Motel Lani

Ok I don’t write many reviews, but for Motel Lani I will make an exception because they saved my trip to Kauai! Let me explain: I just came back from Kauai where I stayed for a week with my wife between Christmas and New Year 2015. I was hoping to find a centrally located and affordable place to stay since we were planning to explore the island during the day, so all we needed was a place with a bed and a shower. Unfortunately it was a last-​minute decision to go so we started looking for places the week before Christmas and of course all affordable places on the whole island were already fully booked up: That week the cheapest hotel rooms where $ 200+ a night, while the cheapest places on AirBnB were $ 150+ a night. The only affordable place I could find was the Tip Top Motel in Lihue for $ 100 a night, but they only had availability on a few random days… That’s when we found out about Motel Lani. It was exactly what we were looking for! The price was just $ 50 a night during the busiest week of the whole year, how is that even possible in 2015… Of course no thrills, but clean and comfortable! It’s an old-​fashioned family-​owned place, you cannot book them online or through a travel agency (lucky me, that’s why they still had availability between Christmas and New Year, even if they only have 7 rooms or so…), you have to call them yourself to make a reservation and they only accept cash. Free parking, no wifi, but who cares you are on Kauai. If you are planning a Kauai adventure on a small budget, or you are just looking for a simple but honest place to stay, look no further… this is it!

Comfortable beds, hot shower, quiet and a fascinating bonus: a great motel keeper, very knowledgeable about the history of Hawaii. He also gave us great referrals to good eats on the island.
I had as good nights sleep at Lani as I did in our $ 375 a night room in Princeville.
Rebecca Speer

If you’re looking for an affordable, simple, clean comfortable place this is the place to be. It is cash only but it’s so affordable! The room has a bed that fits two, a closet, dresser, large mirror, desk, refrigerator and a clean bathroom with towels and a bar of soap. Room also includes air conditioning. Luaine is so helpful and friendly. He really made us feel welcome. I would definitely come back here next time I visit the island.

Best budget motel in Kauai close to Lihue airport, cash only. If you are single or a couple looking just for a place to sleep and shower go for this motel. Wont get cheaper accomodation anywhere else on Kauai. Though it has old rooms, bathroom is renovated and clean. There is a refrigerator but AC is loud. There is free parking but no wifi or TV or coffee machine or microwave because it is a locally owned buget motel. Towels here were better than what you get in some bigger hotels but bring your own shampoo and toiletries except bar soap. Had a decent one night stay here.

My girlfriend and I took a trip to Kauai. The two of us are young and not rich… «We work hard for our money.» We love to travel and Motel Lani was a great spot to stay!!! The price was half of any other, the owner is awesome. Extremely knowledgable about the Hawaiian culture and area. Had smile and story every morning. «Dwayne»
The room is well maintained fresh paint, AC «very important,» big clean bathroom, queen sized bed, dresser, desk, closet, fridge. No TV no problem, your in Kauai!
Five minutes away from Walmart and Costco. Great food and brewery a cross the street.
Would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a cheep place to sleep at night.

My dad is pretty cheap. For his first trip out to Hawaii (for my wedding) he wanted me to book him at the cheapest hotel/​motel/​whatever we could find.
Aside from a hostel (not an option for my 64 year old father) this was it. 5 days was $ 220.25, cash only. He was stoked to have a room with A/​C, a queen size bed, old dresser, refrigerator and a bathroom that’s nicer and bigger than the one in my own apartment. There’s a shaded seating area and it’s within walking distance of a lot of restaurants and shops on the cheaper local side of things. Check out was at 11:30am which was WAAAAY better than our honeymoon hotel on the beach at Poipu (which we paid $ 200 a night for and we had to check out at 10am).
It’s no bed and breakfast but all you’re going to do is sleep in your room so who cares? You’re on Kauai!

My girlfriend, Carol from UK stayed here after staying with me at the Plantation Hale because I was leaving for Waikiki, Oahu. Carol felt she needed some privacy after staying with me. Funny. .. Carol became spoiled after staying with me at such a wonderful vacation retreat! No wonder Carol wanted to experience more quiet solitude verses staying in the dorm rooms at Kauai International Hostel!
Besides, the Kauai International Hostel was booked solid, so Carol had no choice but to stay at this little hotel on Rice Street. The room Carol rented had a very small room: bed, a very tiny bathroom, microwave, and a little refrigerator-that’s all.
Heading towards Lihue, no less than a block away from Motel Lani is a dynamite Chinese restaurant that Carol and I had the pleasure enjoying their fabulous chinese cuisine. Motel Lani is conveniently located close to the US Post Office, grocery store, about 1 ½ miles from the Nawiliwili Beach where Duke’s is located and two miles from the Lihue Mall Shopping Center where Costco is located.