Marriott's Kauai Lagoons - Kalanipu'u

Awesome views, the landscaping is spectacular, the rooms (we had a 2 BR) are big and clean. We had a view of the pool and the bay which was stunning. This is a calm and relaxing resort in a secluded area of the Island surrounded by a golf course, the bay, lagoons another Marriott resort and, oh yeah the Airport. Even though the place is near the airport, it is not a very active airport so it really isn't an issue. The staff is great as well. The one thing this is NOT is a beach resort. They do have beach chairs available to take to other beaches but there is no beach here. Since it is a Hawaiian resort you might assume there is a beach. There is no beach. However, knowing that going in you can find other beautiful beaches on the island. You are allowed to use the beach at the other Marriott resort down the street, but since this fair skinned Irish lad needs shade, without an umbrella, this was not an option for us. Also, there is no restaurant or bar on premises. This is not that uncommon for Marriott Vacation locations. We have stayed in two other locations that were also sans bar and restaurant, Tucson Arizona and Absecon NJ, but still it would be nice to have a pool bar. Not sure why they don't, as there is plenty of room for one. All-in-all, if you set your expectations based on what this place does NOT have, it really is a lovely place. Very lovely, in fact.

The Marriott Kauai Lagoons is a fabulous resort. It is beautifully designed and maintained. The staff are friendly. The bedrooms and living quarters are spacious. They have complimentary daily activities every half hour. We did bamboo pole fishing and a fabric flower craft and enjoyed breakfast smoothies and shaved iced. The lagoon pool is amazing. The only downside is that there is no beach access close by.

I'll start with the negative. The rooms need to be renovated and cleaned properly. I unferstand that there is a labor shortage on the island. Our couch was dirty, and I had to have them come and shampoo it while we were there. Our dishwasher kept leaking. The crazy part was that a maintenance man acknowledged it had a broken seal and the dishwasher needed to be replaced. The manager basically said that I was lying and that it was no longer leaking after we checked out, which made my request for compensation with Bonvo points essentially void. Um sir, where did the water on the kitchen Floor come from every time the dishwasher ran? The hardware used for cabinets in the bathroom were corroding. As much as I pay for maintenance fees, I expect everything to be in top condition. Also, Troon owns all of the property surrounding the Kauai Lagoons and a lot of it is poorly maintained and there are abandoned buildings right by the lagoon itself. It is an eyesore. There is a walking path that could take you closer to the ocean and beach; however, this is a part of Troon's abandoned property and it is blocked off. The 2 bedrooms only have 2 full bathrooms. They do not have a half-bath like many of the other vacation club 2 bedrooms do. This makes the unit feel smaller than it actually is. We had 5 in our party (4 adults and a child) and we felt cramped. Now, the positive. The location is great. It is right down the street from the airport! I loved that! It is also very close to Lihue for grocery shopping and other amenities. Do know that you do not have beach access, and there isn't an easy way to get there. That wasn't a big deal to me. I didn't go to Kauai to lounge on the beach every day. If you want to go, you have to go to Marriott's other property down the road. The resort is small and quiet, which makes for a more intimate experience. I don’t care for huge resorts. The recreation room is fantastic, and my son loved going there to play games. The resort activities are enjoyable, especially fishing. The staff is great and very helpful, except the one manager. And the lanais--the doors fully open. It is amazing. The best lanais I've seen in my 4 trips to Hawaii. I would return to this property again, only next time I would get a 3 bedroom if we travel with my parents or another couple like this time.

GORGEOUS! We absolutely LOVED our 2 bedroom villa. The workout center was pristine. The daily activities by the pool for kids and adults was so much fun and the staff from groundskeepers to the concierge were so friendly and helpful. Absolutely recommend staying here. Full disclosure, my aunt and uncle are Marriott members, not myself and my husband. I believe you have to be a member to stay here. We stayed as guests of and with my aunt and uncle.