Aston Waimea Plantation Cottages

Quiet Retreat

My husband and I stayed at the Aston Waimea Plantation Cottages for a week in September. We loved the openness and old-time charm of the cottages. The grounds are well maintained, the Staff very friendly and helpful. The kitchen is well equipped, the rooms are clean. Only we never had a housekeeping visit which is scheduled every 3rd day per hotel policy. Parking is free and conveniently located adjacent to the cottages.

Traveler's tip on nightlife

The hotel is on the quieter, less-developed part of the island. If nightlife is an important part of your trip, you might consider some other, perhaps North-Shore location.

Relaxing, old-fashioned comfort

We stayed in a small, one-bedroom cottage and were very happy with everything except perhaps the roosters crowing early in the morning. The place was very comfortable, the bathroom considerably larger than mine at home, and our requests for additional service were honored within minutes. No air conditioner necessary, as the ceiling fans were enough (so glad to get away from that constant hum of A.C.) We had an in-room safe for valuables, a daily newspaper and both a front porch and patio area. The grounds of this place are beautiful, with numerous large trees, many of them flowering. The beach/ocean were visible from our front porch. I look forward to coming back to this place soon. I will recommend it to anyone traveling to Kauai.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Waimea canyon is not to be missed. Go to the end of the road so that you can see the Kalalau valley from the trail, one of the most amazing places I’ve ever seen. We also did the canyon hike and got great up-close views of the canyon walls.

We’re already planning another stay

Beautiful location, great for access to the Waimea Canyon. Requires a drive of 45 minutes to an hour to get to other points of interest on the island. Very quaint cottages. I would call the style of the cottages "Hawaiian Pottery Barn". No A/C (thank goodness I didn’t have to listen to an A/C running all night), but the ceiling fans in every room do a great job of circulating the air and keeping the room comfortable to sleep in and you can still hear the ocean waves (very relaxing). All bedrooms were clean and comfortable, and the kitchen and two bathroom were clean and well stocked. Very easy to obtain additional items needed for BBQ’ing on our lanai from the office staff. We used the guest laundry once during the week and found that the machines and counter tops were dusty, but otherwise everything there was functional and well stocked. We are already talking about our next trip to Kauai and we definitely plan to stay at the Plantation Cottages.

Home away from Home!!!!

We loved the waimea plantation the first time we stayed there about 2yrs ago. We made sure that we stayed here again on our latest trip to hawaii. It was great!!! the only problem i had was the sprinkler system going off at a 5am! Since there is no central a/c we had all the windows open, and the bed was right up against a window seal and that is where the sprinkler was located. I love the fact that we had a kitchen and a bbq pit in the back yard. We never saw our neighbors, unless we walked to the pool area, but even then it was only for like 10 minutes. We are even thinking of planning a destination wedding at this resort hotel......keeping fingers crossed!!!!

Traveler's tip on local attractions

1- you must go to jojo’s snocones (delish) 2- jump off a cliff in kipu falls 3- eat puka dogs in poipu 4- see a beautiful sunset at poipu beach...it’s so gorgeous and you will even see sea turtles!! 5- relax and enjoy the slower paced life style.

Experience old Hawaii

Very lovely place. Like a slice of old Hawaii. It was perfect for our getaway and also was married there by the ocean. Everything works out so well.

Traveler's tip on recreational activities

Being in Waimea (West Side) was pretty central to all the activities tours we went on. We lucked out for tours start early in the morning and if stayed on the North Side (Princeville) it would of been long drives to and fro. One lane traffic there too during commuter times. So staying Lihue (East) to Waimea area is pretty ideal.

Not the best

The hotel was isolated and we knew it was a older hotel, but we really like to be in the middle of the action and this hotel didn’t really provide anything. We had to drive to go to the beach. There were warning signs at the beach area by the hotel saying it was not safe to swim.

A Magical Vacation

I can’t say enough good things about this place. They gave us a complimentary upgrade to one of the managers’ cottages. It was huge (probably not typical of other cottages.) A family of 5 (or even 2 more small children) could stay in this 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 5 bed and two couch cottage very comfortably. The bed was comfy. We had a very nice lanai about 100 ft. from the ocean. There was a nice roomy kitchen with somewhat clunky cookware and dishware, completely sufficient to enjoy cooking some meals in the cottage. The grounds are beautifully landscaped. There were all the amenities of paradise... nice breezes, a beach to stroll on, a pool to swim in, hammocks, pretty flowers, singing birds, etc. My wife really enjoyed her half day spa treatment. The roosters crow in the middle of the night, but as far as we could tell you can’t escape that anywhere on Kaua’i. The hotel restaurant had great food, but the waitstaff seemed focussed on the locals so we did not receive good service.

Waimea Plantation Cottages: A nice place to stay

The Cottages are a nice, quiet place to stay. The restaurant is a good place to eat but does not serve breakfast. Breakfast can be hard to find nearby as there is only one place open that I was aware of. Thanks goodness for granola bars! The rooms are nice, the furnishings are older but are in good shape. If you are a beach/pool person, you may be a little disappointed since it appears that the better beaches are several miles further down the road.

Great place for exploring Waimea Canyon

Great place to stay.

Traveler's tip on dining

Skip Wrangler’s Restaurant in town though. Not impressed with their steak.

Can’t wait to go back!

The Plantation Cottages are absolutely beautiful. The grounds are lovely, the setting is quiet and peaceful, and the cottages themselves are charming, clean, and comfortable. We felt like the cottage was "home" after only one night there. And after 5 nights, we wished we could stay longer. The restaurant/bar on-site is good, and the people are very friendly. The only downside to the Plantation Cottages is that they are a bit far away from some other places on the island. Very close to Waimea Canyon though, if you like to hike. Not too far from Poipu either - maybe a 15 or 20 minute drive. This is definitely the "quiet" part of the island, so if you’re looking for a more busy area or for nightlife, this probably wouldn’t be your thing. We enjoyed being able to sit out at night and stargaze with no light pollution, go running on the black sand beach in the morning, and have coffee on the lanai while staring at the ocean. The view of the ocean is lovely. I should mention that the beach is not a swimming beach, but it is very nice for walking/running.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Try the "Steelgrass Farm" chocolate tour! You will learn about many native plants/trees, you get to sample local produce, and you learn about the production of chocolate and have a tasting session. It is fabulous and very non-commercial!

Paradise

I stayed here with my husband & In-Laws. Do not expect 5 stars. This place is all about the surroundings & going back in time. No air conditioning just the cool ocean breeze. Cottage #51 is at the back of the long lawn and is gorgeous. The Lawn leads to a beautiful Black Sand Beach. If you are looking for modern this is not the place for you. If you are looking for Paradise with comfort stay here. It is away from the hustle and bustle and sets the mood for total relaxation.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Barking Sands Beach. Hard to find but worth the trip. Make sure to rent Beach Chairs & an Umbrella from the local sporting goods store. It is not an easy trip down a washed out dirt road...Very beautiful white sand beach and very private.

If you like old fashoined, with peace a quiet this is the perfect place!

We felt somewhat mislead by the pictures on the web.. our cottage did not have air conditioning, and the kitchen was not well equiped for casual cooking, and it was not as moderen as pictured. However when we asked for items for the kitchen they brought them to us the same day. We were also told not to go out into the ocean because of health reasons, that was very disappointing. I loved that you could have a bon fire near the beach with seating and pit provided for your use. The swimming pool was great. And the service was excellent. The Hideaway Spa on the grounds was fantastic, very accommodating on short notice. The Brewery was a great place to go for meals or just desert, very good food.

affordable place

The place was great for a long stay. It had a kitchen and plenty of room, but the Waimea location is a bit of a problem because the beach is not swimmable- murky and shark infested.

Third time is CHARM!!!

I have visited Kauai 3 times in the last 16 months; this has been my choice each time. I am currently making plans to return in December, 2008. The quaintness of the restored cottages, the peace and quiet of the former plantation are perfect for R & R!! After a day of touring the island, it is great to sit on your own porch, relax and watch the sunset; or spend a leisurely day beside the pool or beach. I highly recommend seeing Waimea Canyon in early morning when the bright sunshine enhances the colors, or attending the Smith’s Family Luau -- great buffet, or eating at Wrangler’s Steakhouse in Waimea, or visiting Lyndgate Beach. There are many things to see on Kauai, just relax you will be on "island time"!!

So much fun

We really enjoyed staying at the Cottages! It felt like we were coming home after a day out. We enjoyed the quietness of the beautiful grounds. The staff was very friendly and helpful.

Great!

I loved the relaxing pace and walking along the black sand beach. If you want a true Hawaiian get away this is the place. The restaurant on the premises was great in quality, quanity and price as well. The staff were very attentive to our needs. I hope to go back, but will stay longer next time.

Very Relaxing

The hotel personel was very pleasant and accomadating. Cottages are clean and stocked. Grounds kept emaculate. This is definately a place to go to and relax. Hammocks and chairs throughout the grounds. Beach front. Will be back. Thank You for a lovely stay.

Beautiful Experience of Real Hawaii

We absolutely loved our stay at Waimea Plantation Cottages. The quaint plantation cottage and palm and banyan tree grounds made us feel like we stepped back in time. The people there were incredibly gracious and friendly. Because of their hospitality, we have such wonderful memories of our time at Waimea.

Traveler's tip on shopping

The charming outdoor market in Waimea had wonderful handmade items, sold by the artists themselves, at super prices. Such a fun experience!

2nd Visit to this tiki paradise

We stayed at the cottages in 2005 and had a wonderful time. We requested the same cottage this year, and weren’t disappointed. Other than a bit more rain than we expected, it was great! We’ll be back again, for sure.

Not impressed with the beach

My wife and I stayed from10/23/07-10/29/07 on our honeymoon. We both love the ocean and thoght the water would be nice by the cottages. No where in reviews did I read about brown river water all along the west side of Kaui. We were upgraded to the Harbor House. The Harbor House was 1.5 miles away from the cottages. The house was huge with a fantastic ocean front yard that looked out to the brown ocean. I thought I would be able to surf but, was warned about sharks liking the murky waters along the west coast of Kaui. The reason for the brown water was rain that had fallen 2 weeks prior to our arrival. The hotel lobby has no movies library. No movie rental place within 20 minute drive. Our house was next to a graveyard. The sprinklers ran 24/7, creating many mosiquitos. If you don’t mind driving 20 plus minutes to where you want to go than stay at this place. The town of Waimea feels very depressed and we were glad to leave. The pool is not big enough to swim laps in.

Bring insect repellant. If u want snorkeling nearby than stay anywhere but here.

Sad

They were not able to give us what we paid for unless we stayed off grounds and the grounds are what make the place--especially the pool for children. What they did substitute worked fine but the service was limited to a minimum cleaning one day out of five with no replacement of the basics like soap or coffee. The restaurant was so poorly staffed it took an hour to get dessert and the check. The beer was good.

Traveler's tip on recreational activities

Tubing is a great way to travel the irrigation canals through the mountains above Wailea. The Fern Grotto is not lush when there’s no rain. Salt Pond beach is very safe for children and the waves at Hanelei Bay at sunset are fun to body surf. Poipu is beyond developed.

LOVED IT!

What a beautiful, natural, peaceful location. We have two small children and it was perfect. Perfect trade winds, lovely pool and view. We even enjoyed the roosters! I cannot say enough good things. We grilled each night - there’s a grocery store close in town. And the staff is friendly. Spa had great masseuse as well. Website does a great job conveying the beauty and peacefulness of this wonderful little piece of paradise.

Great baby pool next to main pool. Our kids could have spent all day in it.

Can’t wait to go back

We had the best time, this place is so peaceful and had all the conviences of home, we loved the porch spent everynite out there playing cards. It was a long drive to everyplace we went but well worth it! We cant wait to go back!

Traveler's tip on shopping

Shop at the big save for groceries and have a jo-jo’s hawaiian ice

Romance abounds

We stayed here for 2 weeks in September, 2007. We had traveled all the way from Chicago, and had never been to Hawaii before, so when we finally got there, we were going to settle in. The cottages are clean and simple, and offer all the comforts of home (except for the chairs in the living room - it would have been nice if they were a couch or loveseat so we could snuggle). We checked out beautiful Waimea Canyon on our first day there since it was nice and close. We also discovered that it took 2 to 2 1/2 hours to make the trek from one end of the island to the other, but it was worth it to stay at the cottages. We saw some of the other hotels as we traveled around the island, and nothing could compare to our little cottage (#45). The staff was always very friendly, and the only problem we had was some ants in the kitchen and the living room, but maintenance came and sprayed as soon as we called. We used the BBQ grill, and we had a little black & white cat who adopted us while we were there (I’m a dog person, but was willing to feed the cats since I couldn’t find any dogs around.)They are not kidding about the roosters crowing at all hours, but we had read about that problem ahead of time, too, and just joked about it with eash other ("crazy chickens......")

Traveler's tip on dining

The Hukilau Lanai at the Kauai Coast Resort had absolutely wonderful food and ambiance, and the staff was very friendly and accommodating. For fine dining, this was the place to go (one of the restaurant guides described it as a "sister" to Gaylord’s, but the prices are much more reasonable here). We enjoyed our meals at both this restaurant and Gaylord’s, but got more for our money here.

Great place to stay

We had a wonderful stay at Waimea Plantation Cottages. It is quiet and off the beaten path. Not as populated as the south shore area which was great. Service was great. We plan to take the whole family back soon!