This is hard review to write, because the resort is clearly special, but this isn't a 5-star experience. First, for the good, the location. The location is just one of those outstanding pieces of real estate that can not be beat. We booked a six-night stay in an Ocean View King on the 6th floor, with a beautiful view. Opening the shades every morning was like looking back in time. For me, this location is unmatched. We rented a vehicle via Turo, and the valet was outstanding. The check-in process was smooth and welcoming. Honestly, the bartenders and servers were truly the game-makers for us. Devin and the Sandbox bar team were outstanding, even going out of their way to hand-select rums for my husband to try. The bar tenders at Welina Terrace were also outstanding. Nikko and the bar team are clearly running that show with an amazing crew of highly skilled cocktail designers. Thank you, Nikko, Ryan, and the servers at Welina Terrace for an amazing experience. The food at Welina was outstanding. The nightly entertainment at Welina Terrace was also a lot of fun. Anthony, thank you for taking care of us at the pool! It was appreciated.
The pool area on the ground floor was awesome, and we never had trouble finding a place to sit. All seats with a view were taken early, and most spots of the beach required a cabana fee.
Now to the hard part. The rooms, while beautifully designed, are dark and small. At about 550 SF, they are very efficient, and the lack of light makes the rooms feel smaller. The bathroom mirror is not backlit, and all of the surfaces are dark. The service to our room was poor and inconsistent. We would often return to our room without it having been serviced, even after turning on the service light. Consistent room cleaning, towel restocking, and turn-down service at this price point are not optional; they are required. We found it very hard to swallow that we had to pay for every single amenity. Plan to pay for everything except the towel here. Beach rentals, bikes for touring Princeville, cabanas, breakfast, and valet-only parking charged nightly. The food service and menus are limited. We ate at all the facilities and only left the hotel for one meal, but by day four, we felt we had tried everything we were interested in. Welina Terrace was the only outstanding meal, and most others fell short. - Despite the long list of "activities," we felt none of them were relatable. We appreciated the fire dancer on Friday at the Sandbox, but that was the only element even remotely "Hawaiian" about the stay. We would have loved a meet-and-greet with other guests, a wine/beer tasting, an omakase-style dining experience with select guests, a dance party on the beach, live bands at the Sandbox, and a sunset boating opportunity with other guests... it just isn't a priority for this location.
I can't recommend this hotel for honeymooners. It just wasn't intimate enough. I personally thought the adults-only pool would save our experience, but there were three day beds and almost nowhere to sit at the adults-only pool area. The hotel seemed to cater to corporate groups despite having poor internet service. We personally didn't feel the hotel provided enough value to hotel customers. Guests coming for breakfast, lunch, or dinner were given the same pricing and treatment as hotel guests, with no preference given to hotel guests, which is truly a shame.
If I were planning another trip to Kauai, we would likely stay at Ko'a Kea or the Grand Hyatt in Poipu. The weather in Hanalei Bay was consistently rainy, and it made it challenging to enjoy everything the hotel had to offer. The Poipu side of the island is consistently drier and sunnier.
If you feel the need, as I did after getting hooked by the flashy website and photos, then stay a max of 3 nights, eat at least one breakfast at the 1 Kitchen buffet ($80/pp), snorkel in the bay if the weather allows, enjoy 1 meal at Welina Terrace, and move on to Poipu or another island.
Skip dinner at 1 Kitchen Restaurant, it really wasn't worth the view or price. The room service menu is limited; they are clearly trying to discourage in-room dining.
Maybe if you love golf or are a major fitness buff, this spot would be your jam, but I didn't get it. - I love to snorkel and felt the snorkeling wasn't great. It rained consistently, causing the nearby Hanalei River to flow into the bay and muddy the waters, making it difficult to see much of anything.
The hotel successfully removes any hint of Hawaiian culture, music, decor, and food from sight. The hotel is so focused on creating a 1 Hotel-branded experience that it completely misses the opportunity to celebrate its inherent sense of place on the island and in Hawaii as a whole. The basics of luxury service, welcoming guests by their last name throughout their stay, celebrating their milestones with every opportunity, memory-making, and learning guests' preferences and catering to them, never happened. - We were there to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary, and it wasn't acknowledged.
Lastly, Kauai is a very remote and rural island; most roads are two-lane highways with 40-mph speed limits. The island gets a ton of rain. If you are looking for fun in the sun, try the North Shore of Kauai, Kona, or Maui.
