1 Hotel Hanalei Bay: A Heavenly, Sustainable, Luxury Retreat on Kaua’i

PRINCEVILLE, KAUAI – I almost thought I was in the wrong place.

My wife and I recently pulled up in front of 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay on the lush north shore of Kaua’i.

I stayed at the property eight years ago when it was a St. Regis hotel. I have a pretty good memory for places and hotels, but this didn’t look remotely familiar.

As it turns out, there’ s a very good reason for that. The former hotel, which featured a pretty, enclosed lobby with a nice Hawaiian feel, was purchased by Starwood Capital in 2018 for USD$225 millon. The company spent another $300 million on a huge renovation/redo, tearing out the lobby and replacing it with a magnificent, open-air area with a waterfall and luxuriant, colorful tropical plants and flowers that provide a real sense of place. It reopened as a virtually new property in March, 2023.

1 Hotels’ founder and chairman Barry Sternlicht says Hanalei Bay “is the culmination of everything we’ve sought to achieve with the 1 Hotels brand.”

Sternlicht said he and his family often stayed at the hotel prior to buying it.

“When I first visited, I found the existing hotel not in keeping with its natural landscape. I had a vision of creating an extraordinary resort that would combine the magic of a lush native landscape with the region’s rich culture and history.”

“The idea was to bring the outside in,” a hotel spokesperson told Open Jaw. “We want people to see all the natural beauty of Kaua’i.”

Having spent the night and explored the property, and having enjoyed two meals at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, this former baseball writer has to say that Sternlicht knocked it out of the park.

Not only is the open-air lobby and garden area a welcome element, but the hotel now features enormous planter boxes that help soften the impact of a building that cascades down a cliff. The building also been given a darker, pale green exterior (the St. Regis was bright white) so it feels more natural.

Sustainability is a key part of 1 Hotels program, and 1 Hotel Hanalei is no exception.

Hotel officials say they focused on deconstruction rather than demolition and renovating rather than rebuilding. The company salvaged nearly 150 tons of on-site furniture, fixtures, equipment and other materials. They also hope to obtain LEED certification, and say that the increased native landscaping and other features have helped them improve water efficiency by 97%.

The Grounds

One of the biggest additions is the adults-only infinity pool on the eighth floor, which is visually stunning and also features a jacuzzi and private cabanas.

The main pool area is near the beach and is surrounded by palm trees and thick stands of tropical plants and flowers, as well as large rocks for a natural look. One feature I quite liked are the underwater rock benches along the sides of the pool, which allow you to rest comfortably in the water and perhaps chat with a friend or family member. There are also several large hot tubs and a kids pool.

They have both cabanas and luxurious day beds around the main pool, which feels like a South Seas lagoon. There’s a corn hole game and a ping pong table as well as a surf shop if you care to rent a paddleboard or other water gear.

The beach isn’t big but there are pretty offshore reefs that make it good for snorkeling, and the views of Hanalei Bay and the rugged, deep green mountains of Kauai’s north shore are to die for.

The Rooms

The resort has 252 airy and nature-inspired rooms, including 51 suites, all using hand-woven fabrics, reclaimed teak and other local products.

Our fifth-floor room was both spacious and beautifully decorated, with a soft, dried-grass hula skirt spread across one wall and pillows that looked like they were made of Hawaiian tapa cloth. There were soft, woven fabrics all around, plenty of wood, and several plants. I also loved the huge headboard, which doubles as a desk.

Our spacious shower had a lava rock wall on one side, with a wooden tree stump for resting or shaving one’s legs, and the room had deep, rich, wonderful Bamford body lotion. There was also a comfy sofa near the window to help enjoy the mountain and ocean view, free Wi-Fi, a Nespresso coffee maker, a small fridge, and a 55-inch TV.

The Cuisine

The food, of course, is first-rate. Dining options include1 Kitchen, an all-day restaurant overlooking the water, Welina Terrace, which celebrates Hawaii’s multi-cultural heritage through modern Japanese cuisine; poolside dining at The Sandbox, a snack bar called Kai Maika, The Juice Bar, and an all-day grab-and-go spot called Neighbors. Waioli serves up shave ice desserts, while The Lobby Farmstand is stocked daily with local produce.

The breakfast buffet at 1 Kitchen was a little smaller than I expected, but there was a nice variety of offerings. I ordered Portuguese sausage and silky, perfect scrambled eggs off the main menu. We had a fine dinner at 1 Kitchen. We loved the wagyu meatballs with Hawaiian tomatoes, pecorino cheese and shishito pepper. I thought the ahi ceviche needed a kick of spice, but maybe that’s just me. 1 Kitchen makes its own pasta in-house. The bucatini with Kona (Hawai’i Big Island) shrimp, zucchini, basil, black garlic, and white wine was outrageously good.

There’s a wood-fired pizza place by the pool that we didn’t get to try. We were kindly invited to the casual Neighbors restaurant for a happy hour/welcome reception with a fabulous singer and very good sushi and potstickers, as well as wondrous coastal views from the spacious lanai/patio. Far out in the bay I spotted surfers riding some particularly large waves. It was cloudy when we were there, but the sunsets from here, as well as from many of the rooms and the beach, would be amazing.

Other Amenities

We didn’t get a chance to try it, but the spa offers a range of therapeutic treatments, including flotation tanks and body healing techniques inspired by Polynesian traditions, as well as a variety of spa packages. They have a hyperbaric oxygen therapy program that allows you to breathe in pure oxygen, as well as boxing classes and hot pilates.

The hotel offers free lei-making lessons, guided tidepool walks and other programs. Added fee programs and options include a children’s camp, mixology lessons, tequila tasting, and guided hikes.

The hotel also can set you up with sunset sails, catamaran snorkel trips, helicopter tours, lu’au’s, and other experiences. There’s also tennis and pickleball.

Feel like a spin? You can take a two-hour test drive in a fully electric Audi e-tron vehicle, or hitch a free ride into town in one of the vehicles.

It’s a pet-friendly hotel, and staff can set you up with a field trip to a dog shelter. You also can give back by taking part in beach clean-ups, trail restoration efforts, and other programs.

Guest Guidelines

One interesting aspect of 1Hotels is their list of “Conscious Traveler Guidelines,” which are  gentle suggestions on how to share social media posts about popular areas, how to “drive with aloha,” and how to show respect for important Hawaiian cultural sites. It’s great advice that lovers of the islands will truly appreciate.

The Area

1 Hotel Hanalei Bay is at the far western of the posh Princeville development, which includes the highly-rated Princeville Makai Golf Course. The course isn’t too hard for beginners but has several challenging holes, and six oceanfront holes with tremendous views. The golf club also offers tennis lessons, disc golf and sunset tours.

The town of Hanalei is just five minutes away by car if you feel like a little shopping or a meal outside the hotel. There’s also great kayaking on the Hanalei River, and the beach at Hanalei Bay is lovely. The magical Kalalau Trail in Ha’ena State Park is only 20 minutes from the hotel. Reservations are required for park entrance. Limahuli Garden is a lovely spot just outside the park entrance.

The Price

The cheapest rate I could find for a random, mid-week room in late March was a Mountain View King room with a non-refundable price of USD$1,337.