Kauai Honeymoon

My wife and I started our honeymoon in Kauai the day after our wedding in May. I had just started collecting airline miles and hotel points in the summer of 2011. I signed up for a few credit cards and met the spending requirements by charging the wedding expenses. We decided on the island of Kauai for our honeymoon, a luscious and adventurous destination.

It seemed like the perfect place to relax and enjoy nature.
We wanted to experience both sides of the island so I decided to book three nights on the North Shore at the Westin Princeville and two nights at the Grand Hyatt Kauai on the South Shore. I had been collecting Starwood and Hyatt points for a couple months through credit card bonuses and spending on the wedding. I was happy to use points and miles to book almost the whole trip.

We transferred 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points to British Airways for two roundtrip tickets in coach on American Airlines from Los Angeles to Lihue, Kauai. We stayed three nights at the Westin Princeville on the North Shore. One of the highlights of our trip was taking a kayak tour to Secret Falls. We had a great tour guide that gave us a history of the island and guided us to the Secret Falls. The scenery on the way and at the falls was amazing.

The South Shore seemed a lot more lively than the North Shore, which was a nice change. The staff at the Grand Hyatt Kauai greeted us with leis and water. As a Diamond member, we were offered free parking, spa access, Regency Club access and a couple options as a Diamond amenity. We ended up choosing a free full-day cabana rental.

Overall, it was probably the best Hyatt I have stayed at in the states. The Regency Club was great and the hotel grounds were awesome. We were sad to leave such a great place. At checkout, the person at the front desk said, “You’re all set.” I love seeing $0 on the bill.

Name:
Rom
[romsdeals on Milepoint]
www.romsdeals.com

FFP miles spent:
50,000 Avios (transferred from Ultimate Rewards)

Hotel points spent:
36,000 SPG, 44,000 Hyatt Gold Passport

Approximate fees:
$42 airline fees, $45 resort fees

Airline(s) / Routing:
LAX-LIH-LAX

How booked:
Online

Type of award(s):
Economy award flights

Hotel(s):
Westin Princeville Villas, Grand Hyatt Kauai

Month/year of trip:
May 2012