Go Visit Hawaii

Orbitz just announced their first annual Best In Stay Awards based on their customers reviews. To prevent false reviews, Orbitz only surveyed the customers who actually booked a stay at these hotels. Orbitz created four award categories: Best for Leisure, Best for Families, Best for Couples, and Best for Business Travelers.  Here are the Hawaii hotels that Orbitz customers liked the best.

Best Hawaii Hotels for Leisure

Outrigger Maui Eldorado on Maui in Lahaina - This 3-star property has a customer review score of 4.9/5.0.

Best Hawaii Hotel for Business

The Wyland Waikiki on Oahu in Honolulu - This 4-star property has a 4.7/5.0 customer review score.  (By the way, this hotel announced a double upgrade deal yesterday.)

Best Hawaii Hotels for Families

Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore - This 4-star property has an average customer satisfaction rating of 4.9 out of 5.0.   I have to agree that this resort is perfect for families, though I wouldn’t write it off for a nice resort for couples.  You can read my review of Turtle Bay Resort.

Best Hawaii Hotels for Couples

- Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach on Oahu - This 4-star hotel scored 4.8/5.0 in customer satisfaction.

- The Westin Maui Resort and Spa at Kaanapali Beach on Maui - This 4-star resort also scored a 4.8/5.0. 

- ResortQuest Mahana at Kaanapali on Lahaina - This 4-star resort matched the other two award winners in this category with a 4.8/5.0 in customer reviews.

What hotels do you think are the best in Hawaii?  Please share your opinion in the comments.

Did you know that there is a royal residence in the US?  There is one and only one and that is the Iolani Palace in Honolulu.  This palace was built by the last king of Hawaii, King David Kalakaua, in 1882.  Iolani Palace was only used for royal residence by King Kalakaua and then by his successor and sister, Queen Liliuokalani. 

You can tour Iolani Palace to learn more about the Hawaiian monarchy and the palace’s history. Docent-guided and audio guided tours are offered Tuesday through Saturday.  Tour sizes are limited, so reserve your tour in advance.  See this link for more about tours and admission fees.

Photo Credit - Hawaii Tourism Japan (HTJ)

Thanks to everyone for the great participation in the recent reader reward contest.  Our randomly selected winner is Cindi of Edwardsville, Illinois.  When I contacted Cindi to tell her she had won today, here’s what she had to say,

“I am so excited about winning this fabulous “Go Visit Hawaii” contest drawing.  My husband is leaving for Singapore for business very soon!  This travel kit will come in very handy!”

Congratulations, Cindi!

So, I’d love to get everyone’s feedback on the contest.  Was it fun or boring?  What other types of contests would you like to see here? 

After witnessing a beautiful, but very chilly sunrise at 10,000 feet above sea level on top of Haleakala, you’ll surely be wanting something nice and warm for breakfast. The restaurant at Kula Lodge is just the place for fluffy pancakes and a hot cup of coffee. 

Not only is the breakfast tasty here, but the view is wonderful treat, too. The dining room is perched on the mountainside at 3,200 feet above sea level.  The dining room has floor to ceiling windows to offer beautiful views of Maui and the Pacific Ocean.  Politely ask if you may be seated near the window (corner table if possible) for best views, but don’t fret if you don’t get a window seat as all tables offer a good view.  

After you’ve had breakfast and warmed up from the chilly sunrise, have a look around at the art gallery and stroll the grounds to see beautiful tropical flowers. 

Not too long ago, you had to drive into Kona, Waimea or up to the village of Waikoloa to find grocery stores on the Kohala Coast.  That’s not the case anymore.  Two new grocery stores have opened in recent months in the Kohala Coast resort areas.  At the Shops at Mauna Lani, you’ll find a small but well stocked Foodland store.  In the Waikoloa Resort, you’ll find a new Island Gourmet Market in the brand new Queens’ MarketPlace. 

At the Kings’ Shops, there’s the Whaler’s General Store, but I’d suggest you give that a skip for grocery shopping until they bring their prices down to something half way reasonable. I’d imagine they’ll need to make some changes in order to be competitive.  If I remember correctly, a loaf of bread cost something near $6 there. 

Here’s a couple of vacation budget stretcher tips:

1. Sign up for the store loyalty cards to get extra discounts.  For example, at Foodland, pick up an application and temporary Maikai card. 
2. Take advantage of the free entertainment offered at these three shopping centers.  (See my suggestion for an inexpensive dinner show.)

This lovely photo is of Polihale Beach on the west side of Kauai. Gaze on this photo for several seconds and you’ll probably start hearing the ocean lapping onto the shore and feel the breeze.  Mahalo to reader B. Marks from North Carolina for sharing his photo and virtual escape to Kauai.  

The beautiful Mauna Kea Resort on the Kohala Coast plans to re-open in Spring 2009.  As you may recall, the resort has been closed since December 2006 for repairs and refurbishments following the October 2006 earthquake.  See this link for a sneak peak of the refurbished resort.  Welcome back, Mauna Kea! 

• National Geographic Adventure magazine lists Lihue on Kauai as one of the next great adventure towns in the West.
• Hawaiian Airlines is canceling the Maui-San Diego route beginning September 1st.  (Source)
• I’m still finding excellent airfares to Hawaii for September and October as I reported on Saturday.  You deserve a vacation, don’t you?  Don’t let yourself be a victim of airfareaphobia any longer.  There’s no need to be afraid!
• I’m excited to hear that CBS plans to revive the TV classic, “Hawaii Five-O”.
• If you’ve seen the previews to the movie “Tropic Thunder” and wondered where those exotic green scenes were shot, then you’ll be pleased to know the movie was filmed on Kauai.
• Don’t forget to get all your entries in for the reader reward contest by the midnight Hawaii time tomorrow.  Some of you have been eagle-eyes and haven’t missed a single secret message.  I’m enjoying the contest and hope you are too.
• I’d like to extend warm wishes for a speedy recovery to Big Island Mayor, Harry Kim, who is recovering from a heart attack.

According to the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, lava stopped flowing to the ocean for a few days last week, but it has returned again.  Shane Turpin of Lava Ocean Adventures tells me that the lava flow volume into the ocean has been heavy since the return.  Shane provide the above photo that he captured from one of his boat tours.  Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

We captured this photo at Old Lahaina Luau on Maui.