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Sprawling across 50 acres of a former sugar plantation, Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa is a luxurious escape in sunny Poipu on Kauai's south shore.
The 602-room resort sits right on a sandy stretch of coastline at Keoneloa Bay with an elegant open-air design reminiscent of old Hawaii. The low-rise structures are built into the hillside overlooking the bay and blends right into the resort’s verdant surroundings.
It’s classic Kauai, with cascading waterfalls, lush gardens with native and tropical plants and a white sand beach perfect for sunset strolls. The Kauai hotel is located at the far-east end of a three-mile-long resort area, making this property more secluded than others. The resort boasts a full-service spa, great dining and drinks, cultural programs and several swimming pools.
The 602-room resort sits right on a sandy stretch of coastline at Keoneloa Bay with an elegant open-air design reminiscent of old Hawaii. The low-rise structures are built into the hillside overlooking the bay and blends right into the resort’s verdant surroundings.
It’s classic Kauai, with cascading waterfalls, lush gardens with native and tropical plants and a white sand beach perfect for sunset strolls. The Kauai hotel is located at the far-east end of a three-mile-long resort area, making this property more secluded than others. The resort boasts a full-service spa, great dining and drinks, cultural programs and several swimming pools.
Our Inspector's Highlights
• Beyond the resort is the Poipu Bay Resort Golf Course, a 210-acre, links-style golf course and driving range designed by famed golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. and ranked as one of the top courses in the state. There’s also a riding stable adjacent to the Kauai hotel that offers guided trail rides along the ocean.
• The signature restaurant here is Tidepools, located near the saltwater lagoon. This restaurant, which comes complete with thatched roof bungalows floating on a koi-filled lagoon at the base of a waterfall, serves contemporary Hawaiian cuisine for dinner nightly.
• Stevenson’s Library is the resort’s late-night spot, open from 6 p.m. to midnight daily. This converted cigar bar retains its warm décor and Victorian-era gentlemen’s club vibe through an impressive 27-foot, hand-crafted koa wood bar stocked with an extensive collection of whiskeys, cognacs, ports and wines.
• The signature restaurant here is Tidepools, located near the saltwater lagoon. This restaurant, which comes complete with thatched roof bungalows floating on a koi-filled lagoon at the base of a waterfall, serves contemporary Hawaiian cuisine for dinner nightly.
• Stevenson’s Library is the resort’s late-night spot, open from 6 p.m. to midnight daily. This converted cigar bar retains its warm décor and Victorian-era gentlemen’s club vibe through an impressive 27-foot, hand-crafted koa wood bar stocked with an extensive collection of whiskeys, cognacs, ports and wines.
Things to Know
• The last two weeks of December are particularly busy on the island. If you plan to travel during these times — considered the high season — book your reservations as early as possible and expect to pay higher rates for airfare, accommodations and car rentals.
• Hawaii’s weather tends to be consistent throughout the year with the average temperature between 75 and 85 degrees. Winter months — between December and March — are generally a bit cooler and wetter; Poipu, where the luxury hotel is located, is usually sunnier than other spots on the island.
• The endangered humpback whales migrate to Hawaii’s warmer waters from late December to early May and winter brings monster surf to Kauai’s northern shores, making these times popular to visit the island, too.
• Hawaii’s weather tends to be consistent throughout the year with the average temperature between 75 and 85 degrees. Winter months — between December and March — are generally a bit cooler and wetter; Poipu, where the luxury hotel is located, is usually sunnier than other spots on the island.
• The endangered humpback whales migrate to Hawaii’s warmer waters from late December to early May and winter brings monster surf to Kauai’s northern shores, making these times popular to visit the island, too.
The Rooms
• Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa boasts 602 guest rooms, 70 percent of which have ocean or partial ocean views. (The rest face the beautifully landscaped gardens or one of the several lagoons on the property.) Each room, regardless of view, features a private lanai, a separate sitting area and a 42-inch flat-panel TV.
• The rooms are adorned with earth-toned, plantation-style furnishings and botanical prints on the walls, keeping everything in line with the luxury hotel’s old Hawaii feel. The garden rooms and ocean suites range in size from 1,055 to 1,376 square feet and feature a bathroom with a large marble bath and shower enclosure, a double sink vanity and a whirlpool soaking tub.
• The deluxe suites, which range from 1,317 to 1,877 square feet, have an elegant entry foyer and a separate bedroom area. The Presidential Suites are the grandest escapes, sprawling more than 2,400 square feet and offering premium oceanfront views from the private terraces.
• The Kauai hotel’s suites feature a blend of Hawaii's cultures from Asian-inspired décor to traditional Hawaiian motifs with an entry foyer, a comfortable sitting area with a dining table for six, a kitchen, a wet bar and a half-bath. The private bath has a four-seat spa tub and the lanai boasts padded teak loungers.
• The rooms are adorned with earth-toned, plantation-style furnishings and botanical prints on the walls, keeping everything in line with the luxury hotel’s old Hawaii feel. The garden rooms and ocean suites range in size from 1,055 to 1,376 square feet and feature a bathroom with a large marble bath and shower enclosure, a double sink vanity and a whirlpool soaking tub.
• The deluxe suites, which range from 1,317 to 1,877 square feet, have an elegant entry foyer and a separate bedroom area. The Presidential Suites are the grandest escapes, sprawling more than 2,400 square feet and offering premium oceanfront views from the private terraces.
• The Kauai hotel’s suites feature a blend of Hawaii's cultures from Asian-inspired décor to traditional Hawaiian motifs with an entry foyer, a comfortable sitting area with a dining table for six, a kitchen, a wet bar and a half-bath. The private bath has a four-seat spa tub and the lanai boasts padded teak loungers.
The Look
• Open in 1990, Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa was designed with its natural surroundings in mind. The architecture was meant to be reminiscent of 1920s and ’30s Hawaii, conjuring thoughts of a relaxing space with lush gardens and spectacular views of Keoneloa Bay.
• The low-rise structures are built right into the hillside, appearing to almost blend into the landscape. No building is higher than the tallest coconut tree, and the resort gently slopes down to a stretch of white-sand beach.
• The walkways, lobby and even the full-service Anara Spa are open to the island’s tradewinds. And everything from the furniture in the lobby to the décor in the 602 guest rooms is done in earthy tones and natural materials to evoke a romantic sense of place.
• The low-rise structures are built right into the hillside, appearing to almost blend into the landscape. No building is higher than the tallest coconut tree, and the resort gently slopes down to a stretch of white-sand beach.
• The walkways, lobby and even the full-service Anara Spa are open to the island’s tradewinds. And everything from the furniture in the lobby to the décor in the 602 guest rooms is done in earthy tones and natural materials to evoke a romantic sense of place.
Getting There
1571 Poipu Road, Koloa, Hawaii 96756
TEL800-554-9288
TEL800-554-9288
TEL808-742-1234
TEL808-742-1234
NEARBY AIRPORT(S)
LIH (26 min)
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