Oceanfront Kauai Resort with Hawaii's Largest Single-Level Outdoor Pool, Kauai, USA

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Discover a Hawaiian paradise on the beautiful island of Kauai at the oceanfront Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort Lihue. A world away from the skyscrapers of Waikiki, this peaceful property sits just steps from Kalapaki Beach. You’ll be spoiled by the hotel’s long list of luxe facilities, including four onsite restaurants. Head to Kukui’s on Kalapaki Beach for culinary delights served poolside, start your morning with a hot coffee and freshly-baked pastry from Aupaka Terrace or dig into authentic Hawaiin cuisine while soaking in breathtaking ocean views at Duke’s Kauai.

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4.7/5

(3K reviews)

Trustpilot

4.8/5

(10K reviews)

Location

Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort Lihue

3610 Rice St, Lihue, HI 96766

Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort Lihue is located along Hanalei Bay, on the sands of Kalapaki Beach, minutes from shops, restaurants, bars and cafés. The hotel is approximately a 5-minute drive from Lihue Airport (LIH). Airport transfers are not included in your package, please plan accordingly.

Need flights? Our dedicated flights concierge can assist with all your flight requirements, contact sales@luxuryescapes.com

Facilities

Kukui’s on Kalapaki Beach
Aupaka Terrace
Duke’s Kauai
Cafe Portofino
Outdoor pool
Direct beach access
Fitness centre
Alexander Day Spa and Salon
Parking
Airport shuttle
Check-in: 4pm / Checkout: 12pm

Surcharges may apply to select facilities and services

Fine Print

Taxes & fees:

Resort fee of US$49.54 per room, per night is not included and is payable directly to the hotel upon check-in/out.

Package Inclusions: Inclusions are correct at the time of purchase. Refer to your booking confirmation for details. Please note package inclusions for extra guests vary depending on the rate selected, please choose your package carefully.

Dining inclusions do not include drinks (unless otherwise stated). Menus are subject to change without notice.

Please Note: The following applies to select packages only

Room upgrades for stays of 7+ nights on select packages are strictly subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. Excludes King – Ocean View and Two Queens – Ocean View rooms.

Important: The hotel, transportation and/or destination you are travelling to may have health, insurance and vaccination requirements in place. Please ensure you stay up to date with any requirements prior to your departure.

The property, facilities and dining are subject to government regulations and restrictions. Please check the property website for the most up-to-date information as some of the services may be impacted.

Scoopon reserves the right to modify prices for marketing and commercial reasons. Please note that full terms and conditions apply.

LuxPlus+ Terms & Conditions:

LuxPlus+ pricing and bonus inclusions apply to LuxPlus+ members only. Please ensure you are signed into the account associated with your LuxPlus+ membership while booking.
Bonus inclusions will be automatically applied during checkout when you make a booking with a participating hotel using the account associated with your LuxPlus+ membership.
Please note: Bonus inclusions vary depending on the participating hotel. Please refer to your package inclusions upon checkout/purchase to confirm the bonus inclusions associated with your booking.
Bonus inclusions are only available when the LuxPlus+ member is the primary traveller on the booking.
LuxPlus+ bonus inclusions are not available for bookings made back-to-back (separate bookings for consecutive nights’ stay) at the same hotel. In the instance of back-to-back bookings at the same hotel being made, you will only receive the included benefits once.

LuxPlus+ benefits will not be awarded in relation to any purchases, transactions or non-transactional actions that are reversed, cancelled and/or refunded.

LuxPlus+ member discounts and bonus inclusions cannot be converted or exchanged for cash.

Luxury Escapes reserves the right to review all bookings and bonus inclusions to ensure compliance with LuxPlus+ terms and conditions.

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Reviews

9.0

Exceptional

Reviews from Google

B G.

Reviewed 06 Aug 2025

I was debating whether to give it a 4 or 5. The room wasn't where I thought it would be, and probably had the worst spot. So, I tried to be fair and didn't let that affect my review. The whole place was super clean. But the best things were the awesome pool, which was warm since it wasn't too deep, but still huge and kept a good temp. And the other great thing was the soft, sandy beach right there. That was a big win for us. The food was a bit of a problem, though. The hotel restaurants and the ones nearby weren't great (mostly) and were pricey for what you got. Parking wasn't really managed, and lots of cars from outside the resort parked in the best spots near the rooms. That was annoying and made me wonder if the $30 parking fee was worth it. But the location is perfect. It's in a nice area near a beautiful golf course, and you can easily get to both the north and south parts of the island.

Recommends this hotel

H A.

Reviewed 21 Jul 2025

We had an excellent family stay at the Sonesta. The hotel is beautiful and very well kept and clean. The pool is clean and comfortable. The location is perfect with the beach steps across from the pool. Lots of places to eat a few steps away. We will definitely stay here again. Definitely upscale.

Recommends this hotel

Brad G.

Reviewed 04 Jul 2025

8.0

NICE, BUT NOT LUXURY. My wife and I stayed here for a week in June 2025. We got a deal from Costco Travel that included self-parking, resort fees, and $150 food credit. We stayed in a deluxe (ground floor) lanai room behind the kids pool. In general we found the resort to be nice. Rooms and facilities were clean and the staff quite friendly. It's the pool and beach that are the highlight for this place - we really enjoyed both. But the rooms are showing some age and the resort restaurants are overpriced for what they serve. Self parking on the east side (where our room was located) is hit or miss as that lot fills up quickly. Resort hosted luau is not that good. PROS: - Awesome pool and nice beach - Dukes restaurant adjacent to property - Some local shops, coffee, ABC Store in walking distance - location has easy access to south and north shores - easy to get to from airport - Lihue has good local food for breakfast or lunch - Target and Costco nearby if you want to pick up supplies CONS: - Rooms are just OK and could use some maintenance - On premise restaurants over priced and food quality is just ok - Lihue does not have great dinner restaurants - you have to drive 20+ minutes at a minimum to get a really nice dinner - Luau is not worth it (much better options are available) Would we stay here again? Maybe if there is an exceptional deal. Unfortunately we found ourselves leaving the resort and Lihue mostly for the south shore area where they have better beaches and much better restaurants and bars. Next time we'll likely first consider a resort on the south shore instead of the Royal Sonesta.

Recommends this hotel

8.0

Petra

Reviewed 06 Aug 2025

4.0

Extremely Disappointing Stay - Definitely Not Worth the Price or the "Four Star " Rating We stayed here for 10 nights, and aside from two positives -- the stunning tropical gardens and a beautiful pool -- the rest of our stay was a major disappointment. ROOM QUALITY & CLEANLINESS We had to change rooms three times, and every single room had issues. One room had no ventilation in the bathroom -- after a shower, it was unbearably stuffy and hot. I honestly don't know how a room like that could pass inspection at any reputable hotel. Another room smelled strongly of mold, especially when the AC was running. The odor was so intense we could barely tolerate being in the room, and we had terrible nights because of it. On top of that, the AC units were extremely loud, and the sofa bed was old, lumpy, and impossible to sleep on. For a hotel that claims to be four-star quality, these conditions are unacceptable. The interiors were outdated, poorly maintained, and badly in need of renovation. COMMON AREAS Cleanliness was equally lacking in the shared spaces. The elevator buttons and glass doors were visibly dirty for our entire 10-day stay. Same smudges, same grime -- no one seemed to clean them. For a high-end resort, the lack of basic sanitation in high-touch areas is extremely concerning. BREAKFAST The breakfast situation was a complete joke. I expected a resort of this level to offer freshly squeezed juices, smoothies made with local fruit, and freshly, in house baked goods -- something fresh and nourishing to start the day. Instead, they had a so-called "grab-and-go breakfast" at the front desk, which consisted of soda, bottled orange juice, packaged muffins, and what looked like leftover fried rice with a few overcooked sausage pieces. FOOD The food at the resort was some of the worst we've had. From the mashed potatoes and undercooked eggs to the steak and fried rice, everything was bland or just downright bad. They need a new chef. The prices, however, were sky-high. We paid a premium for food that tasted like it came from a school cafeteria. CUSTOMER SERVICE Customer service was not very helpful. When we called for help setting up the sofa bed, we were told to "do it ourselves." After we checked out, we explained our concerns to a manager, who offered a small partial refund -- but not for the full duration of our stay. When I followed up by phone, she assured me we would receive additional reimbursement and gave me a new total. But the amount that was actually charged to my credit card did not match what she promised. I called back multiple times, left messages, and was told she would return my call -- but I never heard from her again. That lack of accountability and follow-through was incredibly frustrating and unprofessional.

Does not recommend this hotel

4.0

Reviews: 1-4 of 4

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