First, the Pahio at Ka'eo Kai is a beautiful place to stay, as long as you aren't stuck in a studio unit. The pool and spa is beautiful and many units have a great view of the golf course and ocean beyond. I believe that we would have had a much nicer experience had our room been more of a pleasure to stay in.

The studio unit is the smallest room I have ever stayed in--smaller ethan a regular hotel room. The bed is only a double (no fun when my husband is 6'4'') and there is not a proper clost. I opened what I thought was a pantry closet and found some hangers. It was too small to even put your suitcase in, so those had to stay out on the floor, which made the room feel even smaller. The "kitchen" is a small SMALL counter with a tiny sink and a fridge under the counter. The counter space is taken up by the coffee maker, and a shelf above holds a microwave, toaster oven and a basket of flatware. You will not be able to cook anything in the room, so you will not be saving money by staying here. It's basically good for cereal, sandwiches and your cocktails. The television was tiny and positioned in the only free space in the room, so it was hard to see from the bed.

The bathroom was pleasantly large. A nice spa bathtub and good sized-shower. It was probably as big as the bedroom! But privacy of any kind was a big issue for us. The bathroom had only a shuttered door, so you heard EVERYTHING. The room was separated from the other part of the unit by only a regular locked door, so you clearly heard was was happening in the next unit (when they did laundry, cooked, etc). There is no airconditioning in the unit and it is not needed if you keep your windows open. But then again, privacy is an issue. We heard everything from every other unit and all the noise from the roads, even though we weren't adjacent to them at all. The unit had only semi-sheer white curtains, so no light was blocked in the mornings and you could see us move around in the unit from outside at night.

Our "lanai" was two chairs on a small balcony facing the inside of the resort, or the walkway and parking lot. This was the first time my husband and I never set foot on the lanai while in Hawaii. The lanais on the larger units were nice and spacious. We also did not have a washer and dryer, and the washer and dryer on the resort grounds is small and expensive. No quarters/change machines provided, nor is soap.

I might stay here again, but never again in a studio. I think the resort should not rent them out separately--they are too small and the resort is obviously not concerned with the experience of those staying in them. Also, the concierge called us every morning at 8 am to try to get us to attend the "island orientation" and a sales presentation until I had to firmly tell them to stop calling our room, we did not plan on attending.

We loved it so much that we bought two weeks there so we can go back every year with our family.

My wife and I took our three adult friends to this resort November 3rd 2007. We had a massive two bedroom unit on the 2nd floor of a Phase 3 building, with views over the golf course to the sea.
The resort is set in the most magnificent tropical gardens: our unit had two huge trees adjacent and when we sipped our wine on the lanai in the evening it was like being in a treehouse!
The units are not new, but stocked with every necessity and comfort. I agree the carpets could do with replacing, but overall the accommodation was top class.
We have one major complaint: at the morning get-together when the activities are introduced, we did not appreciate the heavy-handed attempt to get us to take the tours offered. This has not happened at any other timeshare resort we have stayed at. It appears the new owners, Wyndhams, have put pressure on the otherwise friendly staff to get tours booked. We were badgered a little about seeing a timeshare presentation as well.
The island of Kauai has much to offer; it is very beautiful. We sailed and snorkeled the Na Pali coast on a catamaran and sipped mai-tais all the way back to port: a delightful experience! Anini and Ke'e Beaches near the resort are great for snorkeling and you must visit Princeville Hotel for a stunning experiece and view of Hanalie Bay: their $65 seafood buffet on Friday nights was special!
The Princeville shopping centre is in easy walking distance and has a number of reasonably-priced eateries as well as a supermarket.
We certainly plan to return again soon, as Jetstar airfares from Australia have made this a reality!

Exchanged timeshare through RCI and were very pleasantly surprised (especially after reading previous reviews). We took suggested advice and called ahead to request Phase III - 2nd or 3rd Floor Unit and were lucky enough to get Room 23B (Phase III/2nd floor/2Bdrm unit located next to clubhouse - overlooking the pool area with a distant ocean view).

Staff was very helpful. We had a great trip and would recommend the PAHIO at Ka'Eo Kai. This is not a "five star - umbrella drinks served by the pool" resort and if that's what you're looking for, you'll be disappointed. If you are looking for a nice and relaxing base for day treks, it will be perfect!