CGRA

I need to go to a convention at the marriott at Kauai
I'd like to spend few extra days in a luxury hotel with a nice beach. (if possible a relatively large hotels, don't like boutique hotels of 30 rooms)

My main criteria is something relative close to Kauai (or even in Kauai ??) and also relatively easy to get back to Europe (i.e with easy connection to HNL or the continental US)

Is there any luxury hotels in HNL ,? Look at the FS Hawaii but I didn't understand where they're ....

Budget : 500 to max 1 k/nt

Thank you all for your help & sorry for my never ending questions

SanDiego1K

The properties on Kauai with the best reputation are the Hyatt at the south part of the island and the St Regis Princeville. I've stayed at the St Regis but not the Hyatt. The north part of the island has more rain though we were fortunate when there. I really enjoyed the north part of the island. It's beautiful, not as overrun with tourists, and has a number of small good restaurants in the town close to the hotel. If you see the movie Descendants, a section of it was filmed in this area. It shows the beach you reach from the hotel. George Clooney stayed at the St Regis during this part of filming.

RichardInSF

Some people like the St Regis Princeville on Kaua'i but I've never stayed there. The largest hotel on Kaua'i, indeed the largest employer on the island, is the Hyatt. It's not a luxury hotel but the suites and setting are quite pleasant.

Other than that, you have to fly (usually) or take a ferry to another island. Four Seasons on Oahu and the two Four Seasons on Lana'i might qualify among the closest islands to Kaua'i.

Pausanias

The 1958 musical South Pacific was (almost) entirely filmed in the Princeville/Hanalei area and the resort now stands on the site of the main set.

The Na Pali coast of Kuaui has also hosted many other mega movies - notably Jurassic Park - and offers some of the finest scenery in the entire Pacific region. A pity all the hotels are vast resorts but it seems that's what the OP is looking for. At least Princeville will be a step up from the Marriott.

ridefar

I have stayed at the St Regis Princeville, and found it really really disappointing. I call it a Holiday Inn with a great view, and I am not really joking. The North end of Kaua'i is indeed stunningly beautiful and well worth a visit. Just set your expectations low (very low) with the St. R. You can find a review by me in the SPG forum here on FT if you are interested. If you have never stayed in Hawaii at all before, I would lean to either Honolulu or Maui. Maui has some decent to really good resorts, including the Fairmont, 4S, and Antaz, as well as the RC which has been rebranded??? I havent stayed in Honolulu but I believe there are some great choices on Waikiki beach that meet your criteria.

Once you are in Hawaii, everything is pretty close. It is a $200ish pp ticket and less than 45 min on Hawaiin Airlines to get anywhere from Kaua'i. Personally, I found Kauai to not have a lot to do--especially the norther part. I would opt for Maui in a heartbeat.

CGRA

Thank you so much for your e-mail & for these informations
I have looked at their web sites and the photos on TA and there is no "wow" factor
To be honest even the photos of the different FS there, doesn't really "wow" me (some properties in Miami really impressed me)
Coming from a third world country called "France", I'm not that difficult to impressed.
Is there some "Caribbean blue" and relatively flat water in Hawaii ?
maybe I'm not an Hawaii person.

CGRA

Thank you for the info on the San Regis. Was not impressed by the photos and if the service is not good, better stay at the Marriott

Was at the Hilton village in waikiki a couple of times for convention so didn't see anything (beside an helicopter tour which was nice).

WheelsFirst

You indicated in your initial post that you were willing to go to different islands provided it would be easy to get back to HNL. The major Hawaiian islands all have easy flights back to HNL. If the St. Regis Kauai is not of interest to you, you should consider either the Four Seasons Hualalai on the Island of Hawaii (aka The Big Island), it is a really nice resort that is close to the airport, but doesn't really have a beach. You could also consider the Halekulani in Honolulu if you wanted to be in HNL. My personal favorite hotel in the Hawaiian islands is the Manu Kea but it's not quite luxury compared to the Four Seasons, although it has an amazing beach.

Goodmorning2U

Unfortunately, there are currently no Four Seasons on Oahu. (There are rumors that they will be taking over the management of another hotel in Honolulu, and opening in 2016, but the property hasn't been revealed yet).

There is a Four Seasons on the Big Island, also called Hawaii (yes, same name as the state).

And, there is a Four Seasons on the island of Maui, as well as two more Four Seasons on the island of Lanai.

The best of all the hotels in the state of Hawaii, is the Four Seasons Hualalai on the Big Island. We were there this weekend and it continues to be magical in every way. Feel free to shoot me a PM or ask any questions about the Four Seasons in Hawaii.

Valveking

Get on over to the Four Seasons Hualalai on the Big Island. It is the class of the field! You will not regret it.

RichardInSF

Yeah, got confused, thanks.

Pausanias

On the Big Island I'd opt for the Mauna Kea Hotel, the original lux resort on that island, mainly because it sits on a fabulous beach from where you can swim in the Pacific. The Four Seasons doesn't have what I would call a beach and you can't swim in the ocean.

It's such a shame that Hawaii lacks any really nice hotels . . . though I did quite like the Kahala Hilton in its Mandarin Oriental phase back in the mid-90s.

I think if I were cedricgerald, who seems not to fancy Hawaii in any version, I'd opt for a nice stopover in San Francisco . . .

747FC

OP: If you just want to relax at a tranquil beach, go to the Four Season Manele on the Island of Lanai. Or, check out the Mauna Kea Beach Resort on the Big Island.

Aloha.

Ericka

This has long been a sticking point for me. I am a well traveled American citizen who has never been to Hawaii. At first, I thought there were other beach locations around the world that appealed to me more and that I would get around to Hawaii eventually. Now, I think I am hopelessly waiting for the right hotel to come along.

I know enough about Hawaii to know that Kauai is where I want to be. But these hotel choices seem less than ideal. Why doesn't someone build a luxury b&b or boutique hotel here? Everything is so big and convention-y. And let's not even talk about the practice of reserving pool/beach chairs that seems so popular in Hawaii.

Pausanias

In a word: American. It seems that all major resort areas in the States are like this - all those ghastly-looking Florida joints, the whole of Las Vegas . . . so much of the States is taken over by these huge impersonal chains with their convention trade and (excuse the language) 'incentivizing.'

Over the years I've had some fabulous driving trips in the States to far off places like the Deep South, Montana and the Dakotas but I haven't been for many years now. The customs/security thing is to be avoided (it's probably just as bad in the UK but maybe not quite so rude) and that omnipresent and degrading tipping culture just puts me off ever going back.

A pity as Hawaii is truly a majestically beautiful place.