Our first trip to Hawaii exceeded our expectations. Pukalani at the Marriott Grand Residence in Lihue is a beautiful, well maintained and luxurious condominium, overlooking the Nawiliwili Harbor. We watched several cruise ships glide into the harbor and dock. The beauty of Kauai is overwhelming and we were able to see the very best while sitting at our lanai over our morning coffee. The grounds at the Marriott are stunning and promise to improve, although it is hard to believe it could get much better.
There are several restaurants in the nearby vicinity, and we especially enjoyed our Mai Tais at Duke's overlooking the sunset, located right next to the Marriott. We enjoyed an evening at Smith's Luau, ate Kalua Pork and Macaroni Salad, and watched the multicultural Hawaiian dancers with a small volcano erupting in the background. On our travels to the the North Shore, we had a chance to take in Hanalei Bay where South Pacific with Mitzi Gaynor was filmed, with a stop at the lighthouse bird sanctuary. At the end of the day, after our tourist activities, we we able to come back to our beautiful condo, sit by the pool, watching the palm trees sway with the sounds of a variety of birds. It was like living at Disneyland for a week, only this was the real thing, a true paradise.
Overall, our stay at the Pukalani at the Marriott Grand Residence excellent, and we can't wait to come back to Hawaii.