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Planning a trip to Kauai and wondering where to stay? Here are some things to consider and what we ended up choosing for our last trip which was our 5th trip to the Hawaiian Island! Whether you’re going on a romantic getaway, a trip with your kids, or a multi-generational BIG family vacation, we’ve done it all so definitely have some opinions on types of places to stay. For this trip we partnered up with Hanalei Bay Resort. We’ve stayed at other Grand Pacific Resorts and really wanted to experience this one on our favorite Island.

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

What to Consider When Choosing Where to Stay in Kauai

If you’ve never been to Kauai, or if you’re traveling with a different type of group, here are some things you might want to consider when choosing where to stay.

  • Will you want to cook some of your meals? Even just making breakfast can save a lot of money or allow you to spend more money adventuring. We like shopping local and even making some meals when we stay so staying somewhere with a kitchen and grill is important to us.
  • If you’re traveling with a big group you may want to look into large room options and gathering spaces.
  • Consider whether you will want (or would enjoy) hotel amenities. Not only your traditional amenities but things like beach towels, beach access, food/drink options (some private rentals are a decent drive from restaurant or grocery options).
  • Location – will you want to stay on the North Shore, South Shore or maybe in Kapaa?

Staying at the Hanalei Bay Resort

We’ve stayed at Grand Pacific Resorts before in California and really got to appreciate the hotel amenities mixed with the ability to rent condo like rooms with full kitchens, laundry facilities etc. Most of all, we wanted to stay at the Hanalei Bay Resort because of this AMAZING view.

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

When we first pulled up, there were lots of cars in the driveway. We quickly learned that it was happy hour and happy hour at the Happy Talk Bar in the Hanalei Bay is a popular time of day!

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

From the moment you walk up you truly feel like you are at home in paradise. Hanalei Bay Resort is a perfect mix of the comforts of home and a beautiful Hawaiian resort. There is a personal concierge available right on property who can get you exclusive rates for all kinds of activities around the island. You can also find a list of fun resort activities if you’re looking for something to do.

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay ResortWhere to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

Overall, my favorite part of the resort is the walking path down to the bay, but there are so many other great things about the property as well.

Rooms at the Hanalei Bay Resort

The great part about the rooms at Hanalei Bay Resort and the thing that sets them apart is that they have all the comforts of a vacation rental. We stayed in a one bedroom condo and there was lots of room for us to be comfortable for our stay. We had a full kitchen with refrigerator, stove, dishwasher etc. that we took advantage of often!

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

prAna travel outfit favorites

You can choose from a one bedroom condo, two bedroom condo, and private rentals. The property also has laundry facilities so you don’t have to worry about packing too much. You can see a peek of our room in my resort tour on IGTV here.

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

Tennis Courts at the Hanalei Bay Resort

The Hanalei Bay Resort is actually ranked one of the top 50 tennis resorts in the WORLD! Even if you’re not big on tennis it’s such a great opportunity to try it out in such a gorgeous location.

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

The resort features four hard courts, four artificial turf, and a Peter Burwash International (PBI) tennis facility.  Their two resident PBI tennis pros offer private lessons, clinics, mixers, tournaments, junior classes, and more year round. You can take advantage of programs throughout the year like:

  • Private lessons
  • Daily clinics
  • Cardio tennis
  • Ladies’ Mornings, Men’s Nights, weekly round-robins
  • Junior program for children, from tiny tots through high school age
  • Ball machine workouts
  • Player matching

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

Pools at the Hanalei Bay Resort

One of the BIG highlights of staying at the Hanalei Bay Resort is that you get to take advantage of the ONLY swim up bar on Kauai! The Ukulele Bar is a fun spot that really gets you into that vacation spirit. You won’t want to miss a Mai Tai Monday during your stay.

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

You can also take advantage of:

  • Ukulele Lessons 
  • Bingo & Bloody Mary
  • Potluck Pupu Party
  • Coffee Tasting
  • Wine Tasting
  • Chair Massage
  • Live Entertainment

Whether you’re having fun at one of the events or just hanging out taking advantage of the gorgeous scenery, the main pool is definitely a great place to be. It’s also where you can rent beach chairs, pool floats, snorkels or other beach gear at the pool cave. We rented chairs for our full week and they came in so handy!

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

They also have a smaller pool that has BBQs right next to it (and an amazing view of it’s own) that is quieter and a little more secluded.

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay ResortWhere to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

The Beach at Hanalei Bay Resort

The Hanalei Bay Resort shares a beach with the St. Regis. It’s a beautiful walk down or you can have a bellman drive you down if you’re with little ones or have family members that might need some extra help. There is even a phone down at the bottom of the trail to call for a ride back up!

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay ResortWhere to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

We loved morning walks around the property and down to the beach.

Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort Where to stay in Kauai - Hanalei Bay Resort

Overall we loved our stay at the Hanalei Bay Resort and we were thrilled with the combo of fully equipped vacation rental type rooms and resort amenities. Check out more details or book your stay on their site.

Author

Allison Waken is the founder, writer, photographer, and content creator of All for the Memories and All for the Boys.

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