We stayed at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay from July 1–5 to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. The setting is absolutely breathtaking, and the views of Hanalei Bay are truly unmatched. The property itself is beautiful, the rooms are well designed, and the bed was exceptionally comfortable.
There were several highlights. The food at Welina Terrace was excellent, and we also enjoyed lunch at 1 Kitchen. The staff we interacted with there were friendly, and the scenery throughout the resort is simply spectacular.
Unfortunately, the overall experience didn’t match the expectations that come with a five-star luxury resort.
We booked an ocean-view lounge room through Amex FHR for our anniversary, but the room we received felt more like a standard ocean-view studio. The ocean was only visible if you sat in a specific chair / corner of couch which was disappointing given the room category we reserved.
Dining options were another frustration. We were arriving back at the resort around 9:05 p.m., we called Welina Terrace to let them know we were on our way. We were first told they would take a final order at 9:15, but then informed that 9:00 was the hard cutoff and no food would be served. Since nothing else was available on property after 9:00 p.m., we had to drive back into town just to find dinner. For a luxury resort, having virtually no late-night dining options was surprising.
The spa also fell short. While the prices are certainly luxury-level, the experience was not. My massage was average, my wife’s facial was also just average, and the spa facilities were minimal, with only a very small steam room and sauna in the changing areas.
Room service was another disappointment. One order arrived incomplete, and when we politely mentioned the missing item, the staff member who returned with it seemed visibly annoyed. Considering a 23% service charge is already included, the interaction felt unwelcoming. The pasta itself was also lacking flavor.
The breakfast buffet was good but not memorable, especially compared to other luxury resorts we’ve visited.
Throughout the stay, the service never consistently felt like a true five-star luxury experience or comparable to resorts such as Four Seasons. While everyone was polite, the attention to detail, anticipation of guest needs, and personalized service simply weren’t there.
One additional challenge was that the public beach access resulted in a significant number of locals and guests from neighboring properties using the area, making parts of the resort feel much more crowded than expected.
The adults-only pool was another area where attention to detail was lacking. The service was non existent (almost)
Empty glasses, dirty plates, and used towels frequently remained on loungers and near pool edge long after guests had left, taking away from what should have been a relaxing, premium environment.
Finally, I had hoped to share this feedback during checkout, but no one asked how our stay had been. It felt like a missed opportunity to learn from guests, especially those celebrating a milestone occasion.
The location and views alone are worth experiencing, and there are certainly many things this resort does well. However, for a property positioned as one of Hawaii’s premier luxury resorts—and for a special 20th anniversary trip—we left feeling that the overall experience did not live up to the price or the expectations.
