We have mixed feelings. There are good things to say - it's right near the Canyon, the grounds are well-kept, the pool is nice and was hardly being used during our stay, and the property has a large oceanfront. But people who are considering staying at the Plantation Cottages should be aware of features that we found disappointing. The cottage interiors, fixtures, etc. are out of the 50's, reminding us of cottages in the New York Catskills. Some find this charming; we didn't. It was hard to lock our windows; in fact, one of our window locks was broken. The bed was pretty small. There isn't a beach here - its a driftwood collection, it's not attractive and we don't think an ocean swim here is a good idea. The grounds are mostly dark at night, so we found walking to and from our cottage to the restaurant a bit tricky. If we come back to Kauai on another visit to Hawaii, we won't stay here.

Just wrapping up two weeks at the Waimea Plantation cottages and its been a very relaxing time. The grounds are beautiful and where else can you have a campfire down at the beach in the tropics. They have uncrowded grounds and a hammock is always waiting for you to enjoy. The only real complaint would have been the Roosters but they are everywhere.. Otherwise if your looking for a place to experience the true friendly Hawaiian people and the uncrowded beaches this is your place. Now not saying their isnt anything to do as they have a restaurant and bar onsite that has nightly Hawaiian Music or karaoke to partake in.. The Town of Waimea is like going back in time too, not in a bad way either, its up to date in many respect but they have an old style movie theater and old style buildings for the retail district. All give it a cool and interesting atmosphere, you feel safe walking around this place. The cottages are well placed if your planning some hiking trips to Waimea Canyon as its a short drive down.. The Ocean in front has black sand and really not suited for swimming as debris from Waimea river flows into just a few blocks away. This river brings in drift wood that covers the beach, some of wood is all curled and would be fantastic too take home but not sure about taking on the plane (lol)..
Each cottage is different and unique in its own way, some have multi rooms and others covered deck areas etc. Kinda hard to say which is best as all are different their web site doesn’t cover all the house options available.. If you have kids and or the weather is raining they have free movie and game rentals for use (well actually you have to pay ten dollars a day for this feature weather you want it or not unfortunately), a PlayStation is in every room..
Not much else to say other than come here to relax and read a book or two, not sure if I would want to spend my entire holiday here again as its fun to check out the entire island.. The North side of Kauai is a Must see place and worth breaking up your holiday time to spend time at.. Poipu on the South east side is a nice too to spend some time snorkelling and beach time, but at all those other places are tons of people (crowded).. All the Hawaiian Islands years ago used to be very laid back and it was rude even to honk your car horn at someone, now it seems people forgot this wonderful part..
Hope this helps somewhat as its a nice place to stay

We stayed five people, my brother's family and my boyfriend and myself in number #31 over the new year, and my parents stayed in #64. The place has so much charm and character, and all the nuances that contribute to an "authentic stay" including wild chickens that my niece never tired of chasing. Having the option to cook was awesome, and the restaurant on site was really accommodating; Earl the bartender was a friendly face after my harrowing flights to Kauai from Cambodia. G&Ts, wine in the beachside hammocks for sunset and whale watching cannot be beat! The only criticism I'd give is that the website hasn't updated the spa section leading me to believe I'd be able to take advantage of on-site spa services when actually it's been closed for a while now! Other than that, it's a fantastic place to just relax. And not a bad drive to anywhere - you'll soon see how luck you are to be staying at Waimea when you encounter the traffic in Kapaa and the resortiness of the north. Waimea is also a neat little town with a few restaurants and a deco market and movie theater. I'm ready to go back!

We stayed in one of the smaller cottages (#46 I think) over Christmas 2011. Loved every minute of it. The grounds are absolutely beautiful and the cottages, which all seem to be different, are full of old world charm. The pool area is nice, with lovely views of the gardens and sea, and didn't get crowded, plus you're right on the beach with hammocks strung from palm trees.

My wife took one of the yoga classes down near the beach, which was excellent.

The beach is great for walks but not for swimming. There is a nicer beach with a lifeguard at Kekaha, around 2 miles west along the coast, or at salt pond beach, around 10-15 minutes drive east along the coast.

Waimea village is pretty cute with a couple of shops and cafes. I recommend the shrimp place!!

The Grove restaurant on the plantation is in a beautiful old colonial era building, we only ate there once as we had barbecue's most nights. The food was nothing to write home about and the service was mixed (one young waiter was so inarticulate he could literally barely string two words together). Still, it's convenient as it's right on site.

Overall, I highly recommend Waimea Plantation for a laid back, relaxing stay and as a base for exploring the west of the island.

Oh, and don't forget to bring ear plugs for the cockerel crowing! In fact, you'll need them wherever you stay on Kauai, wild chickens are everywhere.