Update from Kauaʻi
UPDATED • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 • 1:00 PM HST
Aloha, and thank you for your patience with us.
Kauaʻi is healing, and a lot of it is already back. Here is an honest look at where the island stands, area by area, and what it means for your stay with us. We update this page as things change, so please check back here any time.
The good news first
We have walked every home we manage. Not one of our properties sustained structural damage. What we are cleaning up is downed trees and landscape debris, and our crews are well into it.
So the question that decides your trip is not whether your home is standing. It is simply whether the power is back on in that area.
Where we stand on power
We are not able to welcome guests into an area until the power there is restored. We know that is disappointing to read, but the good news is that most of the island is already back. KIUC has restored power to about 81 percent of the island, and crews from across the country are here helping.
We are expecting power to be restored in Kīlauea and Princeville by September 18, and we would love to welcome visitors back to those areas starting September 28. That gives our teams a week to get the homes cleaned, the yards cleared and everything ready for you.
Your area, right now
⬤ Open and ready: Poʻipū, Kōloa, Līhuʻe, Kapaʻa, Wailua and the south and east shores
Power and water are on. Grocery stores, restaurants and gas stations are open, the roads are clear, and the beaches are beautiful. These communities are open for business and would genuinely love to see you.
Arrivals here are going ahead as booked.
⬤ Welcoming you back September 28: Kīlauea and Princeville
Power is expected back by September 18. Water is on and Kūhiō Highway is open to Princeville.
If your arrival falls before September 28, please complete this form (coming soon) and let us know your new dates. You can check our website for availability at the home you rented. We will confirm your home is ready before you travel.
⬤ Still working: Hanalei, Wainiha and Hāʻena
This stretch of the North Shore took the hardest hit, and KIUC has not yet given a restoration estimate for it. The road past Princeville to Kēʻē is open to local traffic only.
We are handling these arrivals one at a time. Please reach out to us before making travel plans and we will work through it with you personally.
Around the island
Airport. Līhuʻe Airport is open and back on regular power.
Water. Good news here. There are no boil water notices in effect and every County Department of Water system is back up island wide. A few remote sites are still on generators, so the county is asking everyone to conserve where they can.
Power. About 81 percent of KIUC members are back on as of Sunday, September 13. The remaining outages are on the North Shore between Moloaʻa and Hāʻena, plus a few scattered pockets. KIUC has not put a date on full North Shore restoration yet.
Roads. Kūhiō Highway is open, including all the way to Princeville. From Princeville to Kēʻē it is local traffic only while crews clear trees near Kalihiwai Bridge.
A note from the state. The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is currently asking travelers with Kauaʻi plans to reschedule or consider another island while we recover. That is guidance rather than any kind of restriction, and it is a big part of why we have made our rescheduling offer as generous as we have.
If you need to change your dates
First, if you purchased travel insurance when you booked, please file a claim with your provider. Weather disruption is exactly what that coverage is for.
Beyond that, because of Hurricane Lowell we are making an exception to our usual policy and giving you a full year to reschedule.
Severe Weather & Rescheduling: If a severe storm or hurricane threatens our area around your arrival date, we want to make sure you stay safe! While we do not issue refunds for weather-related disruptions, we are happy to let you move your stay to any available dates within the next year. Please note that new dates are subject to seasonal rates, so if the new dates are higher in price, you'll just pay the difference. If the new dates happen to have a lower rate, no partial credits or refunds will be issued.
Guests who were already in a home when the storm arrived and chose to head home early were refunded for the nights they did not use.
Questions we have been hearing
Can you promise the home will have power, water and internet when I arrive?
We are not able to promise that, and honestly we could not promise it in an ordinary week either. Electricity, water and internet come from third parties, and the roads belong to the county and the state.
What we can promise is that we will tell you the truth about your home before you get on a plane. If your area is still out, we will say so and move your dates.
Was my house damaged?
No home in the Hawaiʻi Life portfolio has structural damage. Some have landscape damage and downed trees, and cleanup is underway. If anything at your home would affect your stay, you will hear it from us first.
Can I get a refund?
Reservations are non-refundable under the agreement you signed, but because of the hurricane we are letting you move your stay to any available dates within one year of your original arrival. If you purchased travel insurance, please file a claim with your provider as well.
Can I move to a different island?
Every home we manage belongs to a different owner, so the funds you have paid are held for the owner of your home. Moving to a property on Maui or the Big Island would be a new booking rather than a transfer, and it needs your current owner's agreement. Ask us and we will take the question to them and tell you either way.
When is a good time to come?
If you are staying on the south or east side, now. Those communities are fully open and they could really use the visitors. If you are staying in Kīlauea or Princeville, September 28 onward. If you are staying in Hanalei, Wainiha or Hāʻena, please talk to us first.
Are the stores and restaurants open?
On the south and east sides, yes. On the North Shore, businesses are reopening as power comes back to each neighborhood. Call ahead for anything you are counting on.
Official sources
These update faster than we can, and they are the places to check.
We are here for you
Please email us at vacations@hawaiilife.com
Mahalo,
Hawai‘i Life
Conditions on this page reflect official County of Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation and KIUC reports as of the date at the top. Utility and road conditions change daily, and restoration timelines are the utility's estimates rather than commitments. If an official emergency notice conflicts with anything here, please follow the notice.