I hear the gentle sound of light morning rain, birds chirping, and roosters crowing before I’m even fully awake. I open my eyes to find that the room is still dark, but when I pull myself out of bed and open the sliding glass door to my lanai I see that the sun has just barely started to rise above the horizon.

A pinkish golden glow has been cast across the landscape, mingling with the mist and fog that shrouds the mountains and cliffs in the distance. The air is cool and damp, rushing in from the ocean just over the hills.

As I stand there, I watch the vibrant landscape come to life before my eyes: the sun illuminates the lush green valleys and hills, the morning mist fades away, and I catch a glimmer of the ocean sparkling in the distance.

Good morning Kauai. 

When I booked our room at Hanalei Bay Resort, this was exactly the experience I had in mind. I wanted to wake up every morning right in the heart of the island’s most beautiful scenery, needing only to step outside onto my lanai to be wrapped up in it.

Unlike the majority of travelers that I know, I don’t feel particularly committed to any one style of accomodation. I’ve slept in un-air conditioned hostel bunk beds, five-star hotels, hammocks on the beach, and family-owned bed and breakfasts…hell, even a refurbished cement tube on one occasion.

So it’s safe to say that in general, I’m not picky…except when it comes to a few non-negotiables. No matter where I am in the world, I always want my accomodation to:

• Have character, charm, and unique qualities…no bland cookie-cutter rooms for me please!
• Offer good value relative to the price.
• Be centrally located, at least in terms of the area I plan to explore.
• If possible, have an amazing view!

When I was planning our weeklong visit to Kauai, I had a surprisingly difficult time finding a place to stay that ticked all of these boxes. There were gorgeous hotels and Airbnbs that offered amazing views and amenities, but seemed waaaay too expensive overall.

I also found more affordable options that were severely lacking in character. We’re talking outdated condo units with the same cheesy tropical print bedding and linoleum flooring that has probably been there since the 70s. Bleh.

I searched high and low for the right spot (after all, Derek and I were celebrating our one-year anniversary so I wanted this to be special!) and when I finally came across Hanalei Bay Resort on the North Shore, it was like a breath of fresh, tropical, plumeria-scented air. Ahhhh.

Hanalei Bay Resort

Located in scenic Princeville, Hanalei Bay Resort is a 3-star hotel that sits on 22 beautifully lush acres. The accomodation options range from cozy studios to 2-bedroom suites, all with their own private lanais (the Hawaiian term for a porch or veranda).

You can also rent independently owned units, which is what Derek and I opted to do. I loved that all the rooms were uniquely decorated and updated by their respective owners, so no two rooms look alike.

For us, Hanalei Bay Resort was the perfect combination of resort-meets-independent-rental. We loved having access to the hotel’s amazing pool (more on that later, but spoiler: there’s a waterfall), restaurant, and beach area, but it was also nice that the whole experience didn’t feel too cookie-cutter.

Our Room

Narrowing down our search to Hanalei Bay Resort was just step one; next, we had to sort through the multitude of units that were available to rent. Every room we viewed online seemed to boast amazing views from the lanai, no matter where on the property they were located.

Honestly, this made choosing the best unit really difficult! Whether you’re facing the lagoon-style pool, the North Shore’s famed cliffs, or simply the swaying palm trees that grace the entire resort, you’re sure to have a gorgeous view to enjoy.

In the end, we found the perfect room for us: Hanalei Bay Resort 8234, which we rented through Kauai Pacific Real Estate. We paid $185 per night, which honestly was a steal. The room was private, quiet and secluded right on the edge of the property, with gorgeous views of the lush, rocky cliffs and a sliver of ocean too.

We arrived late at night, so it was pitch black when we checked into our room. Aside from the scarce photos we had seen online, we had no idea what view we would be waking up to.

Between the jet lag and the crowing roosters, we were up before the sun. Watching the landscape beneath our lanai come to life as the morning light filled the sky was absolutely breathtaking, even with the misty clouds and rain.

Over the course of the week, we ended up spending a lot of our time relaxing on the lanai, watching the waterfalls cascade down the cliffs in the distance and the fog gather and rise above the mountain peaks.

We saw so many birds during our time spent out there, too; roosters, baby chicks, nenes, red crested cardinals, and elepaio. During rainstorms, we would watch the mother geese and chickens leading their babies to dry shelter beneath our lanai or the nearby bushes.

The Property

But while our room was absolutely lovely and comfortable, what really sold me on Hanalei Bay Resort was their absolutely stunning property. It’s everything you would expect from a tropical Hawaiian resort: sprawling, green and lush, dotted with palm trees and vibrant blooms. And from every direction, you can see Kauai’s iconic cliffs in the distance.

But guys, the true jewel of Hanalei Bay Resort is their dreamy pool area.

*Swoooooon*

Surrounded by lush tropical foliage, their free-form lagoon-style pool features a rock waterfall, a jacuzzi tucked away in a grotto, and a swim-up bar.

…Yes, a swim-up bar!!

I’d be lying if I said that Derek and I didn’t spend a solid bit of time here, sipping mudslides, Mai Tais, and other frosty, tropical concoctions. In fact, I think we made time to squeeze in a drink or two at this spot every single day! 😉

But really, can you blame us when THIS was our daily view?

Hanalei Bay Resort is also neighbors with the St. Regis Princeville, one of Kauai’s priciest and most luxurious hotels. If you’re not keen to drop minimum $500-600 per night for your room, you can still enjoy the hotel’s bar, restaurant, and amazing views by stopping in for dinner and drinks.

On one of our last nights in Kauai, we got dressed up and splurged for cocktails, appetizers, and an incredible sashimi platter at the St. Regis Bar. The sunset was mostly obscured by the clouds, but we were still able to witness the hotel’s legendary nightly champagne sabering ritual. Drinks all around!

These two neighboring hotels share a small private beach, which was nice for sunbathing, relaxing, and strolling by the water. Not to mention checking out the dramatic views of the coastline across the bay!

Fun fact: if you’re a fan of the movie The Descendants (starring George Clooney and Shailene Woodley) you can catch a glimpse of a few filming locations at the St. Regis and in the surrounding Princeville area.

One of those locations happens to be the beach shared by Hanalei Bay Resort and the St. Regis, pictured below!

Around Hanalei & Greater Kauai

Of course, there’s plenty to see and do outside of Hanalei Bay Resort, too. Derek and I are the types of travelers who really prefer to be out and about, but even if you’re after a more relaxing trip I encourage you to pull yourself away from the property (it can be hard, I know!) and go do some exploring.

Hanalei Bay Resort is just a short drive from downtown Hanalei, a charming little town with a handful of cute shops and incredible places to grab a bite to eat. It also puts you in prime location for sightseeing along the dramatic Na Pali coast, whether you choose to hike the Kalalau Trail or go sailing instead.

And while the North Shore is definitely the region of the island that captured my heart the most, don’t forget that there’s a whole lotta land to be explored elsewhere on Kauai, too.

Read Next: Enchanted By Kauai: Hawaii’s Garden Island

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Have you ever been to Kauai and/or Hawaii? What’s your favorite type of accomodation or place to stay?

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