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Kauai Overview/DansMeals:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/39185

Trip Reports:
Dan 2014
Dan 2009, Auntiemus, Benarroc, Westman812, Hudi, Yellow, Lechaim2life, DanFan2010, Jmansour, Something Fishy, Rivky, chuchem, dealvr, Amusch,
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Dan's concierge packet.


Related DDF Threads:
-Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
-Kauai Master Thread
-Maui Master Thread
-Oahu Master Thread


Before you go:

How long should I go for?
You could spend 10 years on Kauai and not get your fill. That being said, the bare minimum to enjoy your stay is 4 days on the ground. A week is ideal.

It's possible to do a short trip by leaving early Sunday morning, getting there in the afternoon, and then leaving Thursday night and being back home for shabbos.

Do I need a guide book?
Very definitely. Sure you could find most info online, but nothing compares to a good, written-by-a-local, guide book. Kauai Revealed is by far the best option, and will possibly be the best $16 you spent on your trip.

What about Shabbos?
Some authorities hold that there's a dateline issue with Shabbos.
The local communities keep shabbos on Saturday.
Definitely ask your LOR before you go - some hold simply that Shabbos is on Saturday, some hold that you have to keep Shabbos on both Friday and Saturday, and some hold that you have to keep D'oreisas on Friday and full Shabbos on Saturday.

If you must keep 2 days, remember that there are many questions that could come up (such as when to light Shabbos candles, how to warm up food, etc.), so make sure to discuss it all with your LOR.

There have been books written about the Chabad opinion of keeping shabbos only on Saturday. Rabbi Aharon Dovid Gancz gives an absolutely fascinating pilpul on the topic, if you get a chance to attend one please record it (with permission) and upload the video online.


Getting there and getting around:

Air:
The main airport is in Lihue, and is designated LIH.
You could fly directly from the mainland to LIH from
DEN (UA)
LAX (AA, DL, HA, UA)
OAK (AS, HA)
SAN (AS)
SEA (AS)
SFO (UA)
SJC (AS)
PDX (AS)
PHX (US)
YVR (WestJet)

There are no direct flights from the East coast, so you will stop in one of these cities.
Alternately, you could fly directly to Honolulu (HNL) and continue to LIH from there.

Hawaiian, Go, and Island Air fly interisland to LIH from HNL and OGG. There are no direct flights between LIH and the Big Island (ITO/KOA).

You can also use 5K AA or, 6k UA, or 7.5k HA miles each way to fly interisland. United allows a free stopover on a round-trip, so for instance you can fly HNL-LIH-OGG-HNL for just 12K miles.

Car:
A car is necessary on Kauai. All major companies have branches, mostly at the airport. There are also some local companies.

National has Executive Aisle/Selection at the airport, but Hertz doesn't have Gold Choice. Avis also has a desk at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. Check out www.discounthawaiicarrental.com - they book from the major brands, and are worth a try.

There's nothing like a convertible on Kauai, but a 4WD is better (sometimes even necessary) for certain places such as Polihale Beach or Milolii Ridge Road. Taking a convertible for most of your stay and a 4WD for a day or two is a good idea.


Where to stay:

There are 3 major areas where to stay. The South side is drier so good weather is more or less guaranteed. The North side is far prettier, with sheer cliffs and a backdrop of lovely green mountains. However, the weather in winter could be rainy and it can be buggy as well.
The rain typically doesn't last long, and is usually accompanied by numerous rainbows, so it's usually not too bad. However, it's something you should take into account. The East side has the cities of Lihue and Kapa'a, alone with countless hotels and resorts. This area isn't as beautiful and the North or South side.

When choosing an area also consider how far it is to your chosen activities, not just the weather, For example, it takes about an hour from the Grand Hyatt to Waimea Canyon, but over two hours from the St. Regis.  On the other hand the St. Regis is much closer to north shore activities.

Here are some places that are discussed in this thread:

NameAreaMore InfoComments
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Grand Hyatt KauaiSouth sideWebsiteGenerally considered to be the top hotel on Kauai, and countless DDF'ers have stayed there. The weather is perfect year-round, it's right by Poipu beach, and you drive through an awesome tree tunnel to get there. There are countless pools and exotic birds all around.
St. Regis PrincevilleNorth sideWebsiteAnother beautiful hotel, this is an SPG category 7. The setting of the SRP is absolutely breathtaking, with the ocean crashing on the cliffs below and the waterfall-filled mountains in the background. The views from the rooms are unparalleled, but most rooms have no balconies.
Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas North sideWebsiteSPG category 6.
Sheraton Kauai Resort South sideWebsiteSPG category 5.
"Get your own place"AnywhereWebsiteThere are countless condos, timeshares, or villas available to rent on the island. The advantages are that you get more for your money - a couple of bedrooms, living/dining rooms, and a full kitchen. There will usually be a pool, sometimes even a private one. Additionally, they're often cheaper than a hotel. There are many places to find them -
 HomeAway Kauai
VRBO Kauai
Airbnb Kauai, etc.


What to do:

Beaches:
There are countless beaches on Kauai, and all are public. Most offer amazing snorkeling. The East and South side beaches are safe for swimming / snorkeling year round, while some North and West beaches could be deadly in winter. Here are some popular ones, in no particular order:

NameAreaComments
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PoipuSouth sideThis beach is right by the GHK. Full amenities (lifeguard, showers, etc.). Snorkeling is amazing here, especially in the morning. Sea turtles and the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal are commonly seen here. Gorgeous sunsets.
Ke'eNorth sideThis beach is the gateway to the famous Kalalau Trail. The view from here is amazing, looking out over the majestic Na Pali cliffs. Great snorkeling, with a large fringing reef. This beach could be deadly winter, when 20-foot waves crash onto shore. However, at times it's perfectly calm. Use common sense. The beach is part of Hāʻena State Park
TunnelsNorth sideBeautiful crescent beach, with a lovely view of "Puff the Magic Dragon" mountain. Great snorkeling, and beautiful sunrises. May be dangerous in winter.
LumahaiNorth sideVery pretty beach, where they filmed South Pacific. Extremely dangerous winter.
PolihaleWest side17 solid miles of uninterrupted sand. Fairly remote, and accessible only via dirt and sand road, so 4WD is preferred. Unswimmable most of the year, but the area called Queens Pond is safe all year round. Since it's so huge, you could easily find a secluded spot. Great view of the south side of Na Pali, with amazing sunsets.
Queen's BathNorth sideThis is a rocky beach by the cliffs under Princeville. Very cool during the summer, when you could swim in a rock pool with the fish, but absolutely deadly during the winter (people die there all the time).
KalalauNorth sideOne of the most beautiful beaches in the entire world. Unfortunately, it's only accessible via one of the most difficult and most dangerous hikes in the world, the Kalalau Trail.
HonopūNorth sideAnother one of the top ten beaches in the world. The only way to get there is by swimming - from Kalalau beach :o!
Hanalei BayNorth sideA beautiful crescent beach with wonderful views. Mediocre snorkeling, but safe even in the winter. Very predictable waves, so this is the top spot for learning to surf or paddle. Breathtaking sunrises and sunsets.
SecretNorth sideRelatively secluded beach, and needs a bit of a hike to get there.
LydgateEast sideA fully protected beach, with pretty good snorkeling. Great for little kids, but is usually very busy.
NawiliwiliEast sideBoring beach, but the park of the the side is a nice place to stop for lunch and watch the kitesurfers.
Kapa'aEast sideAnother relatively boring beach, but a nice place to have lunch if you're in Kapa'a.


Hiking:
There are a tremendous amount of great hikes on Kauai. Check the Kauai Revealed book for detailed info on all of them, with maps, difficulty ratings, etc. These are just a few which are discussed in this thread:

NameAreaComments
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hike 1Area 1Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Hike 2Area 2Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.


Other activities:

ActivityComments
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Helicopter toursEasily the most expensive activity on Kauai, and easily the most amazing. You get to see otherwise inaccessible places - among others, you fly into Waimea Canyon, along the stunning Na Pali coast, and into the crater of the extinct Mount Waiʻaleʻale, now the wettest place on earth. It's an experience that could simply not be matched. Blue Hawaiian is the most popular and usually recommended. Jack Harter also flies amazing doors-off tours, which are wet, windy, and exhilirating :D.
Powered hang glidingThis is a unique flight lesson (counts a flying time for a pilot's license) in what's basically a motorized tricycle with wings. Supposed to be tremendous fun. Offered by Birds in Paradise.
Waimea CanyonLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Kalalau Valley overlookLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Hanalei Valley overlook
Kayaking
Biking
ATVing
Horseback riding
Ziplining
Cruises
4 Wheel Driving


Shopping:
  • Costco in Lihue has some kosher food, as well as the cheapest gas on the island
  • Wal-Mart, also in Lihue, also has some kosher food

« Last edited by cgr on February 24, 2022, 09:16:59 PM »

Author Topic: Kauai, HI Master Thread  (Read 824343 times)

Offline Platinum

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #640 on: July 22, 2013, 04:59:02 PM »
Self-serve Laundry is free for everyone at the GHK.

In the summertime the north side is ideal.
In the wintertime the south side is ideal.
Is the north that much nicer in the summer that its worth justifying 35,000 spg points per night?

Offline AI-TRAVEL

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #641 on: July 22, 2013, 05:29:13 PM »
I'm in the GHK now. Any ideas for breakfast. I had the rib eye from the hotel last night. And they had my arm and leg! But what about food now?

Offline Dan

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #642 on: July 22, 2013, 06:27:29 PM »
I'm in the GHK now. Any ideas for breakfast. I had the rib eye from the hotel last night. And they had my arm and leg! But what about food now?
Go buy some cereal and (soy?) milk?
Who doesn't plan these things in advance?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #643 on: July 22, 2013, 09:57:23 PM »
Till when will you be there?
Part of the vast right wing conspiracy.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #644 on: July 23, 2013, 12:56:31 AM »
Leaving Wednesday.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #645 on: July 23, 2013, 12:57:49 AM »
Got some cereal popcorn milk salsa chips from big save did the trick.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #646 on: July 23, 2013, 05:11:13 AM »
Ah, I'm arriving Wednesday...
Part of the vast right wing conspiracy.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #647 on: July 23, 2013, 02:08:26 PM »
You just might be kicking me out of my suite! They told me no 4pm bec the room is reserved for somebody already on Wednesday morning.

Offline Dan

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #648 on: July 23, 2013, 02:19:26 PM »
You just might be kicking me out of my suite! They told me no 4pm bec the room is reserved for somebody already on Wednesday morning.
You do realize that there are dozens of suites, no?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #649 on: July 23, 2013, 02:58:14 PM »
You do realize that there are dozens of suites, no?
Can't wait... Will iyh be there Thursday. Mini GHK DO anyone?

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #650 on: July 23, 2013, 05:28:42 PM »
Booked at GHK or 4 nights
(2 free each- me and wife - both platinum).

I called the hotel directly and asked about in a comp upgrade as per advice here on DDF and was told there's no way to do it before arrival at the desk.

Any tips to increase likelihood of success?

Would LOVE a suite, but will take what I can get.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #651 on: July 23, 2013, 11:50:09 PM »
Quote
Any tips to increase likelihood of success?

Funny, I'm going in two weeks and was about to ask the same question. Does having Platinum status help? Does handing the person behind the desk $20 work, as recommended in a recent best-seller (forgot the name)?

Also, have people had good experiences recently with them freezing and heating up food? An older post seemed to suggest that they charged for it.

Thanks.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #652 on: July 24, 2013, 02:22:43 AM »
You do realize that there are dozens of suites, no?
You do realize I was kidding or I guess you don't. was just stating that I'm not getting the late checkout (even though I'm diamond).
As far as trying to get upgrade. I tried everything, called very day, emailed the manger-jamie.herman@hyatt.com- called the diamond line etc but none of that worked. What did work was I booked one night and I got the rep to put me in a suite (I think she thought I had a suite reward night as oppose to a regular reward which I had) for that night which was the last night of my stay and then when I got here I said that I was supposed to be in a suite the whole time and it would really spoil my honeymoon to have to switch rooms etc and they put me in the garden suite. I do note that it took me a couple of phone calls to be able to get into that suite the one night. Good luck.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #653 on: July 24, 2013, 05:45:07 AM »
Also the kosher food option at the GHK is not great and very expensive. If your going with that get only the steak or the roast for the main. The burger and sweet and sour and sesame chicken are not good. The knishes and soup however are good and they both are 2 portions.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #654 on: July 24, 2013, 12:40:54 PM »
To clarify, I meant if we bring our own Kosher food, are they good about freezing and heating up. At the Hyatt Waikiki she sounded really nice and helpful, but someone on the forums a while back said that they wanted $$$ at the GHK for servicing Kosher food.

Any thoughts on the suite?

Also, Dan mentioned private beaches on the West (Polihale). Has anyone had experiences finding private beaches closer to the GHK? Kaui revealed (p. 82) mentions the East shore's Ha'ula Beach as "most secluded." Anyone try it?

Thanks

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #655 on: July 24, 2013, 12:46:28 PM »
To clarify, I meant if we bring our own Kosher food, are they good about freezing and heating up. At the Hyatt Waikiki she sounded really nice and helpful, but someone on the forums a while back said that they wanted $$$ at the GHK for servicing Kosher food.

Any thoughts on the suite?

Also, Dan mentioned private beaches on the West (Polihale). Has anyone had experiences finding private beaches closer to the GHK? Kaui revealed (p. 82) mentions the East shore's Ha'ula Beach as "most secluded." Anyone try it?

Thanks

While it isn't that close to the GHK, we've had the entire Tunnels Beach (and it's a looong one) to ourselves in the early mornings.
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #656 on: July 24, 2013, 02:18:16 PM »
Ask if they can get blintzes like in Maui.
Received this email. Had a price list as well. I imagine they need tov update their pdf. I hope they will be able to accommodate my free kosher meals from this menu. Remember this is after I emailed them saying they have no breakfast items. I emailed them asking if it'll be free. Here is the email I received...
" Aloha sir- Here are the breakfast options that Oahu Kosher provide.

Yes we do offer breakfasts , sorry I didn’t see the other email . Here is the list below waffles with hash browns – $12
 with fruit salad its $15
 omelet comes only with hash browns – $9
 pancakes and hash browns– $12
 with fruit salad its $15
The smoked salmon capers ,lemons , a small fresh salad non dairy cream cheese and a French baguette – $16
Additional fruit salads 1lb – $6.50 Thank you

Romel N.Begonia Executive Sous Chef Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa 1571 Poipu RD, Koloa, HI, 96756"

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #657 on: July 24, 2013, 02:30:41 PM »
Received this email. Had a price list as well. I imagine they need tov update their pdf. I hope they will be able to accommodate my free kosher meals from this menu. Remember this is after I emailed them saying they have no breakfast items. I emailed them asking if it'll be free. Here is the email I received...
" Aloha sir- Here are the breakfast options that Oahu Kosher provide.

Yes we do offer breakfasts , sorry I didn’t see the other email . Here is the list below waffles with hash browns – $12
 with fruit salad its $15
 omelet comes only with hash browns – $9
 pancakes and hash browns– $12
 with fruit salad its $15
The smoked salmon capers ,lemons , a small fresh salad non dairy cream cheese and a French baguette – $16
Additional fruit salads 1lb – $6.50 Thank you
Get it in writing. Would be cool but they definitely don't have to give it to you for free.
Even if they say no ask if they'll meet you halfway.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #658 on: July 24, 2013, 02:45:19 PM »
To clarify, I meant if we bring our own Kosher food, are they good about freezing and heating up. At the Hyatt Waikiki she sounded really nice and helpful, but someone on the forums a while back said that they wanted $$$ at the GHK for servicing Kosher food.
They charge $10 per meal to heat up and serve.
check it out here http://hyatt.com/hyatt/images/hotels/kauai/KAUAI_KosherMenu.pdf

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #659 on: July 24, 2013, 03:31:17 PM »
Isn't breakfast supposed to be free for diamond members?
Part of the vast right wing conspiracy.