Alii Kai II

We rented a condo here through vrbo. It claimed it had a gourmet kitchen and that it was one of the nicest units in Princeville. The unit was ok, it definitely did not have a gourmet kitchen (the pots and pans were old and grimy upon arrival) and it was pretty far from all the beaches. You can hear everything going on in the neighboring units and from outside in the parking lot, waking us up at night. There is no ac in these units.

I read some reviews that indicate that some of the units are nicer than others, but when I booked, I was told that all of the rental units were identical and all had been remodeled recently. Perhaps there was a change in management? I would have no hesitation about coming back here. The condo was clean and spacious, with a beautiful view of the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other.
One caveat is that the complex does not have beach access, as more or less the entire north shore of the island is a precipitous cliff. I’m sure this would be obvious to people who have been there before, but looking at a map, I could tell the complex was close to the water, and I assumed that there would be beach there. It didn’t affect the experience for me one bit, and the beach is at most a 15-​minute drive, but I thought I’d mention it so people who aren’t familiar with the area will know. People with kids who want more of a resort experience might consider a different part of the island.

The unit is very modern, clean, & roomy. They are very organized and give a «presentation» of a variety of activities you can sign up for — tours, yoga, etc. It is beautiful here, and for the money, worth it. I didn’t even mind the unexpected extra $ 91 «sales tax» which I paid upon arriving.
But I was chastised by the front desk for asking if I could exchange my 2 bedroom/​2 bath for something smaller with an ocean view. The cars are parked out front; my front windows overlook the buildings, and the back shows grass and more buildings.
She looked at me as though I was a moron. In fact, «nobody has ever asked to change rooms, ever». Was that so terrible? I guess I was supposed to know that all rooms are exactly alike? Furthermore, I was told there are very few rooms in which you can see «a distant part of the ocean» even though I can see the ocean from the walkway. Other Unilocal customers could see it from their balcony! When I asked about a path towards the water, I was told we were on a cliff (which is obvious to anyone in Princeville, thank you) so excuse me. The place is nice but why the attitude? Maybe she just didn’t like me?

Unit 5301 is fabulous — LOVE this condo! This was our first time using a vacation rental (being a resort-​loyalist) and we fell in love. We watched the whales from our balcony and slept to the sound of the waves crashing at night. The granite kitchen is huge and the washer/​dryer are nicer than mine! Will definitely stay here again and highly recommend this to everyone. We actually stayed on the south shore Sheraton after this as 5301 was booked and got a bit depressed. The unit and view are unbeatable for the price!
I thought that I would miss the amenities of a resort, but loved that I was steps from the car (and didn’t have to pay for parking). Saved a fortune on dining out by using the fantastic kitchen, and was able to do laundry which was a huge plus.
This place is super-​quiet and the ideal location for relaxing.

When it comes to Alii Kai, just know how all things are not created equal. Quite a bit of research went into our choice of condo here. There is a range of dowdy and outdated — all the way up to unit 4 – 203, which happens to be the best in this complex. Completely gutted and refreshed, it is clean, polished and situated on edge of bluff. Ultimately, the quality and maintenance of the units are responsibility of owners, not site management. This is why choosing the perfect dwelling takes time. Investigate first.
The pool is a great option for those of us who want to know what we’re swimming in. It was heated perfectly as well. Plus, it was much, much deeper than 3 feet, which is hard to find these days.
The development sits on the edge of Princeville, so there are tradeoffs. Do you want panoramic views, or beach access? I like the vista here. Beaches are everywhere. I can find one anytime, as this is… an island.