I just completed a stay at the Andaz over Memorial Day weekend with my GF. I'm new to Hyatt in the past year after spending several years strictly with SPG. I'm glad I've decided to split stays.

We booked 2 nights using my corporate rate about 2 weeks in advance for the garden view room. We were able to use a DSU at booking and confirm a pool side suite. Was a bit unsure if we'd prefer a smaller room with a view, but we tend to like the space suites afford. Being able to confirm a suite at booking is a huge perk of HGP and a big draw away from SPG. After seeing the pool suite, I would probably prefer a smaller ocean view king in the future.

We arrived to the hotel around 11 AM from HNL, not expecting to check in until the late afternoon. To get from OGG to the Andaz, we pre-booked Speedishuttle for $46 for 2 people. Fortunately, we were the only ones on the shuttle. At check-in, we were greeted warmly and offered water or lemonade.

Without any need to ask, we were upgraded to a full ocean view Andaz Suite (#639). The hotel wasn't showing availability online, so I was pleasantly surprised. The room was ready at 12:30 and the hotel called my phone to let us know. The Ohana Lounge worked well to store our stuff and change into our swimsuits.

The room was massive with two balconies and beautiful views of the water and resort. The shower with the incredible view and ability to watch TV was pretty neat.

The only downside was that the furniture was very uncomfortable, especially the chairs on the balconies. They need cushions. Does anyone test this stuff? Also, the free food and drink offerings were mediocre. We had two granola bars, a small pack of Maui chips, a local root beer, a Virgil's Coke, and a San Pellegrino lemonade.

I elected the Diamond amenity, which was a bottle of wine (2012 StoneCap Chardonnay) and two chocolates.

The resort is beautiful. We enjoyed all of the infinity pools and the beach. The waves were pretty big due to the wind, so we spent more time in the pools. We never had problems getting chairs anywhere. A huge plus of the resort is the service. EVERYONE was extremely friendly and made us feel welcomed. A very far cry from our multiple experiences in the Caribbean at the W Vieques.

The Diamond breakfast was fine. The fruit spread is extensive and there are plenty of carbs. I think after a few days, I'd want to mix up the food, but it's sufficient for a short stay.

We ate dinner at Morimoto one night. It was delicious. Highly recommend the A5 Waygu even if it's very pricy. We also had lunch there. The prices were reasonable for lunch (read: expensive, but not much more than the poolside bar where we ate two other lunches).

We also went to Ko at the Fairmont one night. It was the start of restaurant week, so we elected the $49 three course pre-fixe. The food was mediocre. The resort also felt huge, similar to Mexico resorts. We were glad to be staying at the Andaz, which felt more secluded.

We didn't have a car, so can't comment on parking. We did use the courtesy shuttle at the hotel to go to Monkeypods for dinner before our flight. It was fine, but still expensive. Happy Hour is a good deal though (until 5:30).

To get to OGG, we took Uber. It worked out great and was only $39. Quite a bit less than I was expecting.

Overall, we had a relaxing weekend trip. We'll definitely be back and will probably venture outside the resort to explore the island more.

Also, I'm now an Andaz fan. I thought the concept appealed to my demographic (late 20s) much better than W's with their weird room designs and pretentious lack of service.