Puu Poa condos? Better than HBR?

My wife and I are planning to visit Kauai next April and have found the Puu Poa condos online. Does anyone have an opinion of these? Recommend them? Somewhere else on the North Shore?

What%26#39;s the opinion of Hanalei Bay Resort?

Also is mid-April still rainy season? Are the whales gone?

Thanks to all who make this such an informative site. We%26#39;ve never been to Kauai and can%26#39;t wait.

Puu Poa condos? Better than HBR?

Hi DDNGF --

Both locations are beautiful places to stay. Puu Poa will e quieter and they have good views and most units are spectacular with large lanais. Hanalei Bay Resort is more of a combination hotel/condo setting with a more grounds, stunning views of Hanalei Bay, restaurant, etc. Both places have units that vary a lot depending on the owners involved. Pali Ke Kua, just down from Puu Poa also has beautiful views and some very nice units to rent -- perhaps a little cheaper.

It can be rainy in April, but I wouldn%26#39;t worry about it. I think this last spring was an aberration. And the whales are leaving then, but you might see a few.

Puu Poa condos? Better than HBR?

We stayed at Puu Poa two years ago and loved it. You can check out the unit we stayed in at kauaiparadisevacation.com The unit is imaculate and even nicer than the pictures. This year we stayed next door at Pali Ke Kua and thought it was great too. HBR seems to get a lot of bad press for some of their non-time share units. Reviews seem to run hot and cold depending on the particular unit. Puu Poa sits directly on a bluff and all units have great ocean views. It is a much smaller, quieter complex than HBR and seems to offer more privacy. Puu Poa units are privately owned, not time shares and most are decorated beautifully. We loved our stay at Puu Poa and highly recommend it. We%26#39;ve been on the North Shore in mid-April and had great weather with no rain and saw plenty of whales.

We just got back from staying at Pali Ke Kua, which is right down the road from Puu Poa. If you rent certain units, you get a full view of Bali Hai, whereas the units at Puu Poa might just have oceanview. We stayed in this unit, and I can tell you the view from the lanai is a million times better than the photo they show. We saw rainbows almost every day. No problems renting from this agency either, quick emails and the rates for these units are usually a bit cheaper than Puu Poa (at least from the research I did).

www.hanalei-vacations.com/palikekua221/

Puu Poa is a very unusual looking condo buiding. It is right next door to the Princeville Hotel which will be having some remodeling done to it next year. When you drive up it has a very modern feel to it. It is not ';Hawaiian'; style if that%26#39;s what you like. The units are individually owned and managed so each are different. Hanalei Bay Resort has a more tropical feel. The grounds are beautiful and again if you go with an owner unit (I%26#39;m an owner) they vary. The views are beautiful and it has 8 tennis courts, 2 pools and a restaurant and bar on site. April will have rain. No doubt, but the beauty of the north shore is sitting out on a lanai and watching the waterfalls on the mountains next to you. Kauai is named the garden island for a reason. I am not trying to convince you of HBR or Puu Poa. I just want to give you the differences. If you like a more Hawaiian feel to a property go with HBR. If you want a modern look go with Puu Poa. They are both nice but go with an owner unit and do your homework.