Lihue Airport (LIH): Approximate driving time is 30 minutes and distance is 16 miles.

Driving directions from Lihue Airport: Take Hwy 570 (Ahukini Rd) for 2.5 miles. Turn left on Hwy 56 (Kuhio Hwy) for one-half mile. Turn right on Hwy 50 (Kaumualii Hwy) and continue for 7 miles, then turn left on Hwy 520 and continue for 5 miles to the hotel.

Tidepools - Open-air hale pili (thatch huts) surrounded by a koi lagoon and adjacent to waterfalls provide a South Seas ambience for enjoying Hawaiian-accented dinners and tropical drinks in the lounge.

Dondero's - With inlaid marble flooring, ornate tile decorations, and Franciscan murals, this indoor/outdoor restaurant is an appropriate place for dining on classic Italian fare in the evening.

Ilima Terrace - Outside and surrounded by koi ponds upon which rare mute swans float, Ilima serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a lavish Sunday champagne brunch.

Seaview Terrace - Overlooking the splendor of the resort's grounds and the ocean, this terrace spot serves espresso and coffee drinks in the morning and Hawaiian appetizers and tropical drinks in the evening. Nightly there's Hawaiian music and hula, a torchlighting ceremony six days a week, and a children's hula show on Saturdays.

Poipu Bay Grill & Bar - Located in the golf course clubhouse, this casual open-air restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and drinks until early evening.

Kupono Café - Part of ANARA Spa, the café features breakfast and lunch menus of healthful food.

The Dock - Overlooking the lagoon beach, this restaurant serves burgers, sandwiches, and salads in the sun.

Captain's Bar - From late morning to sunset this cheerful spot serves tropical drinks and offers views of beautiful Shipwreck Beach.

Stevenson's Library - Live jazz , billiards, chess, and backgammon attract guests to this wood-paneled room for a sophisticated evening of single-malt scotches, rare ports, brandies, and cigars.

Amenity highlights: Some guests head for spiritual and physical rejuvenation at ANARA Spa, a $3.5 million facility with 11 treatment rooms, a full-service beauty salon, relaxation lounge, sauna and steam rooms, and a luxury spa suite for couples or friends who want to enjoy treatments together. Massages, manicures, and pedicures are also offered in oceanfront cabanas. Extensive fitness programs include yoga, water aerobics, meditation, Tai Chi, Pilates, and flexibility training.

Many others make their way to the world-renowned water park that includes a five-acre saltwater lagoon with beach; a 150-yard water slide; and a man-made river meandering from the hotel through exceptionally lush gardens and hidden grottos and under waterfalls to a freshwater lagoon pool.

Insider tip: Called "Share the Stars," a special dining option allows couples to enjoy a private dinner with a private server at a linen-draped table near the beach.

Camp Hyatt provides half-day, full-day, and evening sessions of Hawaii-centered activities for children. The hotel's business center offers complete services, including computer rental. The concierge desk arranges every activity available on Kauai, including helicopter sightseeing flights along the spectacular Napali Coast, coastal and river-boat excursions, deep-sea fishing, and dining outside the resort.

Shipwreck Beach in front of the resort is for strong swimmers, boogie boarders, and surfers only, although anyone can enjoy walking its 500-yard length. For ocean swimming, Poipu Beach, once declared by the world's foremost beach expert as America's best, is two miles west. The S-shaped beach's lower loop is protected by a man-made reef so water is calm. The upper loop offers surfing and boogie-boarding. In between, there's great snorkeling among lava rocks around a small sand islet.

Christmas Year-End Policy
All bookings made for stays December 17 through January 5, become nonrefundable after November 1. A 4-night minimum stay is required December 17 through January 5.