Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas

The honest review

The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas sits on a dramatic bluff above the Pacific on Kauai's North Shore, a short drive from Hanalei Bay and Anini Beach. The North Shore is the greener, rainier side of Kauai compared to sunnier Poipu on the south coast — worth knowing before you book, since a North Shore stay trades some guaranteed sunny beach days for waterfalls, hiking, and the dramatic scenery the region is known for.

The villas themselves are the real selling point for families. Every unit, from studio to 3-bedroom, comes with a full kitchen and a separate living area — a genuine step up from a standard hotel room when you're traveling with kids and want to cook breakfast or a couple of dinners rather than pay resort restaurant prices for every meal. For a family of five or six splitting a 2- or 3-bedroom villa, the effective per-person nightly cost usually beats booking two separate hotel rooms at a comparable Kauai luxury resort.

Being honest about the kids' side: there isn't a standing, year-round kids' club here. The multiple outdoor pools (including an adults-only pool for parents wanting a quieter option) and the cliffside setting are the main on-property draws for children, and most of the real family activity — Hanalei Bay's calmer swimming, the Kalihiwai and Anini Beach areas — happens a short drive away rather than on-site. Families who need drop-off kids' programming to get real adult time should look at a South Shore resort with a staffed club instead.

Who this fits: families who want real living space, a kitchen, and a dramatic North Shore base for exploring Hanalei and the surrounding beaches, and who don't need a resort to entertain the kids on-property every day.