Unique Sleeps: Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa

Beautiful beaches, lush greenery, friendly locals, excellent food. No, we’re not talking about Hawaii in general, we’re talking about the Grand Hyatt Kauai. With 50 acres of pools, restaurants, manicured lawns (including an award winning golf course), spa and gym, there’s nothing the Grand Hyatt does not have.

Kauai may be known as the quiet island, with no buildings taller than a coconut tree, a large population of chickens and a laid-back way of life with the Grand Hyatt operating at another level. The sprawling resort at Poipu on Kauai’s southern tip is well known to have some of the world’s best hotel grounds. Guests can spend their days pool hopping between the freshwater pools – there’s a large lagoon pool just back from the beach, and several interconnecting pools on three different levels, with waterslide, hot tubs, cabanas, deck chairs, day beds, you name it, to keep you occupied. Attendants offering to clean your sunglasses, a café serving moreish nachos, salads and burgers, and tiki hut bars blending frozen cocktails are just the icing on the cake.

The Grand Hyatt occupies prime beachfront real estate, with guest rooms positioned to make the most of the vantage point. Sit on your balcony and watch the waves roll in before heading out for a surf, swim, kayak or paddleboard. The hotel’s extensive activity program includes daily walks, yoga, Pilates, aqua aerobics, lei making, tennis clinics and koi fish feeding. There’s also the Camp Hyatt kids club and daily live music for the little and big kids.

Walking through the many gardens and levels of the resort will actually take you a while, but there are plenty of little details to keep you occupied. Keep an eye out for glass-cased historical displays with information on Hawaiian traditions. You won’t even be bored waiting for a table. At Dondero’s, the resort’s fine dining Italian restaurant, mind teaser board games are spread over the table. You’ll get your appetite worked up before walking through to the restaurant, decked out to resemble a Tuscan villa, even down to the colourful tiles on the wall. Settle in to a table on the terrace and tuck into dishes like peppered beef carpaccio, scallop and squid ink pasta, and local fresh catch. Tidepools is another award winning property onsite, which is perched in the middle of a koi pond. Steak and seafood are the specialties here, with local lobsters, ribeye and even venison on the menu.

When it comes to a bit of pampering, the resort’s Anara Spa has you covered. We’re talking about 45,000 square feet of space dedicated to health and wellbeing, specifically to “lokahi”, the Hawaiian saying for balance and harmony of body and spirit. With lap pool, gym, yoga pavilion, café and shop all before you even enter the spa proper, this is the spot for some serious pampering. Spa guests get access to steam rooms, mineral baths and Jacuzzis before being led to their treatment rooms. This is where the fun really starts. There are several indoor treatment rooms, but also a beautiful spa garden, where open air “hale” massage rooms are the perfect spot to wind down. Forget the panpipes and meditation music, the birds, trees and water features are your soundtrack. Hales even have their own private showers and baths for longer treatments, and whilst there are plenty of options, each person should at least once try a Hawaiian Lomilomi massage, which uses flowing strokes to ease away your tension.

Whether you want to head out and explore Kauai, laze by the pool or learn a bit more about Hawaiian history, the Grand Hyatt Kauai will quickly become your home away from home.

Lisa was the guest of Grand Hyatt Kauai