waipouli beach resort v. grand hyatt

We will be going on our first trip to Kauai in Sept. Will be in Oahu at the Halekulani for 4 days prior to arrival, and have previously been to the Ritz in Maui many years ago...which we enjoyed. We had all but decided on the Grand Hyatt, but just haven%26#39;t been able to make that final decision. We are concerned over the size of the hotel, and therefore the large crowds (i.e. conventions) that could be in residence, and also the reviews over the accomodations being a bit tired. Cost is not a factor, but we do want to feel we are getting the appropriate level of resort for the price paid.

We anticipate spending most of our time exploring the entire island, and will be doing many outdoor activites such as hikes, kayaking, a boat tour, and just some good ol%26#39; beach time. We may spend a few afternoons at our hotel.

Does anyone have any information on the Waipouli Beach Resort? We understand it is a new luxury resort, and it sounds appealing. How does the area in which it is located compare to the Grand Hyatt? What is the weather typically like in this area in Sept? Is this a good location to home base for exploring both the North and South parts of Kauai?

Thanks so much!

waipouli beach resort v. grand hyatt

WBR is not really a resort like the Hyatt. The suites are much larger as they are condo units and much cheaper as well. It really is just a very upscale condo with a spa. Not a full service resort. The rooms look really nice but you need to be careful to avoid a unit overlooking the fairly busy highway that runs 50 yds in front of the lobby.

There is no on site restaurant yet-- just a snack bar by the pool. The bar by the pool is very small. Again nothing like the Hyatt. The grounds are practically non-existent. It is a U shaped group of buildings with a cool looking salt water river/pool inside the U. Outside is just parking lot. The Hyatt has extensive grounds in addition to their salt pond and fresh water pool. It%26#39;s a much more remote/beautiful area with access to a beautiful hike out along the coast.

The WBR%26#39;s area is central Kapaa --- kinda busy and the rest of the timeshares/condos are lower end. But the good news is you can walk to several decent restaurants with no need for a designated driver. Traffic can be a bear for a couple of hours a day. In Sept, the weather will be comparable. It is a better location for exploring the North side. It%26#39;s about 30 min to Hanalei and say 40 to Poipu or 1 hr to the top of the mountain. From the Hyatt, you%26#39;re 35-40 min to the top of the mountain and 1.5 hrs to Hanalei. Distances aren%26#39;t that great here so that shouldn%26#39;t be a big factor.

If you are look for a resort with full amenities the Hyatt is currently the best on Kauai. P-ville is looking a shade tired in spots (refurb this fall). The Sheraton and Marriot Lihue are a star or so down. The HIlton is another notch lower.

just one opinion. I%26#39;m sure some will disagree

waipouli beach resort v. grand hyatt

There have been many discussions on this same topic; WBR vs

Hyatt. Put in the search engine on the forum page and it should pull

it all up. The pros and cons of comparing each. Also, go under the

WBR under the hotel search and you can read the reviews from

people. We struggled with this same decision for our trip

in June. We finally decided on the WBR for the newness, the air conditioning, the cheaper rate, and the fact its a 2 bedroom, 3 bath, oceanview vs the one room hotel at the Hyatt. We are also taking our 13 year old so that was another reason for deciding on the condo. I think you have to decide if you want the large resort type hotel feel or more of the laid back condo feel. I know the WBR is booked through August so it is starting to be a pretty popular place.

I mentioned WBR being booked through August, that is through Expedia, Royal Hawaii etc. You could look under VRBO and probably find something from the owner if you decide on this place.

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

Well I live here on the South Shore of Kaua%26#39;i and work at the Hyatt, so I am probably somewhat biased but, having said that ----

I don%26#39;t think there would be any choice between these two properties -- the Waipouli Beach Resort is located in downtown Kapa%26#39;a -- it is new and seems to be heavily booked -- from the outside it doesn%26#39;t look like anything special -- it fronts pretty close to the highway with minimal landscaping (there is parking that fronts the Highway) others have said the rooms (condo type rooms) are great and I do know they have an Aveda Spa there -- but it is on one of the very busiest intersections on the island, and smack dab in the middle of what in my opinion, is one of the most unattractive commercial areas of our island. Again, in my opinion!

I have no comments about the rooms as I%26#39;ve never stayed there -- it is located on the ocean, but several miles away from any type of swimmable beach. If you want a condo type experience in one of the 2 biggest towns on the island - across the street from Safeway --I%26#39;m sure you would enjoy it -- many others have.

The Grand Hyatt is located here on the South Shore of Kaua%26#39;i -- it is considered to be a ';luxury'; resort and only recently had the ';Grand'; added to their name, hence the designation as a luxury resort. It is located at the very end of Po%26#39;ipu Road on many lushly landscaped acres -- it is the most ';Hawaiian style'; hotel on the island and has several pools (one a saltwater one, one with a waterslide), several restaurants, the Po%26#39;ipu Bay Golf Course is immediately to the east of the hotel and the Hyatt is also located in one of the very few undeveloped areas of the Po%26#39;ipu Beach area -- you are in a very quiet area with no other condos/hotels/shopping areas in your immediate area. The beach that the hotel fronts on is lovely for walking on (Shipwrecks Beach) - but not good for swimming. You would need to drive down Po%26#39;ipu Road to either Brennecke%26#39;s Beach or Po%26#39;ipu Beach Park (about a 3 minute drive) to get to nice swimming beaches.

So obviously I would definitely recommend the Hyatt over the Waipouli Beach Resort -- one is definitely ';high end'; luxury type hotel property -- the other more of a condo experience -- depends very much on what you are looking for in your vacation!

Just my thoughts!

Malama Pono,

Janet

Atlanta,

The Grand Hyatt is a beautiful property, the best we%26#39;ve stayed at, and I can%26#39;t imagine the description of it looking a bit tired, at all. You do not run into large crowds, the way the hotel is laid out, and you are going in Sept. so most families will be back for school. If price is not a concern, be sure to book Ocean front deluxe, what a view you will have!

We like to explore the island as well, but love coming back to Poipu and the beauty of the Hyatt after a day of activities. Also, many good dining choices in the area. Be sure and make reservation in advance, as sunset, or window seating is something everyone wants, and you need to plan in advance. We even phone the week before we leave home so we don%26#39;t have to bother with it once on the island.

At the Hyatt, there is Tidepools, and Dondero%26#39;s Italian. Just down the street is, Roy%26#39;s of Hawaii, Keoki%26#39;s Paradise and the Beach House, as well as others. Before dinner have drinks at the Hyatt and view the nightly entertainment on the terrace, and after dinner, go up to Stevenson%26#39;s Library to listen to some jazz.

We just got home from Kauai and the Waipouli Beach Resort yesterday. We loved the resort. We stayed in a 2 bedroom 3 bath Pool and Ocean View. Can%26#39;t say enough about the condo as you will read in the reviews, top of the line everything. It was also nice that when we went to do the Kayaking and the Catamaran (out of Hanalei) and Horseback Riding, it was all pretty close as the location is central. There are also lots of restaurants and stores nearby. Traffic wasn%26#39;t too terrible for us but we may not have been traveling at the peak times. It only got backed up when heading to Southshore. We spent most of our driving time heading north. We loved Northshore. Anyway, absolutely loved it there. It was nice having all that room to spread out. Definitely be careful of the unit you are booked in though. Avoid the ';mountain views';. If you go to their main website, you can see the site map and where the units are located. We were in C304

That being said.....we went to the Hyatt for dinner on the last night we were there. It was BEAUTIFUL. Really felt like Hawaii. Just incredible. The views and the grounds were amazing. My fiance and I talked about it at dinner and when we go back, we are going to do the first and most active part of our trip at the WBR and then finish the last couple of days relaxing at the Hyatt. It just gave us this really peaceful feeling.

Hope this helps!

We stayed at the Hyatt last Sept and LOVED IT! By far the most beautiful place we have ever stayed, one of the highlights of our trip was just walking around after dinner. In September you can expect the place to be mostly honeymooning couples, at least it was when we were there, almost no children. The pool area is fantastic and Tidepools restaurant is great. There are also several other good restaurants nearby in the Poipu shopping area, Roy%26#39;s, Keiko%26#39;s and some quick meal places. Plus, the Beach House is just a quick drive up the road. Most of the activities we did originated on the South Shore so this was a good location for us, as a previous post mentioned, the traffic getting through Lihue can be ridiculous, so if you want to spend a day on the North Shore, go EARLY, like before 7:00am.

I think it has pretty much all been said here. Both properties are very nice. To me,the choice boils down to how long you want to stay and whether or not you like to cook. For just a few days, I would stay at the Hyatt, enjoy all of their amenities and relax. For a week or longer, I would go for the Waipouli, have a full kitchen and a lot more space.

Thanks for all the great info. I booked the Hyatt a few days ago. BTW, rate had come down on Travelocity for a deluxe oceanfront. Now just counting down the days until September!