Aug 20, 2018, 3:29 am
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):
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
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.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)
a. Beach/pool toys
b. Snacks (if you don’t have a huge family staying a long time to eat Costco bulk item)
c. Souvenirs (they have a section in the front for this)
b. Snacks (if you don’t 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
- Self-parking
- Two complimentary refillable water bottles
- Purified water stations
- Poipu Bay Golf Course and Clubhouse shuttle service
- Coffee maker in room with Hawaiian coffee and tea
- Complimentary self-service washer, dryer and detergent
- Reusable logo tote bag located in closet
- Access to 24 hour Anara Spa fitness center
- Fitness and yoga classes at Anara Spa
- See daily activities schedule, 14 years and older
- Hospitality lounge for early arrival & late departing flights
- Welcome lei greeting
- Guided sunrise walk Monday - Saturday
- Hawaiian crafters daily in lobby
- Wildlife Walk twice weekly
- Hydroponic Garden tours twice weekly
- Entertainment and hula at Seaview Terrace
- Torch lighting ceremony three times per week
- Ukulele, lei-making and hula lessons
- Koi fish feeding and parrot talk
- Sunscreen samples at pool recreation desk
- Mountain Bike use - based on availability
- One hour tennis court time daily
- Reservations required, equipment rental available
- Complimentary boarding pass and incoming fax printing
- Unlimited local and toll-free calls
- In-room safe
Grand Hyatt Kauai REVIEW- MASTER THREAD - mid-2011 Forward
Nov 9, 2011, 2:34 pm
#61
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Philly, Madrid
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 2,591
Yep. Posts 989 - 996 would be helpful reading for Diamond members using one of their confirmed suite upgrades at GHK.
Checking in tomorrow
and will report back which suite they put me into. Like bdstone above, if it turns out to be a ground level suite, I'm hoping I'll be just as happy with it so as to let the kids right out to RUN. Last trip there, I swear my son (3.5yo at the time) ran all around that expansive lawn on the Poipu side and was having the time of his life.
Checking in tomorrow
and will report back which suite they put me into. Like bdstone above, if it turns out to be a ground level suite, I'm hoping I'll be just as happy with it so as to let the kids right out to RUN. Last trip there, I swear my son (3.5yo at the time) ran all around that expansive lawn on the Poipu side and was having the time of his life.
). He comes in around 3pm I think. He's been there for years and is super helpful to diamonds. When we were there last month we didn't like our room which was at the far end of the club wing, and he moved us to one of the best ocean view rooms right above the lobby, and this was on an award stay. Needless to say he got a nice tip on our way out.
Nov 13, 2011, 10:50 am
#62
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Canada
Programs: AA EXP 3.2MM, Hyatt Courtesy Card/Diamond, Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 764
Deluxe Ocean Suite photo review
Nov 13, 2011, 12:44 pm
#63
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: PHX and LIH
Programs: AA: 2 MM
Posts: 85,588
Nov 13, 2011, 12:47 pm
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Depends on the day!
Programs: Marriott/Lifetime Titanium Hyatt/Explorist, Hilton/Silver, IHG Spire,UA Gold
Posts: 17,832
We stayed in a ground floor suite (with the attached room) and have requested the same for our upcoming stay (T minus 8 days and counting
). It is laid out much differently, but the furnishings look similar.
Nov 13, 2011, 1:52 pm
#65
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,859
Nov 15, 2011, 12:04 pm
#66
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: AA Plat, SPG Plat, Hyatt Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 507
A little advise: When you get there try to check in with Ronald (40-ish, black hair and mustache and name tag that says 'Ronald' ). He comes in around 3pm I think. He's been there for years and is super helpful to diamonds. When we were there last month we didn't like our room which was at the far end of the club wing, and he moved us to one of the best ocean view rooms right above the lobby, and this was on an award stay. Needless to say he got a nice tip on our way out.
). He comes in around 3pm I think. He's been there for years and is super helpful to diamonds. When we were there last month we didn't like our room which was at the far end of the club wing, and he moved us to one of the best ocean view rooms right above the lobby, and this was on an award stay. Needless to say he got a nice tip on our way out.
Ended up in a xx08 ocean suite at the far end of Poipu wing. Not as large as the deluxe ocean suite wpj up above got, but not as spartan either. Furnishings and accents were contemporary without the Hawaiian floral motifs in past visits. Large bathroom with marble counters and sep rain shower and jacuzzi tub was nice, but my fav feature was the sep toilet with a Toto washlet similar to the one at PH Vendome Paris.
The disadvantage with a xx08 suite as noted previously is the far distance to the lobby, pool, basically the rest of the resort. The one clear advantage though is if you're likely to leave the resort on a frequent basis, it's a very short walk to the employee parking lot, where you can kindly ask FD to park at and they'll give you a self-parking hang tag. Next time though, I hope to end up in one of the xx28 named suites
Just another great stay at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. Nothing but aloha treatment again throughout the resort. Kids of course loved it...especially kayaking around the lagoon. Forget Disneyland, Grand Hyatt Kauai is the happiest place on Earth for my family. The only bummer was that Anara Spa was undergoing extensive renovations through December, so couldn't take advantage of much of the facilities as a Diamond guest. Oh well, just meant more time spent at the pools and lagoon with the kids. It's a crying shame that the GHK is so paradisiacal and offers so many activities both day and night...it's an island within an island...because you may never want to leave the resort and see the actual gorgeous island that is Kauai
Nov 16, 2011, 10:51 am
#67
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BOS and ...
Programs: UA 2MM, AA 600k, DL 500k, Hyatt GP 1M, HH Gold, Rad. Gold, CP Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
Posts: 9,950
TravelZoo's advertising $259, including buffet breakfast for two in Ilima Terrace (right, no points)...
http://www.travelzoo.com/hotels/hawa...m_medium=email
(I don't have anything to do with TravelZoo or Hyatt, except to receive emails.)
http://www.travelzoo.com/hotels/hawa...m_medium=email
(I don't have anything to do with TravelZoo or Hyatt, except to receive emails.)
Last edited by Firewind; Nov 16, 2011 at 10:58 am Reason: The no points part
Nov 16, 2011, 12:47 pm
#68
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt Glob
Posts: 369
TravelZoo's advertising $259, including buffet breakfast for two in Ilima Terrace (right, no points)...
http://www.travelzoo.com/hotels/hawa...m_medium=email
(I don't have anything to do with TravelZoo or Hyatt, except to receive emails.)
http://www.travelzoo.com/hotels/hawa...m_medium=email
(I don't have anything to do with TravelZoo or Hyatt, except to receive emails.)
Hyatt.com has the same rate (although breakfast is listed as 2 for the price of one, and the rate is non refundable).
Nov 16, 2011, 3:52 pm
#69
Moderator: Hawaii-based airlines & Hawai'i forums
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
Programs: NEXUS/Global Entry, Delta, United, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and Hertz
Posts: 18,043
Booked the $259 TZNOV rate via the Diamond Desk last night; was not able to get a confirmed suite, though.
Nov 16, 2011, 4:03 pm
#70
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt Glob
Posts: 369
Nov 20, 2011, 8:40 am
#74
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,959
Nov 21, 2011, 10:36 am
#75
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
I definitely noticed the lack of the buffet in the dining area. There also appears to be one less chair in the living room.