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Cubicle Dreamin': Luxury and Relaxation at the Hana-Maui Hotel
Cubicle Dreamin' is a feature in which we ask the hotel mavens to take some time out of their busy work day, surf the Internet, and tell us what hotel they wish they could beam themselves to right that very second--all on the slave driving companies dime, of course. Oh, like these people aren't surfing aimlessly anyway--at least now their purposeless clicking will be cobbled together into useful hotel stories--we hope. Have a destination hotel you are just dying to leave your cube for? Send the story our way.
In this episode, Hotel Maven Amanda K wants to celebrate the New Year Hawaiian-style...in her mind. Enjoy.
With all the rush of the Christmas holiday season and then the terror of landing with a thump in 2008, without all my plans for 2007 ticked off yet, I really feel like getting away some place calm, peaceful and a bit on the expensive side. I'm thinking Hawaii and I'm thinking the Hotel Hana-Maui because it's kind of away from any hustle and bustle and would be just what my nerves need right now.
Now I'm after a bit of luxury, but I'm not a complete snob, and I'll settle for a Superior Ocean Front cottage with a hot tub. For a nightly package rate of $965 I can get a gorgeous cottage, breakfast included, along with four massage or body treatments in the spa. Yoga classes are thrown in daily as well.
The Hana-Maui includes some free cultural activities for all guests, and I like the sound of these too, especially the hula and ukelele lessons (not at the same time, though) and the bicycles you can borrow to ride along the purpose-built path. A week or so there and I'll probably be ready to tackle 2008.
[Photo: MarylandLabLady]
Related Stories:
· Sneak Attack on Hotel Hana-Maui [HotelChatter]
· Nightlife at the Hana Maui Hotel [HotelChatter]
· Hotels in Hawaii [HotelChatter]
Tags: Hawaii Hotels / Hotel Deals / Maui Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Skip the Art Galleries, Get 6 for 5 At The Four Seasons Maui
Over at the Four Seasons Resort Maui they're not only pretty happy at scoring well in the Conde Nast Readers' Choice Awards--they were rated the best resort in the US--but they're also glowing with pride over their recent renovations, and their special winter 6 for 5 deal.
The renovations have seen new Hawaii-inspired furnishings in all the rooms and suites, along with "new intuitive technology", which might be great, but we're not really sure what the heck it is. As part of the whole refurb deal, the Four Seasons Maui has also added a significant collection of museum-quality art, and reckons that in combination with the Four Seasons Hualalai, they actually are caretakers of the state's largest collection of Hawaiian art.
Their favorite deal at the moment is a sixth night free promotion running from January 6 to February 14, 2008, where guests who book five nights get one complimentary night. Rooms rates start at $620. Seeing all that Hawaiian art won't cost you a cent extra.
[Photo: drw_ok]
Related Stories:
· Conde Nast Readers Have Spoken [HotelChatter]
· Hotels in Hawaii [HotelChatter]
· Hawaii Travel [Jaunted]
Tags: Hotel Deals / Bad Rate / Maui Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Bad Hawaii Hotel Deal: Aston Maui Lu
[Ed. Note: Alex Salkever is the founder/editor of the Hawaii travel blog Hawaiirama.com]
Web travel giant Expedia offers a boatload of Hawaii air-room packages for the summer season, as hotels in the islands continue to lose out to condos and vacation rentals (hotel occupancy has dropped for 13 straight months). Some deals are best left untouched.
Take a rock-bottom rate at the Aston Maui Lu in Kihei on Maui's sunny South Coast. The Expedia package proclaims: "Aside from the pretty cove and prime whale-watching views in winter, this resort offers volleyball courts, two tennis courts, and a horseshoe pit--laundry facilities, too." Laundry and horseshoe?
Hmm, that should be a tip off, even at the going rate of $573 per person for a four night stay plus airfare out of LAX.
Tags: Celebrity Scoop / Maui Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Scary Spice and Eddie Murphy Hit Up Four Seasons Maui
The Four Seasons Maui is hosting yet another celebrity couple, and thankfully, its not Britney Spears and K-Fed.
Eddie Murphy has been quietly dating Scary Spice of the Spice Girls for a few months and they are reportedly going to marry. According to the Sunday Mirror, the wedding's set to happen at the Hollywood Roosevelt. Although we know the track record for weddings at HR aren't so great. Eerily, Mischa Barton and boyfriend Cisco Adler were holed up at the Four Seasons when their "engagement" was reported.
As for their trip to the Four Seasons, other guests seem to think the love is real.
"The body language between them was electric - they seem pretty infatuated with each other.
Or possibly Scary Spice, also known as Mel B. who hasn't had a hit since 1997, is infatuated with Eddie's private plane which they took (with kids in tow) to Maui.
Related Stories:
· It must B Love [Sunday Mirror]
· Mel B and Eddie Murphy [GossipRocks]
· Four Seasons Maui reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Celebrity Scoop / Kid Friendly / Maui Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Denise Richards Gets Kiddie Massages at Four Seasons Maui
Denise Richards must have paid close attention to Britney Spears' hotel picks as she recently put herself and her two daughters up at the Four Seasons in Maui, a notoriously kid-friendly spot. Word from Celebrity Babies blog which spotted Denise Richards at the hotel the other week, found out that her daughter scored not just any plain ol' massage, but a full body one, nonetheless.
Damn, these kids are starting their pampering young and the Maui Four Seasons is practically the force behind it all. As the blog noted:
There are even massage therapists who walk around the pools, offering foot, shoulder, neck and scalp massages (prices start at $65 for 20 minutes).
Here's the funny part: Denise got a full body massage for Lola, a shoulder massage for the boy calling her Aunt Denise and a foot massage for herself (while holding Sam). Lola seemed to enjoy the massage or at least didn't squirm much. During Lola's massage, Denise chatted on her cell phone, smiling. I asked a massage therapist if massaging babies was a normal practice and she said, "We'll massage a baby any age as long as a parent is there."
The hotel doesn't stop serving kids at the spa. Kid sized robes are available, kid bath products, a kid DVD collection, babysitting services and more. We're not even sure if this place will take adults in the future.
As for Denise, she can't stop copying her former best friend, Heather Locklear. A valet at the hotel said Heather had been there the week before Denise got there.
Related Stories:
· Danielle's vacation celeb sightings [Celebrity-baby Blog]
· Four Seasons Maui Reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Brit Picks Kid-Friendly Hotel [HotelChatter]
Tags: Hotel Deals / Maui Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Jocks and Foodies Can Both Be Happy in Maui
Of course you never need a reason to go to Maui, but when you have one it's all the better. The Chicago Tribune points out two reasons at the Kaanapali Resorts. The company is offering two packages that will appeal to either your adventurous side or the foodie that lurks within.
For the action lovers, go to the Kaanapali Beach Resort for the "Maui Adventurer"package which:
Offers one activity for two--a horseback ride on a working cattle ranch, a bike ride down Haleakala, an ATV ride, a waterfall hike or a Molokini snorkel excursion--plus five nights in an ocean-view room, daily breakfast, daily rental car and admission to a dinner show blending Hawaiian dance with magic. Good until Dec. 24, the "Maui Adventurer" is priced at $1,879 for two, with additional nights costing $295, including breakfast and car rental.
If it's the food you're after, you'll have to follow your nose to the sister hotel, The Plantation Inn in Lahaina for the "Island Gourmet package." For $799 you get "three nights, covering lodging, one dinner for two, daily breakfast and daily car rental." Both deals are subject to blackout dates so inquire about that when you are booking. Both also are good through the end of the year. .
As for the Kaanapali Hotel, it was voted "Most Hawaiian Hotel in Hawaii." Perhaps because they keep it "real" by not providing internet.
Related Stories:
· A Maui hotel package gives guests a choice of activities [Chicago Tribune]
· Kaanapali Beach Hotel Reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Plantation Inn reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Tips / Maui Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Nightlife at the Hana Maui Hotel
As you head out for the weekend (unless you're on the Masschusetts coast which then means you are stuck), here's one last photo of a Maui hotel.
This is a shot of the local (but not sexy) performers who serenade guests at the Hana Maui Hotel, another ultra-luxe hotel in where rooms go for close to $500 a night.
For more of our Maui reports, check these stories below:
· Aston Maui Lu Is Scary
· Wailea is Where to Spend Your Cash in Maui
· Saving Your Moolah in Maui
· Maui's Anti-Resort Getawaya Spot
Image via SarahorNicholas/Flicrk
Related Stories:
· Hana Maui hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Hotel Hell / Maui Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Aston Maui Lu Resort is Scary
While there are plenty of great hotels to find on Maui, there's always some bad with the good.
A recent guest at the Aston Maui Lu Resort in Kihei tells us what other cost-conscious travelers won't:
I don't know what these other people think is decent but this place is not what I call decent. I read the reviews and thought it wouldn't be so bad. I wish someone would have told the truth so I would not have wasted my money.
There are two things I can say that was decent at this place, the grounds were tropical and large and the air conditioner worked great.
I don't want to be unfair but I am going to state the truth. The room was filthy, they did make the bed everyday but they did not clean the room. They did not bother to clean the sink and counter in the bathroom everyday. The ceiling was cracked and falling, rusty pipes on the ceiling, moldy shower curtain, it was terrible. The "small beach" across the street was "No Beach" at high tide.
There is a part of this hotel that is falling down and boarded up. You would be advised to spend a few extra dollars and go someplace else, I would have but I prepaid and didn't have that choice. I don't know if we just got "lucky" and had a bad room but I would not recommend taking the chance.
The others show views which I will admit was nice but regardless this is an old hotel that needs to be taken down, it has outlived it's life, which is obvious because half of it is boarded up and falling down. No one else has mentioned this!
In order to demonstrate the boarded-up section, the guest did a drive-by shooting with her digital camera, shown above.
Our advice? Never trust a hotel that doesn't have a website easily found in Google.
Related Stories:
· Aston Maui Lu Resort reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Celeb Scoop / Maui Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Wailea is Where to Spend Your Cash on Maui
For the celeb-obsessed (you know the kind: first to answer any question about why Nicole and Paris don't talk anymore, knows what new hair color Britney is sporting before any pics of it come out, owns Team Angelina shirts and has the real scoop on why Jess and Nick broke up), a vacation in Maui means only one stop, Wailea.
Here in Wailea, on the southwestern shore of the island at the base of a dormant volcano, celebs escape the harsh glare of Hollywood in their pricey resort getaways.
The two biggest celeb resorts are the Four Seasons and the Grand Wailea where rooms start at close to $400 a night (for a mountain view.) Both resorts have undeniably gorgeous grounds and top-rate service. The Grand Wailea has a better spa (its the largest in Hawaiit) and a better pool area (nine pools and seven water slides), but the Four Seasons is a little more low-key (ie less screaming kids.)
The Four Seasons also has a higher celeb wattage as Britney Spears & K-Fed, Pamela Anderson & Tommy Lee, Oprah, John Stamos and the Schwarzengger family are just some of the celebs that have been spotted there.
A little further down the road from these two celeb hotel havens is the Fairmont Kea Lani that has only suites and villas but is just as pricey with the one-bedroom suites starting at $385 and the villas at $1,600 a night. However, the pool scene offers a swim-up bar and waterslides.
Wanna live like a celebrity but don't have the budget? Some less expensive Wailea options include the Renaissance Beach Resort and Wailea Marriott Resort where rates are in the low $300s.
Chances are you won't run into celebs there but it doesn't matter so long as you know you're breathing the same air, right?
Image via Jasonsisk/Flickr
Related Stories:
· Hawaii's Wailea is paradise -- but paradise isn't cheap [AJC]
· Britney Spears in Maui Celebrating Baby #2? [HotelChatter]
· Finally, a waterslide with alcohol [HotelChatter]
· Wailea Hotels [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Maui Hotel Reviews / Hotel Deals / → All Tags
Saving Your Moolah in Maui
Hawaii is not a cheap place to visit. Not even in the summer and the big resorts in Wailea on Maui don't really offer a price break during these months. We're talking $350+ for a room with a mountain view.
But there is a budget option out there at the Maui Coast Hotel in Kihei. The full-service hotel has a bunch of package options to consider. One going on right now is the fifth night free with an alcove suite costing $245 a night. This also applies to the one bedroom suite at $275 a night. Standard room rates are $240 and the hotel accepts AAA and AARP discounts.
So now you know you can save a few bucks here, what's the hotel like? For starters, the whole place is nonsmoking which is good because we like to breathe fresh air when we're on vacation. Each suite comes with its own lanai and when you want to check out the island sights, there's a complimentary shuttle service. The hotel also offers up two tennis courts that light up at night because we always enjoy an evening match.
There's no charge for parking which is practically unheard of these days, free laundry, free internet access in the lobby (but WiFi will cost you $15 a day), free use of the fitness center and happy hour at the place from 4-7pm offers up mai tais for $3 and beers for $2.50.
Of course, there's some bad about the hotel. The rooms only have garden views, the beach is still a walk away, the pool is smallish and the hotel restaurant is not that great.
The hotel did undergo some recent renovations but one guests says book the higher floors if you can:
The hotel rooms on the upper floors are much nicer than the ones on the ground level floors (1 and 2). There can be slight problems with the toilets and ants on the first two floors, so request a room on the upper level. I would give this hotel a harsher review, however, ants seem to be the order of the day at most of the lodgings in Kihei on the ground levels.
If you have stayed at the Maui Coast or plan on going, let us know how it went.
Related Stories:
· Maui Coast Hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Maui Hotel Reviews / Places to Stay in Maui / → All Tags
Maui's Anti-Resort Getaway Spot
If you're thinking of heading to Maui for a Hawaiian getaway, then you've probably been checking out some of the island's more famous hotels like the Grand Wailea and the Four Seasons.
But if a big resort experience turns you off, then consider the Aloha Pualani, a boutique hotel (i.e. small) that opened in 2003 in Kihei. The hotel only has five suites (orchid, bamboo, lotus, gardenia, and pikake), each with one bedroom, living room, kitchen and an upper level with views of either the pool, the ocean or both. Each suite is also decorated in different decor but stays true to the Pacific island theme.
Guests rave about the hotel which means "beloved flower of heaven":
If you want to want to visit Maui and avoid the typical tourist trap hotel, this is the place. My wife and I loved this place. It is more like a high end condo than a hotel (which is a very good thing). We stayed in the Bamboo suite, which is very large and on two floors. Comfy beds and comfy furniture. The bathroom had all the amenities the big resorts have. Another nice thing was to have a fully equiped kitchen. When on vacation, it is nice to be able to get up in the morning and grab a glass of juice, coffee, toast or whatever, without having to call room service, or having to get dressed to go to the dinning room for something quick.
Naturally rates are higher in the winter than summer with the smallest suite, Pikake, starting at $265. Orchid Suite is the honeymoon suite and it goes for $325 a night. The hotel also requires a two-night minimum and cannot take hotel guests under 16. Which is actually good because it means you can have a quiet vacation without a hundred kids running around the pool.
The only downside? The beach is a two-minute walk away.
Related Stories:
· Aloha Pualani reviews [TripAdvisor]
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