Kapalua, Hawaii – 23,000 acres of Maui Heaven

by Annie Scott on

Kapalua, Hawaii is an exclusive resort destination which is something of a best-kept-secret on the island of Maui. I hadn’t heard of it a few months ago, and now I can’t wait to go back.

Before we get into the delicious details, allow me to briefly make my case for why vacationing in Hawaii is like, the best idea ever:
1. All the comforts of home. As I mentioned in my article about the rainforest, Maui has Office Max, Barnes & Noble, Baskin Robbins; everything you secretly didn’t want to go without on your vacation.
2. In addition to the comforts of home, there are also active volcanoes, rainforests, and all your tropical adventure activities like zip-lining, parasailing and more — and don’t you feel a little safer doing that stuff in America, where you know insurance must be bananas?
3. Your money is good here. No changing of currency not only means you don’t have to do math, but you are also less likely to be ripped off by locals whose dollars are worth something else.
4. No customs, no passports, no weird, unexpected laws.
5. The time change works in your favor. Wanna sleep late? You can get away with it, because if you’re coming from the continental US or Canada, Hawaii is a few hours behind. I came from New York, so I would get up at 6 AM feeling like I slept till noon.
6. It’s freaking Hawaii. And yes, it is that gorgeous.

Onto Kapalua and the three places you can stay. Here’s one:
%Gallery-73767%So. Unless you’re into boats, Kapalua is typically reached by flying into Maui’s OGG international airport, then driving about 50 minutes around the perimeter of the island. Yes, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, but there’s a volcano in your way (pesky) and it’s a beautiful drive.

There are three places you can stay in Kapalua, making it far more exclusive than Lahaina (which you pass on the way), where everyone and their mother has a hotel. The first and most beautiful digs in this blogger’s opinion is the Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences, nestled stylishly on Kapalua Bay, just steps from some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling in the world. The Residences consists of 84 private ownership properties which start at $4 million. If that’s laughably steep to you, consider the Club — 62 fully-furnished, deeded one-twelfth ownership properties (basically timeshares) which start at $350,000. The Club and Residences are elegantly appointed and fabulously designed — the architecture is stunning and distinctly Hawaiian — and extremely convenient to golf, the brand new Kapalua Spa, and more. Ownership also includes exclusive access to the Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences’ dining and pool, which are not to be missed. Click here for more on all that.

Now, let’s talk about accommodations for those of us who aren’t into buying (or don’t have 350 grand to spare); there’s the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua and the Kapalua Villas.The Kapalua Villas are a great choice for families, as they’re condo-style rentals complete with parking spaces and a large pineapple in every fridge. The Villas are divided into The Bay Villas and The Ridge Villas — and though staying at The Ridge means a bit of a hike to get down to the beach, the views are spectacular, and there are swimming pools on-site up there. Guests of the Kapalua Villas also have access to the pool areas at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, as well as free shuttles to get you all over Kapalua, including to golf, free tennis, and fabulous restaurants like The Plantation House and Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar. The Kapalua Villas run from just $169 per night to around $599, depending on size (up to three bedrooms) and season. And though they may provide the comforts of home like your own kitchen, free phone calls, and a daily newspaper, there is still maid service. Because you’re on vacation.

I know I said that the Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences was the most beautiful option, but the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua hotel is no slouch. The gorgeous, 54 acre property recently underwent a $180 million renovation, and includes a luscious spa and six dining options from the lobby bar with live music to fresh fish by the beach, as well as the extravagant and magical AAA Four Diamond restaurant The Banyan Tree, which sources 100 percent of its herbs from organic gardens located (and strollable) on the grounds. The Banyan Tree alone is worth your trip to Kapalua.

The Ritz-Carlton hotel is also equipped with residential-style rooms, so families who are looking for the hotel atmosphere but want to be able to cook are well provided for. Another amenity for both families, couples, and lone travelers is the Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment center on the property, which leads expeditions up to the Maunalei Arboretum Rainforest and takes guests snorkeling with underwater cameras in Kapalua Bay. You can ask about their monthly Give Back Getaway programs, or just arrange a trip to either destination privately with the center. Prices start at $299 and go up to around $6,500 for the lavish Royal Pacific Suite on the top floor.

Check out the gallery for photos of the Ritz-Carlton hotel, and visit Kapalua.com to learn more about this top-notch, cook-pine-peppered, fabulously luxe destination.

This trip was paid for by Kapalua Resort & The Ritz-Carlton, but the views expressed within the post are 100% my own.

Unlimited golf at Samoset Resort in Maine

by Tom Johansmeyer on

At the Samoset Resort in Maine, you can play as much golf as you want. The new program offered by the resort offers unlimited use of its 18-hole golf course. If you get tired of watching hooks and slices, keep in mind that seven of the holes are ocean-side, and 14 offer great views of the shore. At $299 a night, you’ll pick up a savings of more than $100 a night. In addition to the unlimited golf, the package includes breakfast for two, use of a golf cart for two people as they hit the links as much or as little as they choose and a golf-related gift from the pro shop.

The Samoset Resort is located between Rockland and Camden, offering easy access to the restaurants and sights of the former and the rural bliss of the latter. To take advantage of this deal, you’ll need to grab your bags and hit the road by October 31, 2009 (and use the code GCGOLF).

Destination spas hard up for guests, slashing prices

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Upscale spas may not be accustomed to offering deep discounts, but the current economic situation has left them little choice. As a result, you’ll be able to take advantage of some fantastic deals and go to spas that might be out of reach otherwise. Live like the wealthy (used to) for a few days.

For the top shops in the spa business, the International Spa Association (ISPA) says that visits are down and shorter, and the people who are coming are spending less. Day spa trips are becoming more common than destination alternatives, which has kicked the industry into “survival mode.”

To bring more spa-regulars – and first-timers – in the door, several spas around the country are going to extraordinary lengths. The Lake Austin Spa Resort in Texas is offering a third and fourth night free for guests booking two nights (arriving on Sunday). Reservations must be made before October 15, 2009 for trips to be taken by the end of the year. Miraval Resort, outside Tucson, Arizona, has a $275 daily special (per person) through October 14 that includes almost everything (except spa treatments and taxes). And, Canyon Ranch, also near Tucson, is offering 15 percent off an all-inclusive package for first-time guests visiting by December 23. Visit between November 29 and December 23, and you could pick up a 30 percent discount.

Looking to make your first destination spa trip? Now is clearly the time to do it.

First day for reservations at Colombia’s new Tcherassi Hotel!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Today is the first day the new Tcherassi Hotel + Spa in Cartagena, Colombia is taking reservations! This new property is the brainchild of Latin fashion designer Silvia Tcherassi and will be located in Cartagena de Indias, along Colombia’s Caribbean coast. When the doors open later this fall, guests will be treated to the combination of two years of renovation along with the building’s 250 year history. The colonial mansion will bear touches of Tcherassi’s design prowess, and old world charm will not come at the expense of contemporary comfort.

This home-like hotel will consist of seven oversized guestrooms and suites – all named for the fabrics used in Tcherassi’s apparel collections. High ceilings, private balconies, rich wood floors and open bathrooms are the norm in this hotel, and restored walls sparkle thanks to a hint of gold dusting.

No detail is too small for the Tcherassi Hotel + Spa. His and hers private label Tcherassi bathrobes will be available in every room, and custom-made amenities with Silvia’s fragrance will come in large containers rather than travel-sized bottles.

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Fabric, understandably, is set to play a major role in this new property. Special fabric flowers will be given to guests, and each room will have pendant lamps and “do not disturb” signs featuring unique fabrics.

VERA, the hotel’s indoor/outdoor restaurant, will seat 40 guests and serve authentic Italian cuisine. Views of the hotel’s four pools will be featured, not to mention a stunning vertical garden which will be home to more than 2,000 local plants. The on-property spa will be full-service and include a pool for water-based treatments.

Silvia says, “Fashion and hospitality are both businesses totally committed to the creation of new experiences and new sensations; trying to awaken the inner senses of each person, whether through a new style of clothes or a perfect stay in a beautiful environment. The process is almost identical. It is the search of a balance between form and function.”

Opening rates start at $275 a night … beginning now!

Maldives President proposes green tax for tourists

by Katie Hammel on

The Maldives, an archipelago of over 1000 islands in the Indian Ocean known for their stunning beauty and expensive, luxurious resorts, aren’t exactly cheap to visit. And they aren’t about to get any cheaper. The President of the Maldives has proposed a $3 per day “green tax” on tourists.

The tax would help fund the President’s plans for fighting climate change and for making the Maldives a carbon-neutral country within the next decade. He has a vested interest in stopping global warming – the Maldives are the lowest-lying islands on the planet, with an average elevation of only 7 feet above sea level, and it is estimated that they could be completely submerged by rising sea levels within the next ten years.

With an average of 700,000 visitors, who each stay around three days, visiting the Maldives annually, the tax could provide the country with over $6 million per year for environmental initiatives. With most resorts in the Maldives costing $500 (or much more) per night, $3 per person, per day is a small price to pay to help protect this vulnerable country from the dangers of climate change.