We recently stayed in condo 7307 which we rented through Aloha Condos and had the time of our lives. It was perfectly decorated, comfortable yet elegant. It was so nice to have a condo with all the amenities we could ever have wanted from irons to ice chests and snorkle gear. HBR was a beautiful location with an incredible pool and the best bar in town! I would highly recommend renting this condo. We hope to be back soon.

We thouroughly researched our options for lodging in Hanalei before booking, and although a few reviews for Hanalei Bay Resort were negative, decided there was enough positive feedback to validate staying there. We knew it was a time share property and have never been disappointed with a time share resort before. We found a good (?) price by renting from a timeshare owner.

I called weeks in advance and requested a renovated room with a great view, but the woman copped an attitude and said "I can request it, but that doesn't mean you'll get one". I should have known we were in trouble then. Sure enough, after hunting through the overgrown bushes for the entrance to our unit, we found our ancient ruin.

It was a dark, cave-like one bedroom, with discolored wallpaper, old paint and furnishings from the 80's. The grout was dirty and the tub area needed recaulking. Just look at the pictures to get an idea of the quality. The refrigerator opened from the wrong side and was rusted out. There was even rust (or something?) in our ice cubes. Our utensils were dirty and we made a game of "kill the mosquitoes" with our kids the first night there. Wonder how long it has been since the Health Dept. inspected this unit?

We've been on dozens of vacations, and do not consider ourselves high maintenance at all. We have never, in twenty years, requsted to be moved to another room...until this trip. The front desk said we'd have to wait till the next day to see if anything was available. We did and they said everything was booked. I said "please tell the manager that we are very disappointed with our unit." They never appologized or called to see what was wrong, etc.

Our particular unit (in building 2) had a stained headboard, prehistoric bedspread, and fitted sheets that came off the mattress if you rolled over. I tried not to think about that too much! The pillows were tiny and there were no black out curtains in the bedroom, so when the sun comes up (and the roosters), so do you.

The only thing this resort has going for it, presumably, is the plethora of tennis courts and the view from SOME buildings. If you do decide to stay here, rent from an owner, get lots of pictures, and understand that the resort does not have many ammenities. The pool is nice, but seating is limited. There is a steep path to Princeville's beach, but signs that the chairs are only for Princeville guests. The Bali Hai restaurant is closed for renovations, there is no shop or poolside service. You take out your own trash and they clean your room/replace towels once a week.

We did enjoy the Happy Talk lounge a couple nights-they had great local talent and good food. On Friday evening they had complimentary appetizers.

The really sad thing about this resort is they are still selling timeshares to vacationers. We met people that had gone on "the tour" and were shown a gorgeous, everything shiny-new, room, with an incredible view. They were ready to buy. I told them to stop by and see our timeshare room! Isn't that bait and switch to sell one thing and get something inferior? Timeshare owners will never be able to rent their units for more than a couple hundred dollars if they are in poor condition. Where are the timeshare owners' maintainance fees going? IMO, the dilapidated units should not be occupied until they are totally gutted and updated.

On a positive note, we had an outstanding (and less expensive)experience on Maui-check my review of Kaanapali Beach Club Resort.

Hanalei Bay Resort is an outstanding value. Not only are you staying on (my personal favorite) the north side of the island where it is lush and beautiful everywhere you look - the accommodations are great. Some of the rooms (we heard from other travelers) didn't have the greatest views. However if you stay in Ginny and Dick Richards condo (they own it and you get to use the facilities of the resort), you will have one of the most spectacular views! You can see the waterfall coming down the mountain, you see the bay and the pool area (which is the most beautiful pool I've ever seen) and it is very quiet. You have your own private lanaei and its simply amazing. I don't think its appropriate to give out their personal contact info but I'm sure you can get it through this site. We spent 11 days soaking up the beauty of this magical place. You don't need to spend a fortune on one of the big hotels. The Richards have a condo that splits into two separate rooms. One side had a full kitchen which came in very handy. The other side had a good size refrigerator - also helpful. This was our second trip to Kauai but our first to the Richard's condo. I'm hoping to make it back there sooner than later! Mahalo!!!!

Each time I leave Kauai, it gets harder and harder to get on the plane. This time it was exceptionally difficult to leave because of the wonderful condo I stayed at and the fantastic HBR. Condo 4221 was absolutely perfect. Each day I would wake up to a view of Bali Hai and Hanalei Bay from my huge bed. I spent a lot of time in the condo because it was so peaceful and the view was so amazing. The entire experience was made even more special through my correspondence with Joan, the condo owner. She was so warm, so funny, and so caring. She made a few extra accomodations that made my stay even more special. Thanks, Joan! :)

Each day around 4, I would saunter over to the Happy Talk Lounge and have a cocktail or two before I got ready to enjoy the sunset from some perfect locale. I was traveling by myself so I was very appreciative of the warm staff at the Resort. And how can you beat that view?

The pool was a perfect place to relax - it was never crowded and was the perfect temperature. Bring a book and just chill.

All in all, it was the perfect experience and I would heartily recommend it. There's something so magical about Kauai...many thanks to Joan and HBR for adding so much to that magic.