Hawaii Travel Guide
Tags: Hotel Amenities / Hawaii Hotels / → All Tags
K`oa Kea’s Beds Could Tame Our Bed-Hopping Ways
We admit it, we’ve slept around with the best of them: Frette and Sferra Bro.; Bellino and Dwell; Egyptian; Turkish. We’ve had no qualms getting horizontal with them, especially when they bring a high thread count to the bedroom.
Despite all our one night stands (and extended stays on occasion), we've gotta say, we think K`oa Kea Hotel & Resort at Po’ipū Beach is onto something with their custom beds.
Tags: Celebrity Scoop / Reality TV Hotels / TV Set Hotels / Oahu Hotels / MC Hammer / → All Tags
MC Hammer Renews His Vows at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu
Hammertime happened right here!
We’re island-hopping around Hawaii this week for a few assignments, and stopped by Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore to do a quick tour of the hotel. The 880-acre property is a real stunner with five miles of perfectly uncrowded coastline. If we gave a rat’s ass about golf we're sure we'd be impressed by the Arnold and Fazio pro golf courses, but sadly, the sport is lost on us.
But, as an Oahu wedding or honeymoon destination, Turtle Bay Resort is one of the best.
That’s why MC Hammer (a.k.a. Stanley Burrell) decided to have an impromptu vow renewal with his wife of more than 23 years during a recent spring break stay at the resort. All the Kleenex-worthy drama will air this Sunday on the has been 90’s rapper’s reality TV show, Hammertime on A&E.
Tags: Family-Friendly Hotels / Hawaii Hotels / Hotel Pools / → All Tags
Is the Grand Wailea Resort Like Las Vegas, But for Kids?
Upon hearing that Grand Wailea Resort just threw down $50M for upgrades and renovations, we wanted to give the property a quick before and after look-see while recently in Maui – especially since we were shacked up right next door at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.
We should have heeded our gut instinct to steer clear after watching a bajillion screaming kids bouncing and jumping off an oversized inflatable slide in the water directly in front of Grand Wailea Resort. Ick. We asked around and this air-filled atrocity doesn’t actually belong to Grand Wailea Resort; it’s simply a noisy eye sore that disturbs the hotel’s waterfront views. The kids l-o-v-e it.
Tags: Hawaii Hotels / Fairmont Hotels / Hotel Bars / Hotel Cocktails / Maui Hotels / → All Tags
We Go Cuckoo for Pupus at The Fairmont Kea Lani’s New Luana Lounge
Our most memorable childhood meals were bite sized delights served on a beverage napkin with frilly toothpicks, so it’s no wonder we swoon for the pupu. These island-style hors d’oeuvres are a staple of Hawaiian luaus and happy hours, every bit as much as the Mai Tai, Piña Colada, Blue Hawaii, and Lava Flow.
The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui celebrates the pupu at its new Luana Lounge. (“Luana” is the Hawaiian word meaning to be at leisure, enjoy pleasant surroundings, to live in comfort and ease.) The new lobby bar features a new theme, new menu, new bar, new décor and new furnishings that create a more authentically local ambiance. We love all the new updates, none of which distract from the stunning, colorful South Shore sunsets.
Tags: Hotel Pools / Hawaii Hotels / Maui Hotels / Four Season Hotels / Hotel Construction / → All Tags
Coming Soon: The Most Scenic Place to Take a Dip in Wailea
We just spent a ridiculously relaxing week on Maui but we were able to do some hotel snooping while we there. We have oodles to report on the Hawaii hotel scene, but at this very moment, we’re most excited about the July 10th debut of Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea’s new infinity-edged swimming pool.
When we site inspected the hard hat area hole in the ground this past weekend, it looked like it had a ways to go, but Director of Marketing, Mark Simon told us that after several deadline extensions, what’s being dubbed as the "Serenity Pool" would finally be ready for hotel guests right after the 4th of July holiday weekend.
We sure hope so, because the weather was beyond perfect while we were there (as if there’s really ever a bad time to go to Hawaii weather-wise), and we’d hate to see summer vacationers miss out on what’s going to be a truly spectacular, upscale, kid-free pool experience.
Tags: Hotel Restaurants / Hawaii Hotels / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / → All Tags
A Taste of the 50-50 Menu at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
The Banyan Tree restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua is arguably one of the top dining dogs on Maui, with unbeatable views of the Pacific Ocean, the island of Moloka'i and the Pailolo Channel. But, like a lot of the super swank resort’s services and amenities, it’s not exactly budget friendly.
The restaurant is bringing its five star dining experience within not-just-for-special-occasions-only reach with its new three-course 50/50 menu deal for $50, which includes mea ‘ai mua (perfect starter), mea ‘ai nui (entrée), and mea ‘ai momona (dessert).
For another $50, you can buy a bottle of wine from a select list that changes weekly, including plenty of picks we would gladly recommend: Family Vineyards Viognier 2005 and Henschke Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia 2005. We’re a bit of a wine snob and loved many of the selections. (Both deals are exclusive of tax and gratuity.)
Tags: Hawaii Hotels / Hotel Amenities / Hotel Spas / → All Tags
New Spa-Ah Additions at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
We don’t like to play favorites, but will confess that we’re totally smitten with Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. If you’re not down with love, it’s probably not the best destination for you. Heck, if you’re not down with love, maybe you should steer clear of Maui, period.
The island embraces a laid-back, anything-is-possible vibe, and the Four Seasons’ poshy posh resort simply oozes romance at every turn. Its line-up of services and amenities, like Oceanside couples’ massages in a thatched hale (a romantic outdoor retreat), poolside Otter Pop and fresh fruit kebab service, and the rock star steaks at DUO (hello, Japanese Bobe beef!), is like a big fat “O” that keeps delivering eyes-roll-back goodness. It’s really that good.
Tags: Celebrity Scoop / Lindsay Lohan / Hawaii Hotels / Beach Hotels / → All Tags
LiLo Lays Low At The Wailea Beach Marriott
Occasionally, we take some time to sit around and think about the possibility that we may become famous overnight, and the possibility that such fame could lead to a Britney or LiLo-esque breakdown or, at the very least, a one-night meltdown that is not-so-epic but still notable. Said meltdown could be triggered by a bad breakup or one-too-many run-in's with paparazzi, and preceded immediately by a head-shave or an ill-advised, highly-publicized affair. But when we are famous and we do have that breakdown, which hotel are we going to retreat to?
Luckily, Lindsay Lohan is out in the field doing some research for us and — fresh off her highly-publicized bad breakup with girlfriend Samantha Ronson and, um, highly-publicized turbulent life as of late — has flown to Hawaii to kick it at the Wailea Beach Marriott. From the volumes of pap shots that continue to emerge, showing her chillin' by the pool and appearing to not be completely devastated, the big, grand breakdown may have already happened and she may be in recovery or on the upswing — which is cool too.
We've gotta admit we were a bit surprised that our Lindsay didn't select the way-posh Four Seasons Maui as her Hawaiian getaway destination of choice, but this is a good pick, too: the property is nestled between two beaches and boasts several pools on property, including a new infinity-edged "Serenity" Pool. Yes. Serenity is good for her. We assume she's staying in a suite here, and those start at $589.00 this summer.
[Photo: Bauer-Griffin via Defamer]
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