Travel companies to provide more airline pricing disclosure
The FAA has recently required travel companies to do a better job at disclosing airfare prices to consumers. Very often you see a price but when you go to book it it’s not available. While transparency of this kind is always a good thing and something that we support, the new law raises a concern about a program that we offer to our clients which is certainly beneficial. We currently can take a small deposit for a booking and not ticket the airfare and wait to see if the price becomes less expensive over time. The issue is that the price could also go up and the government wants to make sure that consumers understand this and the information is disclosed. You can rest assured knowing that we will do everything we can to continue to help consumers book Hawaii vacations with small deposit so they can pay over time.
What to Eat when you arrive in Hawaii
So what’s the first Hawaiian delicacy you want to eat when you get off the plane here in Hawaii? That’s what we asked our Facebook and twitter friends which gave us a chance to talk about one of our favorite subjects food in Hawaii. Today we share with you some of these suggestions to help you get ready for your upcoming Hawaii vacation.
Waikiki Hotel Renovations
Carol was interested to know what kind of construction projects are slated for Waikiki hotels this year. We go over to renovation projects we’re aware of in Waikiki which include a major renovation at the Halekulani.
Properties scheduled this year are; The Halekulani, Aqua Bamboo, Aston Waikiki Sunset and Waikiki Banyan
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.
5-star Hawaii Hotel ideas
Today we talk about Hawaii hotel selections if money was no object. We asked our Facebook friends to let us know what hotel they would stay in if they had an unlimited budget. Several people said the Royal Hawaiian and the Four Seasons on all of the islands were popular with our Facebook friends. There were a couple of really noteworthy properties mentioned including Zane Lacaden’s suggestion which was Travassa Hana and Cathey Tarleton who chose the Kona Village resort which unfortunately was destroyed during the tsunami last year. She wanted us to remember what a great property this was for a unique Hawaii vacation.
The Big island in a Day
Deciding what to do on the Big Island if you only have a short time is a challenge and a question that we answer on a regular basis around here. We know that it’s possible to traverse the entire island in the day however, it’s been a while since we’ve done it so we decided to take the challenge once again. On today’s show we give you a quick summary of how to get around the island in one day and what to see if you have a limited amount of time. We visited a Waimea, Onomea Bay, Akaka Falls, Hilo Town, Volcano National Park, Punalu’u Beach park, Captain Cook and Kailua Kona.
Top Romance Hotels in Hawaii
The 2012 travelers choice best romance hotel awards were announced this week and two properties on Kauai made the list. The Koa Kea hotel and resort on Kauai was rated number one. The list is compiled by trip advisor is selected from reviewers on the site. Also on Hawaii this St. Regis Princeville resort and spa was rated number 10. Both are great choices and I very often recommend the Koa Kea because it’s acquired or property with a more relaxed atmosphere than some of the larger properties in that area. The newly renovated St. Regis Princeville resort is also an excellent choice for romance because of the beauty of the north side of the island which includes Hanalei Bay.
Aqua Lotus to Renovate
The Aqua Lotus Hotel announced a $1.3 million room renovation project. The refurbishing will include all of the rooms amenities and furnishings. There’s also talk about opening up the restaurant to replace the Diamondhead Grill which is been closed since 2009. The property is in an excellent location at the base of Diamondhead a little bit outside of the hustle and bustle of Waikiki.
Hawaii Airfare update
United Delta American and US Airways announced that they were going to be raising their price is because of increased fuel costs. Additionally Delta Airlines announced an increase in their bulk air fares which means that we see no signs of lower prices in the immediate future for airfares to Hawaii.
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.
Today we’re joined by Jame Mane a comedian here in Hawaii and talk about the local comedy scene. James is very active in the community and shares with us his insight on the various venues located on Oahu. He talks about how he began his career only three years ago and where his brand of comedy comes from. We discuss the differences between comedy here in the islands and on the mainland and what you can expect at a typical show on your Hawaii vacation.
James is very busy in this world of comedy with his own website, podcast and many appearances he makes on a regular basis. He soon will be featured in Hawaii Magazine as part of a promotion. What is not busy making people laugh he works as a bus driver and takes care of his eight-year-old daughter.
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.
United Announces Nonstop Flights from Washington DC
Just when I was thinking there was no relief in sight from all of the high airfares this year, United airlines announced this week that they are beginning nonstop service from Washington DC to Honolulu in June. Ironically, this is the same month that Hawaiian Airlines is beginning air nonstop service from JFK. This is great news for our friends on the East Coast who have been struggling to find decent airfares this year. Increased competition is always good and having more airlift from that region will be a big boost to the Hawaii tourism market.
Second "Iron Chef" to open restaurant on Oahu Iron chef Hiroyuki Sakai whose most famous for his appearance on the food network is opening a restaurant in Waikiki. This will be the first restaurant for Sakai outside of Japan and will specialize in French cuisine. It will be located in the heart of Waikiki on Kalakaua Avenue in a 3500 ft.² space on the ground floor of the Galleria which is currently the home of a Starbucks.
North Shore waves HUGE!
If you’re planning on visiting the islands in the next week you may want to check out the North Shore of Oahu which which is having some of the highest ways of the season. The waves were so large this week that they canceled one of the most popular surfing competitions because of the treacherous waves. Some of the waves were reported to be 35 feet. If you’re planning on visiting the North Shore to see the waves make sure you get there early because the traffic can get very congested.
Whale watching on Kauai
We got a question this week from Martha who wanted to know if we had any suggestions for whale watching on Kauai. While the most popular islands for whale watching are Maui and Oahu, Kauai has spectacular whale watching as well. We recommend checking out the blue dolphin catamaran evening cruise. They do a great job in the crew is very knowledgeable on the Eco-system as well as where the best places to see the whale pods are in the Na Pali coast area. And to top it off the food is excellent with a complete luau style dinner give us a call at 1-800-843-8771 in any of our agents can hook you up on this great adventure.
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.
Published by Bruce Fisher
The Big island in a Day
Today we’re joined by Jame Mane a comedian here in Hawaii and talk about the local comedy scene. James is very active in the community and shares with us his insight on the various venues located on Oahu. He talks about how he began his career only three years ago and where his brand of comedy comes from. We discuss the differences between comedy here in the islands and on the mainland and what you can expect at a typical show on your Hawaii vacation.
