Garden Island Inn

because our timeshare at the Pono Kai Resort is Saturday to Saturday and my last tournament softball game was also on Saturday, Wyatt and i had to find a "new" place to sleep that night. with their great Yelp reviews and proximity to the airport in Lihue, "we" decided on the GARDEN ISLAND INN.

a very cute boutique hotel across the street (technically the Kuhio Highway) from the beach with (as i hope you can tell from my pictures) a strong art theme. everybody who worked there absolutely went out of their way to make us feel welcome and the breakfast spread made for great snacking. comfortable room and the air conditioner didn't keep us up all night. quick heads-up there's NO elevator -- we were on the third floor and after two-a-day​ games, all those stairs were a challenge.

when i woke and glanced at my sleeping son, i was reminded he's growing up and not my "little boy" anymore​. i blame it on his fondness for poke.

The Garden Island Inn has to be my favorite hotel experience I have ever had! I highly recommend staying here when in Lihue!
The hotel itself is stunning! There are so many unique details everywhere you look! It creates such a magical and homey feeling! The rooms were very tidy. One common problem I found when researching hotels in Kauai was cockroaches. Never once did we see them at the hotel! Just toads, geckos and chickens! The staff was very helpful and welcoming. There was a light breakfast and coffee every morning which was very nice. And so many places within walking distance!
They also give a scavenger hunt at check in! My husband and I loved this! This gave us some great ideas of things to do! And we found this such a cute idea!
My husband and I will be staying at the Garden Island Inn next time we go to Kauai!

We stayed here because we arrived one day before our timeshare was ready. I was drawn to this place because of its location and because of the wonderful reviews. And the reviews proved to be true! While this place doesn't offer the luxurious feeling of a name brand five star hotel, it offers so much charm and has so many personal touches that it makes name brand hotels seem cold and unfriendly. Here are some of the personal touches. We only stayed one night, so this list is by no way exhaustive!

1. The lady who checked us in (Angela) was so sweet! Very smooth and quick check in. Angela told me about all the amenities and helped me pull a few bananas off the tree in the lobby to enjoy. They were delicious!

2. They offer a treasure hunt activity where if we hit a certain number of area landmarks and restaurants you get a prize. What a cute idea! We didn't do it since we were only staying one night, but I love the idea!

3. There are beach toys, movies, and board games you can borrow in the lobby. They will also give you some microwave popcorn. Oh and most rooms come with a microwave, additional sink, mini fridge, and dishes - enough for you to enjoy restaurant leftovers!

4. The continental breakfast in the morning is wonderful - fresh fruit, breads, pastries, yogurt, and ... the best fruit custard pie I've had in Kauai! The pie is made every morning by either the resident manager or the owner. Serious yum.

5. Every part of this inn, from the walls in the room to the ceiling to every inch of this property, is thoughtfully decorated. It's colorful and artistic.

6. The staff is incredibly welcoming and friendly. Angela let my three year old feed the fish in their small pond and left a note in the morning for the morning front desk person, Cherie, to wait for my little guy to feed the fish. So thoughtful.

When I asked Cherie her name because I was writing a yelp review, she said that "it's not a name but it's the whole staff that makes this place great." I completely agree! I think we'll be adding a night to our timeshare stay in Kauai on future trips so we can come back here!i

Such a cute place.
The outside looks like an apartment building with 3 floors. There are trees around the property with a sitting area under a tree. A lot of Christmas lights on the trees. There's also a koi pond.

They serve coffee and treats in the morning, in the reception area. They also have a wall with items that you can rent for free. Like DVDs, beach chairs & noodle floaters and beach towels.

The AC unit, shower, and two beds (1 queen, 1 full). Well, the room that we got. Small fridge, coffee maker, with coffee and tea.
The shampoo/conditioner, soap, and lotion are organic but they are not to take home with you like the hotels. Lol.

This Inn was across the street from Kalapaki Beach, ABC store, just to name a few. It's also a 5 min. walk away from the Restaurant Row shopping mall, but it's more like a center/plaza.

Would I stay here again? Yes I would.
Would I recommend this Inn? Yes

Cute place with very friendly staff! Great location.

We stayed here one night during our recent vacation and we really enjoyed it. The hotel is located right across the street from the Marriott property and the locals surf spot at K-bay. There is a hot and cold water dispenser in the lobby as well as cookies and pastries at the front desk throughout the day.

Our room was very cute, decorated with colorful walls and bedding. The room and the bathroom was very clean. We had a good night sleep. There is a large garden on the property full of beautiful trees and plants. We even got some organic tangelos from the tangelo tree, big juicy and very tasty!

The staff were very helpful and gave us alot of good information on what to do and where to go. definitely recommend!

Booked this spot from Expedia because all of the hotels were booked or outrageously expensive. Luckily I got a room here and it was in Lihue which was close to the wedding I was about to attend. The people here were very friendly an kind. I was worried that the room wouldn't have A/C or anything but it had a huge King bed and A/C with internet. There were two sinks and a coffee maker. I would definitely stay here again.

When I left my swimming costume in the room, they called and left me a voicemail to say so and then kept the bikini until I came to pick it up yesterday before my flight back to the mainland.

When was the last time a hotel called to tell you that you'd left something behind? I'm seriously impressed.

Koi and bananas that you get to cut from the tree yourself in the lobby! Now that is awesome. Also have full compliment of complimentary beach gear, including boogie boards. Very A+.

This hotel was great for my family they offered towels, Beach Chairs and other stuff that you may need for the beach that's right across from the hotel. They treated us with a great welcome when we arrived. They brought us papaya fruit for breakfast and have complimentary coffee and granola bars in the office. I also enjoyed our room it was really nice with a microwave and a refrigerator. We had the top floor and it was very nice I'll be sure to come back to stay there again when I visit Kauai which I might add is a beautiful island.

This is a hidden gem we were blessed to find! The colorful artwork was welcoming. The rooms were clean and spacious. We had a kitchenette that was wonderful. We stocked the refrigerator and used the microwave! Every morning we went to the office and had delicious coffee, fresh fruit, granola bars and homemade pie or cake. The grounds are lush. No matter what time we got back our room was clean and tidy! We cannot wait to go back!