The Royal Sonesta Kaua'i Resort Lihue

I was debating whether to give it a 4 or 5. The room wasn't where I thought it would be, and probably had the worst spot. So, I tried to be fair and didn't let that affect my review. The whole place was super clean. But the best things were the awesome pool, which was warm since it wasn't too deep, but still huge and kept a good temp. And the other great thing was the soft, sandy beach right there. That was a big win for us. The food was a bit of a problem, though. The hotel restaurants and the ones nearby weren't great (mostly) and were pricey for what you got. Parking wasn't really managed, and lots of cars from outside the resort parked in the best spots near the rooms. That was annoying and made me wonder if the $30 parking fee was worth it. But the location is perfect. It's in a nice area near a beautiful golf course, and you can easily get to both the north and south parts of the island.

NICE, BUT NOT LUXURY. My wife and I stayed here for a week in June 2025. We got a deal from Costco Travel that included self-parking, resort fees, and $150 food credit. We stayed in a deluxe (ground floor) lanai room behind the kids pool. In general we found the resort to be nice. Rooms and facilities were clean and the staff quite friendly. It's the pool and beach that are the highlight for this place - we really enjoyed both. But the rooms are showing some age and the resort restaurants are overpriced for what they serve. Self parking on the east side (where our room was located) is hit or miss as that lot fills up quickly. Resort hosted luau is not that good. PROS: - Awesome pool and nice beach - Dukes restaurant adjacent to property - Some local shops, coffee, ABC Store in walking distance - location has easy access to south and north shores - easy to get to from airport - Lihue has good local food for breakfast or lunch - Target and Costco nearby if you want to pick up supplies CONS: - Rooms are just OK and could use some maintenance - On premise restaurants over priced and food quality is just ok - Lihue does not have great dinner restaurants - you have to drive 20+ minutes at a minimum to get a really nice dinner - Luau is not worth it (much better options are available) Would we stay here again? Maybe if there is an exceptional deal. Unfortunately we found ourselves leaving the resort and Lihue mostly for the south shore area where they have better beaches and much better restaurants and bars. Next time we'll likely first consider a resort on the south shore instead of the Royal Sonesta.

Extremely Disappointing Stay - Definitely Not Worth the Price or the "Four Star " Rating We stayed here for 10 nights, and aside from two positives -- the stunning tropical gardens and a beautiful pool -- the rest of our stay was a major disappointment. ROOM QUALITY & CLEANLINESS We had to change rooms three times, and every single room had issues. One room had no ventilation in the bathroom -- after a shower, it was unbearably stuffy and hot. I honestly don't know how a room like that could pass inspection at any reputable hotel. Another room smelled strongly of mold, especially when the AC was running. The odor was so intense we could barely tolerate being in the room, and we had terrible nights because of it. On top of that, the AC units were extremely loud, and the sofa bed was old, lumpy, and impossible to sleep on. For a hotel that claims to be four-star quality, these conditions are unacceptable. The interiors were outdated, poorly maintained, and badly in need of renovation. COMMON AREAS Cleanliness was equally lacking in the shared spaces. The elevator buttons and glass doors were visibly dirty for our entire 10-day stay. Same smudges, same grime -- no one seemed to clean them. For a high-end resort, the lack of basic sanitation in high-touch areas is extremely concerning. BREAKFAST The breakfast situation was a complete joke. I expected a resort of this level to offer freshly squeezed juices, smoothies made with local fruit, and freshly, in house baked goods -- something fresh and nourishing to start the day. Instead, they had a so-called "grab-and-go breakfast" at the front desk, which consisted of soda, bottled orange juice, packaged muffins, and what looked like leftover fried rice with a few overcooked sausage pieces. FOOD The food at the resort was some of the worst we've had. From the mashed potatoes and undercooked eggs to the steak and fried rice, everything was bland or just downright bad. They need a new chef. The prices, however, were sky-high. We paid a premium for food that tasted like it came from a school cafeteria. CUSTOMER SERVICE Customer service was not very helpful. When we called for help setting up the sofa bed, we were told to "do it ourselves." After we checked out, we explained our concerns to a manager, who offered a small partial refund -- but not for the full duration of our stay. When I followed up by phone, she assured me we would receive additional reimbursement and gave me a new total. But the amount that was actually charged to my credit card did not match what she promised. I called back multiple times, left messages, and was told she would return my call -- but I never heard from her again. That lack of accountability and follow-through was incredibly frustrating and unprofessional.