Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu, Autograph Collection — Hotel in Kauai

We just finished 6 nights here and luckily we got a last minute flight deal and extended our stay by 3 nights so we aren’t gone yet! There is so much to share, where to begin! First, the property itself is stunning. The moment you arrive, you feel transported into a tropical paradise, thick lush forests of shade and greenery mixed with the smell and sight of Hawaiian flowers. We were greeted by Preston as we drove up and he gave us the most beautiful flower leis for the ladies and kukui nut leis for the men. Such a fun way to arrive! As we walked into the lobby, we were greeted by Gina as well as the most amazing view (check out the pictures I posted!). Literally postcard worthy and the most amazing cross breeze…you truly feel transported to another world from the moment you step foot on property.

First the rooms. The beds were super comfy and the walls seem to be well insulated as it’s currently a full hotel and we can barely hear anyone else. We also have a shared elevator with just a handful of the folks staying in the rooms near us so it feels very private! All of the villas come with full kitchens and we have used it all. We cooked a lasagna in the oven, cooked a bunch on the stove and used the microwave to reheat. There is ample as far as cooking supplies and even measuring cups! Lots of pantry space to store stuff too. I was impressed by how fully stocked the kitchen was. We even had these cute salt and pepper shakers!

The hotel itself is spread out and offers something for everyone. Let talk about the pools first. There are 2 water slides (1 small one and one bigger one), cascading waterfalls, infinity pool, almost like a lazy river design across 3 layers so it never felt too busy even when all of the lounge chairs were full. That is the main pool you can see when you are in the lobby. This is also where the Holoholo Grill is located. This is the only restaurant on property but they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner plus as mentioned above, there are tons of options close by. There is also a super tiny adult pool between buildings 8 and 9. And there is a larger pool in the back so the have done a good job or offering various options depending upon where you are located. We were closest to the big pool with waterslides so that is where we spent our time.

There are also several big grass areas plus there is a soccer field, volleyball court, and mini golf area to spread out and enjoy different activities. They also offered a variety of on property activities, including Smores on Tues and Thurs from 6-8, lei making classes, yoga, aqua aerobics. etc. And if you want to go to the beach, there offer pretty reasonable rates to rent, we paid $8 plus tax to rent an umbrella at the beach twice and it worked out great! Oh and you can get the most fabulous shaved ice for only $5 at the same rental hut (such a steal). The rental hut is right next to the Holoholo The gals over there definitively know us as we have enjoyed our fair share of shaved ice. I recommend the POG/li hing mui combination for a real taste of the islands!

The staff here make all of the difference. Everyone is SO friendly, but I have to give special shout outs to Preston, Gina and Abby. They have all played a special part in our experience here. Preston is never short on suggestions for things to do in and around the island if you need ideas and you can feel his Hawaiian pride through and through which makes those recommendations even more special. Gina has been there almost every morning to greet us and ensure all is going well when we come down for our morning coffee. We don’t care for the coffee in the room, but the coffee in the lobby is next level and with a view like that, it’s worth the walk to the lobby! Trust me on this one!!

Overall, this is a 5 star experience from start to finish. We would 100% stay here again and in fact we have already begun looking at rates and prices...

Koloa Landing is a nearly perfect resort in a perfect town on a perfect island. There are so many reasons to stay here, but a few opportunities for improvement as well.

The Good - The grounds at the resort are immaculate. We enjoyed walking around every day. Our unit was in Building 3 which had me nervous, but after living there for a week, it was a fantastic building. The view of the family pool, putting green and even a peek of the ocean was nearly perfect. We ate breakfast on the lanai every day and the angle of the building was so good that we NEVER had sun on our lanai. It is very well designed.

The best part about staying at Koloa Landing is definitely the full kitchen and washer/dryer. We used both to our advantage. In fact, we could have taken about 1/5th of the clothes we did and would have been just fine. The kitchen was so good for food when we were in the resort (usually just breakfast). The appliances were top notch which made cooking a breeze. Although you pay a premium for staying at this resort, you earn some of that back by cooking food.

The marketplace had everything we needed on a whim and the prices were actually very reasonable which is not normal for resorts worldwide. We even asked them to stock our kitchen for our first night there which was a life saver (our flight landed at 7p). The sandwiches and pastries at the marketplace were big hits with our family.

The pool is as advertised. Huge and full of adventures. The "heated" water appears to be heated only by the sun as the temperature drops when the sun goes down. My hot take about this pool is that it is absolutely the best pool I have ever been to in the USA, but it would be an average pool at resorts I have been to in Cancun and Puerto Vallarta.

Opportunies - This is a destination resort built on an adventure island. What this means is that there are activities to do every day at this resort but there are more things to do elsewhere (Waimea Canyon, Na Pali Coast, Helecopter tour, Secret Waterfall, Waimea beach, Kenji Burger, etc). The resort could make the activities more accessable to all by having the classes at night rather than in the middle of the day. A perfect example of this is the water slide which is only open from 10a-5p. After a day of hiking and kayaking, our kids wanted nothing more than to play at the waterslide, but were not allowed.

I stay in Marriotts worldwide. One of the main reasons I do this is that I love the standard Marriott beds. Our unit (Building 3, room 202) did not have the standard Marriott bed. The beds at Koloa Landing were very firm and difficult for my back. My wife prefers a firm mattress, so this bed worked for her. Obviously I only know about the mattresses in our unit, so hopefully there are others that have the good mattresses.

The 2 bedroom unit is listed as fitting 6, but this means that 2 people have to sleep on the hide-a-bed which is a very thin mattress that pushes the frame through itself and into your body. Luckily we had two little guys that can sleep anywhere, but if I had to sleep there...

The bathroom in the master bedroom was very odd. Most bathrooms have a door on the toilet room, but this one is just open to the rest of the bathroom. This meant that if someone was taking a shower, that toilet was off limits. When dealing with a family of 6 this became a problem many times. Koloa could easily add doors to this toilet nook and solve this issue.

I have a ton of Marriott points and upgrade certificates, but found this resort to be nearly impossible to use them which is a missed opportunity to thank the most loyal guests.

Would I stay at Koloa Landing again? I would go back tomorrow! It would be easier to do it knowing the opportunities that I...

Update:

This might be the corniest, most dad-like update I have ever written. The main reason being that we made some very real friendships here last year, and the staff here have gone out of their way to connect with us online, to get to know our family, and to become a part of our network over the following months.

We are officially back, on Day 6 of a 10 day visit. And we are so, so incredibly happy that we were able to make it.

Same exact employees and staff. Same exact attention to every little detail. Same perfection and care for all of the little things that makes this place so magical, and such a good financial value for parents, kids, and everyone in between.

It's like we never left, honestly. And I mean that very sincerely as someone who also works in hospitality and understands how rare a commodity that is.

Our older boy is now 10, and has been able to enjoy the full kid-friendliness and safe environment offered by the resort, all on his own. And our younger, Autistic boy has been able to vibe and thrive just as if we were visiting with cousins back home.

The folks here have helped us to become "Kaui professionals" in the sense that they've guided us to every possible cost-friendly place and activity on the island, and they've been so kind and helpful about helping us take our little one to inclusive, safe-spaces for special needs kids.

I am so in love with Koloa Landing, as is my wife. This place is now a permanent part of our family network. If you have kids, and the ability to do so, I highly recommend this place on every possible level.

You will absolutely not regret it 🙂

To be completely candid, I have worked in events and hospitality for most of my adult life, and this is the first real vacation I have taken in nearly 20 years. When I say that Koloa Landing Resort is one hundred percent amazing, please understand that I am not exaggerating. I am seven days through a 10-day visit with my family, and am literally blown away by the incredible amount of time, effort, and personal kindness that the staff here puts into making their customers completely happy. The villas here are gorgeous. Fully furnished and fully equipped with modern appliances, including washers and dryers. The pools are Disney-quality and absolutely world-class for kids. The food at the Holoholo Grill is delicious, and clearly made with love. The employees have gone above and beyond all of my wildest expectations. Free shuttle service. 24 hour general store. This place is worth every single dollar and more. We will definitely be coming back again. Thank you for making our vacation so special. We...