We were pretty underwhelmed with our stay at Ko'a Kea. It bills itself as a “luxury boutique hotel,” but in reality, it felt more like a dressed-up, older motel. The rooms and overall property just didn’t live up to the price point or the way it’s marketed. Service and food were both fine—nothing bad, but nothing memorable either. There also weren’t nearly enough beach chairs, which meant competing for space every morning. For a place that emphasizes its beachfront experience, that felt like a miss. We spent the other part of our trip at the 1 Hotel in Hanalei Bay, which was a completely different experience—yes, it’s more expensive, but the quality, service, and atmosphere were on a whole different level. If you have the option, I’d recommend staying there the entire time. All in all, Ko'a Kea wasn’t terrible, but we definitely felt oversold on the “boutique” experience and left feeling like it just didn’t deliver.