We just booked our third trip to Kauai and I'm excited to go back to the Waiohai! In 2005 we stayed at a condo near Brenekes the first week of the trip. It was OK. Then we stayed at the Marriott on the third floor -the views were amazing. Two years later, in 2007 we stayed on the ground floor. It was a huge difference for us with a one year old baby. With the walk out access to the lawn and beach, we could walk back without taking the elevator and room key. My wife and I traded reading on the patio while the baby took naps. The other sat at the pool with our 3 year old. We could see eachother and communicate. We were still sharing the time together. Now, we are excited to go back in 2009 with our third child who will be one year old. We had to have the ground floor again. With three kids under 5, we couldn't manage it any other way.

We just returned late last night from a week at the Waiohai...
it was truly a dream come true to have three generations traveling together to Kauai! Today has been a bit of a tough re-entry as we are all experiencing the little slice of paradise that we enjoyed during our stay at the Waiohai.
We stayed in a two bedroom/two bath unit in Hale One for a week that we purchased directly from a timeshare owner on www.redweek.com. The transaction was smooth and professional in every way. The room that we were assigned was 1206- Hale One (Building One) on the second floor. There are four floors total in the units and I imagine that the fourth floor has the best unobstructed view, however, we could not have been more delighted with our ocean view. We could see the ocean from both bedrooms as well as the main room. We have never stayed in a oceanfront setting before...what a treat to watch the ever changing but always beautiful Pacific Ocean out all the windows and/or from the terrace!
Yes, lots of chickens just like the reviews promise! The first morning they were a bit of a unwelcomed intrusion into our sleep (would crow regularly around 4:30 a.m.)...but they really did begin to grown on us as we would watch the hens and their little families scurrying about. By the second or third morning the crowing was not even a issue- we would hear it and just fall right back to sleep.
The beaches around the hotel are lovely...perfect for sunrise walks, frolicking in by day and sunset walks in the evenings.
We saw one monk seal in the Poipu beach cove on one of our morning walks...sadly no turtle sightings while in the area. (However we did snorkel with the turtles while on a Napali coast cruise...beautiful scenery).
The pools are great with a fun family oriented pool oriented more towards games as well as several children's pools, hot tubs and a relaxation pool that caters more to the quiet swimming/reading/sunning experience...something for everyone!
If you are not opting to pay for a ocean view unit, I/we suggest the units facing the interior courtyard by the pond where the swans are. We would frequently walk this area and it is lush and peaceful with BBQs close by. At night when the tikki torches are light, the stars and moon is out the grounds at the Waiohai become magical!
Through the years we have stayed at full service resorts, private homes and condo. style timeshares such as the Waiohai. Each, in all fairness, has its pros and cons. We came away from the Waiohai feeling thankful to have had the time there to be able to soak in its beauty and make many a wonderful family memory. Kauai is a beautiful island with much to see and do- each island has its own beauty and allows distinctly different opportunities for fun and realaxation.
Thank you Waiohai and all that we crossed paths with for making our week on Kauai so special!

My family of four stayed in Hale 8 which is oceanfront. Unbelievable view. The Waiohai is on the best beach in Poipu area. Great swimming pools, beautiful grounds. Check out pics posted here.

The units are very large, with two bedrooms, one on each side of the living areas (living room & kitchen). TV's in both bedrooms & living room. Internet connection & DVD player in living room. Large windows in bedrooms opened to sound of the waves. Our unit had a king bed in one bedroom and a queen bed plus a sofa bed in the other bedroom (the bedrooms are big). There was also a sofa bed in the living room. There was a full size stacking washer & dryer in one of the bathrooms with double sinks and a shower/tub combination. The other bathroom had large jacuzzi tub with separate shower. Large balcony with table & chairs and lounge chair. These are time-shares so no daily maid service. Housekeeping comes once mid-week to tidy up and bring fresh towels. There's a place where prior guests can leave beach chairs, mats, etc. so those staying after them can enjoy.

There are good places to eat & shop within walking distance. Definitely check out Joe's at the golf course across the street for breakfast, and try Brick Oven pizza in nearby Kalaheo. Across the street in the Poipu Shopping Village, try Roy's for an excellent upscale dinner and the must-have Puka Dog (Hawaiian style hot dogs) for lunch. The Poipu Broiler is within walking distance and is great too. There is a restaurant and a deli-type place on the premises, as well as a small hotel-type store. A nearby Pizza Hut delivers, although on Hawaiian time so don't be in a rush (and why would you be?) In addition to the full kitchen in the unit, there is a nice BBQ area for guests to use . There is a grocery store in Koloa town and a Costco & Wal-Mart in Lihue so you can stock up on the way from the airport.

The Waiohai is a great place for everyone, lots of room for a family. Will definitely return.

We are in the midst of a stay at the Waiohai Beach Club. We are owners at the Ko Olina and traded into the Waiohai Beach Club. The layout on the Waiohai is spread out in 8 buildings (hale 1, hale 2, etc.). Because the buildings are spread out, you need to pay greater attention to your room requests than you would at a high rise like the Ko Olina.

Overall we are having a great stay. There were, however, a couple of hiccups on the way in. We are traveling with my inlaws, and my father in law is mobility impaired. We requested a room centrally located to ensure he did not have to walk far distances (he uses a cane). We arrived at midnight and were told that we were in Hale 6 with an exterior island view. The desk clerk apologized and basically told us that she passed along all of our requests to the manager on duty but that he ignored all of our requests. We asked for a high floor, centrally located with a view of the internal courtyard. We got a ground floor in the building furthest from parking (Hale 6) with a view of a neighboring public parking area just west of the Waiohai. We called back in the morning, spoke to the manager on duty (Monet, not the same one who originally placed us) and she was great. She and a desk clerk named Joanna both helped out tremendously and moved us to Hale 7, which has underground parking very close to our room.

This is a great Marriott property, but I would recommend that anyone booking a stay here plan on getting in early the first day and making sure to request a room with an interior view of the courtyard, as all exterior view rooms look upon neighboring construction or a public parking lot to the West. I would also echo the previous reviews that suggest avoiding Hale 4, particularly the exterior view that looks out on a parking lot.