Source: forbes.com
Travelers visit the lush island of Kauaʻi for its stunning views, abundant waterfall hikes and pristine beaches. Nestled on a north shore hillside in Princeville overlooking the Pacific, the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay is ideally located whether you’re a first-timer or a repeat visitor who wants to stay put and soak in its gorgeous surroundings.
As a frequent visitor to Kauaʻi, I always prefer staying on the quieter north shore thanks to its untouched feel and serene atmosphere. On a recent trip, I checked into the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay with my family and found its signature blend of wellness, sustainability and understated luxury to fit right into the verdant locale. If you’re planning a trip, here’s what to know.
1 Hotel Hanalei Bay
Who Will Love It: Couples, friend groups and families seeking a beachfront resort that effortlessly blends sustainability with understated luxury
All-Star Amenities: Adults-only infinity pool and expansive oceanfront main pools; seven dining concepts; Bamford Wellness Spa
What Not To Miss: Breakfast buffet at 1 Kitchen overlooking misty mountain peaks; cocktails, live music and sunset views at Welina Terrace; spa day including a head-to-toe Wellness Ritual and sessions in the ocean float room and infrared sauna
Location: Princeville, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi
All-Star Amenities
With an open-air design and foliage interspersed throughout, the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay is tastefully adorned in neutral tones and textures, with décor that uses locally sourced and reclaimed materials. The grounds feature native-plant landscaping and a 7,400-gallon rainwater harvesting system, and all restaurants on site are certified Ocean Friendly by the Surfrider Foundation.
A sprawling main pool on the ground level by the beach welcomes all guests and features plenty of shallow ledges and hot tub nooks, as well as a separate lagoon pool with waterfalls (adults can also enjoy the upper-level infinity pool). The beach is on a large bay that connects to Hanalei by water: It’s so dense with coral that you’re likely to spot sea creatures (think sea turtles and manta rays) even if you’re not actively snorkeling.
The Bamford Wellness Spa is a destination in itself, with 18 treatment rooms, as well as Touchless Therapies that include an ocean float room, hyperbaric oxygen chamber, infrared sauna and meditation pod. I booked the Intuitive Herbal Ritual, which combined a facial and massage and incorporated Kauaʻi Pharmacy’s excellent plant-based skincare products, ending with an application of tension-easing, warmed noni leaves.
There are plenty of activities for families, from surfing and snorkeling to ʻohana nature walks and ukelele lessons (I still have the dried leis my son and I made in our oceanside ti leaf lei making class). Additional classes and events designed for a wide range of age groups are mapped out in the weekly Daylife calendar, and the hotel offers its own version of a kids club called Seedlings.
Rooms
The property has 252 rooms, including 51 suites, that have views of the ocean (looking out onto Hanalei Bay and beyond), mountains or a combination of both. With Kauaʻi being known as the Garden Isle, there are no bad room views here.
We stayed in an Ocean View room that looked out onto rolling waves and waterfall-studded mountains. An abundant fruit basket and housemade banana bread welcomed us upon check-in, and I appreciated the little plaque on the dresser that encourages anyone who wants to lighten their suitcase for their return trip to leave behind items for donation.
Rooms feature Nespresso machines, craft snacks, a variety of beverages and yoga mats. Our bathroom had a rainfall shower, Bamford bath products (infused with a fragrant blend of geranium, lavender, peppermint and tonka, crafted exclusively for 1 Hotel), and a very convenient filtered water tap (along with plenty of refillable aluminum water bottles to use during our stay).
