So usually I take my first trip of the season in September, and it is traditionally for my birthday to Disneyland! But my entire travel schedule seemed to get moved around this year, and instead I made a very different visit this month! Traveling with my dear sister/friend and colleague (Leslie Darga) we stopped by first at our "home away from home" (Waikiki) for a very brief, but still very fun stay!
Our time was packed with site inspections and very special dining! But first I must send out a big ALOHA and Mahalo Nui Loa to my ohana at the always stunning Hyatt Regency Waikiki! The photo above was the view from our perfect room! But more important for us both are the people. To our dear friend of years and years (too many to count) Mrs. Renee Archer Nakashima, you are the BEST! To my amazing ohana that takes such great care of me in the Regency Club Lounge (Mark Omori and Carey just to name the evening crew!) you make the difference between; staying at a hotel and returning home! We love you! I have obviously developed a very "personal" connection with this hotel. But I still recommend it to all; the best Waikiki location, biggest rooms, and the staff here always make it great!
After only two nights we headed over to Hawaii Island~ "The Big Island". For a much longer stay and new experience at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort! Now many of you will know this resort from it's former incarnation the Hapuna Beach Prince Resort. But believe me this hotel is nothing like it once was... still the best location on this island! But the "re-creation" of this resort is very clear as soon as you get out of the car and look into the lobby area.
After some challenges at check-in, we ended up in a stunning room with a beautiful ocean view! Our home for the next eight days. I have always judged resorts not by the mistakes (or lack of them), but how quickly they fix a problem when something does come up! The staff at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort did a very good job.
But the thing (besides the obvious amazing location) that I loved here was the food! We ended up eating here several times, and although it is "resort pricey", it was well worth it! Our one fine dining experience was the "Meridia". Open air dining with spectacular sunsets and excellent service! The food was very good, and I would return to the restaurant even if I was not staying at the resort.
During the business days we of course visited several of our favorite resorts to check-up on them and see what is new and exciting. One special mention; both sad and very exciting at the same time! The long time favorite Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows closed on October 1st, just after we stopped by to say aloha. It will be closed until the end of 2019, undergoing a total transformation! Everything from the front desk and lobby, to the hallways and rooms. The entire exterior and pool areas will be redone, this resort will emerge a completely different experience.
A visit to the Island of Hawaii would not be the same with out a stop at the exclusive and always very special Four Seasons Hualalai! Every time I visit this place I am reminded of the way I felt about it the very first time. "There are five star resorts... and then there are Four Seasons"! This location has always been one of my #1 picks in all of the Hawaiian Islands. There is simply nothing about this resort that I do not love!
Despite all the negative news these past months because of the volcano and several horrible storms. This island is beautiful! In fact; the weather (other than too humid for this girl) was spectacular! The skies were as blue as ever, and the air quality was as clean as it's been in years!
If you have been thinking about a visit to the islands, I urge you to contact me at DreamCatcher Vacations. Let's talk about "the Big Island"! Too many people these days seem to be planning their Hawaii vacations online. To them, and to anyone thinking about visiting Hawaii, I ask you to reconsider! I have been planning vacations (and nothing else) for the better part of my 25 year career. I'm told by the "marketing experts"~ that point does not matter. But I completely disagree. My experience in planning, and my personal visits every year make planning your vacation with DreamCatcher a very smart choice! I will save you a ton of time, and I can guarantee; you will get what you asked for... and usually a whole lot more! My guests are never "surprised", and always come home very~very happy!
When your experience before, during and after the vacation is the priority... contact Teri at DreamCatcher Vacations! You will be very glad that you did!
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