Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [415]
Aston Islander on the Beach (822-7417, 877-997-6667; www.astonhawaii.com; 440 Aleka Pl; r $140-230; ) Among midrange hotels, you can’t top the Islander. It’s not a resort, so don’t expect frills, but the 186 rooms seem modern and upscale, with granite countertops, flat-panel TVs and stainless-steel and teak furnishings. For internet access, room connections cost $10 per 24 hours, but there’s free wi-fi in lobby. Deep discounts online.
Aston Kaua′i Beach at Makaiwa (822-3455, 800-760-8555 www.astonhawaii.com; 650 Aleka Loop; r $150-380; ) For a presentable business-class hotel, look no further. The 300-plus-room Kaua′i Beach has a classy, efficient feel, from the soaring lobby full of plush seating to the pleasant pool. Rooms pamper the business traveler with dark woods, black-marble counters and work desk with rolling chair. A $12 hotel fee buys you parking, local calls, internet access and daily paper. Book online.
Lae Nani (822-4938, 800-688-7444; www.outrigger.com; 410 Papaloa Rd; 1br/2br from $215/235; ) Conveniently located on Papaloa Rd, this five-building condo is particularly appealing, with a small but pretty stretch of beach (swimmable only during calm surf). Outrigger manages almost 60 of the 84 units and provides on-site support, but also check with other agents. Buildings 3 and 5 include the most oceanfront units; building 1 is far from the highway and parking lot.
Eating
Without a commercial center, Wailua is not a hang-out town, but it boasts a handful of notable eateries.
Icing on the Cake (823-1210; www.icingonthecakekauai.com; Kinipopo Shopping Village, 4-356 Kuhio Hwy; cookies $1.25-1.75, cakes 6in/9in from $25/40) Pastry chef Andrea Quinn has a knack for elegant designs and sophisticated flavors. Nothing is too cute or too sweet. While she specializes in made-to-order cakes, walk-in customers will find gourmet treats such as cocoa-nib shortbread, pecan brownies and exquisite coconut macaroons. Check the website for retail locations islandwide.
Kintaro (822-3341; 4-370 Kuhio Hwy; appetizers $3.50-6, meals $14-20; 5:30-9:30pm Mon-Sat) Night after night, this local favorite packs ’em in. No wonder: from thick-cut slices of sashimi to a shrimp-fish-veg tempura combination, mains shine in quality and quantity. The owner is Korean, but the cuisine is authentic Japanese. A specialty is sizzling, crowd-wowing teppanyaki, when chefs show their stuff tableside on steel grills.
Caffé Coco (822-7990; www.restauranteur.com/caffecoco; 4-369 Kuhio Hwy; salads & sandwiches $5-14.50, meals $16-21; 11am-9pm Tue-Fri, 5-9pm Sat & Sun) At this rustic little hideaway, chefs fuse Asian, Middle Eastern and other flavors into healthful dishes that would delight the Yoga Journal crowd. Ahi is a standout, prepared with Moroccan spices and a curried veggie samosa, or seared and rolled in black sesame with wasabi cream. Luscious and yet guilt-free desserts include vegan treats. Warning: voracious mosquitoes on attack.
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COCO PALMS ON HOLD
Old-timers might recall Coco Palms Resort (Map, cnr of Kuhio Hwy & Kuamo′o Rd) as Hollywood’s go-to wedding site during the 1950s and ’60s. Built in 1953, it was Kaua′i’s first resort and its lush grounds epitomized tropical paradise. The highest-profile onscreen wedding here was when Elvis Presley wed Joan Blackman in the 1961 film Blue Hawaii. In 1992, Hurricane ′Iniki demolished the then-396-room hotel, which then sat in benign neglect for years. In spring 2006, a new owner announced a $220 million plan to resurrect Coco Palms as a condo-hotel, but it fell through. By fall 2007, the 19-acre property was back on the market.
The site remains abandoned except for weddings performed by Larry Rivera (822-3868; larryrivera@hawaiian.net), a local musician and celebrity who made his career at Coco Palms. He re-creates elaborate Blue Hawaii fantasy