there were very few children and the ones that were here were very well behaved and calm - possibly because unlike some of the other resorts in the area this hotel doesn’t have kid-centric pool features like water slides and pool toys. It’s chic, most of the hotel guests were couples, not big social groups that can be loud. The overall vibe was relaxing and mostly what we could hear were the waves crashing and the breeze blowing the palm trees on the property. The hotel is not a budget hotel in terms of price, but not the most expensive luxury resort either. For the price point I would highly recommend it. Some nice free-of-charge activities - yoga on the lawn overlooking the ocean every morning at 630am for early risers looking to set their day with intention, a lei-making class, and a class to learn to play the ukulele. With the partial ocean view, we had a direct view of the pool and lawn which was very nice because the upkeep of the property is fantastic. Turn down service was perfect, coming back from a day of adventures or lazing by the pool. Plenty of shower, hand and face towels provided, and a pay-with-quarters laundry room. The rooms are beautifully designed and appointed - natural colors and materials that echo the beautiful natural surroundings of the island. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, climate control in the rooms was adjustable in a perfect way, there is a nice bedroom chair with matching footrest that’s actually comfortable to relax in with reading lamp next to it. Bathroom showers were perfect, their shower products were wonderful. Location was great for us - we intentionally decided to stay on the south shore. The north shore is an hour ride away and also beautiful but less sunny (we were told by multiple sources). I cannot think of anything that was less than perfect except no cold brew in their grab and go morning breakfast set up (but an excellent coffee shop called Little Fish 0.2 miles away with great cold brew other coffees, sandwiches, açaí bowls, smoothies and protein shakes.

  Sep 04, 2026