jeffet99

Hi All,

My wife and I are lucky enough to be spending 4 nights in Kauai. We can either stay at the new Marriott Waiohai in a nice large suite, the Hyatt (which is about $200 more) or the old Marriott by the airport which would be the cheapest of the three ($300 cheaper than the Hyatt) and supply breakfast. We like a place that has a nice pool and doesn't feel too crowded. Any recommendations, suggestions or experience in these 3 resorts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Best Regards,
Jeffet

A

koa

I would stay at the waiohai. The Hyatt and the kauai marriott are much larger properties. I heard the suites at the new waiohai are great. The location on poipu beach is perfect.

Alohamom

I second that as the beach at the hyatt is not a good swimming beach and from the web site, the pool looks pretty good. The one at the Hyatt is spectacular though!

thebigkahuna

Hi jeffet, how much is your rate at the Hyatt? Reminds me of algebra class (if x=Hyatt and Y=Mariott z=waiohai w=where in the heck do we stay?) so,W=y+300/z+200/x+0 -- So, if my high school math is correct you should start over and try to get a rate at the Hyatt in the $300's. Try the entertainment rate. If you like to lounge around the pool, Hyatt is the place! The pools at the Hyatt are world class and spectacular! Waiohai is a fine place if you want a large suite but less resort amenities. Good Luck!!

jeffet99

Hi All,
Thanks for the great responses. For more information, using my company discount I can get a Hyatt partial oceanview room for $1566 for 4 nights.

The price for the Marriott Waiohai would be $1356 for 4 nights. The Waiohai offer does include a $30 daily credit at their marketplace.

Let me know if that changes your recommendations.

Cheers,
Jeff

Best Regards

lery

My husband and I spent 9 nights at the Sheraton in Kauai last August. We visited the new Marriott ( we took espressos every morning in the Starbucks in the hotel market). It's very beautiful and on a very nice beach. The Hyatt is the most elegant hotel of all, but I prefer a smaller hotel like the new Marriott. Concernig the old Marriott I would say I was very disapointed with it! It's like being in a big hotel in Las Vegas. There's nothing to do with Hawaii! I hope I could help you.

bquarre

For "a place with a nice pool and that doesn't feel too crowded", stay at the Hyatt. We loved staying there and would again in a minute. Even though you cannot swim or snorkel at the beach, the beach is gorgeous and watching the surfers was fun. If you want to snorkel, do what we did, walk to Poipu (20 minutes through Poipu Kai), or drive up to the North end and go to Tunnels or Ke'e or Anini Beach. Enjoy..Kauai is fabulous.

thebigkahuna

Jeff, see if you can get a better deal at the Hyatt. Check the best rate for a mountain view, enroll as a member of the Hyatt Gold Passport which entitles you to a free upgrade if available, and when you check in upgrade to a poipu garden room. These rooms are the closest to the ocean, and they have sliders so you can walk right out of your room to the pool & ocean. You can hear the surf from your room and can have a limited view of the ocean. If you like pools, Hyatt has 3 levels of interlocking pools. The top (adult) level has waterfalls, private grottos, a lazy river w/currents, and a waterslide.The main level has a volleyball net, and islands with hottubs. The last pool is a free form salt water lagoon which is beautiful. If you are looking for a relaxing place this is it. The only problem is that you will not want to leave the resort! -- Waiohai is nice but if you can get a deal it's even better!. They have been running specials 5nights w/car for anywhere between $600.-$800. Do a text search on Waiohai. Also when are you going? The first 2 weeks of December is very slow, but Christmas Through New Years is peak!

jeffet99

Everyone,

Thanks so much. At this point, the Hyatt is sold out except for the room I can get through my company. The problem is that we're going to be in Kauai on October 9th which gives us very little time.

At this point we're leaning towards the Marriott just because it may be a little quieter. They both sound amazing. Thank you again!

jeffet99

OK... last post
We can still get a partial ocean view at the Hyatt. Since it is pretty full would you folks go with the Hyatt or the Waiohai ocean view and $30 marketplace voucher per day for which would be at the same price (approx $1500) after taxes. Boy this does sound like a bad algebra post.....
THANKS TO ALL!!!
Jeff

anita

Jeff, This is hear say but I have friends who own a timeshare week at the Marriott Waiohai. They stayed there for the first time this past April. Of course everything was new. I believe she said the pool overlooks the ocean. They had a 2 bedroom unit that had a washer and dryer. they also liked having the convenience of the market there.

calgirl

Jeff,

We have stayed at the Lihue Marriott, and just returned two days ago from the Waiohai Marriott. We also walked down to the Hyatt to check it out. Here is my opinion:

We loved the Waiohai!! We had two units. One was a "garden view" and the other was ocean view. Request an ocean view room. The garden view looks out over construction. It will be beautiful when finished, but now it is not great. The ocean view however is wonderful. Ask for Hale 1 building on the odd side of the building. Those have the best views. We were on the even number side (room 1323)and the view was still terrific. The rooms are decorated very nicely, think Tommy Bahama. The snorkeling is great to the left as you go out to the beach. Surfing to the right. The pool is a dark bottom with tropical landscaping. If you want rest and relaxation, this is the place to come. Our stress level was so low by the end of the week, you couldn't have scraped it off the sidewalk with a knife!

We were very impressed by the Hyatt though. It is just a different experience. (Similar to the Grand Wailea on Maui.) Big resort feel.

I have to agree with lery about the Lihue Marriott, it feels like a Las Vegas hotel.

Have a great trip where ever you stay!

Lisa

calgirl

Sorry,

Mean't to say we were in room 1312.

Lisa

ErinH1

We just returned from the Hyatt a few days ago. One word--Paradise! Yes, it's large (lots to see and do) but it didn't feel crowded at all. It was spectacular, so wonderful you have to force yourself to leave the property after a few days to see the rest of Kauai. Very beautiful, mellow, romantic. We were kicking ourselves for only staying 6 nights. The restaurants are all good (poolside) to fantastic (Donderos). The pools have to be the nicest of any resort in Hawaii. A partial ocean view would, I believe, get you a view of the beautiful gardens as well. Then there's Anara Spa and the golf course. I saw the Marriotts only from the outside, so couldn't make a fair comparison. But for us, nothing could beat the Hyatt.

hotandsweaty

i hope this helps.

after years of traveling we have realized one very important thing: if the place we want to stay is in the ballpark of the less expensive place- it is worth the memory value to spend the extra money and know we picked the best place for us.

so, if it an "all things being equal" decision, then i can't help you having only stayed at the hyatt.

but if you truly want to stay at the hyatt and it is the difference of $200 over the course of four days ($50 a day), then i would stay there.

that's just two cents based on many years of "saving" the extra money and yet wishing we were at the more expensive place.

you won't really remember what you did with that extra $200, or whatever amount, but you will remember where you stayed forever.

if this were a budget question, i wouldn't say this, but either way you slice it, if you can afford almost 1400 for 4 nights, then what's 1600 instead?

jeffet99

Hi All,

Thank you again for all the helpful posts. Well we're definitely not staying at the Marriott close to the airport. The other two resorts sound wonderful. One quick question for the folks who stayed at the Hyatt, was the hotel full when you stayed there? If it manages to not feel crowded when they are at or close to full occupancy, then it really must be an amazing place. Thanks again

Jeff

Alohamom

We stayed at the Hyatt Kauai over the holidays (peak season/max occup.)and never once did it feel crowded. The reason for this is the way the pool is wound down the hillside. It is a meandering river pool that twists and turns with a very,very light current. The pool could be packes and you will always find a secluded spot within it. The web site does not do it justice. I think the Waiohai pool is also a very nice one. Not as spectacular, but again I have not seen the Waiohai one, only in arial photos. If budget is a factor, I would consider the fact that at the Marriott you do have a small kitchen in the suites so that you can save substantially on eating in, if you like to do that kind of thing. (I prefer to eat in restaurants as much as I can!)

hotandsweaty

one nice aspect of the hyatt is that you can spend your time in the spa area which makes you feel like you're in a small hotel with its own pool and cafe and the ftiness center with classes right there. they were renovating this summer, so i don't know if that is still the case, but many hyatts seem to have this element, which can make it seem like you're all alone, or at least in a smaller place.
i cannot remember how crowded the hotel was. the lobby was definitely bustling when we were there and it was a holiday weekend, i'm sure, but the place is very spread out with lots of choices for where you want to hang out.
we like to do our own thing for meals and would drive to nearby restaurants.
i don't think you'll feel overwhelmed or crowded the way you would at a high rise property with limited pool decks and no beach.
that is an aspect of hyatts that we always like- you can always find your own peace and quiet even when the place is full to capacity.
in additon to the river pool, there is a lagoon which is like a giant man made "natural " pool with tons of chairs, or you can swim in it and sit on the beach.
i think we were there over a holiday weekend and we had no problem getting chairs or towels or anything.
if we had, i would defnitely have remembered!
members of my family were also just there in august during the construction and of all the places they stayed, in maui, at the princeville, in oahu, they are still talking about their nights at the hyatt as the best.
they felt they really had a nice aloha spirit there.

bquarre

The Hyatt was near full capacity when we were there and it was fine. It is huge! As other posters have said, there is a wide variety of places to hang out. Our favorite was the covered cabanas overlooking the beach. We would hiberante there all day. It was great. Another great spot was under the big trees behind and to the side of the lagoon. We dragged loungers under the trees. I also wholeheartedly agree with hot and sweaty about spending the money. Do it! I don't want to dis the Marriott, but I walked through it and was not impressed. It is nice, but it is a condo complex, not a luxury resort hotel. If you are woried about crowds, I would worry about them more at the Marriott because it is a much more compact and condensed property and not as spread out as the Hyatt. This is like comparing apples and oranges. It would be a different experience from the Hyatt.
Good luck.

Sarah

I have stayed at the Hyatt and visited the Marriott. Hands down if you have an opportunity to indulge in luxury head to the Hyatt. I watched the Hillary Duff beach party bash the other night just to look at the grounds. LOL!

I enjoyed our time there and expect to make my way back. I use to be a big traveler until I found Hawaii now I just keep going back. Great resorts like the Hyatt are part of the draw. I think it is worth the money.

We paid $350 with AAA. The views, pool, location are well worth it! I would go there for at least 2 nights maybe even one. I went for one summer before last I wish I had one more night. All hotels wear on me pretty quickly and we had house rental on the North Shore we left to after Hyatt.