The River Cottage is a charming studio that was fantastic for two of us to call home for a week while exploring the wonders of Kauai. I highly recommend this place to anyone considering staying here.
The River Cottage is an open studio floor plan. It is well maintained and cared for with all amenities provided to cook/prepare meals for two; we were pleasantly impressed with the amount of quality cookware Paul provided (plenty of dishes, sharp knives, good pots&pans, nice blender, tupperware, plastic bags, plenty of utensils etc.) When we arrived we found that Paul and team, decorated the cottage with a fresh bouquet of island flowers -- likely picked from the grounds-- the cottage freshly cleaned, and we were welcomed with a personalized note along with complimentary sweets, ale and wine.
The Grotto Inn grounds are extremely well manicured, they provide tranquility, are quiet from street traffic, and although there are multiple cottages on the grounds when staying at the River Cottage we felt we had the proper amount of seclusion and privacy.
Amazingly, Paul provides adventure and beach gear to all guests staying at the Grotto Inn. There are 2 Kayaks, a 2 & 3 seater, and multiple SUP's to borrow at your leisure. You can access the Wailua River with them via a private entrance (mini dock/staircase) to the river. It was fantastic to travel up the Wailua river in the provided kayak and paddle to the historic Fern Grotto Falls, only accessible via boat or kayak. Additionally Paul provides an abundance of gear to the guests to borrow: beach cruiser bikes, beach umbrellas, boogie boards, noodles, beach chairs, water shoes, nice coolers, snorkel gear, hiking sticks (a must for the muddy trails on the Sleeping Giant and the Waimea Canyon trails during the rainy season) Just be sure to take care of them and return them at the end of the day of use.
Realizing this review is getting lengthy...
In short, The Fern Grotto Inn is a great place to stay in Kauai. Paul and team are attuned to and provide all the small details that make it easy when staying at a home away from your home. I wish more Airbnb hosts focused this much on the details and provided as much as Paul does. Just book it, it's great!
Mahalo nui loa Paul!
-grego