Westin Princeville Condo Rentals - Frequently Asked Questions

1. How will I know my reservation has been made and is secure?

Once I have made the reservation, I will send you a confirmation message with all the details.

You will then be able to verify with westin (all the way up to arrival if you like), that the reservation has been made and that it is in your name, and is confirmed. I will also send you my cell phone number so you can call me if you have any issues during the check-in process. Finally, my listing is SquareTrade verified which means you are protected even though the listing is in AD format. Squaretrade would have removed my listing long ago if I had had any issues - which I am pleased to say that I have had none since I started this in 2004!

2. Is Christmas week or New years available?

No! I cannot reserve Week 51 or week 52 or any part thereof. That means I cannot reserve any dates between about December 16 and January 1, This includes Christmas and New Years.

3. What about Spring Break/Easter, Presidents weekend, Thanksgiving and Summer?

These weeks are all available to rent but it helps a lot to reserve them well in advance. If you are less than 8 months in advance, these dates might be hard to get - timing is everything. I am willing to check for you and also willing to put you on a wait list if you like.

4. How much is a two Bedroom?

At this property, the 2br is just the studio ($1750) connected to the 1br ($2500). The total rate therefore is $4850 per week. But you should first check out the ROOMS link to make sure you need that much space.

5. Will a studio be big enough for my family?

The studio is much like a very large hotel room with a kitchenette in it. Check out the floor plans at the ROOMS link to see for yourself.

Check out the pictures in the gallery to see photos of each unit.

7. What additional fees will I have to pay at the condo?

Very little. There is a $5/day (studio) or $9/day (1br) tax collected at the front desk. There are no additional fees. Parking is free. If your reservation is for less than 7 nights, it is possible that there will be an additional housekeep fee of between $30-50 (depending on unit size) added to your folio, but that is not always charged and is fairly unpredictable.

8. Do you accept paypal? Do you accept credit cards.

Yes. I accept paypal for the $100 deposit.

For the balance, you have three options. The balance is due within two weeks of receiving the confirmation from me.

You can send a check. I will send you my home address with the confirmation and payment instructions.
You can pay via PayPal using eCheck. There is a $5 fee for this charged by PayPal. Please add this amount to your total.
You can pay via PayPal using Credit Card. There is a 2.9% fee charged by PayPal for this payment method. Please add this amount to your total if you pay by credit card.

9. Do I need to sit through a presentation?

No, absolutely not.

On the other hand, you will be invited to by the concierge and they will give you starwood points to do so. If by some chance you end up buying one of these units, I will give you $100 if you list me as the referring owner - this is true whether you rent from me or not!

10. Please explain the Westin Condo vs. the Princeville Resort and what is the deal with the pools?

It is confusing but there are two Starwood properties in Princeville.

First, there is the St. Regis Hotel Newly opened in October 2009. This is a Hotel and is located about 1/4 mile away and has a good beach location. The hotel pool is not available to the Westin Condo guests although charging priveledges are granted.

Second, there is the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas. This is the condo where I can reserve a unit for you.

11. What advice do you have for someone who has never been to Kauai?

The most basic and simple advice is to buy the book Kauai Revealed. This is by far the best book on the subject and it is the only guide book you will need. http://www.wizardpub.com/Kauai/kauai.html

12. Can I get a guaranteed Ocean View Room? What about Ocean Front?

I can guarantee you an ocean view room if the reservation is made 8 months or more in advance. This is the same rule for all owners. Since I own so many units, they do a pretty good job of giving me a good room even if I reserve less than 8 months in advance but any request for a better view or certain location, is just that, a request. I do not have any ocean front rooms at this time - because when I went to buy my first units at this property, I did not feel that the ocean front room was worth the additional expense - and I still feel that way. The ocean view rooms are terrific.

I should also note that, even as the owner, I cannot tell you the specific unit you will be assigned. In addition, if the reservation is made less than 8 months prior to arrival, I will also not be able to confirm the view. In both cases, you will not know exactly until the day of arrival at the resort. This is the same deal for all owners. The ONLY way to get a guarantee is if the reservation was made more than 8 months in advance.

Finally, in Princeville, the resort is perched up on a cliff so the views are not nearly as important as they are in Maui.

14. I am a member of Starwood Preferred guest, will that help with an upgrade?

Unfortunately, your status as an SPG member matters very little at the condo. Rooms are assigned based on the owner status with the condo, not even the owner status with SPG. Therefore, if you are an SPG member, be sure to give them your number at check in - you will receive points for incidental expenses, but that is it.

15. Can I get a crib or a rollaway?

Yes, but please let me know that at the time of making the reservation. There may be an additional fee for this charged by the resort. You can confirm at check in.

16. What is your cancellation policy?

I am willing to refund your payment if you need to cancel your reservation for some reason. There are some caveats however. First, you will get your payment, less $100 for each reservation number (regardless of the number of $100 deposits you submitted to me). Also, you will only get the payment back if (and when) I am able to re-rent the unit. For the most part, I have until 12/15 to re-rent your unit. The earlier in the year you cancel, the more likely it will be to re-rent. You are also welcome to try to re-rent the unit for the original dates or for other dates available at the condo. Be advised however, if you cancel less than 60 days in advance, Westin restricts the re-reservation to a rolling 60 days in advance from that point forward - this has the potential of limiting the possibility of being able to match availability dates within that time frame.

Finally, I am also willing in certain circumstances to roll your use forward by one year to accommodate changes.

Any change fees charged by the condo will also be your responsibility for any changes. Currently this amount is $29.

17. Can I reserve a pool side cabana?

Yes. Just call the condo directly and ask for the concierge desk. You can only do this 30 days in advance. The rate for the 2 chair variety is $45/day and the 4 chair tent is $85/day

18. Is the resort right on the beach?

Not exactly. The condo is perched up on a cliff. There is an exceptional beach just below and to the right of the resort. There is a somewhat treacherous trail that leads down to the beach. I recommend driving, although it is a bit of a drive (you have to go out and around the resort), it is much safer and easier. There is also a beach at the St. Regis hotel. This is also a short drive.

19. How do I get to the Condo?

There is really only one airport on Kauai, it is in Lihui (LIH). The condo is about a 30 minute drive north from the airport. Some airlines fly direct to LIH but you can also easily connect in Honolulu (HNL)