As I mentioned, and you probably know from my Instagram spamming, we just spent a week on the gorgeous island of Kauai. I have been to the North Shore of Kauai many times, and am always longing to go back. It must be one of the most beautiful, peaceful, unspoiled places on Earth. The last time we visited Hawaii, we spent a few days in Princeville, Kauai, and then spent the rest of our trip in Wailea, Maui. This time we didn't want to waste any time traveling between islands and decided to stick to Kauai, which was our favorite. It's known as the Garden Island for a reason. Kauai is just so tropical and lush. While Yummy Hubby and I prefer the privacy and serenity of a vacation rental, the kids love resort pools. Give those girls a waterslide and they are happy as can be. When deciding on a Kauai beach resort, the Grand Hyatt Kauai in Poipu was a no-brainer. Waterslide - check. Lazy river - check. Breakfast buffet - check. The Grand Hyatt was the perfect stop for a couple of days before heading to the North Shore.
There have been so many travel warnings recently about long TSA security wait times, but we were lucky and had easy flights from LAX to Kauai's airport in Lihue. The drive from the Lihue airport to the Grand Hyatt Kauai was short and beautiful. Kauai is so lush and green - quite the contrast to our parched California landscape. We passed grazing cows and drove through the famed Tunnel of Trees. Long vines hang from trees and we imagined monkeys leaping from one vine to the next.
One thing I love about staying in a resort as opposed to a condo/rental is that upon arrival, guests are greeted with that warm aloha hospitality. The entrance to the Grand Hyatt Kauai is breathtaking. We were greeted with cold watermelon infused water, fresh orchid leis, and a stunning view of the ocean that looked like it could be a painting. Suddenly all the stress of travel melts away and vacation truly begins.
The air in Hawaii is different. It's wet and warm and perfumed with plumeria flowers. I was happy to find my favorite flowers all over the Grand Hyatt Kauai's beautiful grounds. It isn't a Hawaiian vacation without a plumeria flower tucked behind my ear.
The Grand Hyatt Kauai truly has everything you could want or need, which means you never have to even leave the resort if you don't want to.
There are several beautiful restaurants to choose from. We didn't make it to Tidepools, pictured above, but doesn't it look romantic?! I've heard from friends that the food is fantastic, but being surrounded by Koi fish, swans, and warm ocean breezes is reason enough for a visit. Instead, we picked up pizza and salad from Seaview Terrace while we watched the most darling tiny hula dancers perform to live music.
The highlight of Poipu was definitely the waterslide and pools. This waterslide wasn't too fast or scary. The beach in front of the Grand Hyatt Kauai is nothing spectacular unless you're lucky enough to see the seals or sea turtles resting on the beach. When we were there the ocean was too rough for our girls to swim and the beach was very rocky. It didn't matter though - this Kauai beach resort is all about the pools pools pools. There's a saltwater lagoon with an ocean view that is so perfect for kids who aren't strong swimmers and adults who just want to relax.
The Grand Hyatt Kauai lazy river was fun too, although the water doesn't seem to actually move much. If you're heading to the Grand Hyatt Kauai, pick up some inner tubes at the drug store on the way to the resort. Otherwise they are $11 each and very small. Pool tip: get to the pool early to claim your chairs. By the afternoon the pool area was full. Bringing some snacks like hummus and veggies is also a good idea. We found the poolside dining service to be just so-so and like many big resorts, overpriced.
Splurging for the breakfast buffet? Totally worth it! We all loved the tropical offerings at the breakfast overlooking the turquoise ocean. I couldn't decide (and didn't have to!) between the pancakes with macadamia nuts, granola with the sweetest papaya and pineapple, and all the other delectable foods. Everything was perfectly fresh and delicious.
I was happiest, however, venturing out of the resort and into the town. Hitting the Monday Koloa farmers market was on my bucket list. All the tropical fruits were just dreamy and I was in my happy place picking up papaya, pineapple, mango, and passion fruit for our condo in Princeville.
About 5 minutes from the resort we found the sweetest little natural foods cafe, juice bar, and grocery. We stopped into Living Foods for the best pitaya bowl ever, green juice, and a tropical smoothie. They also have made to order pizza, burgers, and wraps. Living Foods is located in a cute shopping center, The Shops at Kukui'ula.
We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Kauai for just two nights before heading to our Princeville condo. For us, two nights was the perfect amount of time to enjoy the resort. Up next, Princeville...