Koa Ke'a Update - April 23

Stopped by last night - drove into the front valet area - a very nice man came to the car (don%26#39;t think he was a valet parker...maybe a manager?) and said they%26#39;d opened April 14 - told him we%26#39;d watched the progress over the past few years and he insisted we come by anytime and look at everything. It was really pretty with lots of flaming tiki torches all over the property. This morning we took our usual walk from Nihi Kai to Whaler%26#39;s Cove (beautiful weather, still haven%26#39;t seen a single rain drop since arrival Tuesday night - yes, I hear it%26#39;s coming) and stopped to check out Kea Ko%26#39;a. We came up from the oceanside, where they%26#39;ve installed a nice wide walkway in front from Waiohai. Pool area is nice - not a large pool; has lava rock boulders incorporated into the edges, which sounds odd and looks great. Poolside and lanai furniture is so beautiful, high-end. Lobby area is sleek and stark, but in a classic beautiful way, not cold and modern. There%26#39;s a long bar that%26#39;s lighted from underneath, but the guests all sit with their backs to the view. The front desk was staffed by two very attractive 20-somethings - sleek, fashionably understated dressed girls who have been taught not to say ';Hi, I%26#39;m Tiffany, and I%26#39;ll be your server tonight'; if you know what I mean - and I%26#39;m not being critical! They were very nice, though, and said they didn%26#39;t have many guests ';at all';. I think all dining is indoors, except for a tiki hut food/bar place poolside. Funny thing...directly in front of Koa Ke%26#39;a the beach is just all large rocks, although to the right, @ Kiahuna, the beach is nice and sandy - BUT the access to the beach from Koa Ke%26#39;a is just to climb down picking your way across the little boulders - there%26#39;s a raw wood box someone placed down at the bottom so you can step up on a particularly high rock, but that%26#39;s it. (We were in jogging shoes and had no problem, but people in front of us- young! - in flip flops were having a very difficult time getting to the beach.) I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s geared at all to beach/ocean people and I cannot imagine the sound/sight of a child at Koa Ke%26#39;a! It seems more L.A./Dallas boutique hotel than Hawaiian. It will certainly occupy a very different niche than most places in Kauai, but for what it is, it%26#39;s absolutely gorgeous and beautifully done in a classic understated way.

Koa Ke'a Update - April 23

Thanks for the update - can%26#39;t wait to go take a look at it in May! Even thinking of a massage there for myself and my daughter! OH exciting! We normally like the beach between the Sheraton and the Kiahuna.

Koa Ke'a Update - April 23

By the way we will be staying at the Nihi Kai also! I love that place!

I took a look at their website. Does not seem Hawaiian inspired. Nice, but Holy Cow - the room rates!! The partial ocean view room rate per night is what we pay for a whole week in Kalaheo (guesthouse). I hope they can make a go of it in this economy.

3Chihuahuas

3chi,

I thinks that%26#39;s what that place is all about...With the rates that they are charging, then you can afford anything at any time, even during times like the economy is now. This place is for those who can afford and splurge,';which is nothing wrong with that';..';If ya got it, you got it';. I judge no one,';but I will be your friend';.

I hope that they have good success....';Spread the wealth';..

It%26#39;s too rich for my blood for what you get but thanks for the observation. I am anxious to see it. I wish them luck.

%26lt;%26lt;This place is for those who can afford and splurge%26gt;%26gt;

I hear you, just wish it was ME!!! Just gotta win the lottery.......

I do want to go see it - will need to make hubby clean up which usually he only does once a trip - going to the Torchlighting at the Hyatt. We%26#39;ll just combine the two!

3Chihuahuas

I think it%26#39;s nice that they kept the original footprint and didn%26#39;t put up a behemoth (oooh, that thing on Poipu Rd and Lawai is REALLY looming over the area!) Think the people who can afford a place like Koa Ke%26#39;a will really like it - but really? It%26#39;s still a HOTEL ROOM. Will continue our stays at Nihi Kai and Whaler%26#39;s Cove.

I noticed this write-up about Koa Ke%26#39;a from the Hawaii Insider:

www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/hawaii/detail鈥?/a>

Stunning pics and I%26#39;ll be curious to walk by in May. Can%26#39;t tell--is its restaurant, Red Salt, open yet?

Same here! I look forward to stopping by at the Koa Ke%26#39;a.

For those of you who remember the old, delapidated Poipu Beach Hotel pre-Iniki.. this will be pure nostalgia for us. So many wonderful vacations spent with our kids there when they were young, running around the pool with other kids, hunting for sea treasures in those tide pools. Such great memories!

Anna

Looks very nice, though definitely beyond my budget for an entire week%26#39;s stay. I do hope it does well though. I%26#39;d hate to see the place shut down and be abandoned again.

One question though - in that review it says the original balcony railings were retained. Were the existing structures also maintained and just fixed up, or completely demolished and rebuilt?