vaccination — your ticket to ride

 

Eiffel Tower at Dawn (c) 2021 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

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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copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.

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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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.

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?

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.

$1000 resort credit on the Big Island

Mauna Lani is reopening in January after a thorough $200 million renovation of guest rooms, public areas, and the pool and beach areas. The resort's new owner wanted create a resort that is the equal of anything else on the Big Island, and he has definitely invested massively to bring that about.

Enjoy a $1,000 credit at the reimagined Mauna Lani Resort... so read the email blast I just received. I spoke today with my rep and learned that the deal is even better than that. Guests will receive a $250 daily resort credit when booking a 4+ night stay in an Ocean View room or above. So if you stay a full week, you'll get $1,750 in resort credits good towards lunches, dinners, and tropical drinks at the bar.

Virtuoso amenities combine with this promotion, and the deal is good from January 1 to November 20, 2020. So in addition to the $250 daily credit, guests who book with their Virtuoso travel advisor will also receive:

• Daily buffet breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom, in HaLani Restaurant.
• $100 USD Resort Credit for Dining, Spa or Golf per stay to be utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)
• One Category Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability (upgrade is from room to room or suite to suite; upgrade does not apply to Bungalows).
• Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi already included in the resort fee

Guest rooms are a spacious 520 square feet, and the newly renovated marble bathrooms are a definite step up, now featuring great step-in showers. Suites are double that size, and the amazing 2BR Bungalows offer 4,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space with your own private pool.

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.

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.

back to the Big Island

beach tree at FS Hualalai (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

It's been a cold and wintery week in Lake Wobegon, not to mention many other cities and towns in the continental U.S. It's chilly even in Northern California. Although the welcome but torrential rains of the past weeks have subsided, my thoughts have turned to warmer destinations. One month from today, I'll be flying to Hilo, Hawaii!

Although I've visited the Big Island twice and have done extensive site inspections, it's been too long. There are renovated rooms and suites to see practically everywhere. Mauna Kea was a hard hat construction site when I was last there. Mauna Lani has had a complete renovation of its guest rooms. Four Seasons Hualalai has totally redone Palm Grove because of the damage caused by the tsunami resulting from the 2011 magnitude 9.1 earthquake off the coast of Japan.

But we begin in the Volcano National Park on the eastern side of the Big Island. I've frequently been asked about this attraction, so we are beginning our trip in Hilo with two nights at the Volcano Forest Inn. After checking out, we'll drive the entire northern shoreline of Hawai'i, visiting some of the attractions recommended by the concierge at FS Hualalai. Here's my Google map of those attractions.

After our visit to the volcano, we will spend two nights at Four Seasons Hualalai and our final three nights at Mauna Kea. We will also do a site inspection of Mauna Lani. Can't wait! And if you can't wait either, don't miss out on the valuable Virtuoso and Four Seasons Preferred Partner amenities we can get you. Although I'm not permitted to list FSPP amenities on a public website, I can tell you that we can get you perks like free breakfasts and hotel credits at all three hotels I've mentioned.

copyright (c) 2017 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.

the luxury hotels of Hawai'i

First, a word about the Big Island of Hawai'i. When I left the Kona airport and drove north along the coast, the view was unlike anything I had ever witnessed. On either side of the highway are lava fields — once-molten lava that hardened when it cooled — an other-worldly sight! I wasn't quite sure what the resorts along the Kohala Coast would be like, but not to fear. The Big Island's beach resorts are among the finest in the world.

The Fairmont Orchid is a large resort (pictured above) with 540 guest rooms in two 6-story wings. Each room is generously sized at 522 square feet. The property was originally developed by Ritz-Carlton, later became a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection, and finally came into the Fairmont family of hotels. The resort is small enough that you can walk easily from your room to the restaurants, spa, swimming pool, tennis courts, and beach. At the same time, it is large enough that one is impressed by the spaciousness of the grounds. There is no sense here of being cramped. The grounds are lushly landscaped with beautiful lawns and plantings.

Four Seasons Hualalai is the perfect intimate beach resort. The 243 guest rooms and suites are arrayed in four "crescents," each crescent facing the beach with its own pool in the center. Pictured above is the Palm Grove crescent, especially popular for guests celebrating their honeymoons or anniversaries. The Palm Grove pool is adult only, adding to the sense of privacy and seclusion in this section of the property. What I like best about Hualalai is that buildings are low-rise, nothing on the property higher than two stories. Many ground floor rooms even have an outdoor shower. The resort is family-friendly with a complimentary kids program. Free washers and dryers are available for guests.

Mauna Lani Bay Hotel has 343 rooms and suites, a smaller property than the Fairmont but larger than the Four Seasons. Set on a beautiful beach, the resort offers two 18-hole championship golf courses, 10 tennis courts, a pool, and a children's program. I especially liked the open-air design of the hotel. You will never have the experience of walking down a long, closed hallway that might as well be in any high-rise city hotel in the world. The interior of the hotel is an open courtyard with beautiful plantings, with all guestrooms facing to the outside, and the feeling of being in an idyllic tropical destination is enhanced by the hotel's architecture.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was originally developed in 1965 by Rockresorts. At the time, it was considered the most expensive hotel ever built and named by Esquire magazine as one of the three best hotels in the world. It has been closed for two years for a $150 million renovation with its re-opening is scheduled for December 2008. It is set on Hapuna Beach (pictured immediately above) and in the midst of a challenging championship golf course.

Big Island Beach Resorts (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2008 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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