A trip to Kauai isn’t complete without spending time in Koloa and the Poipu area, so why not stay there for a few days? We found the Sheraton Kauai Resort and Villas to be a great homebase for exploring the south shore of Kauai. We’ve more often stayed in Kapaa for visits to the Garden Island, but staying in Koloa was fantastic, especially after long days of hiking on the South Shore. There are so many things to do on Kauai you can split your time easily!
From beautiful oceanfront hotel rooms to condo-style villas, the Sheraton Kauai Resort is an ideal spot for spending several days in Koloa and the South Shore. We have all the info you’ll need for planning a visit, including activities in Koloa, Poipu, Hanapepe and more. If you have any questions about staying at the Sheraton Kauai Resort or the island itself, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more!
Check out our Five Day Kauai Itinerary here!
What Are the Hotel Options at the Sheraton Kauai Resort?
I know this is a weird sort of question, but the Sheraton Kauai Resort is actually two resorts in one. You have the resort hotel on the beach and then the Sheraton Kauai Resort Villas across the street. Both are beautiful and have awesome rooms and amenities, but their layouts are a bit different. At the resort hotel you’ll find normal hotel rooms, such as two queen beds or a king with a nice balcony or patio, and then there are some suite options. At the Villas, these are branded as a part of the Sheraton Vacation Club and as such are more condo-ish.
Everyone likes to vacation differently and I think it’s important to consider what sort of accommodations are best for you and your travel partners when you’re making your budget. The Villas are part of a vacation exchange platform, so if you are able to book into them through Marriott Vacation Club or Interval International, you may be able to get one of the larger Villas for a great deal vs one of the resort hotel rooms for a higher nightly rate.
Check out Marriott Bonvoy vacations here!
For general booking, you’ve got options for the following room types:
- Two queen beds
- King bed
- One bedroom suite (king or two queens w/ sofabed)
- Studio suite (king and sofabed)
- Two bedroom suite (at the Villas)
The maximum number of guests any room type can accommodate is 6 people. Differences in room types also come via their view type (garden or ocean). If you’re not planning a lot of time relaxing in your room staring at the ocean, book whatever is more budget friendly.
Top Pick: Sheraton Kauai Resort 1 Bedroom Villa
We had our pick of rooms and found that the one bedroom suite at the Villas was the best deal and most functional for our family of four. We love having lots of balcony space because we strategically plan downtime at the hotel when we travel as a way to break up our busy time. Balcony space with the one bedroom villa is great because we had two access points for outside, and it allowed us a quiet space away from the kids when we wanted it.
Check in / Check Out at the Sheraton Kauai Resort
First off, make sure you provide your Marriott Bonvoy number or book using your number. Marriott points add up fairly quickly and you don’t want to miss out. Now, here’s the thing about checking in at the Sheraton Kauai Resort: you need to check in at the correct location. If you’re staying at the Villas you check in on the left side of the street (if coming from Koloa) and if you’re at the hotel it’s the beach side. Save yourself time by starting off on the right foot.
You’ll get bracelet style room keys, and these are important for accessing your room, the fitness centers, and when you’re going from pool to pool. It’s how they make sure that the people using the hotel amenities are actually guests who are supposed to be there. When you check in, also be sure to get a schedule of activities because they keep guests busy.
Book the Sheraton Kauai Resort here!
Sheraton Kauai Resort Amenities
I love staying at cute little places that are homey, but when we get to stay at a resort that has it all, it’s a different level of vacationing or relaxation. I don’t often allow myself to proceed without a daily plan, but I can do that when we stay somewhere awesome. The Sheraton Kauai Resort was perfect for this, as was their sister property that we also stayed at, the Sheraton Coconut Beach Resort in Kapaa. Both were genuinely relaxing in a way that took away travel stresses.
NOTE: we stayed at both of these Sheraton properties when we were in Hawaii for work and our trip got canceled once we were already in the islands. Listen to our podcast episode all about it here!
On-Property Activities
There’s a reason Kauai is so lush and green, and it’s because of the rain. There’s a good chance you’ll need to find some things to do to wait out the rain, or if you just want to lay low for a day, and for that there are activities on-site. We spent a morning making orchid leis with the hotel staff, there were ukulele lessons, hula lessons and daily yoga and such. Also there are games around the property, like foosball, and then for outdoors games there is giant chess, cornhole and more. It’s easy to keep kids occupied here. PS: there are BBQs too, in case you’re thinking that should be a part of your plan.
Pools at the Sheraton Kauai Resort
Between the Sheraton Kauai Resort hotel and villas, there is absolutely a ton of pool space. At the hotel side (beachfront) there is a beautiful multi-level pool, including a large hot tub. It’s very easy to get settled into lounge chairs or go between the pool and the beach, even in the rain. On the Villas side of the property, there is a huge crinkle-cut French fry shaped pool that I swear nobody realizes is there. For our four days there, I never saw anyone besides us use it. I love that!
Beach Access from the Sheraton
I think the beach access at the Sheraton Kauai Resort is absolutely winning, and was a primary factor in us booking this property. From the pool area you just cross the grass onto the sand and then into the water. Remember, you’re in Hawaii, so this means that the water isn’t as calm as a nice bay beach or the beaches of Florida’s Gulf Coast. You’ll have waves, and at times they are pretty good sized. The beach at the Sheraton is a bit like a cove, like the beach at Disney’s Aulani on Oahu, so it’s a bit sheltered and more mellow than just if it were facing the unobstructed ocean.
On a more calm day you can snorkel or paddleboard here. Similar to the beach just to the east over at Poipu, sea turtles (honu) will find their way into the swimming area here, so be mindful of them and careful to not touch them. If you see them haul out onto shore, give them plenty of space.
Fitness Centers – yes, two!
Since the Sheraton Kauai Resort is basically two resorts in one there is a fitness center for each part of the property. If you’re staying on the Villas side that’s a part of Marriott Vacation Club, you have access to both fitness centers, each with free weights, some machines, cardio equipment and floor space for stretching and exercise. The gym on the hotel side of the property is a bit nicer, but with two workout spaces, you should have no trouble finding the right place for your daily gym routine.
Dining at the Sheraton Kauai Resort
I love when we have a kitchenette and actually have the time to use it, which we did here, and then also being so close to both old town Koloa and Poipu Beach, we didn’t eat much on property. There are two restaurants though, and we did enjoy both lunch and dinner at Lava’s. Located just off the pool on the Sheraton Kauai Resort hotel side, Lava’s is fun and easy when you’re just in chill mode and don’t want to be fancy but still want good food. And the breakfast is pretty solid.
The Rum Fire is also located here at the Sheraton Kauai Resort. It’s a nicer restaurant and is only open for dinner. The other big option is the luau. A lot of resort hotels have a luau on property (we loved the luau at the Royal Kona Resort on the Big Island), and the Aulii Luau happens two nights a week on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Pool Bars and Service at the Sheraton Kauai Resort
While there are two pools at the Sheraton Kauai Resort, only the beachfront pool has poolside service. Lava’s is directly next to the pool, so bar service is done through there all day long. It’s easy to either walk up or utilize the poolside attendants if you’re just having a pool day. Although the beach is adjacent to the pool area, bar service doesn’t continue onto the sand.
Where is the Sheraton Kauai Resort?
When you arrive on Kauai you’ll either fly into or arrive via ship into Lihue (LIH). This is on the east side of the island. The Sheraton Kauai Resort is located in the Poipu area of the town of Koloa to the south. It’s about a half hour from the airport and the drive is beautiful. You get to go through the eucalyptus tree tunnel and old town Koloa before arriving at the beach and checking in.
Transportation To and From Lihue to Poipu
I highly recommend having a car for your visit to Kauai. While you can book transportation or get a taxi from the airport in Lihue to the Sheraton Kauai Resort, you’ll want a car for the different activities and sightseeing on Kauai. Car rentals in Hawaii are expensive (but not as bad as Alaska), so budget for about $90 per day. It’s worth it to have your own vehicle unless you’re booking tours to explore the island. Book airport transportation here.
Can I Walk from the Sheraton Kauai Resort to Poipu Beach?
You can easily walk from the Sheraton Kauai Resort to Poipu Beach and the surrounding restaurants. It’s a 20 minute walk to the Poipu Beach neighborhood, and even less to the shopping village or the Shops at Kukui‘ula (several restaurants). If you’re planning on walking everywhere though, you will be limited to these areas, as attractions like the Spouting Horn (blowhole), the Makauwahi Cave Reserve or Old Koloa Town are a 45 minute walk or so.
I do love my running route when we stay here in Poipu. There’s a bit of up and down with both ways to run, but it’s not so difficult that you won’t be able to hike later. If you’re looking for a great run and you’re staying at the Sheraton Kauai Resort (or another nearby property) here are some good options:
- Poipu Beach – 2 miles round trip
- Spouting Horn Park – 5 miles round trip
- Makauwahi Cave Reserve – 7 miles round trip
I think the location is great for having either an active Kauai trip or a mellow one. Rent a car or don’t, you can relax and walk to lots of places from here.
Parking Details at the Sheraton Kauai Resort
Parking is free at the Sheraton Kauai Resort. It is self-park and there is plenty of space. Not all the walkways between buildings are covered, so on a rainy day you’ll get a little wet, but from the parking areas to the rooms, either at the Villas or hotel, the gardens are beautiful. The ease of parking is great, especially in comparison to some hotels around Kauai that are very limited (I’m looking at you Kauai Shores Hotel).
Note: if you do want to do valet, it’s available at $30 USD per day, but parking is easy enough that I don’t think it’s worth it.
Ten Fun Things to do in Koloa, Kauai
I love Kauai and being on the South Shore is wonderful. The town of Koloa and Poipu Beach are great and there are lots of wonderful restaurants to enjoy. There are great beaches and hikes, and you’re is a great launching point for all things South Shore. There are more opportunities for kayaking on Kauai in Kapaa and the north shore, but hiking on this side is the best! Here are our top picks for things to do on the South Shore, from Barking Sands to Poipu to Lihue.
- Enjoy the Poipu area, including the beach, Puka Dogs and the heiau site
- Hike the Makauwahi Cave Reserve trail to the cave a Secret Beach
- Visit Spouting Horn Park and visit more beaches
- Do the doors-off helicopter flightseeing around Kauai (amazing!)
- Visit Hanapepe and the swinging bridge (think Lilo and Stitch)
- Hike at Waimea Canyon State Park – the Waipo’o Falls trail is my favorite
- Drive to each of the Kokee lookouts – Pu’u O Kila, Kalalau and the Kokee Natural History Museum (tons of chickens everywhere)
- Hike at Kokee State Park – this is the start of the NaPali Coast
- Go to Barking Sands Beach or Pohale State Park (you need 4WD for the state park)
- Visit Kauai Coffee Co and walk through the coffee trees, have a tasting
Clearly we love Kauai and spending time on the South Shore. Koloa is a wonderful place to be based and the Sheraton Kauai Resort is great for families or couples alike. If you have any questions about staying at the Sheraton Kauai Resort or the island itself, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more!
Book the Sheraton Kauai Resort here!
For more ideas and itineraries for exploring the Hawaiian Islands…