3 Best Hotels in The West Side, Kauai

Originally built in the early 1900s, these relocated and refurbished one- to five-bedroom sugar-plantation workers' cottages are tucked in a coconut grove along a lovely walkable stretch of beach on the sunny West Side. Swimming waters here are often murky, but morning and evening strolls on the black sand are special. Cozy homes of different sizes feature porches, plantation-era furnishings, full modern kitchens, Wi-Fi, and cable TV. Guests can use the swimming pool, barbecue grills, bocce court, and hammocks on the grounds, and eat on the wraparound porch of the family-style restaurant. This could be an excellent choice for informal destination weddings or family reunions. Waimea Town has limited shops and eateries, but it's close to Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks.

If you're an outdoors enthusiast, you can appreciate Kauai's mountain wilderness from the dozen rustic cabins—of varying age and quality—that make up this lodge. Cabins are no-frills but more comfortable than a tent, and the mountain setting and proximity to some of the state's most beautiful trails are grand. Wood-burning stoves ward off the winter chill and dampness (wood is a few dollars extra), as it can get pretty cold at this elevation. Cabins sleep two to six and have full kitchens and bathrooms. Note that there's no Wi-Fi or cell service. The nearby restaurant serves breakfast and lunch, or you can bring up groceries from Waimea.

It isn't easy to find good budget lodgings on the southwest side of the island, but this old-fashioned neighborhood inn with studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites does an adequate job in cooler up-country Kalaheo Town. Suites have kitchenettes, and some have full kitchens. There's a great little hilltop park and nine-hole golf course just up the road, and it's an easy drive to West Side sights. The inn loans beach chairs and towels.