by BudgetTraveler

October 13, 2005

From journal Honeymoon in Kauai

Breaking from our favored method of traveling economically, my husband and I decided to go all out for our honeymoon and chose to stay at the luxurious Princeville Resort for the second leg of our honeymoon.

We usually view hotels as necessary lodging and do not center travels around a fabulous resort, as it detracts from the destination, but since we were on our honeymoon, we decided that a little rest and relaxation at a resort destination was called for.

We received leis upon arrival and had an hour to kill before we could check into our room, so we decided to check out the hotel. First, the LOBBY. The lobby was made of marble, had floor-to-ceiling glass windows and crystal chandeliers, and was filled with proportionately matched furniture (huge!) .

The lobby had an old European flair, not exactly the kind of decor you would expect in a tropical island resort, but perched high on the cliffs, amidst the moody rainforest in the middle of nowhere, it was terribly romantic and the ABSOLUTE perfect foil against the gorgeous backdrop of Hanalei Bay.

Princeville's infinity pool had swim-up bar at one end and overlooked the crystal-clear waters of the Hanalei Bay at the other.

The attendant passed out ice water and cold lavender-scented towels, I kid you not. The heated pool allowed us to stay in the pool after dark. (The pool closes when it gets dark, but we were there well after and no one bothered us.)

After sipping on cocktails at the pool bar, we were able to check in to our oceanfront prince junior suite. The rate for the suite is $820/night, but if you sign up for the Starwood membership, you'll be able to shave 30% off your bill. Still, that was a LOT more than we had and will ever spend on a room again, but seeing that it was our honeymoon, we decided to splurge.

In previous postings, travelers complained that Princeville didn't have lanais. They did, but they were very limited. I was lucky that my husband called ahead to request one. I recommend that you request one prior to checking in. The views really are absolutely breathtaking, surreal even.

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