The East Side - Who Knew

Question

We just returned from our 13th visit to Kauai. In the past, we’ve stayed north and south, but never east and never in a hotel.

We initially booked a 10 day visit, then decided to make it a full 2 weeks. So we took this opportunity to stay east & in a hotel. We stayed at Kauai Shores and loved our stay!

The hotel is very modern, has refillable water stations and all the ice you need for the day. They even have umbrellas for use when leaving each building. We had a garden view, but could still see the ocean. The hotel also had bikes available for use and having Lava Lava right there was a huge bonus!!

There was live music every evening at Lava Lava and the Coconut Marketplace next door added to the benefits of staying in this area. I never imagined all the evening walks we’d do or the discoveries we would find on our adventures.

Hukilau Lanai has always been recommended on this forum, so I made a reservation for dinner. We decided to share a few things, rather than getting full meals. We had the lobster curry bisque, appetizer ribs, lobster & goat cheese won/tons and a macadamia nut tart for dessert. Everything was delicious! We enjoyed our walk there and back along the ocean. The funny thing we noticed at dinner was, in our 50’s, we felt like 2 of the youngest people there. It gave us a chuckle. 😃

I get it now and may continue this same split in the future.

Answer

Your experience on the east side of Kauai, staying at Kauai Shores, highlights a side of the island that many repeat visitors often overlook. Opting for a hotel stay instead of a vacation rental opened up new conveniences and experiences, and it seems to have paid off for your two-week trip.

Kauai Shores offers a modern, well-equipped environment for visitors. Amenities like refillable water stations, abundant ice, and umbrella availability demonstrate thoughtful guest service. Even with a garden view, your partial ocean view added to the overall enjoyment.

The hotel’s bike availability allowed for easy exploration of nearby areas, encouraging outdoor activity and casual sightseeing.
Proximity to Lava Lava Beach Club provided not only convenient dining options but also live music in the evenings, enhancing the resort experience without requiring travel elsewhere.
The nearby Coconut Marketplace added further benefits, including shops, eateries, and a lively local atmosphere, perfect for evening walks or casual exploration.

Your culinary adventures at Hukilau Lanai showcase the east side’s fine dining opportunities. Sharing dishes allowed for a broader tasting experience without committing to full meals, and your menu choices—lobster curry bisque, appetizer ribs, lobster and goat cheese wontons, and macadamia nut tart—highlight a mix of seafood and local flavors.

Walking along the ocean to and from Hukilau Lanai added a scenic and active element to your dining experience.
Noticing the demographic of other diners also added a humorous social observation and reminded you that vacation experiences can be surprisingly diverse.

Overall, staying on the east side in a hotel gave you a new perspective on Kauai, allowing for evening adventures, convenient dining, and easy access to local attractions. You found the balance between relaxation and exploration enjoyable and noted that you may continue this approach in future trips, combining different regions and accommodation styles to maximize the Kauai experience.