In weighing the pros and cons of this condo/timeshare resort, two very prominent pros stand out: room size and quality of its beach. The rooms are mostly good-sized 2/2s, which are heavily decorated and quite comfortable. They have large bathtubs and extra sofa beds, and the rooms can accommodate six to eight people. The beach is the western half of Po‘ipu Beach Park, and it’s fantastic. Unlike the Hyatt, the resort is built closer to the water, so the beach doesn’t feel as distant, unless your room is at the back of the property. Their almost-beachside Honu Bar is a great place for a sunset beverage and some light eats. The kids’ pool is literally next to the ocean, and their main pool is pretty and divided by a bridge. The property’s manmade lagoons are a fun place to watch the birds, have a picnic or let your keiki do some pole fishing. There is a playground and a game room on site, but no children’s program. Waiohai has a “Marketplace” where you’ll find a small deli, pizza and some food snacks to take back to your room (which has a complete kitchen).
They have a free 24-hour fitness room and a ton of wellness classes offered on property. You’ll often see a crowd of people doing some type of workout near the beach.
The rest of the resort grounds are a mixed bag. The hallways leading to the rooms are weirdly institutional, the kind where you might expect to see someone strapped to gurney being wheeled by. Décor updates have improved the look of rooms and baths since our previous visits. But the overall look and feel of the buildings is more like a Florida retirement community than a Hawaiian resort. Not exactly ugly, but it’s a bit out of place.
Waiohai is a timeshare property, but they usually have units available as vacation rentals. They have a very aggressive (and visible) sales program for their timeshare units on site. Daily housekeeping is only available on the hotel-type rooms, and there are no guest laundry facilities for those rooms. Otherwise, you will get a midweek tidy on a seven or more night stay in the two-bedroom units.
Overall, the place feels crowded to us. Loud activities at the pool can make your room less than relaxing at times if you face that way. Consider another view if that bothers you.
Readers have alerted us that some of their “ocean view” designations should really be considered “partial ocean view.” 2/2s are 1,041-sq.-ft. They also have smaller (405 sq. ft.) hotel-type garden view rooms (not recommended).
2249 Poipu Rd, Poipu