GO GRAND IN KAUAI
THE BRIEF
Kauai, known as the “Garden Isle” of Hawaii, has been on my bucket list for decades. For year’s I’ve heard that the GRAND HYATT KAUAI RESORT AND SPA was “THE” place to stay on the south side of this destination. It’s a fairly quick 20-minute ride in from the Lihue Airport to the resort. During the drive to the hotel, you will notice the warm aromatic air and the canopy of green along the highway. Swaying palm trees, lush gardens, and water ponds greet you at the entrance as you drive up to the marvellous front lobby. You’re greeted by friendly staff bearing the traditional Hawaiian lei for you to wear. I was quickly checked in and upgraded to a king room with ocean view. Nice! After freshening up a tad, I ventured out to survey the property. The first thing that strikes you is the magnitude of the resort. It spans some 53 acres of tropical paradise in Poipu, Kauai. Upon entering the lobby you get an introduction into how well managed and how clean the well-decorated resort is.
THE ROOM
I ended up with a King room and Oceanview in the perfect wing of the complex for me. If you’re coming here with the kids to hang out at one of the many pools then you’ll want to book a room on the other side of the hotel which was a bit of a walk from where I was. I prefer being close to the Grand Club as well as the Gym and Spa and this was the case here. I was just steps from both. Beauty! The room was large enough to easily stretch out in and a bit bigger than most similar offerings at other hotels. It was crisp and clean with a hint of Hawaii in the furnishings. Housekeeping did a beautiful job of keeping it clean with added little touches like flowers on the bed and in the bathroom. The roar of the surf crashing onto the shore can be heard even with the Lanai doors closed. I spent a lot of time working on the Lanai and quite enjoyed it. There was no noise from adjacent rooms or hallway during my stay. The bed was very comfortable and gave me a good night’s sleep at the end of the day.
THE GRAND CLUB LOUNGE
Readers of my past posts on GRAND HYATT’S around the world know what a fan I am of the Grand Club. None of the Clubs I’ve been to have disappointed. They are clean and comfortable respites for hotel guests who are eligible for admittance. The Club in Kauai is located on the 3rd floor which is actually the ground level on this portion of the property. It has a walkout to outdoor seating on a bit of a patio in the exclusive garden area. Indoor seating is on three different levels on either side of the buffet section and bar. Very relaxed and cozie would be a good description.
A nifty perk of Grand Clubs is the Breakfast Buffet, and the Evening Hors d’oeuvres, or Canapés, depending on where you are in the world. A great thing about eating at the “Club” these days is how healthy the offerings are. For breakfast, you’ll find items like Miso soup, hard-boiled eggs, green leaf salad with balsamic vinegar, onions, peppers, tomatoes and a good selection of fruits. In the evening there are different hot meals provided each day as well as a fresh soup of the day along with an assortment of veggies. Nice!
Overall, as I’ve said in the past, getting admission to a Club Lounge should be on your priority list and this one is no exception. The only negative note I have has to do with the alcohol service in the evening. This is the only club I’ve been to that charges for the drinks at the bar during cocktail hours. All other lounges have complimentary drinks in addition to the meals and dessert. Speaking of dessert. From 5 pm to 7:30 pm you’ll find fresh homestyle cookies, brownies, and cakes. A nice assortment of fruits is also an option and yogurt, milk, tea, and coffee are also there along with champagne, wine, and liquors at the cash bar.
GRAND CLUB HOURS
Continental breakfast from 6:30 am to 10 am
Afternoon snacks from 12 pm to 4 pm
Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from 5 pm to 7 pm
Cordials and desserts from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
RESTAURANTS
There are six restaurants and a Luau on Sunday and Wednesday nights available on the property for your enjoyment. No need to go anywhere else. They have you covered here at the resort.
Stevenson’s is beautifully done and features Koa Wood throughout. There is ample seating in the lounge and on a private lanai. Sushi is available till 9:30 PM and drinks until Midnight.
Hours
Lounge: 5:30 p.m. – Midnight
Sushi: 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Minors are permitted: 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m
SEAVIEW TERRACE
Seaview Terrace is open for Breakfast and Dinner and as the name implies has a nice view of the ocean. The restaurant lounge turns to entertainment starting at 5 PM and the local musicians start at 7:30 PM. I thoroughly enjoyed the music each evening. Nice way to close out the day.
Hours
Espresso Bar & Breakfast: 5:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Cocktails & Soft Drinks 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Dinner & Keiki Menu: 5:00 – 9:30 p.m., to-go available until 10:30 p.m.
Hawaiian Entertainment: 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Island Entertainment: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m
The illima terrace offers beautiful views to enjoy while having your breakfast buffet or lunch. Comfortable and casual atmosphere and seating here.
Tidepools features thatched-roof huts over koi filled lagoon by the waterfalls. The restaurant has won numerous awards and accolades from critics. They feature dinner only from 5 PM to 10:30 PM.
A Tuscan villa-style decor sets the ambiance for this elegant Italian restaurant. Indoor and outdoor seating provides stunning views of the ocean and lush gardens of the resort. Dondero’s has won many awards and high praise from the critics. With the ingredients locally sourced, and everything home-made and magnificently presented, the food is superb. The portions of pasta and seafood are delicately dressed with ingredients that are entirely fresh. The wine list is quite extensive, offering a good selection from the vineyards of Italy, California, Argentina and other destinations.
Hours
Tuesday through Saturday: 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Dress Code
This one shares my name and is my personal favourite here. This casual little spot has great views of all the pools on this side of the resort. A large selection of beer, wine, and tropical drinks are featured. Soda and ice cream are also available. Some nice snack food comes from the poolside surf shack called the “Hale Nalu”.
Hours
10:30 a.m. – sunset (food until 5:30 p.m.)
POOLS AND SPA
There are multi-levelled pools here starting at the top with an adults-only pool and winding down to the huge salt-water lagoon. A lava-rock lined river pool winds past waterfalls and under bridges and ends at a 150-foot water slide. The lagoon, complete with islands, was a great idea considering how ruff the surf is on the actual beach which has a lot of rocks in it as well. There is also fair-sized lap pool available in the spa if a straight swim for exercise is all you need and its a lot closer if you find you are located in that wing of the resort.
ANARA SPA
The ANARA SPA offers, among other things, a garden massage, private outdoor lounges, sauna, a steam room with eucalyptus-infused steam (my personal favourite), and lava rock showers. I found it the ultimate relaxation zone. When you finish there you are feeling mellow and ready to face the day. The spa is adjacent to a wonderful gym that is fairly well outfitted and you can get a great workout here.
THE DEBRIEF
My stay here was delightful. The thoughtful managers and attentive staff were very helpful and supportive and couldn’t have done more to make my stay superlative. The vast resort offers plenty of options and allows you to just stay in one place and enjoy. As a solo traveller, I didn’t mind all the families with kids, but it’s something to consider if you’re looking for a quieter experience. It may have been the time of year (late November) but I did find it rained a lot there through the day usually interspersed with sunshine. It’s just a beautiful resort that is very well run and probably the nicest Grand Hyatt I’ve been at to date.
👍👍👍
