Can anyone tell about the HCR resort located on Hanea Beach? I hope my spelling is correct. I read about it in Frommers Hawaii Guide. Looks really nice for the money?! How is the location and beach?
Hanalei Colony Resort
Check out the availability at halemakaicottages.com. They are next door to the HCR and offer five cottages right on the beach. Bedrooms, kitchens, free laundry facilities, wi-fi and good snorkeling out front. I stayed there last year and loved it. I love Haena for the quiet location and proximity to the Kalalau Trail and Napali Coast. I don%26#39;t think there is a better area in all of Hawaii.
Hanalei Colony Resort
Aloha Blue
Wow ! We are locals, and we really enjoy stopping at the restuarant and bar at the Hanalei Colony Resort after hiking, or snorkeling on the north shore.
The food, service and ambiance has always been superb....plus one great view of the ocean. Tunnels is a walk from the resort, but you cannot park at tunnels area, anyway, and have to walk from Haena beach park back to snorkel.
As far as the rooms, cannot tell you, but can tell you, last week we checked with the desk, and will probably be staying there for a night or two.......just a little mini vacation from our puhi condo.
Need for the north shore swells to drop down, since they are fairly large at this time. it will be just a last minute decision, and if they have something open for the night, we will head up for a day, and evening on the north shore.
Will let the board know exactly what our experience was , once we actually stay there. But, it certainly did not look like a dump in anyway, from our standpoint. Again, we have not been in the room.
We are also from Orange County, but Huntington Harbor for me,and Seal Beach for Erica. Which are beach communities, and so we gravitate toward being near the ocean, but dont need fancy anything.
Might be the way that we observe things and what just feels good to us. However, we will get that room report out, once we stay up there.
Denny and Erica
Kalapakidooley said:
%26gt;%26gt;Wow ! We are locals,%26lt;%26lt;
I%26#39;m a bit confused. I was not under the impression that you were born and raised on the islands.
I%26#39;m very disappointed to hear this described as a dump! I had it on my ';short list'; for the future, as, according to what I read, it%26#39;s the only beachfront resort on the North Shore. The information I saw could be outdated, which is why getting the scoop from locals is so helpful.
Here is where I read about it, note that it refers to the resort as ';a real gem';:
www.wizardpub.com/kauai/krhanaleicol.html
It looks great because it is right on the beach, which is what I love.
Kailua .......
You are absolutely correct, we were not born here, but do live on Kauai Island....where are you located on kauai ? Guess I got a bit carried away there. Apologies.
Since you are a kauai local, perhaps we can get together and hike some of the trails, or dive, or snorkel, etc. Most anything, other than leaping on the back of a pig with a sharp knife !
We know the island pretty well, but you may be able to pass on some knowledge on areas that we have not yet explored..
We have , however, kayaked the Huleia River, and Wailua River, that jungle stream up on princeville ranch, the Hanalei River, Bay, and around the headland and thru the reef to Hideaways, and the kahili wai stream.......what did we miss, that you can recommend.
We are always up for new adventures. Oh, and Erica kayaked the 16 miles of the Napali, and we do want to get in the 8 mile south shore paddle with Outfitters (season is getting short on that one )
What is your favorite hike ? Some of the trails that we have done, are the awa- awapuhi, nualolo loop, the Pihea, some of the Alakai swamp trail, the water tank-berry flat trail, The Waininua and Kumuwela trail, Canyon Trail, Ditch trail, the Kukui trail all up in Waimea, and Koke%26#39;e.
On the East side, Sleeping Giant, the Powerline trail, Kuilau ridge trail, and the Moalepe trail.
The north shore,only a couple , the Hanakapiai Trail and the Okolehau trail. Would could use ANY scoops on other north shore trails since it is really beautiful up there. Would REALLY appreciate that !
If you all have some favorites to share, anywhere here on Kauai,, we would be grateful for any tips, like finding the trail heads, and the dificulty rating, and what condition the trails are in.....as in maintained or not.
Any special snorkel spots, that you might share, in addition to poipu, PK%26#39;s, and the Beach house on the south, and Hideaways, Tunnels and ke%26#39;e on the north shore. We would like to add in another site or two, that we are not familar with. thanks.
Anyway, what do you think about the Hanalei Bay Resort, since the new owners have taken it over ? Do you remember when that was, Erica seems to think about 7 months ago ?
Much aloha, and again, please excuse the ';local'; reference, did not mean to tread on those , as yourself, who were born and live here on Kauai. I guess since we really are rather active, and not only explore the island a lot, we take an active interest in the everyday factors that are effecting the garden island, we just feel a very close kinship to kauai.
We live here in Puhi. Where on kauai are you located ? We enjoy meeting new people, and learning about new any places that you might wish to share. Understand, also, that you will have your special secret places, but maybe something that is not so secret would be great !
Mahalo
Denny and Erica
Loved the reply Denny !
Kalapakidooley wrote:
%26gt;%26gt;Kailua .......
You are absolutely correct, we were not born here, but do live on Kauai Island....where are you located on kauai ? Guess I got a bit carried away there. Apologies.%26lt;%26lt;
LOL---if you check out my screenname you%26#39;ll see that I don%26#39;t live on the island of Kauai, nor am I a local. In fact, my town of residence is right there on my post.
As is yours---Huntington Beach, California?? Rather odd name for a town on Kauai...;-D
Your reference to yourself as a ';local'; just confused me a bit, as your previous postings identified you as a recent transplant from Southern California!
Wow! You and Erica are really quite the poster children for outdoor activities on Kauai! Much impressed by your endless stream of activities!
How many of us wish we too could be eternal tourists? Sounds like fun, Denny. Good on ya, lad!
Kailua....
ooops sorry about that, I intended to post....';What do you think of the Hanalei COLONY Resort, since the new owners took over ?';
As stated, we have only been in the resturant and bar,( the Medeterranian (sp) Gormet and it looks pretty darned nice to us.
Each time the food was great, as was the ambiance, friendly staff, owner, and patrons. Only been there a couple of times, but had great experiences both times. Lots of fun.
I actually cannot remember when they actually took it over. Erica thought it might have been have been 7 or so months ago. You might have more up to date information on that.
Denny
so, the real question were dodging is: when does a transplant become a local? i am considering retirement in Hawaii (maui most likely). i have some Hawaiian blood in me. after 10 days of getting some color on my skin, tourists usually ask me for good local places to visit/eat. they usually laugh when i tell them to use their tour books.
