Kauai Marriott Resort

Hotel Information: Complimentary shuttle service delivers a steady stream of international guests from nearby Lihue Airport through a tree-shaded avenue leading to the resort's upper entrance. New arrivals descend two stories by steep escalator to a grand esplanade and enormous tropical garden containing waterfalls and koi ponds. An airy lobby is ringed by pink-marble columns.

Amenity highlights: This Hawaii Marriott's pool's dimensions are: 210 feet in diameter, 26,000 square feet, 300,000 gallons of water, 1.2 million tiles. Seen from the Aupaka above, the round pool with its scalloped edge features pink-marble waterfalls, a six-pointed sundeck-island, sculpted-animal fountains spraying jets of sparkling water, and a palm-shaded sundeck—including a children's pool—spreading out to restaurants, lounges, and a broad sunning lawn bordering the beach. Five grand, wood-columned gazebos rise two stories from the pool to the Aupaka. Their top levels each contain a single black-marble table offering great views. Their bottom levels each contain a large hot tub next to the pool.

Insider tip: At the terrace level, the gazebos above the pool can be reserved for private dinners.

The Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club, situated on a hillside, offers 356 air-conditioned rooms. Most have furnished lanais, while ground-floor garden-view rooms have furnished patios and standard rooms have no balconies or patios. Most rooms have views of the gardens, ocean, or pool.

Rooms are outfitted with light-wood furniture, dining tables beneath chandeliers, refrigerators, and marble-lined tub/shower alcoves. High-speed Internet access is available (surcharge).

Smoking is not permitted inside hotel rooms.