Lookin_Glass

researching for a friend and I forget the best booking agents for these two properties. I recall there was a way to get upgrades and breakfast etc that beats booking directly. anyone remember?

Lookin_Glass

I'm thinking it was some type of preferred partner plan?

Scootoir

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Kauai for a week in 2006 and booked through Pleasant Holidays but it was through a AAA call center. We were upgraded to a full ocean view room on the 4th floor in the Shipwreck wing which was lovely. Last year we booked using our Hyatt credit cards and got free rooms for 4 nights and the upgrade given was on the pool side of the hotel but not much of a view and on the ground floor. Think we would have preferred any view on an upper floor. We have booked an American Airlines package for the end of this month and I am curious to see what kind of upgrade we might receive.

Lookin_Glass

Thanks for the reply Scootoir! For they Hyatt I have only come up with the credit card deal. Did you get credit cards, use the free nights and dump the card? Also how did the renovations go? Were the rooms spiffed up? Have the bathrooms be overhauled? They were really outdated. A third stay! Good for you!

sharona

Hi Lookin_Glass. Are you perhaps thinking about a Virtuoso agency? They are supposed to be able to get free breakfasts and upgrades when available. I've used two different Virtuoso agencies and haven't received anything special so in reality I'm not sure they really deliver. There's a Virtuoso agency in Cambridge.

Scootoir

LG, we kept the Hyatt cards as we are hoping to build up points for future trips. Also have a couple of nights we can use this year for lesser grade hotels owned by Hyatt when we make some family visits.

As I recall the refurbished room was nicely done. They got rid of the bedspreads which I was glad to see. I did not take photos of the room last year so my only room photos are from 2006 before the refurbishment. I'll have to take a few on this trip. As I recall the bathrooms either have a large shower or a tub/shower combo. There's lots of space in the bath too.

Lookin_Glass

great help! Mahalo!!!

Shar

Costco Travel is another good one. Saved us a couple of hundred $ each time we have used them. We did use them for Hyatt in Waikiki so they might also feature Hyatt Kauai which is awesome!

Scootoir

Well, we got an upgraded room during our stay at the Grand Hyatt Kauai but only after experiencing a room problem. We booked an American Airlines package and were given a room in the Shipwreck wing overlooking the tennis courts and golf course. It was on the top floor which is about 4 stories. The first room was large, had a king bed and very large bath, a marble shower with both a hand held and overhead shower. The second room was the last room on the top floor of the Shipwreck wing with an ocean view. It was about 2 doors down from the large room we were upgraded to in 2006 when we booked with Pleasant holidays. This room had two queen beds and a bathtub with the same shower heads. The bathroom was slightly smaller but it had an automatic toilet with remote control. The hotel moved us and we weren't given a tour of the room features so did not know how to turn the heat off the toilet seat! That was not needed in Hawaii. We ended up unplugging it.

This is our third stay at this hotel and we have been placed in the Shipwreck wing each time. If we return we may ask for a room in the Poipu wing. Love the hotel and the pools. Breakfast buffet was included in our package but if we were to return we would probably choose to have a small breakfast in the peaceful Seaview Terrace rather than the bustling Ilima Terrace.

Shar

I love this hotel. Stayed a couple of times but always go there for a drink and evening entertainment. It is so low key and yet very elegant but not overly done. thanks for the report

Tomsd

My suggestion is to just canvass the internet for the best deal you can find - and then go from there to any "agent" and see what - if anything - they can improve on/add to it.

If you find the lowest price/deal at a property you like - you can decide where/how to spend the savings yourself - not where some agent gets a rake from the deal.