Entries tagged 'resorts'
Best Honeymoon Hotels: Paia Inn Sez Stay 4, Pay 3 Nites
Love, love, love this hotel. Paia is the un-Maui vacation, with no big hotels, small town feel, vagabond windsurfers cruising through and oceans galore....
Hawaii Hotels: Great Photo Montage of Four Seasons Lanai Lodge at Koele
The Lodge has definitely enjoyed a Rennaissance under Four Seasons management. Service is better. I don't know about the food, have heard mixed reports. But this photo montage taken only a couple of months about by Celebrate Travel, gives...
Hawaii Hotels: Hotel Hana Maui Video Tour
A very cool amateur video tour of a typical room at one of my fave Hawaii hotels, the Hotel Hana Maui. This place is totally unplugged - no TV, no Internet in the rooms. Outdoor lava showers are amazing....
My (Long Lost) Friend SuperCW at the Waikiki Parc: Uber, Uber
I don't know how to do umlauts on the keyboard. SuperCW knows how to do everything else. Sigh. I wish I had her nightlife stamina. At any rate, she stayed at the Waikiki Parc, the hipper but cheaper version...
Hawaii Hotels: Aqua Goes Wailea, Diamond Resort Gets Wet
Word out last week that boutique hotel operator Aqua Resorts will be taking over management of the Diamond Resort in Wailea. This is a major coup for Aqua -- Diamond is off-beach but still perfectly fine and a much better...
Hawaii Hotels: Lots of Luxury Rooms at the Inn, Halekulani Running Under 50%, Word on the Street
Now might be the best time in literally 50 years for deals on luxury hotels in Hawaii. Which is good for travelers but sad for the hotels. I am hearing rumors that the higher-end properties are facing occupancies in the...
Hualalai Takes the Hit: $1.7 Million Condos Go Aking
Had to start happening. Big Island super resort, Hualalai, is apparently feeling the pinch of the economic slowdown, according to this article. Oh, but it's only impacting lower end properties -- like $1.7 million condos. Sniff, sniff....
This is Your View on Maui: Kea Lani Hotel Candid Video
It's hard to get a bad view in Wailea and, set right on Polo Beach, the Kea Lani has as nice a view as any place else. What's to like about this resort? Rooms are suites so its better...
Hawai Hotels: Sweet Deal at Napili Kai Resort -- Seven Nights for Price of Five
Stay five nights, get two free -- that's a hefty discount. Napili Kai, which is on one of my favorite bays in West Maui, rarely puts on such good offers. I love the place and its a great family spot....
Hawaii Hotels: Great Amateur Honeymoon Video Tour of Room at Hotel Hana Maui
Love this tour. Hope this lady gets very lucky on her honeymoon. This gives you a great idea of what the renovated rooms look like. Also love this hotel -- probably a top honeymoon choice for those who want...
Hawaii Hotels: Best Photomontage of Grand Wailea on Maui
Turn down soundtrack on this and ignore the people pics but this is the best photomontage I've seen yet of Grand Wailea. It gives you insights as to why Hawaii's resort properties are looking dated, in many cases. The...
Hawaii Hotel Execs Expect Visitor Decline of 10-30% - Luxe Hotels Going Hat in Hand to State
This reported in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin today:. Local hoteliers, who expect to see a 10 percent to 30 percent year-over-year drop in fall bookings for the industry's bread-and-butter hotels, plan to ask the Hawaii Tourism Authority for emergency action, including...
More Hawaii Pool Porn: Waterslide at the Hyatt Regency on Maui in Kaanapali
This is a pretty good slide. I wouldn't recommend for kids -- kinda dark. But the Hyatts all have great pools in Hawaii. Enjoy the lad behavior, as well.....
Hawaii Hotels: Bedbugs at the Halekulani? A New Upgrade Strategy
The only thing worse than getting bitten by bedbugs in a hotel room is getting bitten by bedbugs in a really, really expensive hotel room. Try adding that this room is in Hawaii (possibly for your honeymoon) and at one...
Test Drive Our New Hawaii Search Engine -- The Best Way to Search for Hawaii Info, Or Not?
Check it out here at search.hawaiirama.com. Tell us what you think and what can be made better -- or if it totally rocks, tell us that, too. Hint -- this thing is best for detailed searches into Hawaii topics. We...
Four Seasons Wailea -- A Maui Hotel and Top Hawaii Art Gallery Rolled Into One
Curator Julie Cline has turned the Four Seasons in Wailea into perhaps the leading showspace for contemporary art in Maui and possibly in Hawaii overall. She has a beautiful whitewashed canvas. What's more, she regularly runs tours of the...
Hawaii Honeymoon Hotel Tours -- Halekulani Honeymoon Suite
Here's a link to a nice, amateur tour of the honeymoon suite at the Halekulani. They won't let us embed the video but follow the link. It's a solid effort and the lady is lucky to stay in such a...
Blogging at HotelChatter.com -- Aqua's New Gem in Waikiki
Here's my post on HotelChattter.com regarding the new Aqua property in Waikiki. We love this feisty little Hawaii hotel chain, Aqua Hotels, for taking a modern spin on Waikiki resorts. Alas, they've only been able to grab second-tier (and sometimes...
Four Seaons Manele Bay Dolphin Appearance -- Great Reason to Stay at Four Seasons on Lanai
Hulopoe Beach on Lanai is one of the best places in the islands to swim with spinner dolphins. It's also got a fun surf break, excellent snorkeling, and you can camp there if you don't feel like paying Four...
Hawaii Hotel Pools: Grand Wailea Video Tour
This is the best hotel pool in Hawaii and among the best in the world. It's almost a water park. Kids force their parents to spend exorbitant sums to stay at this hotel primarily to have easy access to...
Microsoft Mobile Post from Kauai: Princeville Report Renovations
And here's the after image. This is what the rooms will look like at the Princeville after all is said and done. They will also have LCDs in the bathrooms, which is much for my taste but whatever. At...
Molokai Ranch to Close: No Place to Stay on the Friendly Isle in Hawaii
After losing money for several decades, the Molokai Ranch announced it would close, laying off 120 workers and effectively boosting the Friendly Isle's unemployment rate to 12%. The Ranch was one of the largest employers on the island. It also...
Hitting the Links: Best Golf Resorts in Hawaii
Golf Mag trots out it's 20th anniversary rankings of best resorts around the world. Natch, Hawaii bags a good number -- nine out of 75, to be exact. Catching top ranking was the Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay....
Hawaii Hotels: Scoop on the Renovated Rooms at the Kahala Hotel & Resort
Family crashed as the Kahala for a 4-night stay two weeks ago and got lucky enough to snag one of the newly renovated rooms at the classic resort which had been struggling of late, according to many online posters. A...
Hawaii Governor Sez Buy Turtle Bay, Stop Da Condos
Hawaii's Governor Lindal Lingle floated a proposal today for the state to purchase Turtle Bay on Oahu's windy, wave-swept North Shore. She claimed that Hawaii has a "once in a lifetime chance" (according to PBN) to preserve the rural lifestyle...
Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Aloha, Bruce here from Hawaii-Aloha.Com. I am a travel agent who specializes in helping folks plan their Hawaii Vacations. I contribute to Hawaiirama by doing hotel reviews and this week I am reviewing the Wailea Marriott Resort and Spa on...
16 Hawaii Hotels Make T&L Top List
As noted by Derek Paiva over at Hawaii Magazine's blog (it's worth the daily read), Travel & Leisure put 16 Hawaii properties among its 500 World's Best. There are, of course, no surprises here with the Four Seasons Hualalai on...
Hyatt Regency Maui missing the "small things"
Aloha, Bruce here from Hawaii Aloha Travel. I am a travel agent who specializes in helping folks plan their Hawaii Vacations. Have you ever been bitten by an elephant? What about hippopotamus? How about a mosquito? Of course you have,...
Update on Renovated Version of Moana Surfrider: Old Hawaii Still In the House
If you don't remember, I'm Bruce from Hawaii-Aloha.com, a Hawaii-based travel agency with excellent local expertise and an unbiased POV. I thought I would bring you up tp date with whats happening at the Moana Surfrider. The Moana hotel originally...
Duke's Lagoon -- From Slime Pit to Sparkling Swimming Hole
For several decades, Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon, the fetid body of water fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort (or part of it, since that place is HUGE), has long been an unsightly eyesore. Infested with jellyfish, coated with slime and cursed...
Oahu to Get A Disney Resort
Alas, it won't be a full-fledged Polynesia-themed Magic Kingdom but Walt Disney unveiled plans for a new resort on Oahu's West Side in the up and coming Ko Olina Resort district. Disney has apparently purchased 21 acres of oceanfront property...
Massive Renovations of the Royal Hawaiian: Looking Good
The legendary Pink Palace, an iconic presence on the sands of Waikiki, has long been a bit of a paradox. It oozes elegance and bygone luxury yet has clearly lacked TLC, staff training, and any decent food to speak of....
Hawaii Hotels: Suite Deal at Outrigger Reef on the Beach
The Outrigger Reef on the Beach has undergone a lot of renovations in the past year. True, it's still a box on the beach and hardly an architectural marvel. But the Outrigger chain has done a nice job of renovating...
Hawaii Hotels: Kahala Resort Richard Dreyfus Ripoff
As if the Kahala Resort hadn't had enough bad press lately. Apparently, famed stage and screen has-been actor walked on a $3,000 room charges tab from the Kahala after stealing the show in a local charity theater performance in Honolulu,...
Hawaii Travel Tips: Best Waikiki Hotel for Families
Just got a good question in from Dr. S in our comments. I get asked this question a lot. So here's the answer, Dr. S. "We are coming to oahu in oct with 4 kids (7 mos, 3 yr, 6...
Waikiki Super Pool on Tap at Royal Hawaiian, Sheraton Waikiki
I just blogged about the Royal Hawaiian yesterday but heck, hard to miss this news. The owners of the the four big Starwood properties in Waikiki -- the Royal Hawaiian, the Westin Moana Surfrider, the Princess Kaiulani and the...
Hawaii Hotel Deals: Royal Hawaiian On Sale
With occupancy rates continuing to fall in Hawaii and the summer travel season sleepier than normal, lots of deals to be had out there. The Sheraton Royal Hawaiian is offering a pretty good one -- $289 for an ocean view...
High Tension In Kapalua, Maui: No Aloha in No Ka Oi Land
The idyllic Northwest corner of Maui is home to the super-rich resort Mecca of Kapalua. There are several beautiful beaches, some of the country's best golf courses, a Ritz-Carlton, and a new super-upscale timeshare on the way. Plus the local...
Hawaii Hotels: Avoid Renovation Gotcha
That Hawaii hotel deal which seems to good to be true? Often times, it really is. There's a whole lotta renovations going on right now but you may not figure that out until you arrive in the islands. Shame on...
Hawaii Hotels: More Resort Fees Breakdown from Travel-Hawaii
I've blogged on Travel-Hawaii.com before. It's an online/offline travel agency that really knows the islands and the various hotel properties and isn't afraid to tick off hotels by telling them that their product stinks (when warranted). Travel-Hawaii has started doing...
Big Changes on Kauai -- Koloa/Poipu Getting 4,500 New Homes: Can You Say Gridlock?
I've always loved going to Poipu / Koloa on Kauai. There are a lot of condos and a smattering of big hotels and it felt a bit crowded but the place managed to retain its small town charm. The...
Hawaii Hotels: Renovation Almost Done at Moana - Can Westin Upgrade the Service?
For most of the past two decades, the historic and lovely Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel may have been the most underwhelming hotel in Hawaii. A lovely wooden, turn-of-the-century Victorian structure in virginal white, the Moana is one of two remaining...
Hawaii Hotels: Kahala Resort Renovations Alert
It was no surprise when the Kahala Resort announced a major renovation. The rooms, while stylish, were getting tired. Parquet floors in the tropics may not have been the best idea. The Trip Advisor masses were calling the Kahala a...
Hawaii Hotels: Princeville to Get Major Renovation, Reflagging
The view from the lobby at the Princeville Resort is perhaps one of the most iconic in Hawaii, with the broad crescent of Hanalei Bay unfurling and waterfall-flecked Mount Waialeale in the distance. The rooms, on the other hand, have,...
Hawaii Hotels: Hilton Reports Weakness in Hawaii Revenues -- Another Sign That Hawaii is Definitely On Sale
I've blogged before about weakening occupancy levels in the Hawaiian Islands and how that would likely mean better deals on rooms. Yesterday Hilton Hotels posted quarterly earnings that were below expectations due, in large part, to weakness in its Hawaii...
Hawaii Hotel Deals: Four Seaons on Lanai: 4th Night Free, Killer Promo
The Four Seasons group took over the only two resorts on Lanai last year and sunk big bucks into renovations. The resorts -- one located on stunning Hulupoe Bay, the other in the crisp, green upcountry above Lanai City --...
Waikiki Hotels: The Secret Pyramid - the Diamond Head Beach Hotel
I had been meaning to write up this wonderful condotel set at the far side of Waikiki close to Diamond Head and the uncrowded shoreline on the eastern side of this resort town. Here's an image of the view...
Hawaii Hotels: Child-Free Resorts in Hawaii -- Sorta Kinda
While most of the readers of Hawaiirama have families, some people want to go on kid-free vacations. Thus, the presence and popularity of resorts in the Caribbean where children are banned. Hawaii does not have any truly child-free resorts. But...
Hawaii Hotels: Smokers Steer Clear of Outrigger, ResortQuest
The agents over at Travel Hawaii, which is becoming a quasi-travel news agency focused on Hawaii, put together some good info on the smoking ban that has pretty much banned smoking in hotel rooms and public places. They put together...
Sheraton Waikiki Renovation Update: Floor Six or Higher
I've covered here before the Sheraton Waikiki's ongoing renovations. So when a news release hit my box claiming the hotel had completed $55 million in room renovations, I thought it might be a good time to update with the good...
Hawaiirama Barack Obama Vacation Tours -- The Platinum Version
Ho, cuz! Barack got some kala! (That's money in Hawaii slang). So now that Barack has raised almost as much money as Hillary Clinton, me thinks he can afford a REAL NICE Hawaiian vacation at this point. Not that I...
Hawaii Tropical Drink of the Week: Pele's Fire-tini
I started doing this a while back with the blog and it kinda fizzled but am starting again, inspired in part by the success of my friend Jonas over at Drink of the Week. So, once a week on...
Royal Lahaina Resort: Stay in Da Tower, Cuz!
The Royal Lahaina Hotel has the dubious distinction of being among the oldest resorts in Kaanapali. TripAdvisor's thundering horde rates it #33 out of 36 resort in Lahaina (they lump in Kaanapali with Lahaina for some reason). Considering that virtually...
Resort Fee Ripoff: A Good Rundown
You've ponied up beaucoup bucks for the holiday of your dreams in Hawaii (or, if you're local, that luxe holoholo). Sure, you expect the resorts to charge a premium for food, drink and activities. But what the heck is a...
How to Save Big Bucks on a Hawaiian Vacation: Tip #3 -- Stay Away from Big Name Resort Towns
This tip is closely related to a previous post on staying at off-brand hotel. The big name resort towns in Hawaii do sit astride some of the islands' best beaches. Which is why they can charge a premium on rooms....
How to Save Big Bucks on a Hawaii Vacation: Tip #2 - Off-Brand Hotels Rule
Most travelers (and locals, for that matter) prefer to stay at branded hotel properties. It's like eating at Mickey D's instead of some unknown, untested local burger joint. Except its a lot more expensive so why risk it? Enter the...
Hawaii Hotels: Last Minute 2006 Xmas Deals
Just tracked a bunch of excellent last minute deals for Hawaii trips at Hawaii.com. This site, while full of semi-canned content, puts out emails that are perhaps the best sources of discount Hawaii package vacation listings. Here's a few picks...
Oahu Hotels: New Years Eve - Not Much Room at the Inn (Apparently)
I've been searching for hotel rooms for a quick New Year's jaunt down to Waikki to enjoy the madness and the fireworls. And, not surprisingly, good room deals are hard to find. Many hotels are already sold out. I wanted...
Hawaii Hotels: Embassy Suites Opens In Waikiki w/$199 Ka'amaaina Deal
Call it Hawaii's own version of the Big Dig in Boston. The $625 million Waikiki Beach Walk Project has disrupted traffic, made a handful of Waikiki hotels far less habitable, kicked up dust and turned up the volume so loud...
Hawaii Hotels: The Fun and the Beachless
During the winter months, sunseekers flock to Hawaii for the beach. A good swimming beach, however, is hardly a pre-requisite for a hotel location. On the Big Island, in particular, where swimming beaches are few and far between, many resorts...
Turtle Bay Controversy: Guv Says No!
In an interesting twist, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle in her second innaugural address came out squarely against major development at Turtle Bay and surrounding beaches. This fit in with her argument that should Hawaii continue to rely on land development...
Earthquake Update: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Closed Indefinitely -- Did County Inspectors Miss the Cracks?
Holy cow! The October quake that hit the Big Island took its first hotel casualty as the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, due to extensive structural damage to its roof, was shuttered indefinitely This information came to light yesterday after a...
Oahu Hotel Reviews: Kahala Hotel & Resort
Pros: This property is 10-minutes away from Waikiki and set on its own beach which is rarely crowded and very calm. This is the closest you'll come to a true resort on Oahu's South Shore. The service is, in general,...
Hawaii Beaches: Mahaulepu Beach, Pick of Kauai's South Shore
The drive to Maha'ulepu Beach takes you through the dusty remnants of a now dormant suger cane plantation along Kauai's sunny southern shore. Go to the eastern end of Poipu Road where the pavement turns into a rutted dirt road....
Hawaii Hotel Reviews: Hilton Hawaiian Village
Pros: The Hilton sits on a stretch of rather nice beach, one of the widest in Waikiki. While its rarely empty, this beach tends to feel less crowded than the other primary Waikiki beaches. There is a great swimming channel...
Hawaii YouTube Video of the Day:
I'm generally opposed to semi-cheesy "slideshows" of a bunch of stills slapped together with some music patched over it. But this montage (some video, mostly still) really covers Poipu, Kauai very well, and, frankly, makes me want to go...
NYT Travel Mag Does Oahu
Props to my good friend Lesa Griffith, who is also a lifestyle editor at the Honolulu Advertiser, for this solid piece in NYT Travel Mag covering Oahu. A good read for anyone coming to Oahu soon. One caveat --...
Hawaii Hotels: Kona Village Resort -- Family Heaven
For the most part, Hawaii hotels are booked up for the holidays. Yes, its kinda crazy out there. But should you get the urge for a post Xmas vacation with the little ones, the Kona Village Resort might be one...
Hawaii Hotels and Resorts: An Exceedingly Truthful Travel Agency
In the world of travel, its hard to get the truth. The major travel pubs deemphasize the negative sides of destinations and hotel/resort properties out of fear of ticking off potential advertisers. Clueless posters on Trip Advisor and Hawaii.com throw...
Poolhound: Hilton Waikoloa Village Kiddie Pool
Travel & Leisure readers love the 62-acre Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island. They've given the resort top marks among family resorts in Hawaii for several years now. Am sure the canal boats and the mini-tram used to ferry...
Hawaii Hotels: Avoid Renovation Gotcha
More than once I've bagged a hotel steal online and arrived at the property to check in -- and realized that extensive, noisy and dirty renovations were underway. Hotels go out of their way to minimize these events, booking rooms...
Hawaii Hotels: Room with a View -- Sheraton Maui
View from the 4th Floor of Building 6 at the Sheraton Maui in Kaanapali. Beyond the swaying palms, the island of Molokai is visible. Image via Flickr/anasofia...
Hawaii Hotels: Kahala Hotel & Resort Loses AAA 5-Star Status
It's still a really nice place to stay with a great beach in a quiet setting. But we had noticed the Kahala had been slipping a bit since the management turnover there in the past year -- just little...
Your Own Private Hawaiian Island -- A Cool $5 Mil
Since Captain Cook first landed at Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island, everyone has wanted a piece of Hawaii. The Brits, French, Russians and Americans dueled for it during the 19th century. The Missionary ruling elite figured out a way...
