trip report-Maui (& Kauai)
Dec 28th, 2004 | 10:31 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3
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trip report-Maui (& Kauai)
We just returned today from nine amazing days in paradise. We had perfect weather (in Maui) and could not have had a better time...despite some last minute changes. This was our second trip to Maui so we planned to do most of our activities in Kauai and spend the time in Maui relaxing and enjoying the break from the cold weather at home.
Day 1--departed uneventfully from Chicago (loved the direct flight)
Arrived in Maui one hour early--yea! Rental car through Avis went smoothly. We stopped at the Safeway in Lahaina to pick up some snacks and drinks for our room. We used our Safeway card so we found the prices to be reasonable.
Checked into the Hyatt--
This hotel is wonderful….one of the best I have ever stayed at. The man working at the front desk, Danny, included breakfast with our room and sent up some champagne (since it was our anniversary). The room itself was nice sized. I loved our view (partial ocean)…I spent so much time out on the lanai. The grounds of this hotel are awesome. The pool is huge and so much fun. There are so many great little places to sit and read or just enjoy the surroundings. After unpacking, we drove to Maui Tacos in Lahaina to pick up dinner. We were so tired we just ended up eating our meal on the lanai and then headed to bed.
Day 2—Woke up early to the sound of birds and the ocean waves. It was so peaceful. Headed down to the breakfast buffet—It was SO good that we actually found this part of the day to be one of our favorites. Spent the day at the pool before getting a couples massage on the beach. Although it was expensive, it was well worth it!! My only complaint is that the massage hut is set up so close to the pool and all it’s “action” so it was actually kind of noisy. The Anara spa and fitness center is nice. My husband really enjoyed the relaxation room. Dinner was at the Plantation House in Kapulua. I had the penne pasta with shrimp and my husband had the pork tenderloin. Great service and pretty good food…dinner for two with two drinks was $80.
Day 3—After another amazing breakfast (the bread pudding with vanilla sauce was to die for) we spent the morning at the pool. Even though we are in our mid-twenties, we loved the slide at the pool. It was so much fun! We spent the afternoon in Wailea exploring the beaches, shops and hotels in that area. Then we headed to Mama’s Fish House for dinner. We absolutely love this restaurant. The setting and food are to die for. Of course, this all comes at a price. Dinner for the two of us with drinks was about $200. I had the Mahi Mahi…it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had.
Day 4—Enjoyed another morning lounging around the beach and pool before checking out and heading to the airport for Kauai. We took a direct flight to Lihue on Island Air.
As much as I hate to say it, everything went wrong from the minute we landed. Our rental car through National wasn’t available so instead of getting the intermediate car I reserved we were given all that they had available—a Cavalier. This would have been ok but the car was a mess and it smelled horribly. Finally, they found us a new Cavalier (through Alamo) and we were on our way. Traffic in Lihue was a mess so we stopped at the Big K-mart to buy snacks and let the traffic pass. Then we headed to the Sheraton in Poipu where we planned to stay seven nights in a garden view room. Moses, the concierge, was very nice…but that and the free Internet was the only thing we liked about this hotel. We found it to be run-down and in need of a renovation. Our room was similar to that of a room at Motel 6. I wasn’t expecting it to be as nice as the Hyatt but I certainly wasn’t expecting this. We asked to pay to upgrade to an oceanview room (which are suppose to be nicer) but were told it would cost us $225 more per night than what we were already paying ($215). I would only recommend this hotel to someone looking for a clean place to sleep—not a resort. On top of this, it was pouring rain and the locals we spoke to said that the Kona winds were blowing in and they were expecting downpours for the next week. After verifying this with the national weather service, we booked a flight back to Maui the following day. It was hectic canceling everything we planned and making new reservations in Maui but it was worth it for us. I’m sure some people wouldn’t mind spending their vacation in downpours, but we love warm, sunny weather too much. I know that it is Kauai’s rainy season so we expected a few showers but heavy rain for a week was enough to get us packing.
Day 5—KAUAI
We spent the day exploring Kauai. We didn’t get to do anywhere near all the things we had planned but we did get to see Waimea Canyon (too cloudy to see anything), Spouting Horn (very cool) and the Princeville area (beautiful!). I loved the Princeville hotel…it was so luxurious. The Hyatt in Poipu was also nice but I thought the grounds were actually nicer at the Hyatt in Maui. In Waimea, we had shave ice at Jo Jo’s. I highly recommend it. We had strawberry, banana, and mango shave ice with the mac nut ice cream. YUM!!! Flew back to Maui at 6:00—checked into the Wailea Marriott that night. I loved the open-air lobby and the laid-back feel of this hotel. The room had a huge lanai and a wonderful view. The pools were nice but kind of small and somewhat crowded. We had a light dinner at Kumu’s Bar and Grill--great service and food with live Hawaiian entertainment.
Day 6—Spent the day at Ulua Beach and Marriott’s pool
Went to Mulligan’s on the Blue for some traditional Irish food
It wasn’t very good.
Day 7—Road to Hana (the highlight of our trip!)
On our last visit to Maui (in 2001) we did the road to Hana and really enjoyed it. We decided to do it again since I purchased Maui Revealed and we realized all the things we missed. That book is a must-have for anyone going to Maui. We saw so many beautiful waterfalls, the black beach, and many rainbows. The best thing we did though was continue on the road past Hana all the way back to Kahului. We did not find the road to be difficult at all. We had a Chrysler convertible and it handled everything just fine. The sights we saw on this part of the road were actually better than anything we saw before Hana. I highly recommend this! We had dinner in Kihei at Bada Bing. Good prices, slow service and pretty good pizza.
Day 8—Christmas
We unsuccessfully tried getting dinner reservations at one of the hotels but everything was sold out. I would have made the reservations earlier but with our last minute decision to come back to Maui we had to be flexible. (I did have a reservation at the Beach House in Kauai which we canceled when we left the island.) We ended up eating in the Shops at Wailea at Cheeseburgers, MaiTais and Rock n Roll. The food was ok…typical bar and grill food and prices
Day 9—Spent the day shopping before heading the airport for our flight home
Can’t wait to go back…
There is SO much more we could have done, but most activities we did last time we were in Maui and did not have a huge desire to do them again (Molikini boat ride, luau). We mostly just wanted to relax and enjoy the beauty of the island. Next time we will do the sunrise bike ride down Haleakala.
I’m not sure if we will go back to Kauai. I know we did not spend enough time there to even see even a fraction of the island, but we found it to be too quiet (which I’m sure some people LOVE).
Day 1--departed uneventfully from Chicago (loved the direct flight)
Arrived in Maui one hour early--yea! Rental car through Avis went smoothly. We stopped at the Safeway in Lahaina to pick up some snacks and drinks for our room. We used our Safeway card so we found the prices to be reasonable.
Checked into the Hyatt--
This hotel is wonderful….one of the best I have ever stayed at. The man working at the front desk, Danny, included breakfast with our room and sent up some champagne (since it was our anniversary). The room itself was nice sized. I loved our view (partial ocean)…I spent so much time out on the lanai. The grounds of this hotel are awesome. The pool is huge and so much fun. There are so many great little places to sit and read or just enjoy the surroundings. After unpacking, we drove to Maui Tacos in Lahaina to pick up dinner. We were so tired we just ended up eating our meal on the lanai and then headed to bed.
Day 2—Woke up early to the sound of birds and the ocean waves. It was so peaceful. Headed down to the breakfast buffet—It was SO good that we actually found this part of the day to be one of our favorites. Spent the day at the pool before getting a couples massage on the beach. Although it was expensive, it was well worth it!! My only complaint is that the massage hut is set up so close to the pool and all it’s “action” so it was actually kind of noisy. The Anara spa and fitness center is nice. My husband really enjoyed the relaxation room. Dinner was at the Plantation House in Kapulua. I had the penne pasta with shrimp and my husband had the pork tenderloin. Great service and pretty good food…dinner for two with two drinks was $80.
Day 3—After another amazing breakfast (the bread pudding with vanilla sauce was to die for) we spent the morning at the pool. Even though we are in our mid-twenties, we loved the slide at the pool. It was so much fun! We spent the afternoon in Wailea exploring the beaches, shops and hotels in that area. Then we headed to Mama’s Fish House for dinner. We absolutely love this restaurant. The setting and food are to die for. Of course, this all comes at a price. Dinner for the two of us with drinks was about $200. I had the Mahi Mahi…it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had.
Day 4—Enjoyed another morning lounging around the beach and pool before checking out and heading to the airport for Kauai. We took a direct flight to Lihue on Island Air.
As much as I hate to say it, everything went wrong from the minute we landed. Our rental car through National wasn’t available so instead of getting the intermediate car I reserved we were given all that they had available—a Cavalier. This would have been ok but the car was a mess and it smelled horribly. Finally, they found us a new Cavalier (through Alamo) and we were on our way. Traffic in Lihue was a mess so we stopped at the Big K-mart to buy snacks and let the traffic pass. Then we headed to the Sheraton in Poipu where we planned to stay seven nights in a garden view room. Moses, the concierge, was very nice…but that and the free Internet was the only thing we liked about this hotel. We found it to be run-down and in need of a renovation. Our room was similar to that of a room at Motel 6. I wasn’t expecting it to be as nice as the Hyatt but I certainly wasn’t expecting this. We asked to pay to upgrade to an oceanview room (which are suppose to be nicer) but were told it would cost us $225 more per night than what we were already paying ($215). I would only recommend this hotel to someone looking for a clean place to sleep—not a resort. On top of this, it was pouring rain and the locals we spoke to said that the Kona winds were blowing in and they were expecting downpours for the next week. After verifying this with the national weather service, we booked a flight back to Maui the following day. It was hectic canceling everything we planned and making new reservations in Maui but it was worth it for us. I’m sure some people wouldn’t mind spending their vacation in downpours, but we love warm, sunny weather too much. I know that it is Kauai’s rainy season so we expected a few showers but heavy rain for a week was enough to get us packing.
Day 5—KAUAI
We spent the day exploring Kauai. We didn’t get to do anywhere near all the things we had planned but we did get to see Waimea Canyon (too cloudy to see anything), Spouting Horn (very cool) and the Princeville area (beautiful!). I loved the Princeville hotel…it was so luxurious. The Hyatt in Poipu was also nice but I thought the grounds were actually nicer at the Hyatt in Maui. In Waimea, we had shave ice at Jo Jo’s. I highly recommend it. We had strawberry, banana, and mango shave ice with the mac nut ice cream. YUM!!! Flew back to Maui at 6:00—checked into the Wailea Marriott that night. I loved the open-air lobby and the laid-back feel of this hotel. The room had a huge lanai and a wonderful view. The pools were nice but kind of small and somewhat crowded. We had a light dinner at Kumu’s Bar and Grill--great service and food with live Hawaiian entertainment.
Day 6—Spent the day at Ulua Beach and Marriott’s pool
Went to Mulligan’s on the Blue for some traditional Irish food
It wasn’t very good.
Day 7—Road to Hana (the highlight of our trip!)
On our last visit to Maui (in 2001) we did the road to Hana and really enjoyed it. We decided to do it again since I purchased Maui Revealed and we realized all the things we missed. That book is a must-have for anyone going to Maui. We saw so many beautiful waterfalls, the black beach, and many rainbows. The best thing we did though was continue on the road past Hana all the way back to Kahului. We did not find the road to be difficult at all. We had a Chrysler convertible and it handled everything just fine. The sights we saw on this part of the road were actually better than anything we saw before Hana. I highly recommend this! We had dinner in Kihei at Bada Bing. Good prices, slow service and pretty good pizza.
Day 8—Christmas
We unsuccessfully tried getting dinner reservations at one of the hotels but everything was sold out. I would have made the reservations earlier but with our last minute decision to come back to Maui we had to be flexible. (I did have a reservation at the Beach House in Kauai which we canceled when we left the island.) We ended up eating in the Shops at Wailea at Cheeseburgers, MaiTais and Rock n Roll. The food was ok…typical bar and grill food and prices
Day 9—Spent the day shopping before heading the airport for our flight home
Can’t wait to go back…
There is SO much more we could have done, but most activities we did last time we were in Maui and did not have a huge desire to do them again (Molikini boat ride, luau). We mostly just wanted to relax and enjoy the beauty of the island. Next time we will do the sunrise bike ride down Haleakala.
I’m not sure if we will go back to Kauai. I know we did not spend enough time there to even see even a fraction of the island, but we found it to be too quiet (which I’m sure some people LOVE).
Dec 28th, 2004 | 01:41 PM
#2
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
Likes: 0
Your trips sounds wonderful except for Kauai. But good for you to take the bull by the horns so to speak and change your plans. Many people do not do this. I have been to Kauai a few times and we always had beautiful weather but know many that have rain their entire visit. That wouldn't be what I would want either.
Happy travels to you in 2005!
Happy travels to you in 2005!
Dec 28th, 2004 | 06:33 PM
#3
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
Thanks for your report. It is always nice to hear how someone else's trip went, the good and the bad. I have heard that Kauai has had alot of rain this winter. I have a friend who lives there and she recently e-mailed me that there has been lots of rain, the most in winter for about 40 years. Don't know how true that is, but that's what she said. Maybe auntiemaria can add her knowledge about that. I am headed to Kauai for the month of February, so I hope that it is better by then. All in all, it seems like you had a good trip. Thanks again for your report.
Dec 28th, 2004 | 06:43 PM
#4
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 0
kcs,
did you post under a different name before?
If you didn't, all you had to do was ask me and I would have told you not to go to Kauai because....
It rains all the time, no night life, too expensive, the waves are too loud, the mud is too red and leaves are too big.
did you post under a different name before?
If you didn't, all you had to do was ask me and I would have told you not to go to Kauai because....
It rains all the time, no night life, too expensive, the waves are too loud, the mud is too red and leaves are too big.
Dec 29th, 2004 | 08:10 AM
#6
Original Poster
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Kal,
I never posted under a different name...this was actually my first post. However, I lurked around during the planning of my trip and gathered some great advice on this board. I figured it was my time to share some information, too. Hope you're having a great time in Hawaii!!!
I never posted under a different name...this was actually my first post. However, I lurked around during the planning of my trip and gathered some great advice on this board. I figured it was my time to share some information, too. Hope you're having a great time in Hawaii!!!
