Kauai Cottage Rentals

Forget the resort. Fern Grotto Inn invites you to experience Kauai as it used to be — lush, quiet, and authentically Hawaiian. Our 9 cottage rentals in Kapaa are set on the banks of the Wailua River, surrounded by a tropical garden of fruit trees, hibiscus, and palms. Originally built in the 1940s and 1950s, each cottage has been fully renovated with air conditioning, modern kitchens, and comfortable beds — while keeping every bit of their historic plantation character. Some guests find us searching for Kauai cabins or a quiet cottage in Kauai, Hawaii — what they get is a restored plantation cottage with a full kitchen, A/C, and a garden instead of a parking lot.

Coco Palms Resort, the setting for Elvis Presley's film Blue Hawaii, sits just across the street. The only navigable river in Hawaii runs right behind the property. And Lydgate Park's protected beach is one block away. This is the Kauai your grandparents would have recognized — and the vacation you'll tell stories about for years.

Our Kauai cottage rentals sit on the east side of the island in historic Kapaa town — roughly equidistant from the famous beaches of the North and South Shores. Poipu Beach is about 35 minutes south. Hanalei Bay is about 40 minutes north. You're also just 10–15 minutes from Lihue Airport, one block from Lydgate Park beach, and steps from the Kauai Path coastal bike trail.

The Wailua River — the only navigable river in Hawaii — runs directly behind the property. Launch our complimentary kayaks straight from the inn and paddle to the Fern Grotto or Secret Falls. On the banks of the Wailua River, these are some of the only true Wailua riverside cottages on Kauai's east side — riverside rentals with kayaks waiting at the water's edge.