Showing posts with label Hawaii. Show all posts

4.26.2021

vaccination — your ticket to ride

E.U. Set to Let Vaccinated U.S. Tourists Visit This Summer .

It's been way too long. I was last in Europe in the autumn of 2019 when we took a Baltic cruise on Windstar, a luxury small ship cruise line that can get into smaller ports that cannot accommodate the large ships. We loved the cruise and enjoyed out-of-the-way destinations as well as highlights like Gdansk, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, and Stockholm. We finished up our tour by flying to Paris (my favorite city in the world) for a few days before flying home.

A lot has happened since 2019. Covid-19 struck with a vengeance in March 2020, forcing me to cancel a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii to see the brand new Mauna Lani as well as inspect the new room product at Four Seasons Hualalai. I held out hope that things would settle down by April, letting us visit Amsterdam during tulip season, then board our Tauck River Cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland ... but little did any of us know 13 months ago. Covid sadly necessitated the cancellation of that trip.

But Europe promises to be back this summer for vaccinated U.S. tourists. Anticipating its reopening, I was able to rebook my Tauck River Cruise three months ago and was able to score a pair of business class "Saver" award tickets on United. I received my second Pfizer vaccine on Feb. 19th, and Claire got hers on April 5th, so we're all set to go.

Getting vaccinated is your ticket to ride. I can't offer medical advice because I'm not a M.D., but if you're feeling a strong desire to travel the world again, vaccines offer the path forward to satisfy your wanderlust. If you're curious about the remarkable scientific advances that enabled the development of RNA-based vaccines, I highly recommend Walter Isaacson's recent book, The Code Breaker. A well-told story and a good read, the book provides an accessible introduction to the technology that led to the creation of the highly effective Pfizer and Modern vaccines.

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1.07.2021

Covid-19 tests for travel — easy and painless

Many vacation destinations require visitors to submit a negative Covid-19 test before traveling to their destination. Hawaii requires a negative test taken within three days of arrival. Turks & Caicos (where Claire and I will be traveling this Sunday) requires a negative test taken within five days of arrival.

How can you get this done and what's the process like? Here's our own experience.

1. Find a test site. CVS Pharmacy is a nationwide chain that provides testing at many of its locations. CVS offers a website that will locate testing locations convenient to your zip code.

2. Register in advance to schedule an appointment. As the reason for your test is travel (rather than symptoms you're experiencing), you'll have click the link on the next page informing you of the $139 testing fee. The page you need to get to looks like this...

3. Make an appointment. You can select available times over a three day range, the only choices being same day, next day, and the second day. I logged in first thing on Sunday morning to schedule a Tuesday morning test.

Print out your confirmation, as you'll be asked for the registration number when you show up for your test.

4. Bring required documents with you for your test. We were told to bring our photo IDs, insurance cards, and the registrations. You'll get a text message the morning of your test with the link to a short video showing what to expect. This is helpful, so be sure to watch the video.

5. Go to the test site in time for your appointment. In our case, the site provided drive-through testing. We drove up to the pharmacy's drive-through window. We were asked for our confirmation numbers, dates of birth, etc., and we were each given a plastic pouch that included the nasal swab and the vial in which to insert the swab after the test was completed.

6. We self-administered our tests. The process consisted of inserting the swab one inch into each nostril and rotating it for fifteen seconds. When accomplished, we inserted the swab into the vial, sealed the cap, and placed it in the zip-lock plastic bag. We then dropped the bag containing paperwork and our completed tests into the LabCorp drop box right next to the drive-through window.

7. I received a text message two days later informing me that my test results were available. Clicking the link took me to a webpage where I could download the test results. Both of us had (thankfully) negative results.

8. With negative tests in hand, I applied for Travel Authorizations for Turks and Caicos. Each traveler will have to complete the online form individually; the form provides fields to upload your (a) Covid test result and (b) proof of travel insurance providing medical coverage and evacuation. Turks and Caicos approves (and I recommend) Travelex Travel Select.

9. Within minutes, our Travel Authorization forms arrived by email. Print out the form for each passenger, for these will be required to board your flight and enter the country. It's recommended also to bring a hard copy of your test results and certificate of travel insurance.

10. Travel and enjoy the world!

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11.06.2020

Mauna Lani reopening tomorrow

Travel to Hawaii is back, and I'm happy to announce that the Mauna Lani will be reopening to guests tomorrow, Saturday, November 7th, after an extensive renovation of the entire property. I've seen photographs, and the new room product is light, bright, and wonderful. The Big Island is an incredible place to golf, explore varied landscapes ranging from volcanoes to rain forests, walk on a sandy beaches, or lounge by a resort pool with a cool drink in your hand.

Mauna Lani is offering an incredible promotion, the Virtuoso Mauna Lani Journey. With a minimum five night stay, the resort is offering guests a $1000 resort credit ($200 per night ... so 7 nights = $1400 credit, etc.). This is on top of the Virtuoso amenities which add these money-saving perks to your stay:

daily breakfast for two ($80 value)
$100 resort credit
one category upgrade if available

What about Covid pre-testing? Mauna Lani is collaborating with Vault Health to provide you with a safe, fast, and easy testing experience in the privacy of your own home.

Team Ourisman is here to help you plan your next trip to Hawaii. Click here to email us!

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9.24.2020

Hawaii opens October 15th with negative Covid test

Good news! Hawaii is in the process of reopening to visitors... and Hawaii's pre-testing program for Covid-19 will begins on Thursday, October 15. The state has created a two-minute video explaining the five-step process (see below).

Step one — surf to Hawaii's online Travel and Health Form. Each traveling adult will establish their own sign-in. Complete, e-sign, and submit the online form, adding any minors as "additional travelers." Verification numbers will be texted to your cell phone and emailed as well, and you'll have to enter these six-digit numbers.

Step two — enter details of your trip including arrival date, departure and arrival airport, flight information, government ID, your hotel in Hawaii. etc.

Step three — 24 hours before your trip, you will be informed by email and text that your Travel Health Questionnaire is available. Log in and complete the questionnaire. If you have your negative test result, you will be able to upload that form at this time. If it hasn't come yet, you will present the hard copy when you arrive in Hawaii.

Step four — check your email for your QR. Print this out and/or get the code on your phone.

Step five — Things to have ready at the airport checkpoint in Hawaii: your QR code, government-issued ID for each adult, a charged and working cell phone, and your test results (unless you've uploaded them ... but I'd bring them anyway).

What's deal with the Covid-19 pre-travel test? No earlier than 72 hours before your flight, take an FDA-approved nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), performed using a nasal swab, and get proof of negative test results. CVS and Kaiser Permanente are both certified as trusted testing partners, but you can use any CLIA certified laboratory.

What if you don't get your test results before your flight? If you're lucky, your test results will be in your email by the time your reach the islands. If not, you will be required to quarantine in a hotel room (at a hotel that provides this option) until you receive your proof of negative test results and report them to the Hawai‘i State Department of Health.

Most luxury resorts will not allow you to quarantine at the resort. The following, for instance, is the policy of Four Seasons Maui:

The option to quarantine (rather than provide proof of a negative test) is not available to our guests. Therefore, all guests must have proof of a negative PCR Covid-19 test that had been performed no more than 72 hours prior to arrival. This will need to be shown at the airport, as well as at the Front Desk upon check in.
A temperature screening process will be in place upon arrival and throughout the Resort, along with additional Lead With Care protocols.
At this time, we will not allow outside guests to use our facilities, including the restaurants and spa.

Bottom line: find a test laboratory than will guarantee results within 3 days, and you're good to go!

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copyright (c) 2020 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

5.17.2020

will Hawaii open for tourists on July 1st?

Hoping to travel again soon? I sure am. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have been sheltering in place for over two months. I was forced to cancel two trips, a site inspection trip to the Big Island of Hawaii and a Windstar river cruise from Amsterdam to Basel.

Many travelers are hesitating for obvious reasons. We all prioritize our health and the health of our families. Beyond that, no one wants to fly off on a vacation and be surprised with a 14-day quarantine upon arrival. Flexible reservations are an absolute must. Before making a reservation, we want the flexibility of waiting as long as possible to assess the situation before committing to a trip.

Major luxury hotel brands are responding to what travelers need. New, flexible cancellation policies have been announced by Four Seasons, Marriott International (parent company of Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, etc), and others. With only slight variations in wording, their new policy is this:

If you have an existing reservation, you can cancel it without charge up to 24 hour prior to arrival* as long as the cancellation is made by June 30, 2020.

If you make a new reservation before June 20, 2020 for any future date, 2020, you will be able to cancel that reservation without charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival*.

*This policy may not apply to Festive Season bookings, to dates with special event restrictions, or to periods of peak demand.

Please be patient. It takes time for new policies to be reflected in hotel reservations systems. Every rate for every room category at each hotel has to be modified. Please reach out to your travel advisor to iron out the details with the hotel or resort of your dreams.

4.14.2020

the aloha spirit

I'm sharing this beautiful video about the aloha spirit. Produced by Hawaii tourism, the scenes reflect the beauty of the Hawaiian islands and convey a sense of native Hawaiian spirituality.

Aloha is more than hello or goodbye. It’s love. It’s connection. It’s what we need right now. Mahalo for your understanding that this isn’t the time to visit the Hawaiian Islands. Until we can share our home with you again, we’ll be sharing aloha – and welcome you to do the

I was supposed to visit Hawaii last month. Can't wait until we can all safely travel again!

3.09.2020

travel bargains in the age of COVID-19

United Airlines must have a lot of availability per the email blast they just sent me. Look at all the unsold seats on that route ... only 51 seats left at this price.

A chance for a last minute weekend getaway, you'll depart this Friday on the 7:01 p.m. flight to Kona. With the three hour time difference, you'll arrive Kona at 9:33 p.m., giving you four full days to soak in the sun and enjoy the waves of the Big Island.

Here's a suggested itinerary to take full advantage of this travel bargain:

13MAR (Friday)

United # 1723 departs SFO 7:01 p.m., arrives Kona 9:33 p.m.

13MAR-4NT — Mauna Lani

Virtuoso Mauna Lani Journey Promotion (requires a four night stay)

$250 daily resort credit

Daily buffet breakfast for two in HaLani Restaurant

additional one-time $100 resort credit

Ocean View Deluxe King room @ $774 per night

17MAR (Tuesday)

United # 435 departs Kona 2:46 p.m., arrives SFO 10:49 pm.

Mauna Lani has just reopened following an extensive $200 million renovation. Guest rooms are large and gorgeous, and The Mauna Lani Journey Promotion is one of the best values I've seen. With $1100 in total resort credits for a four night stay (the promotion combines with Virtuoso amenities), your NET per night room rate is $499 per night, an amazing price for a luxury resort. With complimentary buffet breakfast for two and (hopefully) an upgrade to an Ocean Front King room if available at check-in, your resort credits could pay for virtually all your meals.

Hawaii, anyone?

3.02.2020

7 travel strategies in an age of coronavirus

To live is to travel, and for those of us for whom travel is our greatest passion, the coronavirus poses unwelcome questions. Here are three items that recently have come across my desk.

Hoping to enjoy the breathtaking seascapes at Six Senses Yao Noi, an Australian client became concerned about her trip to Thailand. She asked me for ideas about alternate warm-weather destinations in the South Pacific. Instead of Phuket, they are traveling to Fiji.
Las Vegas has gaming and entertainment that never stops, but the hotels are SO large. There are thousands of hotel guests with even larger crowds milling through the casinos, all in an environment with sealed windows and forced air ventilation. My client was worried and chose to cancel her reservation.
What could be more fascinating than Japan in May? Late spring is the perfect time of the year to explore Japan, before the summer brings heat and crowds. My client is taking a wait-and-see approach, seeing how the situation looks at the end of March before making any decisions.

So what should you do about your existing and future travel plans? Here are some thoughts.

#1 — It's your decision, and ultimately you have to be personally comfortable with what you decide to do. Neither I, nor anyone else, can tell you what your decision should be.

#2 — Get the facts. Here's a very useful map maintained by Johns Hopkins University showing the number of reported incidences around the world. The CDC regularly updates their website with a Coronavirus Situation Summary. The State Department maintains this page of travel advisories.

#3 — Use common sense. Avoid crowded places — large museums, movie theaters, casinos, and indoor sporting events.

#4 — Take normal hygienic precautions. Wash your hands regularly, and carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer. Cough into your elbow and avoid anyone who is coughing and sneezing.

#5 — Wait-and-see. As long as you're outside the cancel deadline of your hotel or resort, you have the luxury of time, of waiting to see how things turn out in your destination. If a week out from your trip, there are reports of vacationers contracting COVID-19 and being quarantined, yes, of course I would cancel.

#6 — Develop a Plan B. Feeling nervous about Asia or Italy? You can have an incredible vacation at home in the United States. Explore a Hawaiian island where you've never been. Or relax at one of dozens of Virtuoso resorts in secluded, uncrowded destinations — ranches in the American West; seaside resorts in Georgia, South Carolina, or California; or luxurious getaways in Vermont, upstate New York, Tennessee, or Wine Country.

#7 — Consider Medjet Assist. If the need comes up, your Medjet policy will provide medical evacuation to the hospital of your choice back home. I've had a policy for my wife and myself for years, and fortunately I've never used it.

What am I doing about my own travel? I have several upcoming trips — going to the Big Island in 20 days ... and to Amsterdam in 6 weeks with my wife to enjoy a Tauck River Cruise to Basel. I am very much looking forward to both trips and have every intention of taking them ... unless the situation deteriorates dramatically. I think I have a greater risk of contracting COVID-19 on a plane rather than on the ground, but I'm not a doctor and do not take this as medical advice. I'm not going to stop traveling. Travel is my greatest pleasure in life and, as they say, I'm not getting younger.

12.31.2019

clients choice awards — top five

Travel magazines such as Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure post annual Readers Choice rankings of the best hotels in the world. I don't know the magazines' methodology, but their results are sometimes laughable ... such as the time a "nice enough" luxury hotel just off Times Square won the designation of Best Hotel in the World.

I'll be totally transparent about my methodology. Though I'm semi-retired, I do continue to work with a select group of Ourisman Travel clients. These are their top five choices ranked in order of the volume of sales to these hotels and resorts.

#1 — Four Seasons Hualalai. My personal favorite resort in Hawaii, Hualalai is the top resort in the world of all Ourisman Travel clients. Hualalai is the antithesis of the "big concrete box by the beach" that so many beach resorts tend to be. Luxurious and newly renovated guest rooms are located in detached two-story buildings arrayed along four beachfront crescents and around the green of the 18th hole of the golf course. I love Hualalai for its casual luxury. Guests enjoy great food while dining right by the beach where flip-flops are perfectly fine for that "sand between your toes" experience even at dinner. Click here for my slide show explaining the crescents of Hualalai.

#2 — Dorado Beach, Ritz-Carlton Reserve. My personal favorite resort in the Caribbean, I actually vacationed here as a teenager back in the 1960's when Dorado Beach was a part of Rockresorts. Like Hualalai, Dorado Beach is not a "big concrete box by the beach." Guest rooms are found in detached two story buildings, each with a direct ocean view and some with private plunge pools. West Beach rooms step out right onto the beach while East Beach rooms feature the sound of the waves crashing up against the beach rocks... what a restful sound when going to sleep. The beach is great ... soft, white sand and swimmable ocean water.

#3 — Four Seasons Maui. If you catch the trend, beach resorts are tops on our list ... and Hawaii is our clients' favorite destination. Maui was Four Seasons' first resort — set on a wide, sandy, swimmable beach with snorkeling — and it continues to be a popular draw attracting a trendy, cosmopolitan set of guests. High end shopping is available nearby at The Shops at Wailea. The biggest difference: while guests dine by the beach at Hualalai wearing flip-flops, many guests at Maui arrive for dinner with the ladies fashionably dressed and sporting high heels.

#4 — Le Meurice, Paris. The trend continues — I sell what I love — and Le Meurice is my favorite hotel in my favorite city in world. Paris has the world's greatest collection of "over-the-top" luxury hotels, but Le Meurice is not about being "over the top." The smallest palace hotel in Paris, Le Meurice exudes a warm, personable, and comfortable luxury while offering the best possible location in Paris, especially for first-time visitors. Step out the front door, cross rue de Rivoli, and you're in the Jardin des Tuilleries, the beautiful formal gardens in the very heart of Paris. Walk across the gardens, and you'll be at the Musée d'Orsay in 10 minutes. Or turn to the left, and you're just 10 minutes from the Louvre. Le Meurice, ideal for first-time visitors, its guests keep coming back, y compris moi.

#5 — Peninsula Tokyo. Japan has become the hot travel destination for 2019 and 2020. The 2020 Olympic Games have shined the world's focus on Japan, and I recommend booking a customized land tour or a cruise that circumnavigates this island nation. You'll want to begin or end your trip in Tokyo, and of all the great luxury hotels in Tokyo, my clients have most often booked The Peninsula. Why? Perhaps it's due to the hotel's location next to the Imperial Gardens, or because of its thoughtfully designed guest rooms (with such features as nail polish dryers in the bathroom), or even because my PEN Club clients benefit from totally flexible check-in and check-out times.

I can offer the following amenities at all of the above hotels through Virtuoso, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, STARS, Diamond Club, and PEN Club. While the details differ slightly by property, you'll receive at least the following at each of these top five hotels:

daily breakfast for two
$100 hotel credit towards incidental expenses
room upgrade if available
early check-in and late check-out if available
complimentary internet

In some cases, the credit is more, the room upgrade is confirmed at booking, and the early check-in is guaranteed. Get in touch for the full details!

My next column will take a look at #6-#10 on my list.

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

12.16.2019

dreaming of warm, sunny weather?

It's that time of the year again. Days are growing shorter. The sun is low in the sky. And it's COLD, currently 35º in New York, 29º in Chicago, and 26º in Minneapolis. I'm very much looking forward to my trip next week to Fort Lauderdale, Florida — where it's 81º right now — to visit my sister over Christmas!

If you're anything like me, COLD weather makes you long for warm, sunny places like Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean. While it's late in the game to make plans for the week between Christmas and New Years ... limited space is available. Contact Team@OurismanTravel.com, and we'll work with our tropical specialists to find someplace warm and wonderful for you and your loved ones.

Let's start thinking about January, February, and March! The best time to make those plans is now. You'll have the best selection of rooms, suites, and villas at the best luxury resorts ... and prices will only go up from here as rooms sell out. Pro tip: book through a Virtuoso travel advisor. Sure, you can find availability on the internet, but for the same price, your Virtuoso travel advisor can get you complimentary daily breakfasts for two, a $100 resort credit, and hopefully an upgrade to a room with an even better view of the ocean.

Or try out the Virtuoso booking tool for beach vacation with exclusive amenities in the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico.

3.18.2019

now that Southwest flies to Hawaii...

... where are you going to stay?

Today, Southwest Airlines launched its long-awaited service to Hawaii with the departure of Flight 6808 from Oakland, California (my home airport) to Honolulu. Passengers were greeted with leis both on boarding and upon their arrival into HNL. Service will continue to expand with a second OAK-HNL flight on March 24th, flights to Maui on April 7th, and service to Kona on May 12th.

These will be no-frills flights with nothing but Coach seats to be had for the long 5 1/2 hour flights. Neither will full meals be available. By adding seats to the Oakland-Hawaii market, the price of coach seats will likely come down. On the other hand, I highly recommend flying First Class on Alaska or Hawaiian. Pricing is surprisingly affordable, and both airlines offer comfortable First Class service and full meals. Some Hawaiian Airlines planes even have lie-flat sleeper seats.

Where to stay in Hawaii? I've listed my favorite hotels, and Ourisman Travel offers you added value by providing free breakfasts, $100 hotel credits, upgrades, and more — all at the same regular prices you're seeing online.

Honolulu
The Kahala Resort
Halekulani
The Royal Hawaiian
Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina

Maui
Four Seasons Maui
Andaz Maui
Fairmont Kea Lani
Ritz-Carlton Kapalua Bay
Montage Kapalua

Kona
Four Seasons Hualalai
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Fairmont Orchid
Mauna Lani, an Auberge Resort

2.01.2019

Kona Beach Village | reopening in 2022

Kona Beach Village, a quick walk down the beach from Four Seasons Hualalai, has been closed since the tsunami of 2011. During my last visit to the Big Island, I walked through the 81-acre property, even venturing into some of the old cottages. Though not luxurious by contemporary standards, it's easy to see why KBV guests so loved the resort. They were very casual, and that was the charm. The bungalows offered a true sand-between-your-toes beach experience. Some cottages, like the one pictured above, were set directly adjacent to the beach.

Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort is set to re-open in 2022. It will feature 150 completely new standalone hales, each with private lanai and outdoor shower. Shipwreck Bar will be resurrected, and guests will enjoy multiple dining venues, spa, fitness center, multiple pools, and tennis courts.

I expect the new KBV to be fully five-star and can't wait to see what Rosewood will bring to the Big Island of Hawaii. I'm certain that Rosewood Elite amenities will be offered, and the resort will presumably join Virtuoso.

5.26.2018

Saturday's postcard from Oahu

So I finally visited Pearl Harbor, and it's a must-visit attraction for any visitor to Honolulu. Our guide picked us up from the Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina at 9 a.m., taking care of all the logistics — driving, parking, and procuring admission tickets. A retired Navy veteran, he was a most informative guide. In addition to offering a fascinating historical take on the historical relationship between Japan and Hawaii, he made sure we were on time getting in line for our 10:15 a.m. admission to the film. The documentary was followed by a boat ride out into the harbor to visit the memorial to the USS Arizona (sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor) and the USS Missouri (on whose decks were signed the documents officially ending the war with Japan). Our tour concluded with a most interesting drive through the Navy and Air Force bases at Pearl Harbor.

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit our website.

5.24.2018

Thursday's postcard from Four Seasons Hawaii

Four Seasons Hawaii resorts are quite guest friendly. Unlike some resorts that charge resort fees, you'll never feel nickeled-and-dimed to death at Four Seasons. I've posted this picture of a small but significant amenity at every Four Seasons in Hawaii — complimentary organic sunscreen!

Anyone who's traveled to the tropics and forgotten to pack sunscreen has learned about island price gouging. Because you can't pack enough sunscreen in your hand luggage due to TSA regulations on transporting liquids, this perk is quite valuable ... and just the beginning of the great values you can expect at the Four Seasons in Maui, Hualalai, Lanai, and Oahu (and many other destinations worldwide): complimentary sunscreen, complimentary Kids for All Seasons, and Preferred Partner amenities that offer hundreds of dollars of additional value throughout your stay.

5.17.2018

should you travel to the Big Island?

I'm going to Hawaii's Big Island, in three days, and I'm not worried.

Why not? The erupting Kilauea Volcano has been all over the news in recent days. Some travelers have been asking whether to cancel their vacation to Hawaii. My point-of-view is consistent with my own decision: don't cancel that trip. Here's why...

This google map shows the location of the volcano, as well as the locations of our Virtuoso hotels on the Big Island — Four Seasons Hualalai, Mauna Lani, Fairmont Orchid, and Mauna Kea. I'll be spending two nights at Four Seasons Hualalai, located 55 miles to the northwest of the area of volcanic activity. There is zero chance that lava flows from the volcano could reach the Kohala Coast. While fumes could conceivably reach the area, the trade winds blow from northwest to southeast, away from the beach resorts.

I'm looking forward to my trip to Hawaii tomorrow, and I'll send air quality reports to Team Ourisman while on the Big Island, 20MAY-22MAY.

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

3.04.2017

postcard from Hawaii

seen in the gift shop at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

Not much to add to this sentiment... I'm now back in cloudy and chilly Northern California, wearing three layers of long sleeves and a beanie to keep me warm. I miss Hawaii and its sun, sand, and surf. This cool California winter day reminds me of how heavenly the past week has been.

Can't wait to go back to Hawaii! How about you?

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

3.02.2017

Four Seasons Hualalai | paradise on the Big Island

Picture yourself here, but perhaps a couple of hours later! I did one of my favorite early morning photo shoots while at Four Seasons Hualalai earlier this week, and this is one of the inviting pictures from that session. Though it's early morning, before breakfast, Hualalai's staff is already busy, getting the resort ready for another day of fun and relaxation for the guests. These lounge chairs have been arranged into a tidy curve facing the ocean. They are awaiting guests to come and occupy them for the day.

Five resorts in one ... that's my take-away from this inspection trip. What's remarkable about this resort is that the 189 guest rooms and 51 suites aren't found in one large, multi-winged building. They are arranged throughout the resort in two story buildings, some bordering the 18th green and the rest bordering four crescents arrayed along the beach. Each area has its own character.

Ocean Golf — the golf-lovers resort. If you can't get enough golf, you can sit on your lanai and watch the golfers coming up the 18th fairway and taking their final putts, all with a view of the blue Pacific Ocean beyond the fairway.

Beach Tree — the social center of Hualalai with the resort's main pool, 100 feet long, lined with lounges and cabanas. Here's the ideal spot to make new friends at the pool or at the bar

Palm Grove — the adult resort of Hualalai, with its adults-only Tranquility Pool and swim up bar.

Sea Shell — the family resort, with a kids pool where kids can be kids. And don't forget the complimentary Kids for All Seasons program for kids aged 5-12.

Kings Pond — the adventure resort, with a 1.8 million gallon aquarium carved out of natural lava rock. Stocked with 4,000 fish representing 98 species, you can snorkel from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Dreaming of a trip to Hawaii? Four Seasons Hualalai offers five different vacation possibilities in one beautiful resort. You can benefit from added value every day through the exclusive Four Seasons Preferred Partner program. While I'm not permitted to publish the amenities on a public website, just email me for a full description. You can save hundreds of dollars and still enjoy the luxury of Four Seasons.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

2.25.2017

erupting Kilauea volcano

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park — definitely worth the journey, and the magic begins after dark. Sitting in the lounge of Volcano House, right on the rim of the crater, we had a panoramic view of the Kilauea Caldera, and it was very cool seeing smoke coming out of the eruption.

But the magic begins at sunset when you begin to see a rosy glow within the grey smoke. We had dinner at 6 at The Rim, the restaurant at Volcano House — truly enjoyed our meal, by the way — and if you reserve a table by the windows, you can watch the view unfold. Make your reservations well in advance, as Volcano House is always fully booked, and tables by the windows are always reserved first.

After dinner, we drove three miles on Crater Rim Road to the Jaggar Museum Overlook. It was completely dark and close enough to the eruption to see molten lava bubbling up. We were treated to the stunning view pictured above.

We're staying just outside the park at Volcano Forest Inn, a simple but comfortable inn. Don't book on the web — phone and talk with Daniel, the innkeeper. He gave us a rate of just $100 per night. Our room is spacious and comfortable with a large walk-in closet and an adequate bathroom (single vanity, shower in the tub). It's not luxury and doesn't pretend to be a five (or even four) star property, but is a good value that includes breakfast and free WiFi.

2.10.2017

Big Island attractions

attractions on the Big Island — http://tinyurl.com/hzc4sqe

I'll be on the Big Island two weeks from today and am looking forward to experiencing the natural beauty and the cultural uniqueness of Hawai'i — not to mention the tropical sun and the blue waters of the Pacific.

Hawai’i is more than luxury resorts and beaches, and this trip is my chance to visit some of those other attractions so that I tell my clients about them. will be my first visit to Volcano National Park. They say the lava is flowing, and I'm looking forward to witnessing that.

Other attractions that interest us are Akaka State Park (and its nice waterfall), Waipi'o Valley State Park (and its spectacular views), and the little town of Waimea (which lies at the boundary of the rainy side and dry side of the Big Island. Four Seasons Hualalai has published a list of Big Island attractions that you may find useful. Click on the map above for an annotated map of some of those attractions, as well as the locations of some hotels near Volcano Village and beach resorts near Kona.

I'll be live blogging from Hawai'i, so watch this space!

12.06.2016

100 Best Hotels in the World?

doormen at The Goring, #71 on T+L's list of the world's 100 best hotels

Travel + Leisure has just listed its readers poll of the 100 best hotels of the world. I've personally stayed at or visited twenty-one of the hotels on their list. My bottom line? While there are some beautiful hotels, resorts, and safari camps on the list, I have to question the survey's methodology, as the results are screwy.

Here's what I look for in a top hotel:

1. Location. Is the hotel or resort where you want to be? Does it provide a setting with great views or convenient access to attractions you want to visit?

2. Quality of the physical product. Is the hotel well maintained, offer an attractive lobby, and clean rooms with updated furnishings?

3. Room size. In my opinion, space is the ultimate luxury. 400 square feet is my minimum standard for a Deluxe Room. Bathrooms should ideally provide dual vanities (when couples are traveling), a large enough counter to hold all your toiletries, separate soaking tub and step-in shower, and ideally a WC (i.e., there's a door between the bathroom and toilet).

4. Scale of property. In general, I prefer boutique hotels and dislike mega-hotels. On the beach, I like low rise buildings that blend into the landscaping; I dislike resorts that look like a big concrete box by the beach. In large cities, a 200 room hotel is large enough to provide full services while boutique hotels may be more personable but lack some facilities.

5. Service. Requests should be handled quickly and accurately. Concierges should provide great advice and services, and there should be adequate staff so that guests are not waiting in a long queue. Bags should come quickly to your room. Room service should be delivered when requested, and food should be hot. Restaurant staff should provide attentive service — no waiting around for a coffee refill, etc.

6. Amenities. Hotels that provide value-added amenities through Virtuoso or our preferred partnership relationships offer a big plus to my clients.

Here's my commentary on the T+L list of the top hotels in the following destinations:

London
43 - Forty One
68 - The Milestone
71 - The Goring
88 - The Lanesborough
89 - Egerton House

Forty One is a boutique hotel occupying the top floor of Rubens at the Palace in London, but I would never consider it the top hotel in London. It's not even the top Red Carnation hotel in London! Is this, as T+L suggests, the best city hotel in Europe. No way! My top three hotel choices in London in no particular order are The Goring, Four Seasons Park Lane, and The Dorchester.

Paris
69 - La Reserve
79 - Le Bristol

La Reserve is a new boutique hotel with a gorgeous physical product (my wife loved seeing it during our site inspection), but FlyerTalk readers have reported that its service is not yet up to speed. My top three hotel choices in Paris are Le Meurice, the Four Seasons George V, and Le Bristol. I also love the newly refurbished Plaza Athenee and the Ritz Paris.

Florida
49 - Gasparilla Inn
55 - Acqualina
67 - The Biltmore, Coral Gables

The thought that Florida would have three of the world's top 100 hotels is frankly a bit bizarre. I'd go for Four Seasons Palm Beach or The Setai South Beach.

New York
64 - The Surrey
91 - Greenwich
92 - Knickerbocker

The Surrey is a nice boutique hotel on the Upper East Side, and the Greenwich is a nice boutique hotel in TriBeCa, but these are not my choices for the top hotels in New York. My top boutique hotel is The Lowell. My top traditional hotel is the Ritz-Carlton Central Park (in a Deluxe Park room with an incredible panoramic view over the park at all of northern Manhattan). My top contemporary hotels are the Four Seasons and the Mandarin Oriental.

San Francisco Bay Area, California
12 - Farmhouse Inn
37 - Rosewood Sand Hill
53 - Brewery Gulch Inn, Mendocino
96 - Inn Above Tide, Sausalito

Don't get me wrong. I love Farmhouse Inn, and I'm astounded that it would be named the #12 hotel in the world (and I'm sure my friends at the Farmhouse are equally astonished). I really don't get the other three hotels on the list, especially Inn Above Tide which is basically a renovated motel. Went in for a short site inspection — tiny, nondescript postage stamp of a lobby. Small breakfast area — not even a restaurant. Nearby Cavallo Point is so superior in every way. And how could they leave Post Ranch Inn off the list?

Hawaii
5 - Montage Kapalua

Montage Kapalua has gotten rave reviews from clients who have stayed. All residential units, this resort is next door to the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. But never in a thousand years would I rate this hotel #5 in the world, tied with Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, Australia. Nor would I rate this the top resort in Hawaii — that would be Four Seasons Hualalai on the Big Island.

copyright (c) 2016 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

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