News + Events

Following a traditional Hawaiian blessing the new cultural center at Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Ke Kumu O Hihinui, welcomes guests, residents and colleagues to gather, grow knowledge of, and deepen their connection to Hawaiian culture.

The resort offers weekly, hands-on classes in hula, ukulele, and the making of flower lei, kukui nut bracelets, pua hulu (feather flower), and more. The resort’s Manager of Hawaiian Culture, Moani Tolentino, states “This is a place where everyone can come together to learn through ma ka hana ka ike (hands on experiences), but also a place where they become teachers too by sharing their mana`o (ideas) and aloha with others.”

Establishing a sense of history upon entering, the Center includes a number of Hawaiian arts and artifacts, books and more. Ke Kumu O Hihinui welcomes all to visit, learn, share mana`o and aloha.

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa welcomes new leader, Michael Murphy, as General Manager.

Murphy, a 24-year Hyatt veteran has led teams from Washington to Nevada, California to Texas.  Murphy will be packing up after record snow at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe as he eagerly returns to the islands, having done a stint at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa from 2010-2014.

A warm welcome was given Murphy with his arrival announced by the blowing of a conch shell followed by a chant led by the resort’s Manager of Hawaiian Culture, Moani Tolentino.  Colleagues of the resort greeted him with aloha, showering him with lei. 

“I am excited and beyond honored to join the team at Grand Hyatt Kauai and my wife and I are ecstatic to return to the Aloha State,” Murphy stated. Family is everything to Murphy, he will be joined by his wife Lety, son Connor, nearly 4, Millie, nearly 2, and Dory, their Mini Goldendoodle. Work-Life balance being a key to success, Murphy’s other passion is health and fitness. He’s looking forward to adding beach runs and swims to his 4:30am workouts in addition to exploring the Garden Island on family hikes. 

We at Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa are committed to reducing our impact on the environment by conserving natural resources and reducing waste.  Following are a few of the steps we have taken:

REDUCE

- Solar photovoltaic system, covering 18,500 sq. ft.  produces 465,000 kWh per year of clean renewable energy which reduces CO2 emissions by 415 tons annually.

- 4,000 sq ft hydroponic garden produces 300lbs of lettuce for the resort each week.

- Reusable water bottles in guestrooms with filtered water stations throughout resort reduce individual use water bottles by 50,000 per month; 600,000 per year. 

- 2021 LED replacement in all large chandeliers and wall sconces. A 2011 & 2012 LED light replacement of 15,000 bulbs reduced lighting kWh by 70%.  Previous CFL replacement in 1995 reduced usage by 800 kWh per year.

- First Level 3 electric vehicle fast charger in the State.

- Air-conditioning is controlled on an Energy Management System.  Unoccupied rooms are slightly cooled.  

- Exhaust fans in kitchens and pumps for water features are controlled electronically on timers for an annual estimated savings of 250,000 kWh.

- Allowing guests to choose whether to have linens refreshed daily saves 500,000 gallons of water per year.

- Green Earth dry cleaning machines replace petroleum based solvents with silicone, made from silica or sand.

- Nearly 60,000 sq. ft. of grass covered roofs reduce cooling needs and energy use.

- Wet waste from kitchens goes to pig farmers for feed, reducing waste to landfill.

REUSE

- Energy efficient AquaRecycle system for laundry water reduces water usage by 10.5 million gallons annually and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 332 metric tons.

- 100% of green waste is utilized for compost.

- Waste cooking oil is collected and processed into bio-diesel fuel.

- All usable items such as mattresses, art, furniture, dishes, etc. are sold in fundraisers for local charities.

RECYCLE

- Recycle bins are available in all guestrooms as well as throughout the resort for guests to deposit glass, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans.  

- Each office workspace recycles.

- We divert over 60% of our waste from the landfill, including an average of 15 tons of recyclables, 12 tons of green waste and 35 tons of wet waste per month.

- Take-out packaging is made from biodegradable materials.

- Heat produced by the air conditioning system is converted to heat water for our swimming pools.  This process decreases environmental pollution and conserves 205,000 kWh each year.

Though the resort suspended operations in April due to travel restrictions and COVID-19, Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa has not been idle. Improvements to facilities and guestrooms have been made, accolades received as one of the best resorts in Hawaii, and accreditation gained for its cleanliness and safety protocols.  

Named to the two most prestigious awards lists in the travel industry, Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa was honored in the Travel+Leisure World’s Best Awards as well as the Conde Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards as one of the best resorts in Hawaii. For these awards readers weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — sharing their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more.

Prior to suspending operations, the resort’s focus on cleanliness and wellbeing was recognized with the AAA Best of Housekeeping Award. Enhanced cleaning protocols led to receiving this award which recognizes housekeeping that significantly exceeded expectations of AAA inspectors during their visit.

The resort also recently received accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) indicating it has proper cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques and work practices in place to minimize risks associated with infectious agents like the novel coronavirus. “This accreditation assures workers and guests that the resort has systems in place to maintain clean and healthy environments,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “This third-party validation shows that it follows strict protocols for biorisk situations, thereby demonstrating its preparedness and commitment to operating safely.”  To achieve GBAC STAR™ accreditation, the resort was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures. Learn more about GBAC STAR accreditation at www.gbac.org.

The resort has taken full advantage of this time to make the experience even better when guests return.

• The resort’s renowned pools have new pool decks and socially distanced seating in sun or shade.
• The multi-phased guestroom renovation moved ahead with all new carpeting and the addition of an accent bench at the foot of the bed, an ottoman for the seating area and a media hutch. These enhancements complement the renovation which began in late 2018 with new televisions, credenzas, chairs and sofas, with Nespresso machines and refrigerators added in 2019.
• Three top tier suites have been completely renovated with six additional to be completed by year’s end.
• Many facilities improvements have also been made including safety enhancements, exterior paint and repair, along with extensive landscaping to open the resort view planes.