gdubs
This baby is awesome!
Member since 11/10 2467 total posts
Name:
Gina
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Hawaii Review (Kauai and Maui)
KAUAI - Beautiful island, very green and gorgeous ocean views at every turn. The people are friendly and there are plenty of outdoorsy activities to keep you busy. There are chickens and roosters everywere! It is the perfect place to relax and unwind. The weather when we went was perfect (End of September/Early October) mid eighties and sunny every day.
Flight - Continental - Our flight was initially supposed to be from Newark straight to Honolulu with a connecting flight to Kauai. We noticed the plane made a sharp turn when we got close to LA and not until we circled once did the pilot announce we had to burn off fuel to be able to land at LAX since we didn’t have enough fuel to make it to Honolulu (Ummm what???). This entire delay added 4-5 hours to our trip causing us to miss our connecting flight to Kauai. Continental put us up in a Best Western which is just about as good as you can get for cheap but not dirty in Hawaii. We couldn't get another flight to Kauai unti the next day causing us to lose out on a full night at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai. Back to the flight… uncomfortable seats, no in flight entertainment other than the 2 repeating movies they had and 2-3 channels of repeating television shows. They didn’t offer a meal unless you purchased it and the selection was very limited. If you are a vegetarian expect to only have junk food. Also the airplane was freezing, passengers were complaining and I was literally shivering.
Grand Hyatt Kauai - This is an incredible, beautiful hotel. Impressive from the moment you pull up, the views are breathtaking. When you enter the hotel the view out to the ocean is amazing. The staff is friendly and helpful. The rooms are comfortable, large bathroom and a lanai will views of the gardens and ocean. The pool was beautiful, very lagoon like, with different areas, a slide and a lower level that actually had sea water leading in to it. Stay away from the activity pool if you’re looking for quiet. Excellent poolside service. We never had a problem finding chairs poolside.
For honeymooning couples the resort gives you a free cabana rental, a bottle of champagne in your room and a free dessert at one of their resort restaurants.
Tide Pools (Grand Hyatt) - Good food but slow service and the prices were very expensive but this is to be expected in Hawaii. The views would be better during the day rather than later at night. Dessert was excellent.
Ilima Terrace (Grand Hyatt) - Went for breakfast, they offer buffet or menu service. Excellent French Toast and Mahi Mahi & Eggs.
The Beach House Restaurant - This restaurant gets a lot of hype. The food is good, dessert was just ok and it is pricey (but again to be expected). Lots of families and people celebrating special occasions. It’s not the quietest or most romantic restaurant. But it has amazing views of a gorgeous sunset which is it’s real claim to fame.
Poipu Village - Great place to pick up souvenirs or necessities and it is very close to the Hyatt. Great quick and cheap places to eat.
Puka Dog - Hawaii’s version of the hot dog. Had mine with Mango Salsa and Hawaiian Mustard. The fresh squeezed lemonade is delicious.
Ono Family Restaurant - Local diner in Wailea. Relatively cheap, very basic but good breakfast food. I had Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes. Delish!
Kayak Wailea - We did the 4.5 hour kayak and hike to a waterfall. Great views, friendly guide. Not too strenuous. Great price for the value but no lunch is included so pack your own.
Torch Lighting at the Hyatt - Nothing fancy, happens nightly and is a nice time to watch the sunset and get drinks/apps.
Hawaiian Surfing Adventure - We went for Paddle Board lessons and had a great time. It’s a little out of the way if you’re staying on the south shore but the drive up is beautiful and very scenic. The instructor was young but very helpful and patient. The river was very pretty and led out to the bay which was nice to have to hang out on after the lesson.
  
MAUI - Much busier island, not as scenic, much more commercial and geared towards tourists. Still there are places that are quite beautiful.
Hyatt Regency Maui - Not as nice at the Hyatt in Kauai. Had the front and back covered for future construction but it obstructed views and took away from the ambiance of the hotel. The rooms were not as nice. The bathroom was very small. The hotel had tropical birds throughout which was very cool. The pool was very basic, nothing special and it was ALWAYS difficult to find chairs poolside. At check in for honeymooning couples they give complimentary champagne, a cooking class, photo album and astronomy class.
Umalu (Hyatt Regency) - Ate lunch here mostly. Overpriced and not that great.
Son’z at Swan Court (Hyatt Regency) - Ate breakfast here. Similar to Ilima at Grand Hyatt. Expensive and nothing special.
Mama’s Fish House - Great food but way very expensive. Nice views and friendly staff. Excellent drinks and the lobster guac was very good.
I’o Restaurant - BEST.MEAL.EVER. This restaurant definitely makes my top 10 restaurants of all time. Amazing view, service, food, drinks and dessert. Convenient to the Hyatt on Front Street.
Feast at Lele Luau - Conveniently located on Front Street. Fun show, very entertaining. Food was so so, drinks were good and included in the price. Liked that we were seated at individual tables and not in a long banquet situation with strangers. We were seated second row (not preferred seating) but still had a great view. They have photogs that will take your picture but it’s VERY expensive for a picture when you can find someone to just take a pic with your camera. 3 pics $45, 2 pics $35.
Lappert’s Ice Cream - Delicious, great flavors with local ingredients. Macadamia nut was SO GOOD!
Da Kitchen - “Cheap” lunch. Quick service. Basic local food and burgers.
Honolulu Cookie Company - Big fan of this company. Makes great souvenirs rather than picking up trinkets and are very tasty.
Front Street - Great place to window shop or pick up souvenirs. Some things are definitely over priced but if you’re looking for the perfect thing to take home to remember your trip you’ll find it here. There are not as many restaurants as you would think along the road but they are there and all as pricey as you would expect for Maui. You can also find the giant Banyan tree here which is something incredible to see. Absolutely beautiful and amazing to just spend a while looking at. At night, hundreds of birds come to roost and it’s amazing to hear them all chirping!
Bike Maui - We went on the Sunrise Haleakala Bike Tour. No question about it, one of the most gorgeous sunrise I have ever seen. You are literally above the clouds on top of a dormant volcano watching the sun rise. That being said, if you have a rental car save the $200+ and drive yourself up there, bring a mug of hot cocoa, dress warm and then drive back down after the sun has risen. If you're a big fan of biking then take the tour!
I know I missed a few things but this covers a lot!!!!
    
Oh and we may have fibbed and told them we were on our honeymoon... at the first hotel it was a slip (I meant to say anniversary!!!) and then we just went with it at the second!!
Message edited 10/10/2011 11:51:34 PM.
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now we can all sit together when we're old and think back about the time we all wen to hawaii within the same year 
