we loved staying at the Poipu Crater, it was the most beautiful place we've ever been to and when we go back we will of course stay there. It felt like home and we were sad to leave.

I booked this condo on the recommendation of a friend who stays here regularly. Although I knew it was in a crater, everything I read said that there were natural tradewinds that kept it cool. I was a bit concerned from the beginning since there weren't any good photos available to give me a better idea of what the property was like. Let me explain our problems...

To make a long story short, our condo was situated at the bottom of the crater (even though I asked to be close to the top). There was no breeze whatsoever. We were so incredibly hot that we moved all of the fans into the bedroom to try desperately to cool it off that first night, but to no avail. Another issue that we had was that the condo was not properly cleaned before we arrived. The upstairs shower hadn't been cleaned at all and had soap scum, hair, razor, etc. all over it. It was disgusting. You could also tell that they spray the baseboards with pesticide, because there were little dead bugs around the base of all of the walls that had not been vacuumed up. The whole place had a faint pesticide aroma. I also didn't realize how far away from the beach it was. It is down in a crater that is up on a hill.

For a few positive notes: the place is incredibly cheap, but you get what you pay for. I was ready to sleep in the car just to be cooler. I liked the layout, in terms of not having anyone above/below us. The grounds were pretty nice and it seemed like a quiet place overall. The pool was basic but alright and had a bbq area to the side of it.

If you don't mind heat and humidity, and you are looking for a really cheap condo with very basic amenities and you don't mind being away from the ocean, this place is worth the price (we paid $129/nt through Suite Paradise).

We ended up going into Suite Paradise first thing the next morning to find a different place. They moved us to the only other available property (Regency condos of Poipu Kai) which was $20 more a night, but INFINITELY nicer inside (wood floors, beautiful furniture, classier amenities all around). It didn't have air conditioning, but there were the infamous tradewinds, which made it bearable for a 2 wk. stay.

We have stayed at the Crater three times and can't imagine staying anyplace else. All amenities (including boogie boards and ice chests) are provided, and the grounds are immaculate and beautifully landscaped. The Crater is within walking distance of the beach, and a short drive from Old Koloa Town. You simply cannot beat this value anywhere else on Kauai. A spectacular island "home away from home"!

We stayed at the Poipu Crater Resort in March 2004 and had a wonderful time in spite of rainy weather. The accommodations worked wonderfully for 2 adults and 2 teens; spacious, well equipped, and private. The landscaping is lush and adds to the feeling of privacy. The kitchen was well equipped and included a blender, coffee maker, microwave, decent knives, better than average cookware and storage containers. Beach umbrellas, chairs and 2 coolers were included. TV and CD player were a hit with the teens. Beaches are about a 15 minute walk. I wouldn't recommend any of the Poipu beaches if surfing or boogie boarding are you thing, too many rocks left from the last hurricane. However, snorklers and toddlers seemed to have a great time. On-site tennis at the Crater and even better tennis facilities are available at the nearby Poipu Kai which is also part of Suite Paradise. We had a great meal at the Poipu Broiler, also part of the whole complex. The location was good for visiting other parts of the island. 30-45 minutes to western beaches. 60-90 minutes to hiking at the northernmost part of the island. We would definitely come back to these condos.