Yesterday we had a team meeting and were visited by Hawaii Hotels, who run the Royal Lahaina on Maui and the Royal Kona on the Big Island. Today the focus is the Royal Lahaina because we actually did a site inspection there last week so the property is very fresh in my mind.
The hotel is located in the, Kaanapali area on the west side of the island on a beautiful stretch of beach. The property is really made up of three different properties, the main hotel, the cottages and a little inn called the Kaanapali Ocean Inn.
There is no question that you’re in Hawaii when you enter this property. The public spaces are very Hawaiiana, reminiscent of the old days in Hawaii with lots of bamboo, rich wood tones, Tapa and Tiki Torches . There’s thatched roof shacks that double as cabanas around the pool area and the atmosphere is very circa 60s & 70s.
The main hotel is my best recommendation for this property. Three years ago the property was renovated and it was tastefully done. Custom designed furnishings made of teak and koa give the rooms a bold Hawaiian feel . The beds are custom-made so that you can put your luggage underneath them easily. The rooms are very spacious and the ocean views are spectacular. The rooms we saw were very clean the bathrooms included a vanity that had the bamboo faucet, a minibar (empty), free coffee and coffee maker. Between the bedroom and the bathroom area of their louver panels which open up the room space.
Tip: The best way to remember to get there if you’re driving from Kahului Airport is to take a left at the next exit after that, Kaanapali Parkway, the name of the street you make a left on is Kekaa Street.
The cottages are not really cottages. Basically they are wood frame units that are on the ocean side of the property. You get one hotel room in fourplex. The rooms are small, very old but adequate. There are some larger units there which you might want to consider, which has a separate bedroom and a small kitchen. It would make sense to stay in the cottages if you are on a budget or part of the larger wedding party cost was a concern.
Finally there’s the Kaanapali Ocean Inn. This is about as basic as you can get for a hotel room on Maui. You get what you pay for at this property; it’s is very rustic and in need of renovations. However they do their best with this property and if you’re on a tight budget and you are really good location you might consider staying here. One of the advantages is that you get to use all of the amenities of the hotel. If you have to stay here stay in one of the oceanfront rooms because it’s as close to the beach you can get! Keep in mind a lot of the rooms are adjacent to the luau so there might be some noise considerations.
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. His postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible. The tone is anecdotal, breezy, and devoid of any commercialism.
We did something we never did before which was fly into Maui to the smaller Kapalua Airport. This is the smaller of two airports that are located on Maui and it’s up on the northwest side of the island. Only the smaller planes fly there so we took Island Air which seats about 80 people in their planes. I’ve always recommended flying in the smaller planes between islands for years now because it’s a great way to get a sightseeing experience as you fly over the islands.
On this hop you want to sit on the left side of the plane so it will be on your right side when you’re walking into the airplane. There’s no assigned seating so it’s best to get as close to the gate before boarding as possible so you’re one of the first people to walk on the plane. If you’re staying on the west side of the island in the Kaanapali Area is just very convenient because if you have to drive to Kaanapali from the larger Kahalui Airport it takes about 50 minutes as opposed to 10 minutes from Kapalua.
Here are some tips know if you are going to fly there:
Keep in mind that most planes fly Kahalui it may be just unavoidable to fly in to the smaller airport.
Smaller airports usually cost a little more
You can rent cars, you need to use a courtesy phone in the lobby and from the airport lobby and when you return your car it must be before 5PM.
There is taxi service from the airport
no concession stand, broken vending machine
The 9th annual Dukes oceanfest is happning in Waikiki for the next few days if you coming in for your HAwaii Vacation. It’s Four days of ocean sports competitions begin in Waikiki, including Duke’s Legends Surf Classic, C4 Waterman/HonoluA Surf Paddleboard Championship and Stand-Up Beach Boy Paddle Surfing Championship, AccesSurf Challenged Athlete Surf Meet, Duke’s Waikiki Ocean Mile Swim, Surf Polo Tournament, and the Waterman Challenge.
Duke’s OceanFest concludes with a sidewalk surfboard parade and draping of Duke Kahanamoku’s Statue with the beautiful flower lei of Hawaii. Fore more info give us a call or go to www.dukefoundation.org
Tihati Productions is adding a Polynesian revue at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on the south side of Maui. The “Te Au Moana” luau celebrates the island of Maui with contemporary songs and hula. The luau show will be held at the resort every Monday, Thursday. Friday and Saturday evening starting at 4:30 p.m. Guests will witness the unearthing of the imu, or underground oven, used to steam a whole pig for the traditional luau dish of kalua pork and be offered a buffet of luau staple. The hour-long show will follow the dinner. Kamaaina rates are $75 for adults and $38 for children (6-12 years) with free admission for children under 5 years. Regular prices are $98 for adults and $53 for children (6-12 years)
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. His postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible. The tone is anecdotal, breezy, and devoid of any commercialism.
This Saturday we had a chance to check out the Mission Houses Museum. I have to admit that we have never been there before. It’s interesting to note that in talking to the folks there, that many people never get the opportunity to experience this important historical site. Its Located right downtown not too far the Kamehameaha statue and many tourists are not even aware the Museum exists. The history of this place goes back to the 1820s when the missionaries arrived in Hawaii and I don’t think anybody really ever anticipated the impact that they would have on the Hawaiian culture. Many people think that the missionaries made contributions to the islands and others have the exact opposite view.
No matter which side you fall down on, or if you don’t know the history of it it’s still worthwhile experience and worth checking out. As you pass through the Museum you’ll get the story of the cultural change in the 19th century and the details of the life and the work of the missionaries. There’s so much to see there including original artifacts, clothing, furnishings and books and even household items that belonged to the missionary families themselves. There are three main structures that that make up the Museum which were built between 1820 in 1841. If you’re into architecture at all this place is a must because these buildings make up the oldest surviving Western-style buildings in Hawaii. Basically the buildings were used for the residents of several prominent missionaries.
While you’re here at the mission house you have to check out the Tea Parlor it’s a really cute relaxing spot to have a nice lunch. They also have Tea times and a great menu of food items that are really reasonable prices. We had the Teriyaki chicken plate which was delicious, and they had this hibiscus raspberry tea which was so refreshing. They’re open for breakfast and lunch and have daily specials, lunch plates, sandwiches, wraps and salads. Is the perfect place to just take it all in and relax while you’re in downtown Honolulu. While sitting there you you’ll be hard pressed to believe you’re in the middle of a metropolitan city, so check it out you’ll really enjoy it there. For more information give us a call at 1-800-843-8771 or just visit them on the web www.Cafeandparlor.com
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. His postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible. The tone is anecdotal, breezy, and devoid of any commercialism.
We had a awesome time Monday on the Outrigger trade winds. I was invited to check it out by Nathatn Kam and Jeremiah Owyang, some good friends of mine in the social networking community and by Nancy Danials the PR director from the Outrigger. The boat is really cool, it’s a former championship racing catamaran, it’s 45 feet long and 24 feet wide, able to accommodate 49 passengers. It has custom fitted “spectra nets” for lounging, luxury mid-deck seating, 2 restrooms, bar and lifeguard certified crew. This is the first time I have actually been on this catamaran. We put a lot of folks on their Sunset Sail, which is also great included in all of our Oahu all inclusive packages.
We got to the check-in point for the cruise at about 9AM behind the Outrigger reef. You should bring a towel and snorkeling gear if you have it, they provide equipment, but not fins. They also take your shoes, so just wear thongs or flip flops, I also wore a wet suit top, but that’s just me, it keeps you a little warmer in the water and protects you from the sun.
The boat goes out about a 1/2 mile to a place called Turtle canyon. This is an excellent snorkeling spot and I noticed a few of these catamarans out there. We saw a lot of fish and the canyon was like a turtle car wash, because these fish actually feed off the turtles bodies. This is the closest I have ever been to turtles n the water . If you do this you defiantly want to invest in one of those waterproof cameras, because you can get some really great shots of the fish and the turtles. You can free dive the bottom of the reef if you’re a good snorkeler . We were at turtle canyon for about 45 minutes and then set sail for a mini cruise off the coast of Waikiki. We sailed almost to Diamond Head. If you have never been on one of these racing catamarans it’s a real treat, they cruise at a good clip, up to 18 knots, and with the swells, this cruise felt like a Disney e-ticket ride on the pacific. If you want to have more fun and your stomach can handle it get out on the nets at the front of the boat and yes plan to get wet !!
Overall it’s a great time, I recommend it for a few hours in the morning if you’re on Oahu, the cost is 47 per person, for more info call us at 1-800-843-8771
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. His postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible. The tone is anecdotal, breezy, and devoid of any commercialism.
We had the chance to check out he Ala Moana Hotel the other day. We haven’t been there in a while. I was surprised to hear that a couple of the restaurants I remember there are no longer operating. The plantation Café is open now for breakfast and a Chinese restaurant on the second floor is open for lunch and dinner. Probably just a sign of the times, I expect to see them opening new restaurants as the economy is bouncing back.
It’s really a huge property with over 1100 rooms and lots of meeting space . The property is located right near the convention center and adjacent to the Ala Moana shopping center so a lot of people like this place for the convenience of being able to attend conferences across the street at the Hawaii Convention Center.I also put a lot cruise customers here because it is a little bit closer to town and easier to get in and out. They are two towers one is the Kona Tower the other is the Waikiki tower but I recommend staying in the Waikiki Tower. The rooms in the Kona tower are a bit older and felt a little smaller to me and they do not have balconies. We saw standard and also oceanview rooms. Standard rooms had decent City view’s and the oceanview rooms have much more of an ocean view than I remember seeing in the past.
The rooms are adequate, clean and good value for the dollar. I would however be a little bit cautious of the rooms in the Kona tower because of the lack of balcony, however if you’re attending a conference and you’re not going to be in the room very much it certainly fits the bill. i GIVE this property 3 1/2 stars.
Ala Moana Hotel video review
Return to Waikiki will be opening this weekend. This new luau and show has a speacial place in my heart; it’s being put together by 2 people I really love, Makana, the slack key master and Sakara Blackwell, a friend and local events promoter. They have teamed up to put on this great entertainment venue.
We got invited to check out the show for a sneak peak for family and friends last night. The idea behind the show is to take folks back to the old days of Waikiki. Over the years many have thought that there hasn’t been a really truly authentic Hawaiian show that people can go to that celebrates the music history which has had such an impact on the culture here.
The show takes place in pretty much the last bastion of old Waikiki at the International Marketplace which has been virtually untouched by development over the years. Makhana has put a lot of effort into making sure that the show stays true to its Hawaiian Roots, and that the labor of love that this truely is for him comes through in the performance. Makana is a true showman and he does a wonderful job of taking us through the history of Hawaiian music through this vaudevillian type of show complete with a reenactment of an old radio station which is called radio Waikiki. Makana plays an old-fashioned radio DJ and introduces songs from the past as people are enjoying getting settled into the venue enjoying drinks, talking story and then finally the luau. The show celebrates the incredible story of how Hawaiian music came to be, from its pre-Western contact roots of Hula Kahiko to the Hawaiian music renaissance of the 1970s and beyond. A vaudevillian-style presentation combines masterful musicianship, comedy, theatrics, dance and storytelling to entertain, inspire and enlighten .
The outdoor facility sits over 300 people for a dinner buffet show from 6:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Dinner and show tickets range from $95 to $125 per person. Children 4-11 are $55 and children 3 and under are free. International Marketplace, Waikiki Beach.
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. His postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible. The tone is anecdotal, breezy, and devoid of any commercialism.
Props to Aqua Hotels and Terry Dowsett from the Ilikai Hotel
The Aqua Ilikai & Suites new manager, Terry Dowsett has had the property for awhile and you can see the transformation. His touches are most recently seen in the lobby where they have beautiful aqua sconces and the greeting area has a new boutique feel which includes a flat screen TV showing re-runs of Hawaii Five-0 episodes.
Terry also shared with me that one of the owners at the property, a retired horticulturist actually takes care of the plants in the lobby and common areas throughout the property. A lot of attention to detail is taking place all over the property and I love it!!.
The Hotel consists of the 4 highest floors in the building. You can get rooms on the harbor side or the lagoon side, the harbor side has a more open view of the pacific, the lagoon view looks toward the Hilton. The Rooms are spacious, in fact, I would say these are the largest rooms in Waikiki certainly for the money at almost 500 square feet!
Return to Waikiki
This new show celebrates the incredible story of how Hawaiian music came to be, from its pre-Western contact roots of Hula Kahiko to the Hawaiian music renaissance of the 1970s and beyond. A vaudevillian-style presentation combines masterful musicianship, comedy, theatrics, dance and storytelling to entertain, inspire and enlighten the audience to this rarely told tale. Just steps from most hotels in Waikiki, this luau set under the canopies of banyan and palms trees in the heart of Waikiki will take you back to the spirit of the grand luaus and entertainment of the 1940s and 1950s. Master slack key guitarist Makana showcases traditional and contemporary Hawaiian entertainment in a sophisticated production that pays tribute to Waikiki’s past and present. For more information give us a call at 1-800-843-8771
Since 2006 Bruce has been writing and producing the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast and the Hawaii Vacation Blog which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. His postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible. The tone is anecdotal, breezy, and devoid of any commercialism.
Yesterday we had a team meeting and were visited by Hawaii Hotels, who run the Royal Lahaina on Maui and the Royal Kona on the Big Island. Today the focus is the Royal Lahaina because we actually did a site inspection there last week so the property is very fresh in my mind. 
Published by Bruce Fisher
We did something we never did before which was fly into Maui to the smaller Kapalua Airport. This is the smaller of two airports that are located on Maui and it’s up on the northwest side of the island. Only the smaller planes fly there so we took Island Air which seats about 80 people in their planes. I’ve always recommended flying in the smaller planes between islands for years now because it’s a great way to get a sightseeing experience as you fly over the islands. 
This Saturday we had a chance to check out the Mission Houses Museum. I have to admit that we have never been there before. It’s interesting to note that in talking to the folks there, that many people never get the opportunity to experience this important historical site. Its Located right downtown not too far the Kamehameaha statue and many tourists are not even aware the Museum exists. The history of this place goes back to the 1820s when the missionaries arrived in Hawaii and I don’t think anybody really ever anticipated the impact that they would have on the Hawaiian culture. Many people think that the missionaries made contributions to the islands and others have the exact opposite view. 
While you’re here at the mission house you have to check out the Tea Parlor it’s a really cute relaxing spot to have a nice lunch. They also have Tea times and a great menu of food items that are really reasonable prices. We had the Teriyaki chicken plate which was delicious, and they had this hibiscus raspberry tea which was so refreshing. They’re open for breakfast and lunch and have daily specials, lunch plates, sandwiches, wraps and salads. Is the perfect place to just take it all in and relax while you’re in downtown Honolulu. While sitting there you you’ll be hard pressed to believe you’re in the middle of a metropolitan city, so check it out you’ll really enjoy it there. For more information give us a call at 1-800-843-8771 or just visit them on the web www.Cafeandparlor.com
We had a awesome time Monday on the Outrigger trade winds. I was invited to check it out by Nathatn Kam and Jeremiah Owyang, some good friends of mine in the social networking community and by Nancy Danials the PR director from the Outrigger. The boat is really cool, it’s a former championship racing catamaran, it’s 45 feet long and 24 feet wide, able to accommodate 49 passengers. It has custom fitted “spectra nets” for lounging, luxury mid-deck seating, 2 restrooms, bar and lifeguard certified crew. This is the first time I have actually been on this catamaran. We put a lot of folks on their Sunset Sail, which is also great included in all of our Oahu all inclusive packages.
We had the chance to check out he Ala Moana Hotel the other day. We haven’t been there in a while. I was surprised to hear that a couple of the restaurants I remember there are no longer operating. The plantation Café is open now for breakfast and a Chinese restaurant on the second floor is open for lunch and dinner. Probably just a sign of the times, I expect to see them opening new restaurants as the economy is bouncing back.
Return to Waikiki will be opening this weekend. This new luau and show has a speacial place in my heart; it’s being put together by 2 people I really love, Makana, the slack key master and Sakara Blackwell, a friend and local events promoter. They have teamed up to put on this great entertainment venue.
