frogss29

We weren't big fans of the restaurants at the Hyatt but did love Roy's which is a five minute drive down the road. As the previous poster stated, it is more casual than other roy's but the service and food was great.

We only had breakfast in the Club so can't help you with that but if you aren't a big/fussy breakfast eater then you will be more than happy with what is offered in the club.
And I liked the offerings at night too

Mary2e

There's not much you can do to save at the spa, and as you see, it's not cheap. You also have to add tax & tips to those prices.

They do offer daily spa package specials for a slightly reduced rate BUT I realized they've also shortened the included treatments somewhat and/or may have left off a service that the non-special package includes.

However, as a diamond, you will have access to the facilities, including the steam room/sauna, gym and outdoor showers whenever you'd like.

They may also offer a diamond discount, but it may only be on purchases.

AttorneyVin

As for the Spa, Mary is correct, there is not much of a way to save. But it's definitely worth the money. I would recommend purchasing some of the CocoMango product for your wife -- my wife fell in love with it, and I now have to purchase it online every few months!

As for dining, all locations at this property are wonderful! Tidepools and Donderos are great, so make sure to make reservations at each location. Also, the pool food selection is truly wonderful -- and, it appears to be (surprisingly) the least expensive of any Hawaiian Hyatt pool food and drink.

The Grand Club is truly amazing -- you will find more than enough to eat and drink at all hours of the day. I would suggest opting for the lower room rate and just use the club -- unless you truly want a HUGE breakfast. My wife and I were quite satisfied with the club food and drink. Just keep in mind, however, that alcoholic beverages are no longer complimentary.

As for fun, local and affordable restaurants, I have plenty of suggestions. Having traveled to Kauai each year for the past 20 years with my family, here are some ideas:

1) Merriman's
Top of the list is a lovely new place called "Merriman's." You can find a great deal of info about this place at it's website:
http://www.merrimanshawaii.com/
Located less than 10 minutes away from the Hyatt, it is a must eat! I went there for the first time last year, as it truly is brand new, and you will LOVE it! It utilizes totally locally grown meat, fish and produce. The food and service is to die for!

2) Red Salt
This is a little known secret, and I hadn't discovered it until recently when the Hyatt was booked and i spent 2 nights at the beautiful Koa Kea Resort. Nestled right down near the beach, behind the Marriott, you will find this truly beautiful boutique property with absolutely amazing cuisine. Information about it can be found here:
http://www.koakea.com/dining-at-red-salt/

3) Brennecke's
For a very nice and relatively casual dining experience with beautiful ocean and beach views, I would suggest Brennecke's. They serve lunch and dinner, and below there is a wonderful little deli with great shave ice for a beach day. Information can be found here:
http://www.brenneckes.com/


4) Puka Dog
For a very interesting and amazing hot dog experience, just down the street from the Hyatt is the Poipu Shopping Village. There, you will find the infamous Puka Dog, which has been featured on the Travel Channel multiple times. Information about it can be found here:
http://www.pukadog.com/

5) Keoki's Paradise
For a truly amazing seafood experience, try Keoki's -- also located just down the street from the Hyatt at the Poipu Shopping Village. Don't forget to try the decadent "hula pie" for dessert. Information about it can be found here:
http://www.keokisparadise.com/

6) Wrangler's
For one of the best casual burger places on the west shore, check out Wrangler's. Truly amazing food with a great salad bar. They do not have a web site, but here is there google place page with location information. This is a great quick place to grab lunch when headed out to Waimea Canyon.
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe...16342798025703

7) Bubba Burger
For one of the most amazing burgers on the island, try Bubba Burgers. It's a bit of a drive, but it's a great place to stop if you are headed out to the North Shore. Information about it can be found here:
http://bubbaburger.com/

That should be a decent sampling of dining suggestions. Should you need more dining ideas, feel free to reply.

As for sightseeing, there are several things you must do:

1) Napali Coast
A trip to Kauai is not complete without a catamaran sail up the Napali Coast. Having used almost every major vendor out there, I can tell you that Captain Andy offers the absolute best service and smoothest ride. They offer a morning sail with snorkel or an evening sunset sail without the snorkeling. For a romantic trip, don't miss the sunset sail -- I have done it numerous times, and it is the best sail you will ever have. Information about it can be found here:
http://www.napali.com/kauai_sailing/

2) Waimea Canyon
No trip to this beautiful island would be complete without seeing what Mark Twain referred to as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific." It will take at least half a day to do, and I highly recommend starting out early in the morning so as to best see the canyon before the clouds roll in. This is something that is best driven via rental car, and maps are available with the Hyatt concierge.

3) Helicopter Tour
One of the best ways to see the island is by air -- and, having tried almost all of the helicopter companies out there, the only one I would recommend is "Blue Hawaiian" as they have the best safety record, the finest pilots, and they hold all of the filming contracts -- they recently did all the aerial filming for the new "Pirates" movie. More info about them can be found here:
http://www.bluehawaiian.com/

4) Kauai Movie Tour
This used to be a great way to see the island and get a good dose of films in. They had luxury vans with a dvd/tv that they would show you a film clip and then let you personally see the location of that clip. But, I have heard that since my last trip this wonderful company may have shut down. I would try calling to see:
http://www.hawaiimovietour.com/

5) Kilauea Lighthouse
Located on the drive to the north shore, this is a very beautiful national park service attraction to visit. It is also home to a beautiful bird sanctuary.
http://www.kilauealighthouse.org/

That should be a good list of things to start you out ... if you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to ask.

Enjoy your stay at the Grand Hyatt Kauai, as it is truly the best Hyatt property around!

gwhite216

I am actually here now. 2 suggestions

Spa: By spa finder gift certificates at you local costco to save 20%

Helicopter Tour: Safari Helicopters offers substantial savings if you booking online.

Other than that, enjoy your time at a truly first class resort!

azepine00

Unfortunately that won't help when paying with hyatt gift cards. I am not even sure if you can get hyatt points for spa services if you take spafinder route - you'll have to settle your bill at the spa and it won't be on your folio.

RichardInSF

Virtually all the helicopter operators offer what they call "substantial" discounts for booking online, in order to get you committed before arrival. However, weather should determine when you take the helicopter tour and you won't know that until you arrive or just before.

Kaua'i does have some remarkable locales. Waimea Canyon is definitely worth a look but don't expect it to dazzle like Grand Canyon. Kaua'i is a smallish island after all!

After seeing the canyon, continue on to the end of the road and enjoy the view down the valley to the Napali coast. That, in my book, was really the most spectacular sight.

AttorneyVin

Having been traveling to Kauai for many years and taking more helicopter tours than I would care to admit, I would suggest AVOIDING Safari -- although they do offer great rates, their customer service is no where near as excellent as Blue Hawaiian. Also, Blue Hawaiian has the top safety ratings in the island, and Blue has always been recommended to me by Hyatt and other resort staff.

skj

The Kauai restaurant thread is here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hawai...-i-thread.html

While the morning spread in the Grand Club is nice, with a good variety of fruit, breads and pastries, it really doesn't compare to the buffet breakfast at the Ilima Terrace. I wouldn't want to have the buffet every day, but I think it would be a nice change of pace once or twice during your stay, and the $13 premium is a bargain for the 2 of you. I'd suggest changing your rate for 3 nights, saving you almost $40, and keeping the AAA/Breakfast package for 2 nights.

I'll try not to repeat what I wrote in the restaurant thread except to say that Josselin's Tapas Bar & Grill was our favorite dinner, by far, our last visit. We also enjoy Brennecke's for happy hour, but have been disappointed the last couple of times we went there for dinner. The food was good, and seemed at the same level as the casual setting and service. Unfortunately, the prices were comparable to the better (at least to us), more high-end restaurants, such as Beach House, Josselin's and Roy's. We'd be more of a fan of Brennecke's if it offered better value.

Finally, "like" the Grand Hyatt Kauai on facebook. In the past, Josh has posted specials for certain spa treatments. Perhaps you'll be lucky and there will be one available during your stay in December.

Mary2e

Just a word of note, those spa specials are the same ones offered on a daily basis. They have a different special for each day of the week, and they don't seem to change

nnn

I agree. While the Club's breakfast is nice and we were even slightly disappointed by the quality of Ilima's breakfast, the Ilima breakfast is still overall a great deal at $13/day over the Club.

ILuvParis

Well, since you went to all the trouble, I'll add my .02 worth. The best restaurant on the island is Josselin's Tapas and as good as you'll find in any major city. http://josselins.com/ I presume you haven't been, since you didn't mention it () and all your other recommendations are excellent (- except Brenneke's, which I think is very expensive for mediocre food, but hey to each his own). I'd also recommend Roy's for the butterfish (simply amazing) and the chocolate souffle (the service is often mediocre, however). Keoki's I would recommend for steak too.

I'd also add the Shrimp Station in Waimea for great shrimp tacos (casual, outdoors), Lappert's for the best ice cream on the planet (not in Paris) and really good gelato at Pappalani's, right next door to Puka Dog.

One of the other great things to do is ziplining with Princeville Adventures. http://adventureskauai.com/

I would also recommend a trip to Ke'e Beach after (or before) a visit to the lighthouse. One of the most beautiful beaches in the world IMHO. Also, for hikers, the Kalalau Trail - which starts at Ke'e Beach.

frogss29

Might have been just our bad luck, but the Shrimp Station was closed when we were there in February.
As a matter of fact, LOTS of things were closed/boarded up then!

ILuvParis

Hmmm. I was there in February and didn't notice anything unusual. I guess I just hit the right places at the right time.

azepine00

I hope Hamura Saimin is still there...

ILuvParis

Rest assured.