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Grand Hyatt Kauai REVIEW- MASTER THREAD - mid-2011 Forward

Old Aug 20, 2018, 3:29 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: FlyinHawaiian
SHOPPING
1. Safeway
a. Multiple locations (2)
b. Significantly more polynesian/asian offerings in regards to food, Made in Hawaii, Grown in Hawaii goods

2. Longs Drugs
a. CVS-owned; all CVS coupons and rewards are accepted.
b. Many locations, including Lihue and Poipu https://longs.staradvertiser.com/loc...p?island=kauai
c. Stores have a more significant focus on local items and goods than Mainland CVS stores.
d. Reliable source of distilled water for CPAP users.

2. ABC Stores
a. Significant number (3) of locations, accessible.
b. They carry almost nothing but local items, and also beer

3. Costco (2.6mi from LIH):
a. Gas up before dropping rental car off. It was at least $0.80/gal cheaper than anywhere else (8/20/18)
b. Kauai/Kona coffee, other gifts (e.g., macadamia nuts in multiple preparations)
c. Gift cards for local vendors are often available
d. Food court (many of the same items as continental US with same prices)
4. Walmart (1.3mi from LIH). Exceptionally busy. Busy store inside/outside/around it.
a. Beach/pool toys
b. Snacks (if you dont have a huge family staying a long time to eat Costco bulk item)
c. Souvenirs (they have a section in the front for this)

KAUAI TOURS/SELF-GUIDED ADVENTURES
Swimming/Snorkeling
1. Poipu Beach - Massive reef offshore, with a reef onshore separating two beaches. With the closure of Tunnels/Ke'e/Lumahai beach due to landslides on Kuhio highway, Poipu beach has one of the top snorkeling spots on the island currently, and is just 5 minute drive from the hotel. Turtles and monk seal are spotted here regularly
2. Lydgate Beach - protected snorkeling spot perfect for beginners. Located on East side of the island. This looks close, but traffic in Kapaa can make this a 45 minute drive.
3. Anini Beach - Northeast on island, 1 hour to reach. Reef with significant amounts of sea life.
4. Tunnels Beach/Ke'e Beach - currently closed. 1 hour 30 minutes away. Snorkel right next to the beginning of the Na Pali coast, with significant amounts of turtles. Before Kauai restores access to the beach via Kuhio Highway, residents are strongly considering limiting access to the beach (no vehicles, only shuttles, or limited number of vehicle permits sold per day). Parking fills up fast here, and these beaches are the end of the road on island.


GUIDED TOURS
1. Wailua River + Secret Falls Hike. 30-45 minute drive from hotel. Cost $40/pp. 4 hour+ trip. 1 mile of kayaking followed by a short hike to a large waterfall. Some tours offer pineapple as a snack at the waterfall. Some offer just chips or granola bars like what you might buy from Costco.
2. Kauai Sugarloaf Pineapple. See the Huber families sugarloaf pineapple farm. Hole in the mountain farms is situated on 38 acres of land, where you will be given the rare opportunity to taste sugarloaf pineapple. An extremely low acidic pineapple that has a core that is edible, and not stringy. $65/pp w/ free pineapple and smoothie. The ARV of the pineapple you receive will be around $8-15. Sugarloaf pineapple sells for $3-4 a pound, with an average pineapple being 5-6 pounds in size. This is a once in a lifetime experience. 1 hour from GH Kauai http://kauaisugarloaf.com BOOK TOURS IN ADVANCE. We booked two weeks in advance, and at the farmers market on a Wednesday we overheard them say they were booked out for 2 weeks (so almost September). They only do tours on Thursdays.
3. Chocolate Tour. Lydgate Farms has a chocolate tour. $95/pp
4. Captain Andy's Tours. Captain Andy is currently leaving out of the south shore in Port Allen. He offers all 3 kinds of boat tours. 55ft catamaran w/ restroom, warm water rinse, cooked lunch, snorkeling, napali coast, alcoholic drinks included (up to $179 pp). They have smaller boats that do not have restrooms/rinse/cooked lunch, but will go in the sea caves. And then they have raft boats that require you to wear gloves, and are very much a thrill ride. They do beach landings in those, and basically anything. The choices are listed from most comfortable to least comfortable. 55ft catamaran is the preferred way for most

HIKING/SIGHTS
1. Kalepa Ridge Trail. 1 hour from GHK. Free. 2 hour round trip. 1.7 mile hike. Classified as hard by alltrails.com. For the time and distance you walk, this trail beats the Awaawapuhi Trail
2. Awaawapuhi Trail. 55 minute from GHK. Free. Half day. 6.7 mile hike. Classified as moderate by alltrails.com. It is a longer hike, but once you get to the end, the views are IMO better than the Kalepa Ridge Trail
3. Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. 50 minute from GHK. Free. 3 hours. Hike to a the top of a waterfall on the Waimae Canyon.
4. Heritage Trail. Literally on the beach at the GHK. Free. Not necessarily a crazy cool hike
5. Wailua Falls: do some research if you plan on doing a hike down to the waterfall
6. Spouting Horn. 7 minute drive from GHK. Underwhelming, but worth it to say you've seen it. 2-3 minute drive from Spouting Horn is the Kukui'ula Village Shopping Center, which has a Bubbas Burger/Tortilla Republic/The Lanai/Merriman Fish House/Eating House 1849, Dolphin, Ruth's Chris and other restaurants. To see the spouting horn, you will walk past a 150-200ft of street vendors selling crafts, everyday of the week.
7. Queen's Bath-dangerous, slippery and muddy on way day, rocky and if you are inside you may get washed out by the waves. But go at sunset and you'll see why.

FARMERS MARKETS
1. Kukui'ula Village Shopping Center - Wednesday Evening, 3:30PM - 6PM. Kauai Sugarloaf Farms attends this, and will let you try their pineapple and buy tours here. There is supposedly a beer garden, but I didn't find it. There is also food from restaurants there, as well as a booth by the "Pie Lady" (The Right Slice).

RESORT FEE INCLUDES
1. Free self-parking (for all, not just Globalist)

2. Free laundry in each guestroom with free laundry pods

3. Towel at Valet for excursions (and after 7pm for pool)

4. Free bike use

5. Sunscreen at pool

6. Hospitality lounge for early arrival & late departing flights

7. Refrigerator in all rooms
  1. Self-parking
  2. Two complimentary refillable water bottles
  3. Purified water stations
  4. Poipu Bay Golf Course and Clubhouse shuttle service
  5. Coffee maker in room with Hawaiian coffee and tea
  6. Complimentary self-service washer, dryer and detergent
  7. Reusable logo tote bag located in closet
  8. Access to 24 hour Anara Spa fitness center
  9. Fitness and yoga classes at Anara Spa
    1. See daily activities schedule, 14 years and older
  10. Hospitality lounge for early arrival & late departing flights
  11. Welcome lei greeting
  12. Guided sunrise walk Monday - Saturday
  13. Hawaiian crafters daily in lobby
  14. Wildlife Walk twice weekly
  15. Hydroponic Garden tours twice weekly
  16. Entertainment and hula at Seaview Terrace
  17. Torch lighting ceremony three times per week
  18. Ukulele, lei-making and hula lessons
  19. Koi fish feeding and parrot talk
  20. Sunscreen samples at pool recreation desk
  21. Mountain Bike use - based on availability
  22. One hour tennis court time daily
    1. Reservations required, equipment rental available
  23. Complimentary boarding pass and incoming fax printing
  24. Unlimited local and toll-free calls
  25. In-room safe
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Grand Hyatt Kauai REVIEW- MASTER THREAD - mid-2011 Forward

Old Jun 27, 2016, 5:39 pm
  #1261  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 20
Originally Posted by CastAStone
Grand Club is always FULL Ocean View. Plus, as you note, Club Access.
Yahooooo!
fsujmt is offline  
Old Jun 30, 2016, 9:04 am
  #1262  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Chandler, AZ
Programs: Hyatt EXplorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 24
If I'm not posting this question properly I apologize. I am looking for a suite with an ocean view close to the club Lounge at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. Can anybody tell me which room number I should ask for on the 4th floor?
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Old Jun 30, 2016, 9:22 am
  #1263  
skj
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Originally Posted by az2323
If I'm not posting this question properly I apologize. I am looking for a suite with an ocean view close to the club Lounge at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. Can anybody tell me which room number I should ask for on the 4th floor?
The Grand Club is on the 3rd floor.
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Old Jun 30, 2016, 10:32 am
  #1264  
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
 
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Originally Posted by az2323
If I'm not posting this question properly I apologize. I am looking for a suite with an ocean view close to the club Lounge at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. Can anybody tell me which room number I should ask for on the 4th floor?
Unless you're paying for an ocean suite (which are on floors 3-6), I wouldn't count for getting one unless you're paying for it.

The suites given on points and as a DSU upgrade are called garden suites and are on floors 1 and 2.
Mary2e is offline  
Old Jun 30, 2016, 10:52 am
  #1265  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Chandler, AZ
Programs: Hyatt EXplorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 24
Mary...thx

The Suites that are on the 3rd floor do they have balconies or do you just walk straight out onto the lawn?
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Old Jun 30, 2016, 11:53 am
  #1266  
skj
 
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Originally Posted by az2323
Mary...thx

The Suites that are on the 3rd floor do they have balconies or do you just walk straight out onto the lawn?
It looked like most, if not all 3rd floor rooms opened onto the lawn.
skj is offline  
Old Jun 30, 2016, 12:34 pm
  #1267  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Chandler, AZ
Programs: Hyatt EXplorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 24
Does anybody know of a good room number to request that is close to the club Lounge with a nice Ocean View?
az2323 is offline  
Old Jun 30, 2016, 1:23 pm
  #1268  
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All you really need to request is a room near the club in the Poipu wing. They are all ocean view. But I suspect they would put you there anyway because it's easier to access the club, and diamonds get access to it.

BUT - if you used points or a DSU for a suite, you will be on 1 or 2 and you will not have easy access to the club nor will you have much of an ocean view from inside your room. Floors 1 & 2 are only connected to the other floors via walking on paths outdoors or via an elevator to the 3rd floor indoors. Keep in mind that the 3rd floor is ground floor when you're near the club. The 4th floor is lobby level.
Mary2e is offline  
Old Jun 30, 2016, 4:17 pm
  #1269  
skj
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Mary2e, there are rooms near the Grand Club that are not "full" ocean view (even if the hotel calls them that, which I don't think they do). The rooms just past the club, heading away from the lobby, face the pool and lagoon area, although you can certainly see the ocean from them.

I agree with you that rooms on floors 1 and 2 aren't particularly convenient to the club, although there are stairs near each of the elevators - at least the ones we used when we were there this past week.
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Old Jul 1, 2016, 6:09 am
  #1270  
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You're right, I completely forgot about that row of rooms that have a side-ish view of the ocean.
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Old Jul 1, 2016, 8:10 am
  #1271  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: US. HH Diamond but chasing Hyatt
Posts: 108
Originally Posted by Mary2e
Floors 1 & 2 are only connected to the other floors via walking on paths outdoors or via an elevator to the 3rd floor indoors. Keep in mind that the 3rd floor is ground floor when you're near the club. The 4th floor is lobby level.
To clarify what I think Mary is getting at, while the club is on the 3rd floor, you can get to it from the 4th floor without taking stairs or the elevator, as both floors have ground level access to the same courtyard near the club.
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Old Jul 1, 2016, 8:49 am
  #1272  
Moderator: GLBT Travelers & Hyatt Gold Passport
 
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Originally Posted by CastAStone
To clarify what I think Mary is getting at, while the club is on the 3rd floor, you can get to it from the 4th floor without taking stairs or the elevator, as both floors have ground level access to the same courtyard near the club.
Yes, you can get to 3rd floor from the 4th floor without stairs or elevators by going down the walking path from the 4th floor near the fitness center / spa building.
peteropny is offline  
Old Jul 1, 2016, 11:56 am
  #1273  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Chandler, AZ
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Posts: 24
Thank you everybody for all of your help
az2323 is offline  
Old Jul 7, 2016, 6:15 pm
  #1274  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Byron Bay Australia
Posts: 2
Hi
I completed a stay here in April 2016 and used a DSU to upgrade a points and cash booking. I have no more upgrade certificates unfortunately but want to book a points and cash rate for April 2017. I was told there was no availability for $ +points at all in April. Ive had a quick read through the posts but has this hotel had a change in policy? TIA The hyatt rep was not able to advise.
Mlob is offline  
Old Jul 8, 2016, 6:10 am
  #1275  
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Join Date: Jul 2001
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Just because you couldn't get P&C for April doesn't mean there's a change in policy. It is possible all the rooms available for awards are taken. Easter is April 16 and it is a very, very popular time for vacations.
Mary2e is offline  

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