Hawaiian spinner dolphins glide through deep aquamarine waters, racing our catamaran along the Napali Coast of Kauai. Playful and curious, they mirror our mission: Explore with our qualified guests the possibilities of an incentive experience to Kauai, Hawaii’s Garden Isle. Resorts, venues, adventures, and natural beauty—Kauai is such a show off.
Luxury Meets Mac n’ Cheese
Speaking of showing off, the open air lobby of the Grand Hyatt Resort and Spa along the sunny south shore drops jaws big time. With elegant architecture which echoes its surroundings—palm-leaf green roofs and sand white exteriors—the Grand Hyatt’s lobby picture frames a breathtaking terraced ocean view. Then the incredible staff there put on a welcome reception to put all others to shame. We partnered with HD Premier to transform one of the resort’s already gorgeous open air restaurants into a modern Hawaiian luxury haven. Gorgeous live-edge driftwood tables, luminous candlelight, natural grasses…it was stunning. And in Grand Hyatt style, they put on one of the most delicious feasts ever for a welcome reception—lobster mac n’ cheese, tender steaks, creative sushi, and the most beautiful array of desserts. Having been to many a welcome reception, Chad McCleary, our Senior Global Manager for Groups and Incentives, said it was one of the most incredible of his career.
Wedding-Picture Worthy
Continuing the WOW the second night, we headed to the Beach House Restaurant. It’s no wonder all the brides want their pics done here! Drop dead gorgeous setting. Nestled between palm trees on a stretch of grass between the rocks and the ocean, clear marquis tents with beautiful dining tables and guitar music welcomed us. From there we could watch the surfers in action as the nearby waves roll in creating natural areas for beginners, intermediates, and experts—it was quite the show! Dinner was delicious: slow braised pork, watermelon salad, angus beef fillet mignon, and grilled Kauai fresh catch. As the sun began to set, the tiny raindrops on the tent seemed to sparkle like diamonds, and our guests were able to enjoy a gifting experience. Thanks to our partner Cultivate, they were able to have a Kaenon sunglasses fitting and choose a cool Corkcicle tumbler in their favorite color. Through the Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau, our guests were able to choose a pair of comfy OluKai sandals or shoes, just perfect for a day at the pool or beach. What better way to decide on what kind of gifting experience you’d like to provide for your company than to try some on for size?
Dolphins and Swells
Kauai is known for the mind-blowing topography of the Napali Coast, and there is no better way to explore this spectacular coastline than aboard Captain Andy’s Catamaran. Rising up from the ocean depths, thousand foot, mossy, red volcanic cliffs tower over azure waters. Sailing through these seas yourself, you can almost imagine the impact they would have had on those ancient Polynesian sailors who first laid eyes on this incredible shoreline. Wind in our hair, and sun on our faces, we had a great time spotting sea turtles and racing a huge pod of spinner dolphins, lounging on the catamaran trampolines, and getting sprayed by the swells while chatting with our guests. With the water a bit rough, we couldn’t snorkel near the coast as usual, but as we returned to calmer waters, our guests were able to enjoy swimming and snorkeling. Talking to the captain about the 6-8 foot swells, he told us about the 80ft swells they had last year that slapped into the rocky cliff face with such force that people on the east side of the island heard them loud as thunder. I guess seven foot swells aren’t so bad after all!
Let’s go to the Grand Canyon!
Catamaran isn’t the only way we explored this breathtaking island. Many in our group opted to take a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon of the Pacific—Waimea Canyon, zooming over countless waterfalls, 3,000 foot cliffs, and lush green valleys. Others hopped aboard side-by-side ATV’s to do a little muddy off-roading in this rugged tropical landscape, super thrilled that the ATV company told them to get crazy and have fun since up to $10,000 of damages were covered! Some decided to make the beautiful drive to explore the Hanalei Princeville area. And others took advantage of the many hiking trails to scout out incredible views. And still others relaxed poolside, strolled down the beach, played a round of golf, or got that desperately needed massage. The adventure options on Kauai really are spectacular.
Living the Cabana Life
After three nights at the Grand Hyatt, we transferred to the Koloa Landing Resort. This is part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, a unique boutique, condo-style hotel. With luxurious finishes, it is suitable for a Presidents Club retreat, but it’s spacious suites come with kitchens–a nice option for guests who like to keep meals simple and casual. For those who enjoy eating out, the property is located only five minutes from the Kukuiula Shops where there are a dozen dining options. Quick side note on these shops: we were able to do a cool gifting experience through Tommy Bahama through their gift cards. Talk about individualized, Tommy Bahama can do a pop-up shopping experience at your resort. Just get your guest a gift card, and they can get for themselves EXACTLY what they’re after. Now back to Koloa Landing—the pools here are amazing, so we snagged a cabana poolside for two days and stocked it with drinks and snacks. This is livin’! A couple of nights a week, the Koloa Landing staff puts on a delicious s’mores night, cooking up these sticky treats for all the guests gathered around the fire.
Stay the Course
For our farewell dinner at this resort, the owner of Koloa Landing came down to speak with our group about this very special place. Bill Child is the man who turned RC Willey into a household name, building, as his book title suggests, “A Business Warren Buffet Would Want to Buy.” Despite the economic downturn of 2008, he stayed the course and put quality and care into developing all aspects of Koloa Landing. Hearing his passion for this lovely resort was inspiring and a thoughtful touch as we ate our dinner in the stunning setting of the garden lawn.
Show Off
Sometimes it’s okay to be a showoff. That’s what we were in Kauai for after all, to see the best it has to offer. It is always a privilege to host amazing business owners and executives on our annual retreats, to show them some of the possibilities of a location, to give them boots-on-the-ground insight into potential resorts, venues, and adventures. Kauai—rugged, spectacular, playful, and luxurious—showed once again that it is an incredible setting for an unforgettable incentive event.
