KVR Wrap-up

With rates having come down, service stutters rankle less. Entry rate is around $1200. My beach front hale splurge was $1800/night, plus ouch Hawaii taxes of 18%, was wounding … and worth it. But, now spoiled, I’ll always have to book beach front.

The main irritant is F&B cost which is astronomical. Lunch for one is going to be minimally $60 with no alcohol. Dinner is gasping. If, er, you can stomach that, food is mostly pretty good apart from room-service eggs. Always go to restaurant for breakfast. Breakfast buffet no longer offered. Berry plate ($20) was tired — mushy strawberries and blueberries. Fresh pineapple juice delicious!

Advisable to rent a car if you intend to ever leave the resort. Taxi costs are exorbitant but uber less so. I don’t care to drive outside of my familiar comfort zone so am resort bound in the main which is ok for me but not for others who may tire of the two restaurant options (plus the sushi bar), and want to range around. This is the biggest of the islands.

What KVR needs to do better: check-in process: Review with guest what is included in the rate booked (breakfast, upgrades, credits, etc.). Specify where and when breakfast is served, etc. Expand menus to include more traditional lunch-fare including sandwiches, salads. Offer decaf black tea!!

Explain to guests that the gorgeous nenes hang out by the Cultural Center. Do not miss this.

Checkout was swift and accurate. Was credited everything I was promised. Took maybe three minutes. This in contrast to multiple complaints by others at checkout.

I’m not overly demanding so most of the service stutters were bearable. Yes, I noticed. The failures that bothered me were the check-in process, not greeting my friend (who arrived a day later) with lei despite specific request AND reminder, and occasional abrupt service at Shipwreck bar and Moana. The hard product — stand-alone hales instead of rooms, the outstanding tropical landscaping and the ocean wave-crashing on volcanic rock (or rolling peacefully to shore on the lovely sand beach) — is superb. F&B pricing regrettable. Specific to me, a beach front hale is required.


Nenes

Breakfast sparrows, served rare


Maui in the distance