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Winter Getaway to Kauai: Part 4 – Grand Hyatt Garden Suite for 87% Off

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    Update:   One or more card offers in this post are no longer available.  Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.  Emily Jablon:   Daraius and I went to Maui, Hawaii in March 2013.  We loved Hawaii so much that we decided to return, but this time to Kauai.  Kauai is more laid back and less built-up than Maui.
    Emily Feeling at Home in the Grand Hyatt Kauai Garden View Suite

    We went to Kauai over Valentine’s Day week, which made for a very romantic getaway.  Using our miles and points made it even better!

    Winter Getaway to Kauai – Trip Report Index:

    Grand Hyatt Kauai – Garden View Suite

    For 3 nights of our 6-night stay at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai, we used Points + Cash and a Diamond Suite upgrade to stay in a Garden View Suite.  The Garden View suite regularly costs $1,468 per night!

    But we only paid ~$198 per night ($150 per night + 12,500 Hyatt points per night Points + Cash + $25 resort fee + ~13% tax).  So we paid ~$596 and 37,500 Hyatt points for 3 nights.

    For the other 3 nights we used 22,000 points (old Hyatt award chart rates).  The current rate is 25,000 Hyatt points per night.

    Daraius Happy to Be on Vacation and Leave Work Behind

    The staff were very welcoming when we arrived.  They gave us a lei greeting and whisked away our luggage.

    What Better Way to Say “Aloha” Than With a Lei Greeting?

    The lobby was beautiful.  I loved the Art Nouveau details.

    I’m Glad I Don’t Have to Dust The High Ceilings

    We were so excited to begin our holiday!

    Kauai, Here We Come!
    Because Daraius has Hyatt Diamond elite status we used a Diamond Suite upgrade to upgrade our Garden View room to a Garden View suite.

    The suite had 3 separate rooms: a living area, a bathroom, and a bedroom.  I loved our suite because it was very homey.

    If Only Our Apartment Looked Like This and Came With a Maid

    Living Area

    You could see the living area when you walked in.  There was a table and chairs, sectional sofa, and a wet bar.

    We Used the Table as a Desk

    The living room had a big flat screen TV.  But it didn’t get much use.

    Maybe Too Much Room for  2 People

    French doors separate the bedroom from the living area.  I could close the doors while Daraius worked.

    Families Would Appreciate the Extra Space

    The rooms were bright and airy.  And they weren’t cluttered with decorations.

    Our Living Room at Home Isn’t This Big

    We were really looking forward to a relaxing stay.  The hotel had lots of activities, but we had other plans.

    Our Suite Was 1,055 Square Feet

    Daraius thought the chairs were very comfortable!

    Now If I Could Get Daraius to Swim in the Ocean

    The living area had a bar with a coffeemaker, microwave, and a refrigerator.  The refrigerator was empty, leaving space for drinks or fresh fruit from Costco or a nearby grocery store.

    Cozy Kitchenette, Just Like College

    There was also a sink, paper towels, wine glasses, an espresso maker, a microwave, and mugs.

    Everything You Need for a Light Snack

    Enjoying a bottle of wine would be easy with the wine glasses!

    4 Glasses Means 1 Extra Day Not Washing Dishes

    There was Keurig coffee maker with various types of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

    The Only Thing Missing Was a Tea Kettle

    Each day we received 2 free bottles of water.

    Just the Right Size to Store Late Night Goodies

    There was a table and 4 chairs, which we used as a desk.  There was a large flat screen TV.

    I’d Rather Have a Bookcase With Books

    The living room had a wraparound sofa.  It was the perfect size for guests or children.

    The Sofa Would Look Great in Our Living Room

    Outdoor Patio

    Off the living room, was a patio with a partial ocean view.  The patio even included a lounge chair.

    The Chairs Were a Little Stiff

    I loved how green the grass was!

    We Could Watch a Round of Golf Without Leaving Our Room

    Bathroom

    The bathroom was very spacious and spa-like.

    A Girl Could Get Used to This

    I liked the jetted tub and was looking forward to a relaxing bubble bath.

    A Glass of Wine & a Good Book and My Evening Plans Were Settled

    The bathroom had double sinks, lots of counter space, a jetted bathtub, a shower, and a separate toilet room.

    Double Sinks Helped Us Save Time Getting Ready for Our Nights Out

    The bathtub was very inviting.  But I was surprised by how small and narrow the tub was.

    Only Room for 1

    We received Coco Mango amenities, designed by the Hyatt Grand Kauai Anara Spa.

    A Little Bit of the Spa Everyday

    There was a walk-in shower.

    The Corner Shower Was a Little Cramped

    There was a hand shower and a rain shower.

    We Could Wash the Sand From Our Feet Without Getting All Wet

    The toilet had its own room.

    The Extra Space Was Wasted on the Toilet

    There was a Toto Washlet with a heated seat!

    Who Knew This Inspired the Phrase, “Clean is Happy?”

    Bedroom

    The bedroom had a poster bed.

    Sleeping in Never Looked So Good

    The bedroom was a little small but cozy and inviting.  The bed was very comfortable.  There was a bench at the foot of the bed.

    The Soft Lights Created a Romantic Setting

    The bathroom was to the right of the bedroom.

    A Separate Entrance to the Bathroom Would Have Been Nicer

    A flat screen TV was mounted on the wall, and there was lots of closet space.

    This TV Didn’t Get Much Use Either

    The closet was large enough to put all of our stuff.

    We Kept Out Laptops in the Safe

    The other closet had two robes

    Every Hotel Should Have 2 Large Closets

    There was also an iPhone charger on one nightstand.

    Charged Electronics Are a Necessity, Even on Vacation

    How You Can Do It, Too!

    We redeemed 20,000 United Airlines miles each and 17,500 American Airlines miles each for 1-way flights in coach to and from Austin and Kauai, Hawaii.  We could have redeemed our miles for First Class seats but we like saving those for longer flights.

    We used 41,295 Citi ThankYou points to pay for our car rental.

    Daraius transferred 103,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt points for 3 nights in a Garden View room. And 3 nights in a Garden View suite at the Grand Hyatt Kauai.

    How Many Points You Need:

    Note:  If you don’t have a Diamond Suite upgrade, you can use 6,000 Hyatt points per night to upgrade a paid room to a suite.  But you can NOT upgrade a Points + Cash room to a suite without a Diamond Suite upgrade.

    How to Get the Points:

    The easiest way to get points for Kauai is by applying for credit cards.

    Here’s my post on the best way to get Hyatt points.

    1.   Chase Hyatt Card

    You can save some Chase Ultimate Rewards points and get 2 free nights at any Hyatt worldwide after you spend $2,000 within the first 3 months on the Chase Hyatt card.

    2.   Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

    You get 40,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $4,000 within 3 months on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

    Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to certain airlines and hotels at a 1:1 ratio.  So 40,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points becomes 40,000 airline miles or 40,000 hotel points.

    3.   Chase Ink Cards

    The Chase Ink Plus and Chase Ink Bold card currently get you 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $5,000 within 3 months.

    Do you know the 3 ways you may qualify for a business credit card?

    Note:  You can apply for 1 personal and 1 business card from Chase at the same time.  But you do NOT have to wait 6 months between Chase applications.

    Bottom Line:

    Daraius and I booked a Garden View Suite using Points + Cash and a Diamond Suite upgrade.  The other 3 nights we used 22,000 points (old Hyatt award chart rates) for a Garden View room.  Now you pay 25,000 points per night.  

    The Garden Suite at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai was very nice!  I enjoyed having a separate living area so Daraius could concentrate on his work while I relaxed.

    The bathroom was also luxurious, with a jetted tub, full walk-in shower, and heated toilet seat!

    I never wanted to leave the suite, but we had lots of activities planned for Kauai.  Stay tuned to see what you can do in Kauai.

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)