My father and I stayed at Karen's Princeville condo for five nights in late August. While trying to find an affordable stay on Kauai can feel like a fool's errand, it 'pays' to consider what you're getting out of your investment.
The North Shore of Kauai is beautiful, serene, and quiet. Located within the private community of Princeville, ten minutes east of Hanalei Bay and circling a massive golf course, parkway avenues lead to the condo which is a two minute walk to the sea cliffs.
There is no beach access at the condo specifically, but something more magical than any beach lies at the end of a five minute walk to the Northwest end of the complex, and then a somewhat challenging hike down the sea cliffs to a very special cave. I'll let you investigate the rest.
The check-in process was seamless, thanks to Karen. She was always available for any problems, though thankfully there were none.
It's a beautiful property, with a grocery store and several restaurants within the community itself. Haena Beach and the State Park are within driving distance, so if you're looking for a peaceful place to relax and use as a base to explore the lusher side of the island, Karen's condo would be a great option. We didn't get a chance to enjoy as many of the amenities as we would have liked, but Karen was kind enough to have beach towels, chairs, snorkeling gear, boogie boards, coolers, and more available for all our adventuring needs, so there was hardly enough time to enjoy the beautiful pool.
Short Version: if you're looking for the quiet, beautiful side of Kauai - this is the place for you. If you are looking to party late and have dinner at 9pm, you should probably look toward Poipu.