May 12, 2009
I started this page to connect with my clients and fellow travelers to share special travel offers with great value, interesting travel information and personal insights. Of course, I hope that something you see here will inspire you to travel! Feel free to comment and add information that you wish to share too. Happy Travels!
Lori
December 21, 2011
With our warm fall, I’ve been seeing many more lights this year, so I thought I would share some of them with you. I love the displays – whether elegant or kitschy, professional or home made – they all make me smile and brighten the long dark winter nights. Be kind – the pictures are not professional - just me going through the neighborhood with my point and shoot camera. And of course I have to have a few shots of my favorite subject, Jazzie *<[: 0)
I put together this short slideshow, and added one of my new favorite Christmas songs. I hope it brings some sparkle to whatever holidays you celebrate – Enjoy!
2011 Christmas lights p.s. You may see an add that from YouTube first, and some people have said it is not very Holiday appropriate – please click through that to see the lights!
November 21, 2011
After enjoying 4 days traveling with Dave, it was time to start the work part of my trip (sorry Dave – its’ time to go home!) I was fortunate to be selected by the Hawaii Convention Visitors Bureau to attend the Hawaii Travel Exchange conference. This entailed 2 days of seminars, and meetings with about 50 Hawaii hotels, suppliers and activity vendors. They kept us busy from morning until night – here was a typical schedule – breakfast at hotel (the Westin and Hyat both hosted); morning seminars – island updates by the Visitor’s boards; lunch; 4 minute supplier meetings (or hotel site inspections); dinner at a hotel (the Hyatt and Royal Lahaina hosted our dinners and great entertainment!) I learned about many new activities in the islands (I really want to try SUP – stand up paddling!), and a great presentation on the new Disney Aulani resort (Hawaiian in style with a Disney twist – you can search for the hidden menehune!) The best part of these meetings is the connections I made with these suppliers, so I can help make your Hawaii travel experiences even better! I also was hosted for 3 additional days on Maui, and very much enjoyed the experiences and hospitality they shared with us.
Today’s pictures are a little more exploring on Maui, and some from the Hyatt hotel. My last posts will be more hotel information (I saw 14 hotels on Maui and Lanai), and activities (including one I NEVER thought I would try, let alone really enjoy!)
November 17, 2011
As you depart Manele Bay, it is a windy road up to the flat lands where the pineapple fields used to grow. As you summit the hills, rows of Cook Island Pines line the miles to lead you into Lanai City, and on to the Lodge at Koele. It is such a unique property, and one you would not really expect to find inHawaii. It is styled more as a country manor home, with massive fireplaces in the lobby, and wood paneled bar and library. The surroundings are gorgeous – like staying in a botanical garden. Just steps away from the main building are fountains and pathways leading to the grounds. It was fun to wander and see the different garden areas – the Japanese pagoda, the orchid house, the little waterfall on the stream running into the pond. There is also a Hawiian church located on the property – so cute! Scattered around the grounds were many jade Chinese figures and animals. Also wandering the grounds were many turkeys – not what you would expect inHawaii. Around the island you can also find Mouflon sheep, lots of geese and ducks, pheasants, and axis deer.
The rooms furnishings combined bright and warm colors with a country twist (the blue and white checked floor tile pattern in the bathroom was unexpected). Many of the public areas are wood paneled, giving it the lodge feel. The covered walkways to the rooms are lined with comfy chairs and ottomans to sit and relax a while. The Library has oversized chairs you can sink into and read a book, enjoy the view, or take a nap! The overall feeling is relaxing, welcoming, and luxurious.
And if you want activities, the stables are just a short walk or drive away. If you are lucky your room may have a view of the horses (and also lovely sunsets!) Many activities take place at the stables – trail rides, ranching demonstrations. You can even hire a horse drawn buggy to take you on a ride to town! Hopefully you will get to meet Jesse the singing cowboy – he entertains at the resort sometimes too. If something a bit more rugged is your style, head up to Lanai Pines shooting range – everything from archery, shooting clays, and if you want, actual game hunts. There are certainly a variety of experiences on Lanai!
We headed back to town for a quick dinner on Sunday night. I heard we had to try out Blue Ginger Café for great simple food, and their pastries are renowned. It was a cute diner – food choices written on the board, order at the counter, and take a seat indoors or at the picnic tables outside. And prices are quite moderate, so it was a nice change from the excellent, but pricy meals at the hotels. On Monday morning, we had a light snack at the Lodge – complimentary muffin bites and coffee offered near the lobby – a nice start to our day. And we were really saving up for our lunch before we had to leave Lanai. I had heard about the great hamburgers, and while they are expensive ($20) they certainly didn’t disappoint! They were certainly large enough to share, and when the plates came to the table, we were glad we did. A fresh baked bun, plenty of top quality hamburger cooked to order, topped by your choice of cheese, and strips of thick cut bacon. Along with the fixings on the side and a big dill pickle slice, was a good sized portion of golden brown thick cut French fries – crispy outside and hot potato inside – cooked perfectly! A great meal to end our visit to Lanai– now the shuttle and ferry back to Maui for my work to begin.
To see pictures that show the lovely Lodge, please link to http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2183617511368.2105939.1274904340&type=1&l=022918e867
November 15, 2011
Sunday is a quiet day on Lanai. Most stores are closed, and just a few restaurants are open. As we were still on Minnesota time, we decided to get up and watch the sunrise at Sweetheart Rock. Here is a link to the legend of Sweetheart Rock –
http://www.aloha-hawaii.com/lanai/sweetheart-rock/
Since we didn’t see the sunrise at Haleakala, this was a beautiful substitute. Here is a link to the sunrise pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2175054777305.2105799.1274904340&type=3&l=a3317b1cb5
The path to Sweetheart Rock winds along the beach and park area. The island owner maintains the state park at the beach. We noticed quite a few campers in the park – some even sleeping on the beach (you have to be a Lanai resident to camp on the beach). On the way back to the resort we noticed many outrigger canoes on the beach. I was hoping we would have a chance to try those out later that day.
There are more hiking trails around the resort area, so we wandered the trails, and learned about the Hawaiians that once lived along the bay. There are many markers explaining the ruins there, and what Hulopo’e life was like in ancient times. After this we explored the resort enjoying the beautiful gardens and ponds. We had a nice light breakfast from the lobby coffee shop (a muffin, huge almond croissant, orange and coffee = $14 – not a bad price and really yummy).
Back at the suite, as we were enjoying the view from our dining area we heard an air horn. Looking out at the bay we saw the start of the outrigger canoe race from Lanai to Maui! The rest of the morning was spent with me doing site inspections of both resorts, and Dave enjoying the beautiful view before we moved to the Lodge at Koele. If you are changing between the resorts, all you have to do is pack your bags, leave them in the room, and check out at the front desk. They will bring your luggage to the new room for you – what a great idea!
More soon the Lodge at Koele and the best $20 hamburger ever!
November 11, 2011
One of the reasons I wanted to visit Lanai was to see their Four Seasons hotels (I know most people go on vacation to see the sights; I go to check out hotels!) I had sent clients there before, but had not experienced them for myself – and what an experience it turned out to be. They meet you at the ferry with Kuki nut leis, and very soon you are at the resort. No check in desk – you are welcomed by the staff, seated in the lounge overlooking the pool and ocean, and offered refreshments. Our concierge Phillipe brought our paperwork to us, and went through the details – 1 night stay at Manele Bay, and the next night stay at the Lodge at Koele. He said we would be staying in a suite at Manele Bay, then a deluxe room at the Lodge. Shortly we were walking to our room – there are two wings from the lobby, and the rooms are built down into the hillside. As we were walking Phillipe mentioned we would be staying in the Ali’I Suite. Ali’i means King or royalty in Hawaiian, so I knew it would be nice, but had no idea it would be this nice! The view as you open the door is amazing – words won’t do it justice – click here to see the pictures: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2163321683985.2105544.1274904340&type=3&l=eb3790b1f2
After wandering around exploring all the rooms, and enjoying the welcome amenities, we took the shuttle to Lanai City before they shut down on Saturday night (most places are closed on Sunday too!) After spending an hour discovering town, we headed back to the resort for sunset and dinner. Fresco restaurant by the pool is casual during the day, and Italian with a modern twist at night. We ordered just entrees – lasagna for David, and the special braised pork for me. Food was excellent and plentiful, with a glass of wine for each of us to accompany our meals. Total cost incl tip around $100 – not a bad price for a quality meal and island prices.
We soon retired to enjoy our suite and make plans for exploring more of Lanai in the early morning. We needed to be up early to watch the sunrise over Maui at Sweetheart Rock.
November 10, 2011
Lanai – for such a small island, there is much to tell. You can get to Lanai on a flight from Honolulu, or the ferry from downtown Lahaina. The island is almost wholly owned by Robert Murdoch, who also owns the Four Seasons Resorts there. When pineapple growing stopped on the island in the 1990’s, the hotels were developed to give the 3000 residents employment. The pineapple workers were retrained in hospitality, and some continue to work at the hotels today.
There is one town – Lanai City, altitude 1624 feet, about ½ hour drive from the ferry pier, and 10 minutes from the airport. Around Dole Square are a variety of shops, a few restaurants, the Hotel Lanai, and the Lanai Cultural Center – A small but important museum which holds about 30,000 artifacts showing the rich history of this island from ancient Hawaiians through the Dole Pineapple plantation days. Free admission – donations welcome. www.lanaichc.org
At the end of Dole Square is the Hotel Lanai. It was built by the Dole family as a hunting retreat and is now a small hotel – 10 rooms and 1 cottage. Recently renovated – rooms are comfortable but small and the original single wall construction (beware of noisy neighbors!) Rates starting at $99/nt. They also have a nice restaurant the Lanai City Grille – one of the few open on Sundays besides the resorts.
We visited most of the shops around the square – clothing, collectibles, grocery stores, art galleries. The one place we missed shopping at was the Lanai gas station and plantation store – good for gifts & t-shirts. We ate dinner at the Blue Ginger Café - just a little building with a few tables & plastic chairs selling simple good food. We didn’t get to sample the famous pastries, but found that $7 for a large burger and fries is a bargain in the islands!
Tomorrow I will tell you more about the resorts on Lanai, sunrise at Sweetheart Rock, where to have a $20 hamburger (it’s worth it), the variety of activities on the island, and probably the nicest hotel room I will ever stay in!
To see a few pictures of Lanai City, please link to
November 9, 2011
Maui/Tedeschi Winery / Ulupalakua Ranch General Store
Our first adventure on the way to the slopes of Haleakala was a visit to the Tedeschi Winery – now called Maui Winery. After reading that GPS usually put you in the wrong location I was a bit concerned. You drive until you think it can’t be any farther, but it is just a bit more. The GPS was off by about ½ mile, but not bad – and by the time we were deciding to go farther or not, we found it. They did a short presentation of the history of the home (owned by sea captain James Makee, and King Kalakau would come to parties there), how the winery started, and how they make wine (special tanks to keep it at the right temperature). Ulupalakua Ranch is still a working ranch and offers tours, horseback riding and sporting clay shooting. After a few samples, and some fortifications at the Ulupalakua Ranch General Store across the street (try the Elk Burger), we were back on the road to the summit.
Haleakala
The one thing David wanted to do on Maui was to go back to Haleakala – the House of the Sun. Way so many years ago we did the trip up for sunrise, which seemed like a rational thing to do when we were still waking up at 2 AM before adjusting to the new time zone. It was cloudy then – not much to see until the sun rose over the clouds, and cold – jeans, sweatshirt and jacket did not help much! So this time I agreed, but we had to go at sunset so it would be a bit warmer. The drive was as expected – lots of twists and turns in the road, and amazing views. There were plenty of clouds and a bit of rain in the middle elevations, but when we reached the park entrance, they reported 95% clear at the top, so we continued on. The views from the top are breathtaking, in more ways than one – you are almost 2 miles high! Temps were upper 40’s and 50’s, but a breeze made it chillier. We didn’t stick around for sunset after all – the clouds would have restricted the view, so we enjoyed the sunset view back at sea level. When you visit, just be sure to take it easy on the turns, and watch out for the cows in the road!
To view pictures of the road to Haleakala, please click:
November 8, 2011
For the next few days I will be sharing the activities and sights that I saw during my recent trip to Maui and Lanai. Each day I will post a short note with a few pictures. I hope you enjoy a taste of Hawaii. And if it inspires you to go there, you know who to call!
Kaanapali Beach Hotel – The Most Hawaiian Hotel
I have sent many people to this resort over the years, and still had not visited, so when I had to select a place to stay for a couple nights, this was my choice. To set the scene – upon arrival you enter the lobby filled with Hawaiiana – carved wood decorations, sepia toned portraits of hula dancers, lava rock walls. Our room was a garden view, comfortably furnished and good size. The parking ramp is attached by a walkway to the 2nd floor of the property and our room was not far away, so this was convenient to get our our luggage to the room (parking is an additional charge). In the morning, we opened the patio doors and saw a lovely view of the grounds and the ocean not far away. We chose the breakfast option, and it was a convenient way to start the day.
After breakfast we toured the grounds, and we strolled along Ka’anapali beach walk to see the sights and other hotels there – Sheraton, Whaler condo, Whaler’s Village shopping center & Museum, Marriott Ocean Villas (timeshare), Westin Maui, Ka’anapalii Ali’i Condos & Hyatt Maui.
Overall I would rate Ka’anapali Beach a good 3 star – clean, comfortable, friendly service, good value for this location. Inexpensive food at the Tiki Grill, nightly free hula show!
For pictures about the Ka’anapali Beach area, visit my link: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2142508963680.2105034.1274904340&type=1&l=d5ff20890c
November 7, 2011
Travel tips to inspire you from your Virtuoso Travel advisor!
http://media.whatcounts.com/virtuoso_marketing/DE_VL/561111_DE_VL_110411.html
July 22, 2009
Please click on the link for great Virtuoso travel information ideas and values! www.bit.ly/Yythl
