Are you looking for the best Kauai resorts for families with kids of all ages? Keep scrolling for my honest review of the Grand Hyatt Kauai in Poipu.
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Are you planning a trip to Kauai with your family?
I’m excited to share with you all about our experience at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort in Poipu!
The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort is located on Shipwreck Beach and near several shopping centers, restaurants, and Kauai attractions. It’s an ideal location for families who want to hang out on Kauai’s sunny South Shore.
You’ll love their spacious rooms with beautiful views of the ocean or lush gardens. The kids will enjoy all the amenities like their amazing swimming pools, water slide, parrots, and more!
They also have an amazing spa where you can get pampered after a long day exploring Hawaii. I highly recommend staying here if you’re planning to visit Kauai with your family!
Keep scrolling for my honest review of this hotel in Poipu!
Don’t have time to read a bunch of Hawaii blog posts and reviews? Here are some of our top picks for visiting Kauai with kids.
Best Kid-Friendly Kauai Tours/Activities
- Mountain Tubing (this is a low-key adventure for kids ages 5+ and it’s a personal favorite for my kiddos)
- Private Surf Lessons for Kids (this is the BEST way for your kids to learn how to surf in Hawaii)
- Kayaking Tour with Waterfall Hike (this is an awesome half-day adventure for older kids)
- Luau Kalamaku (you can do a little train ride and feed farm animals before the luau)
- Koloa Ziplining (this is the longest zipline on Kauai and a must-do for adventurous families)
- ATV Ride (my kids LOVE this tour because you can do a little fishing, go exploring, and you’ll get DIRTY)
Best Kid-Friendly Kauai Resorts
- Grand Hyatt Kauai (this is a personal favorite for my kids because of the water slide and saltwater lagoon)
- Royal Sonesta Kauai (my kids LOVE the pool here because it’s the largest one in Hawaii)
- Hilton Garden Inn (we like renting the cottages here because you can walk to a massive playground)
Want to skip all the planning and just access my detailed Kauai Itinerary complete with daily schedules, kid-friendly activities, and travel hacks? Click the button below.
Where to Stay on Kauai FAQs
Kauai has 3 main places to stay: North Shore, East Shore, and South Shore. The most affordable place to stay on Kauai is the East Shore (in Kapaa or Lihue). If you want sunny weather year-round, head to the South Shore. That’s where you’ll find the resort town of Poipu (also called Koloa on some travel websites).
There are several Poipu hotels that are pretty awesome. The top Poipu resorts include the Grand Hyatt Kauai, Ko’a Kea, Koloa Landing Resort, and the Point at Poipu.
We visit Kauai a lot and my top picks for places to stay on Kauai with includes include the Grand Hyatt Kauai, the Royal Sonesta Kauai, and the Koloa Landing Resort.
Where is the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort?
The Grand Hyatt Kauai is located about 30 minutes South of the Lihue Airport in the town of Poipu. Poipu is one of the best areas to stay in Kauai during the winter months as it’s usually dry and sunny.
It’s a pretty expansive oceanfront resort with more than 600 guest rooms, a full spa, top restaurants, and a championship golf course.
It’s the best place to stay in Kauai Hawaii for people who want to spend time at Waimea Canyon, Kokee State Park, enjoy the Shops at Kukui’ula Village, or just relax at an amazing resort on Kauai.
It’s also near Kauai activities for families like ziplining, ATV adventures, boat rides, luaus, and more.
Honest Grand Hyatt Kauai Review
We visited the Grand Hyatt Kauai in March 2019 with a toddler and preschooler. I had previously walked around the property several times throughout the years.
The Grand Hyatt Kauai was definitely a Kauai bucket list hotel for me and I was really excited when we got a good deal on a hotel room here. I had done a ton of research on the best place to stay on Kauai’s South Shore and this looked perfect for families.
After looking through my photos, I realized that I didn’t get a ton of great shots that show the resort. So, I’ll use what I have and you might need to check the hotel page to see the full gallery of photos.
Ok, let’s dive in!
What was our room like?
We booked the 2 Queen Beds Partial Ocean View room and it did not disappoint!
We LOVED our room. It felt really spacious and it was decorated with cute island touches. There were a lot of wood accents that were nice.
Even though we traveled with two little kids, it felt like we had lots of space to store our luggage. There was a table and chairs, which worked well for the times we ordered room service. We also really enjoyed having the lanai.
While I didn’t get any photos of our room before we messed it up, I can show you the view from our lanai.
We could see the ocean to our right and the rest of the resort in front of us and to the left.
Check the latest room rates and types HERE.
What did we think of the dining options?
There are 7 different bars and restaurants at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai. We only tried a few of them since we spent a lot of our time exploring Kauai’s amazing food scene. But, I’ll list off all the restaurants so you know what to expect.
Tidepools
This is one of their most popular restaurants. What’s really cool is that you cross over a little koi pond to get there. It’s set up to look like a floating hut. Plus, the food is super tasty!
Stevenson’s Sushi & Spirits
We didn’t have a chance to try it, but I did walk through it. They have an indoor dining area but also a nice outdoor lanai where you could watch the sunset.
‘Ilima Terrace
This is a breakfast buffet for people who want a hearty hotel breakfast. We didn’t try it.
Seaview Terrace
This is where we picked up coffee and pastries most mornings. It’s has an incredible panoramic ocean view. So, we’d take our food to sit out at the chairs and soak in the views.
Hale Nalu
This is the poolside restaurant where you can order lunch, snacks, or even shave ice. It’s super convenient if you’re doing a full pool day because there’s something for everyone.
Captain’s Bar and Shipwreck Bar
There are two bars available. The Captain’s Bar is right near the pool but also with views of the ocean.
Grand Hyatt Kauai pool area
The Grand Hyatt Kauai actually has 5 different pools. There’s also a saltwater lagoon, a lazy river, and a 150-foot waterslide. There are tons of lounge chairs throughout the pool area. You can find some with umbrellas or rent a cabana for full shade.
If you want some kid-free time, they have a super quiet adult pool where you can relax and read a book. There also lots of nooks and crannies throughout the pools to sit for a few moments.
My biggest regret of this Kauai family vacation is that we didn’t dedicate enough time to just relax by the pool. It’s one of the best features of the Grand Hyatt Kauai.
We did enjoy a few afternoons playing in the water. My kids were too nervous to do the water slide, but loved the saltwater lagoon.
Other features/amenities
Complimentary Lei Greeting
I know a lot of families get a kick out of getting a fresh lei when they arrive in Hawaii. At the Grand Hyatt Kauai, they provide fresh purple orchid leis.
This was a big hit with my kids! They even had them ready when we arrived late at night.
On-Site Luau
Another awesome thing about this Poipu resort is that they have their own luau right on property. This is super helpful for families that want to be able to just walk up to their room when the show is over. You can read more about the Grand Hyatt Kauai luau HERE.
Shipwreck Beach
The Grand Hyatt Kauai is located just steps away from Shipwreck Beach. This is a popular spot to get married, do a photo shoot, or try cliff jumping.
It’s nice to be able to do a beach walk right from the hotel. But, don’t plan on swimming here. The waves are fierce and the current is no joke.
Camp Hyatt
We never had an opportunity to use Camp Hyatt, but it’s their childcare services. This would be super helpful if you want to do a romantic spa date or enjoy a kid-free dinner for two. It looked like a ton of fun for kids, too!
Parrots in Lobby
One of the things that makes this Kauai resort unique is that they have real parrots hanging out in the lobby. Well, they aren’t freely roaming around but they are in designated spots. It was a huge highlight for my toddler!
Anara Spa
The Anara Spa is probably the best spa on Kauai. It’s definitely the largest (it’s 45,000 square feet)! It also includes a fitness center plus open-air yoga and fitness classes.
This is a great place to get a massage or body treatments. They also do mani/pedis, hair, and even makeup.
Shopping
There are a few shops throughout the hotel that sell items like swimsuits and resort wear. You can also get some sundries/toiletries there.
Are there any things we didn’t like?
One thing that families should be aware of is that Shipwreck Beach is NOT kid-friendly. It’s a gorgeous beach for taking photos, but it’s not one where kids can swim in the ocean.
So, you’ll have to drive to Poipu Beach or Salt Ponds if you want a kid friendly Kauai beach.
While the location was super convenient for doing fun things in Poipu, it was quite a trek to drive to the East Shore (about 30 minutes without traffic) or the North Shore (about an hour without traffic).
Would we recommend the Grand Hyatt Kauai?
Absolutely! I definitely recommend the Grand Hyatt Kauai to families who are looking for a kid-friendly resort that is almost guaranteed to be sunny. We were really happy with the hotel amenities, the amazing pool area, and the on-site restaurants. Check the latest rates and availability.
There’s a reason why it’s highly rated as one of the best places to stay on Kauai with kids.
We will definitely be staying here again in the future and we look forward to trying out Camp Hyatt! The Grand Hyatt Kauai is absolutely one of the top resorts in Kauai for families worth recommending!
