This was our first trip to Kauai. We booked condo E10 purely from photos we saw online. We have never booked a condo online before so we truly did not know what to expect. We arrived after dark our first night so finding the property was tad difficult but not horrid. We walked in to a very stuffy condo, quickly opened the windows and then were blown way but the incredible view that awaited us from every window in the place. Even in the dark we knew we had found a slice of heaven on earth. Everywhere we looked were beautiful ocean vistas. The stuffiness in the condo disappeared once the windows were opened and the ocean breeze blew in. There was no need for air conditioning at all.
We had everything we needed in the condo. The bed was comfortable, there were plenty of pillows, t he furniture was comfy and nice, we had a TV, movies, cd player and cds to choose from, even board games if needed, plus chairs/umbrellas for the beach, all the cooking utensil you could possibly need, a washer and dryer, you name it, it was there.
Our only complaints were the bathroom towels were worse than what you find at a Motel 6! And the bathroom had no air circulation. It was humid to stand in the bathroom after your shower. Since it was just my husband and I staying, we just got dressed in the bedroom area, but if you had more than 2 staying in the condo (which is possible because the couch pulls out) the bathroom would become a real issue.
The owners suggested you wash towels often (and that you bring your own beach towels) so I did a load every night. Not a problem and actually I count this a plus for the condo. We would enjoy our views from our deck each night while laundry was going.
The outside of the condos were ugly..truly. They are shake so they are very weathered and old looking BUT do not judge by the outside. We loved our little condo and would go back in a flash.

We stayed in unit H9 at the Sealodge for four nights in late August. We booked through Sandy at Ahh! Aloha and she was prompt, responsive, and helpful.

After two nights at the Hyatt in Poipu the switch to a condo was a change, but we loved it. It was nice to have the space, privacy, and amenities of a condo including a washer/dryer (we did plenty of laundry!) and the ability to keep some food and beverages on-hand for breakfast and cocktails. There were also several local guidebooks provided by the condo owners, which was nice. The best way to describe it is that it felt like staying at a friend's apartment. For two adults it was a great amount of space; I don't know if I'd recommend it for more people than that.

The view from our unit looked directly out onto the Pacific--it was truly beautiful. It was great to sit out on the small porch, read a book, and enjoy the breeze and view. We were also able to watch the sun rise up out of the ocean from bed! It was absolutely incredible. At night we often walked down to the western end of the complex and sat on a hill with several other Sealodge guests to watch some gorgeous sunsets. We also took a brief adventure trek down to Sealodge Beach, which was quite private and almost deserted (wear something more substantial than flip flops for the hilly walk!). The drive into Hanalei was ten minutes or less and we tended to spend our evenings there. The Princeville shopping complex is very expensive (as is most of Hawaii but we're from Manhattan so it felt like home) and the dining options aren't great. Heading into Hanalei is definitely worth it. If you do shop at the Princeville grocery store, sign up for the discount card when you check out and you'll save a few bucks.

We arrived to find the condo in clean, comfortable condition. It's not a luxurious five-star hotel and you have to clean up after yourself, but for $150/night it seemed like a complete steal! The only problem we encountered was the TV--it wasn't working when we arrived but my husband managed to re-rig the wiring and get it working. There was also an ant situation that we brought upon ourselves by leaving some snacks out on the counter. You have to remember that you're in a tropical climate! Finally, the towels were thin and scratchy, but we coped with that just fine.

I would enthusiastically recommend the Sealodge and unit H9 for any couple looking for a laid-back trip to the gorgeous North Shore of Kauai. It was the best trip of our lives!

We stayed at the Sealodge D7 for a week in June 2008. It was my wife and I, with our 9 year old daughter. We had just the right amount of room in D7, especially with the nice loft upstairs. The space for the 3 of us was not too cramped that we were walking all over eachother, and neither did I feel like I bought too much space. Great views of the ocean out out both bedrooms (loft and downstairs bedroom), as well as from the deck. This unit does have A/C and, although we used it, I'm not sure we absolutely needed it, although it certainly would have gotten stuffy if the wind would have let down. The A/C unit is out on the lanai (balcony), which takes up a lot of space, and, once it kicks on, it is not pleasant to remain on the balcony with the hot air blowing and the noise from the A/C unit. However, that is a very minor issue and you can always turn the unit off - if you travel in the summer time, I would prefer to stay with a unit having A/C just to not risk having a miserable time because of the heat. There really isn't enough room on this lanai to have a family meal. The kitchen was well stocked with dishes and the such, bathrooms were both very nice, plenty of beach items to borrow, and everything worked perfectly. The Sealodge, and this unit, have fantastic views of the ocean which are down below the lodge several hundred feet. I had many perfect mornings sitting on the lawn out front of the unit with a few cups of Kona coffee. There is also a path at the end of the property which winds through a forest, through a stream, alongside some dropoffs, and finally ends up on a very secluded beach. It's a picture perfect beach, has some great tide pools for exploring, very secluded, and, best of all, no driving required. However the hike is steep in some areas and the dropoffs along the rocks can be concerning for parents who have a small child with them, so check it out first to make sure your kiddos would be okay on it. The Princeville area is an excellent place to serve as a home base, with Hanalei Bay so close, and really great snorkelling at Tunnels and at the "end of the road". Surf Lessons in Hanalei Bay are great (very small surf in summer), primarily because it is a all sandy bottom so you don't have to worry about hitting rocks unlike most other beaches we visited on the Big Island. There is also a grocery store close by and, while expensive, is very convenient. D7 served us extremely well, and I could recommend to anyone with about 3 or 4 people. Also, the coordinator of this unit (who works for the owner) made everything extremely easy for us - she was prompt on communicating and responding to emails, providing us clear directions and the such... I never worried that something would go wrong that she wasn't prepared to handle (although nothing went wrong at all). Sometimes at these condos you are dealing directly with the owners who I think may be too busy to deal with clients the way we would like to be treated with such a large investment as your family's fun - this owner has set up a really good system with this coordinator (rest assured here). I didn't post any pictures of Sealodge itself, but some of the other reviews captured the essence inside and outside well, although much better in person. I'd say that although some of the exterior pictures of Sealodge might make you hesitate, it is really very nice and doesn't look "3rd rate" at all. This is not the 5 star luxury resort, but if you want a quite place to relax with a great view, with all the essentials, and reasonable rates, then I don't think you'll regret this choice at all. I'd stay at this unit again in a heartbeat.

The north shore of Kauai is a great place to visit and Sealodge is a super place to stay while there. Do know that the quality of each individual unit varies considerably so make sure that you do your homework. We did ours on Tripadvisor and it really made a difference. The key is to know the things that are really important for you and to match it with the best unit.

If you need lots of room, air conditioning, beach out the back door, game rooms and spas, group activities, night life partying, or fancy trappings, then you need to go elsewhere. If you are adventurous, in Hawaii for relaxation, great views, simple pleasures, proximity to great snorkeling and swimming beaches ( summer months ), hiking trails, and simple eating places then Sealodge and the Princeville area might be for you. Most of the units have very ample kithcns and we cooked most of our own meals.
We stayed there 2 weeks in '07 and most of the month of June in '08. We snorkeled, hiked, or played golf just about everyday.
On offdays we used the public library in Princeville to catch up on our book selections and newspaper reading. They also have computers for use so that you can keep up at home. I refuse to take my computer on vacation with me. We are already planning our trip for next summer and hopefully we will be able to stay 4 or 5 weeks. Remember, if you fail to plan then you are planning to fail.