On my Hawaii vacation, I had a chance to stay at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Sheraton is an open air hotel located on the Kona coast. It is surrounded by ancient lava flow and feature a 200 foot waterslide. The hotel also has two championship golf courses next door at the Kona Country Club.
I stayed in the Ocean/Poolview room and it was very nice. The Sheraton hotels have very comfortable beds and offer a nice fluffy robe and slippers in each room category. I did see the oceanfront rooms and they were much larger with an unobstructed view of the ocean. The hotel has a huge waterslide and a nice pool area but it does not have a beach. You can not access the beach directly from the hotel due to the lava flow.
The food was excellent but the real highlight is The Manta Ray Bar. You can get a view of an amazing Hawaii sunset and then wait for the Manta Rays to come in after dark. The bar has a flood light out in the ocean and once the sun goes down the Manta Rays come in to feed. This is one of those things you have to see for yourself to really appreciate.
I took a scuba trip that I booked through the hotel and it was excellent. The weather was a bit overcast but the rays and dolphins did not seem to mind. Some of the people in my group played golf at the Kona Country club. They have two courses within walking distance of the Sheraton. The courses were amazing as with most of the golf courses in Hawaii.
I highly recommend this hotel for your Big Island Hawaii vacation. The pool, rooms, view and location are super and no hotels on the Kona side will have a sandy beach. If your ready to visit Kona, head to the Sheraton Keauhou.
The Fairmont Orchid is located on the Kohala Coast, on the Big Island of Hawaii. The hotel has a white sand beach and a great snorkeling lagoon. My wife and I stayed in the corner oceanview room. It had a great view with a marble bathroom. The service is what you would expect from a Fairmont Hotel, top notch! The check in was a breeze and our bags actually made it to our room before we did.
The pool was huge and the hotel had a beautiful Jacuzzi area. The Jacuzzi was big and was surrounded my mature landscaping. In the evening the pools were busy and the hot tubs were full.
The beach is great and the lagoon has excellent snorkeling. The beach side bar was a lot of fun and the bartender was super. BEWARE of the coral on the outside edge of the lagoon. We seen a fella come up from the beach all tore up from falling on the coral when the waves came in. If you stay where you are supposed to be you will not have to worry about this.
The food was amazing at the hotel but it was a bit expensive. We ate breakfast and lunch at the hotel but went out for most of our dinners. The concierge offered some amazing tips on local restaurants and other area attractions.
The highlight of the big island was the fishing trip. The hotel concierge booked us a 1/2 day deep sea fishing trip. We left in the morning and the fish were really biting. No trophies but we had a lot of action. The sea was a little rough on the way in but we had a wonderful time.
Our stay at the Fairmont was amazing. These are special hotels and the Big Island of Hawaii is one of a kind. If your looking for luxury accommodations on the Big Island come and see The Fairmont Orchid!
A few years back I was fortunate to travel to the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua in Maui. My wife and I were looking to play some golf and soak up the sun. The Ritz is a golfers paradise with two championship golf courses right on property.
The hotel also features an Environmental Program that teaches guests about Hawaiian culture and the native environment through fun-filled excursions led by expert naturalists. The spa is world class or if your into a more active vacation take on a high-octane hike or water adventure at the Kapalua Adventure Center and Mountain Outpost.
We had a standard room with a pool view. The 1 bedroom suites are amazing and feature a full kitchen. The accommodations were immaculate and the service was even better. They have three huge tiered swimming pools and had plenty of chairs.
The drinks and food were a little expensive but the food was unbelievable and the drinks were all top shelf. The Lobby Bar, Alaloa Lounge-features a new onyx bar with carved wood details, hand-blown glass pendants and a black lava stone wall to form the back-bar. It was named Best Lobby Lounge on the island by the readers of Maui No Ka Oi Magazine. They offer evening entertainment and breathtaking views. Get there early and stay late! The Banyan Tree is the hotel’s signature restaurant and features a bar and lounge with beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and Moloka’i. The menu showcases Hawaii’s abundant fruits and fresh catches for lunch and dinner.
The beach is incredible! It is just a short walk from the pool. The beach is private with sort of a crescent shape and has soft, fluffy sand. It was never crowded and most often you were sharing maybe a few other couples or families. The waves do come in with some force so do not turn your back on it.
I have stayed in over a dozen Ritz Carlton’s around the world and this was my favorite! If your looking for a high end golf/Hawaiian vacation the Ritz Kapalua is truly special.
As all of us know already, tax refund time is right around the corner. As a mother of two, the first thing I think of is paying off all my debt. Then I would stash some in savings and spend a little bit on myself.
A great idea for those who have already starting booking their next vacation or for those who are just beginning, refunds are a great opportunity to get those vacations paid in full. Maybe even upgrade your room category if your vacation is already paid in full.
As a lot of you know already, the sooner you book the better rate you will receive. We do also offer options when booking that does not require the full balance of the vacation up front, just a minimal deposit. Then the remainder of the balance would be due 45 days prior to travel.
Another great idea for the last minute travelers without their passports, go apply and get them expedited for a minimal fee.
A lot of people are already booking their spring break vacations and availability is limited, so don’t feel that waiting last minute is going to get you a better rate. Very rarely you will find last minute deals. You will actually find that if you would have booked them sooner, with just that minimal deposit, you could have saved hundreds!
Call us today and get that deposit made to secure the lowest rate possible and then pay the balance when your refund arrives!
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