Fern Grotto Inn

Awesome experience. great location, great service and hospitality. Just got back from spending a week with my wife and three children in the Ohana house. They all thanked us for choosing this place over a traditional hotel or resort. It very quickly felt like our home away from home. This beautiful old plantation house is very well kept and is equipped with everything you need and more. The property has several very cool native species of geckos, frogs, chickens, as well as fruit trees. It’s direct access to the Wailua river and complimentary kayaks, makes exploring the beautiful Wailua Valley a breeze. From now on, if we are going to Kauai, we are staying at the Fern Grotto Inn.

The Coco cottage was bigger than I thought it would be. If you want your very own backyard with a hammock and BBQ grill and want to park next to the cottage, then this is the place for you! Wonderful wonderful cottage! The photos on the website didn’t do it justice. It’s warm, cozy, and super sweet.
We came to Kauai for our wedding ceremony and honeymoon and picked this place from a random google search and was blessed to have stumbled onto it.
Housekeeping and manager thought of everything… From the warm «welcome-​to-​the-​cottage» note and fresh flowers on the table to the welcome water bottles, beers, and chocolate box in the fridge to the coffee grinder and ninja blender in the kitchen to the bug spray and cortisone in the bathroom to all the in-​betweens, Fern Grotto Inn/​Cottages thought of everything!
Plus, there’s bikes and kayaks for us to use outside. We’re literally right next to a calm river, so taking the kayak out for the first time in my life was so wonderful! Oh, there’s free washer/​dryer for us to use and there’s an a/​c in the cottage! A/​C was a blessing when it was so humid outside.
When we come back to Kauai again, we’re definitely going to come back to this cottage!

I kept telling my husband I wasn’t leaving, and he drove me to the airport anyway :(
The Fern Grotto Inn is absolutely lovely – a collection of older cabins/​cottages/​bungalows, sited on the Wailua River. A gorgeous beach is a short walk away. We spent five nights in the «Garden Cottage», and loved every second of it. Each bungalow is beautifully decorated with classy hawaiian touches and art, and has been spotlessly cleaned and maintained. I would challenge you to find a more comfortable bed on the entire island – it was heavenly (really nice sheets, too)! The Garden Cottage is small – a studio, essentially – with that fabulous king sized bed, a love seat in front of the television, a kitchenette with breakfast bar, and a bathroom with a large walk-​in shower. Perfect for two people, but wouldn’t work for a family (there’s other, larger cottages for them). We had a lovely view of the river. Outside, there are gas grills and several eating and lounging areas in the tropical garden. There are shops and restaurants within walking or biking distance along a fairly new beachside walking path.
The important thing here is the attention to detail – the owners have anticipated nearly every need and provided for it. Our cabin was fully supplied with basic kitchen staples (coffee, butter, jam, and a starter set of beer, chocolates and bottled water), guide books, decks of cards, beach towels, etc., etc. etc. Outside the unit, there are storage areas with flippers, beach mats, reef shoes, and the bikes and kayak. They’re quite clever about this – there was a survey left in our cottage, and they ask for suggestions about what is needed – that way they can catch even those little things that you’d never complain or ask about.
The downsides are minimal, but but even in this paradise there were a couple. For me, I missed having contact with the owners – we never saw them, and only heard back when texting a direct question. The attentional to detail was invisible, and meant that indepenence was required. That was our intention, but I would have liked to meet the person behind the plan, you know? Second, it’s worth mentioning noise – although it was NOT noisy. I am pretty sure that the only places on Kauai you can avoid the sounds of chickens are on the big resorts, where they are removed. At the Fern Grotto Inn, and everywhere else in Kauai including beaches, cliffside viewpoints, secret waterfalls and trails deep in the jungle – there are chickens. You will see them and hear them, and it’s best to view them as part of the charm. The highway is also only a block away, so there was some street noise. It was never bothersome, and we never opened the earplugs that were (of course) provided.
Overall, this is a little bit of paradise, and I’d highly recommend making a reservation to get your own slice of heaven.

Me and my boyfriend stayed in Garden cottage for 5 nights. We loved this small, cute place– ideal for couple. It was clean and well maintain. Interior was very Kauai– great atmosphere. There is barbecue outside so you can use it anytime. Kayaks and snorkeling gear for your use. Manager very friendly and helpful. If you are looking something different then huge resort, that’s place for you!!!

Just the best place to stay on Kauai. Every detail is provided to make your stay feel like home. Great showers, flat screen TV, BBQ, kayak, beach towels and chairs, boogie boards, the list could go on and on. I especially love the manicured gardens and flowers growing all over the property, but i have to say the chickens were my favorite! They wander wild on the island and make their presence known in the mornings with a *cock-​a-​doodle-​doo* which I found so much more soothing than the constant noise of the city where I live.

All I can say is… wow. The owner has thought of *everything* and provides an incredible service and product. Five stars for the fresh flowers in the room, the well-​stocked cottage (I mean, Ziplocs? Raw sugar??), the amenities on-​site, and the location. I would stay here again in a heartbeat and would recommend it to anyone looking for a place to stay in the area.
The other thing they get five stars for is the fact that the place is in very good repair. If you’ve ever been to the area, you know that showers can get moldy, fixtures can rust and rot in the briny air, and on and on. We found none of that here — everything was new, everything was in incredible shape. Even the BBQ in our little yard was tip top!
There are fruit trees on the property and lots and lots of flowers — which you’re encouraged to pick. Additionally, the owner/​proprietor went above and beyond to help us on our final day, and you don’t get that kind of service just anywhere.
Only drawback is that it can be a little noisy with the fans on at night, but hey — small price to pay. If you’re interested in having your own slice of paradise with no intrusion during your stay, check it out.

Wonderful set of homes /​cottages on the Wailua river. I stayed here with a work team and it was perfect for us. If your going to Kauai for a family reunion, photo shoot or other team type event the Fern Grotto offers a very unique lodging situation of a community of homes that are in a great location and affordable. Paul was extremely attentive to our needs and always available.

I can’t say enough good things about the owner, and the inn — what a gem! The rooms are all as clean and well-​decorated as the photos show, and the grounds are beautiful. It is so well located, just a short walk to the beach or the boat launch for kayaking down the river. The owner was a complete sweetheart. I would return in a heartbeat.

Stayed here with my girlfriend and her family in January. Great place. The location is awesome. Plenty of room. Everything thats included is the best. Hosts were super friendly. Don’t forget to try the oranges growing on the tree!

This place is great — we stayed here two nights «last minute» and it is the kind of place that I want to go back and plan to stay at least a week to explore Kauai. It is quiet and private, yet centrally located. I am so happy that we found it and it really set the tone for a great first visit to this island.

The Fern Grotto was the perfect place to stay for our trip! If you like having all the accouterments of home — then this is the place! We rented a small studio cottage — complete with kitchenette, full bath, TV, wardrobe, couch/​living area, and front porch. They have a washer and dryer for community use as well as a landline (cell reception was a bit spotty here). Free Wi-​Fi, community coolers, beach chairs, boogie boards, snorkeling gear, kayaks, surfboards — all free for community use. It sure beats paying the rental prices for some of these things. Plus the unit comes complete with beach towels, kitchen utensils, BBQ grill etc. etc. — it’s like you’re borrowing someone’s home for the week! Very quiet (by the river) and very comfortable. I cannot recommend it enough. I’ve stayed in plenty of hotels and it’s nice to simply have your own ‘home-​away-​from-​home’ and not pay resort fees or tip people when you want something simple. The rates are very reasonable — and Paul was excellent at upfront communication!
We went all over the island so Kapaa/​Wailua is central-​ish to the north and south/​west coasts and we were 30 – 40 minutes from everywhere else (that wasn’t on the east side). Very pleased with our choice — I definitely recommend for Kauai visitors!

Fern Grotto Inn is an excellent choice for lodging on Kaua’i if you’re looking for a place that is:
–quiet
–clean
–well equipped (functional kitchen for preparing breakfasts/​lunches; DVD/​TV; swim/​snorkel gear, washer/​dryer (free), bbq grills)
–well maintained
–centrally located
It’s not exactly «away from it all» but it’s far enough from the highway and hotel scene that you actually feel like you’re on a tropical vacation as soon as you step outside. Being on the river is great! Food and services in Kapaa are just moments away.
The owners are very very nice and quite helpful. The price is comparable to hotels offering much less. We’d definitely recommend this for anyone who doesn’t need daily maid and room service.

We chose the fern grotto inn because it was a good central location for us to base from — and it was perfect! We were able to explore the entire island easily day by day and got to come home to a what felt lime our own vacation cabin. The gardens are beautiful and what neighbors we did have we shared supplies with. Paul has a great collection of chairs, coolers, beach mats, water shoes etc… Be sure to check there before buying or renting anything — it’s there for you to use and we took advantage — I can’t tell you how many cheap styrofoam coolers I have bought thru the years to leave behind — the selection of Coolers alone made the toy chest worth it, though we also grabbed mats, boogie boards and chairs. :-)
We stayed in the garden cottage and it worked well — huge tiled shower, coffee maker, toaster and fridge were all we needed — there are also bbqs for use, though we never got around to it…
It’s like a cabin — no maid service etc, but if you need anything just ask and I am sure they will provide — the guidebook in the cottage proved invaluable in our explorations, get a jeep and use it,
Washer and dryer available as well
If you want a weekend cabin getaway this is the place! As far as geeko’s etc… they made it even more fun we only got one tiny one as a visitor and actually were enjoying seeing any of them…
We had ac, but only used it once — couldn’t hear the sounds of nature when it was on so we went back to open windows and fresh air!

We stayed at the river cottage for 4 nights for our honeymoon. I was not looking for a chi-​chi commercial place, I wanted a quaint cottage. It had fantastic reviews on tripadvisor, so I went for it. The place has character, but really needs to be kept better. It’s really old and not sealed very well, geckos, bugs, and giant river roaches came into our room. I get it, it’s lush, tropical, and by the river, there are lots of bugs, but not so nice in the room. I kept telling myself we were camping to make myself feel better. The major surfaces were clean, but if you looked closer, it really wasn’t all that clean. Mildew at the foot of the shower, dirty and dusty corners everywhere, especially in the bathroom closet (only place to put your things) Disappointing.
The location is a really good place to visit the different sides of the island. There was easy access to supermarkets and good food. The inn keeper was very nice and gave us some credit and offered us wine for problems we had with the toilet and air conditioner.

We stayed at the Fern Grotto Inn for 5 nights on our recent trip to Kauai. We were looking for something along the lines of a condo, where we could save money by buying our own food and having some cheap meals. We were planning on doing a lot of hiking and exploring, and really just needed a place to eat and sleep– nothing resorty.
The Fern Grotto Inn was perfect for us. We stayed in the Garden Cottage, which was just the right size for the two of us. It’s the cheapest cottage, so don’t expect 5 star accommodations– there were a few glitches like a broken ceiling fan and one window that wouldn’t close– but other than that it was just lovely. There was a grill we could use for dinners and a little seating area overlooking the river. Paul, the owner, is very friendly and provides coolers, beach chairs, snorkel gear, and more for you to borrow on your excursions.
The location was great for what we wanted to do. I’m not sure if the east shore has as much going on as other areas, but for us it was great– we spent one day going north, one day south, one day west, etc. Kapaa seemed to be pretty centrally located for all that.
If you’re looking for a chi-​chi place with a huge pool and fruity drinks, this is not the place for you. But if your plan is to spend time out and about with a nice relaxing ‘home’ to come back to at the end of the day, Fern Grotto Inn has what you’re looking for!