Tag Archive | "time"
GOP Lingle almost triples fund-raising of closest rival Hirono, UH prof caught in x-rated escort sting, Education leaders detail plans, HGEA grumbles…
Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle Former Gov. Linda Lingle, in a display of national fundraising prowess, has raised more than $1.7 million since she announced her Republican campaign for the U.S. Senate in October. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii may not be known for its Republicans, but the first fundraising figures out of former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle's campaign for U.S. Senate shows that Republicans are committed to changing the balance of power in the aloha state. Civil Beat. Former Congressman Ed Case said in a statement that he raised “substantially less” money last quarter than U.S. Senate opponents Linda Lingle and Mazie Hirono. Civil Beat State education leaders sought to reassure lawmakers Wednesday about the future of Hawaii's $75 million Race to the Top grant, saying they are making gains and plan to seek more clarity about the kind of progress federal authorities want to see in order to take the grant off "high-risk" status. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Department of Education leaders described the state's school district as a deteriorating house at a legislative briefing Wednesday, and their Race to the Top plan as the remodeling program for that house. Civil Beat. Hawaii's public schools superintendent said Wednesday she hopes the state makes headway on adopting new teacher evaluations by the end of March, when U.S. Department of Education officials are scheduled to visit the islands for an update on the state's progress with Race to the Top reforms. Associated Press. Taken For A Ride: Roberts Hawaii's Very Own Race to the Top of School Bus Biz. Civil Beat. Hawaii Government Employees Association officials have told PBN they may file a complaint with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board because Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration has failed to advance talks regarding the favored nation clause of the union’s contract. Pacific Business News. The state appeals court has upheld the approval of a University of Hawaii-developed management plan for Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald. The House Committee on Judiciary passed a measure (House Bill 127 House Draft 1) that would require hospitals and health care providers to provide information about emergency contraception to women who have been sexually assaulted, and to dispense the medication when requested. Hawaii Reporter. It’s difficult to tell how many people experience homelessness. Nevertheless a national count is done at this time every year attempting to measure how many people are without homes. Hawaii Public Radio. State roundup for Jan. 26. Associated Press. Oahu An x-rated local escort service called “The Volcano Girls” is being operated out of the Waikiki residence of University of Hawaii Professor Lawrence W. Boyd, Jr. Hawaii Reporter. http://www.hawaiireporter.com/university-of-hawaii-professor-tied-to-x-rated-escort-service/123 Food trucks and lunch wagons would have two hours to operate at one location on a street before being required to move, under a proposal in the City Council that aims to ease a law that made it difficult for some vendors to operate legally. Star-Advertiser. A bill that would allow lunch wagons and other street vendors to remain at a single location for two hours instead of fifteen minutes passed the first of three required readings Wednesday at the Honolulu City Council. KHON2. The principal at August Ahrens Elementary School, a second school administrator and a teacher have been placed on leave while the state Department of Education investigates an allegation of financial impropriety. Star-Advertiser. North Shore residents demand solution to 'Turtle Beach' traffic. Hawaii News Now. The city has spent more than $1.87 million and hired seven private law firms to handle legal work related to its rail project. Star-Advertiser. The State Department of Agriculture says road crews working on Nimitz Highway near Honolulu Airport killed a two foot snake Wednesday morning. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii The Hawaii Tourism Authority has approved spending more than $1 million this year for Big Island programs, sporting events and festivals. Tribune-Herald. After sitting fallow for the last 18 years, 718 acres of Hawaii County's Paauilo lands are closer than ever to being returned to productive agriculture. Tribune-Herald. An illegal ferret was captured early Sunday morning in the parking lot of Coqui's Hideaway Restaurant & Sports Bar in Hilo. Tribune-Herald. Maui Of the three options for repairing the main runway at Kahului Airport, the most expensive was overwhelmingly preferred at a standing-room-only public meeting Monday, because it would not require a temporary shutdown of Mainland flights. Maui News. Project challenges several layers thick. Maui News. The new Papapawahawa Bridge in East Maui opens this Friday, January 27, 2012, following eight months of construction. Maui Now. A $2.3 million project to replace Papahawahawa Bridge is nearly complete, the county Department of Public Works announced. Maui News. Maui County officials say they are in the process of closing a three-mile stretch of shoreline near Wailea-Makena after a shark sighting Wednesday afternoon. KITV4. Kauai How can the Garden Isle grow green jobs? Garden Island. Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and other local leaders Wednesday greeted the first planeload of visitors from Shanghai as part of an effort to increase island visits from China. Garden Island.
Continue reading...Cruise ships returning to Hawaii, state preps for legislative session, Yagong announces candidacy for Hawaii County mayor, security zone planned for…
Monday, January 16, 2012
Cruising in Hawaii (c) 2012 All Hawaii News More people are setting sail for Hawaii. More than 104,000 travelers arrived in the islands on cruise ships -- mostly from the West Coast -- in the first 11 months of last year, according to the most recent data available. That's a 14.5 percent increase from the same period in 2010. Associated Press. 2012 Who's Who Legislative Guide. Star-Advertiser. Expediting Hawaii's excruciatingly slow economic recovery will be a top priority for East Hawaii's all-Democratic legislative delegation, which returns to work on Wednesday. Tribune-Herald. When asked what their priorities are for the legislative session starting Wednesday, Maui's three state senators had some different projects in mind but agreed that job creation will likely dominate their time. Maui News. After their salaries are restored to 2009 levels in July 2013, Hawaii teachers would get a raise every year that they receive at least an "effective" performance rating, under a tentative contract with the state. Civil Beat. Attorneys and advocates, academics and activists alike gathered Saturday to honor the life and legacy of University of Hawaii law professor Jon Van Dyke. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu Thirty new American citizens will be sworn in by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Honolulu on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Associated Press. As part of today's Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will welcome 30 new U.S. citizens. Star-Advertiser. City government offices will be closed on Monday, January 16, in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a federal and state holiday. KITV4. A developer plans to spend more than $7 million to build nine big T-shaped breakwaters off Iroquois Point beach to protect a rental community, stop erosion and replenish sand fronting former Navy housing near the mouth of Pearl Harbor. Star-Advertiser. A Wahiawa senior center remains in violation of federal grants rules, according to a Jan. 12 letter to Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Civil Beat. State Rep. Jo Jordan plans to return to an oft-flooded section of Puhawai Road in Waianae this morning with more than 60 volunteers to cut back branches and clear debris from an area that will undergo millions of dollars of flood-prevention work over the next several years. Star-Advertiser. They call themselves the mangrove manglers.
Continue reading...Flying to Hawaii – How to Choose the Right Airport
Thursday, January 5, 2012
So you’ve picked the Hawaiian island that’s perfect for you and now you must determine the logistics of getting there. Every first time visitor has faced the head scratching challenge of finding the right airport to begin their Hawaii vacation. I want to help you understand how to navigate with ease in Hawaii. As you may have been researching airport options in the Hawaiian Islands, you may have noticed that some islands have multiple airports. Though some islands may have a small regional airport that appears to be more convenient on paper, I recommend you opt to fly into the major airport of each island and here’s why: There’s many more flights and airlines servicing the major airports providing you more options to suit your time schedule. Larger planes fly into the major island airports, with the exceptions of Lanai and Molokai. That means that you are less likely to fly on a propeller-type aircraft. There’s significantly more car rental companies and rental car inventories at the major airports. The major airports are all within an easy driving distance (less than an hour) from all the major resort hotel areas. Let’s take an island by island look at the major airports and special flight considerations. OAHU Oahu’s major airport is in Honolulu with the airport code of HNL . It’s by far Hawaii’s largest airport and hub. Most transpacific flights fly into Oahu. As you research flights from your home airport, you’ll likely discover that almost all your options require you to fly into Oahu first. From Oahu’s HNL, you can easily connect to any other island in Hawaii. MAUI Maui’s major airport is in Kahului with the airport code of OGG. There are a limited number of flights from the US Mainland that fly directly into OGG, but most visitors connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. The only exception where you might want to consider flying into another Maui airport is if you plan on making secluded Hana (HNM) your Maui vacation base. KAUAI Kauai’s major airport is centrally located in East Kauai in Lihue with the airport code of LIH. There are a very limited number of flights from the US Mainland that fly directly to Kauai, but most visitors connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. BIG ISLAND (West Kona Side) Most folks coming to the Big Island for a vacation tend to stay on the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island in Kailua-Kona, Keauhou, and the Kohala Coast. The major airport on this side of the island is north of Kona in Keahole with the code of KOA. Just like Maui and Kauai, there are a limited number of flights that arrive directly into Kona (KOA) from the mainland, but connecting in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport is easily done. BIG ISLAND (East Hilo Side) Though the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island is home to the beautiful beach resort hotels, the east side does have its attractions, namely Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the active volcano, Kilauea.For first time Big Island visitors with a week or more vacation, I recommend you fly into the east side airport of Hilo with the code of ITO to begin your vacation exploring the volcano wonders. Then drive over to the West side for your beach vacation. See more on where to stay on Hawaii’s Big Island . Just like Maui and Kauai, there are a limited number of flights that arrive directly into Hilo (ITO) from the mainland, but connecting in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport is easily done. LANAI Lanai’s major airport is near Lanai City with the airport code of LNY. To fly into Lanai, you must connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. MOLOKAI Molokai’s major airport is Kaunakakai in with the airport code of MKK. To fly to Molokai, you must connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. If you are visiting Kalaupapa National Historic Park, you will need to fly into Kalaupapa Airport with the code of LUP. — I hope you’ve found this guide to flying into Hawaii to be useful. If your Hawaii vacation includes visits to more than one island, please review my guide to inter-island travel in Hawaii .
Continue reading...Flying to Hawaii – How to Choose the Right Airport
Thursday, January 5, 2012
So you’ve picked the Hawaiian island that’s perfect for you and now you must determine the logistics of getting there. Every first time visitor has faced the head scratching challenge of finding the right airport to begin their Hawaii vacation. I want to help you understand how to navigate with ease in Hawaii. As you may have been researching airport options in the Hawaiian Islands, you may have noticed that some islands have multiple airports. Though some islands may have a small regional airport that appears to be more convenient on paper, I recommend you opt to fly into the major airport of each island and here’s why: There’s many more flights and airlines servicing the major airports providing you more options to suit your time schedule. Larger planes fly into the major island airports, with the exceptions of Lanai and Molokai. That means that you are less likely to fly on a propeller-type aircraft. There’s significantly more car rental companies and rental car inventories at the major airports. The major airports are all within an easy driving distance (less than an hour) from all the major resort hotel areas. Let’s take an island by island look at the major airports and special flight considerations. OAHU Oahu’s major airport is in Honolulu with the airport code of HNL . It’s by far Hawaii’s largest airport and hub. Most transpacific flights fly into Oahu. As you research flights from your home airport, you’ll likely discover that almost all your options require you to fly into Oahu first. From Oahu’s HNL, you can easily connect to any other island in Hawaii. MAUI Maui’s major airport is in Kahului with the airport code of OGG. There are a limited number of flights from the US Mainland that fly directly into OGG, but most visitors connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. The only exception where you might want to consider flying into another Maui airport is if you plan on making secluded Hana (HNM) your Maui vacation base. KAUAI Kauai’s major airport is centrally located in East Kauai in Lihue with the airport code of LIH. There are a very limited number of flights from the US Mainland that fly directly to Kauai, but most visitors connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. BIG ISLAND (West Kona Side) Most folks coming to the Big Island for a vacation tend to stay on the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island in Kailua-Kona, Keauhou, and the Kohala Coast. The major airport on this side of the island is north of Kona in Keahole with the code of KOA. Just like Maui and Kauai, there are a limited number of flights that arrive directly into Kona (KOA) from the mainland, but connecting in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport is easily done. BIG ISLAND (East Hilo Side) Though the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island is home to the beautiful beach resort hotels, the east side does have its attractions, namely Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the active volcano, Kilauea.For first time Big Island visitors with a week or more vacation, I recommend you fly into the east side airport of Hilo with the code of ITO to begin your vacation exploring the volcano wonders. Then drive over to the West side for your beach vacation. See more on where to stay on Hawaii’s Big Island . Just like Maui and Kauai, there are a limited number of flights that arrive directly into Hilo (ITO) from the mainland, but connecting in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport is easily done. LANAI Lanai’s major airport is near Lanai City with the airport code of LNY. To fly into Lanai, you must connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. MOLOKAI Molokai’s major airport is Kaunakakai in with the airport code of MKK. To fly to Molokai, you must connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. If you are visiting Kalaupapa National Historic Park, you will need to fly into Kalaupapa Airport with the code of LUP. — I hope you’ve found this guide to flying into Hawaii to be useful. If your Hawaii vacation includes visits to more than one island, please review my guide to inter-island travel in Hawaii .
Continue reading...Aloha Friday Photo: “Big As A House” Poinsettia Edition
Friday, December 23, 2011
Most of us on the mainland will purchase a poinsettia this time of year for the holidays. We typically care for the small plant indoors for a few months. Then, we’ll thank the plant for its display before sending it on the compost. That’s why it’s so surprising for us visitors when we see large poinsettias bushes growing outdoors in Hawaii. Around this time of year in Hawaii, you’ll see outdoor poinsettia bushes
Continue reading...Honolulu rapid transit headed back to court, Abercrombie reluctantly releases public records, Hawaii businesses get record SBA loans, Kauai police…
Monday, November 28, 2011
Hawaii makahiki (c) 2011 All Hawaii News This is a season of thanksgiving in many cultures, including in Hawaii where the Makahiki season is just beginning.Hawaii Public Radio. http://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/content/makahiki-season-lono Attorneys for the city and Federal Transit Authority will be in U.S. District Court on Wednesday at 10 a.m. seeking to have several high profile plaintiffs challenging the legality of the city’s rail system thrown out. Hawaii Reporter. Before Christmas trees are put on display, each are inspected by the state to ensure no invasive species are brought to Hawaii. KHON2. Average room rates at Hawaii hotels rose by more than 4 percent last week, while occupancy on the Neighbor Islands got a boost from pre-Thanksgiving week travelers, according to a weekly report by Hospitality Advisors LLC and Smith Travel Research
Continue reading...Hawaii’s Big Island November 2011 Trip Report
Monday, November 21, 2011
Kohala Coast Sunset We’re back from a wonderful week on Hawaii’s Big Island. I sincerely love all the Hawaiian Islands, but my love for Hawaii Island grows deeper and deeper with each visit . After each visit to Hawaii, I like to provide a quick snapshot of all we did in case it helps you for your vacation planning. Of course, I’ll provide all the details in future posts. Where We Stayed Due to American Airlines delay in DFW and then missed connection in LAX, our Big Island visit didn’t start on the Big Island. We spent the first night in Honolulu at the Ohana Honolulu Airport courtesy of American Airlines. It’s certainly not fancy, but it was clean and very convenient to the airport with free shuttle service. We were there less than 10 hours as we snagged the first flight out of HNL to Kona. Our Big Island visit began with a two night stay at Courtyard King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel in Kailua-Kona. This hotel offered a convenient base for exploring Kona. The newly renovated rooms and historic grounds really impressed us. With rates around $140 per night, this hotel is a Hawaii Island vacation bargain! Next, we moved to the Kohala Coast for two nights at the palatial Hilton Waikoloa Village , which has so much to offer guests with the ocean front location and numerous pools. We had some mixed experiences here. I think our stay might have been too short, though. We ended our Big Island adventure with a bit of Kohala Coast luxury at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel which was where we stayed on our first trip to the Big Island in 2004. Staying here brought back such good memories as we made new ones. We highly recommend the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel. Where We Explored & Played We stayed busy our first day with snorkeling, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding in Kona with Kona Beach Boys . The Kona Coffee Festival was on while we were there. We discovered that this festival is far more than a tasty coffee festival – it’s a fantastic cultural festival. We took a historical sunset dinner cruise with Body Glove Hawaii which was both tasty, scenic and informative. Though we’ve been to Pu’uhonau o Honaunau National Historical Park other times, we took advantage of one the the fee free National Park weekends. We were so glad we returned, as more of the grounds have been opened since our last visit. Plus, we were there on a gorgeous, sunny morning with no crowds. We visited another national park, Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site . Here, we learned that many people consider this heiau as the beginning of the united Hawaiian kingdom under King Kamehameha the Great. We toured Hawaiian Vanilla Company and had a delicious, vanilla-infused lunch. Did you know that vanilla is an orchid that blooms for one day only? I learned that and many other interesting vanilla facts at the Hawaiian Vanilla Company. We’ve viewed and hiked around Waipio Valley on other visits, but this time we got to go into the valley for horseback riding with Naalapa Stables . Pu’uhonau o Honaunau (Place of Refuge) Where We Dined We recommend these Big Island restaurants. In Kona: - Honu’s On the Beach Restaurant offers a nice and well priced breakfast buffet. - Splasher’s Grill has casual, open air dining. In Kohala: - Bamboo Restaurant in Hawi serves delicious, fresh food in an eclectic bamboo inspired dining room. - Hilton Waikoloa Village has a very nice luau . - We loved the Breakfast Buffet at Water’s Edge in the Hilton Waikoloa Village. This buffet is really top notch and the lagoon view is beautiful. - Eddie Aikau Restaurant & Surf Museum in the Kings Shops of Waikoloa Beach Resort serves excellent food with a farm to table concept. Their facebook page currently offers more information than their website . - The CanoeHouse Restaurant at Mauna Lani offers fresh Hawaii Island sourced ingredients along with incredible ocean views. If you’re looking for a romantic dinner on the Big Island, you should definitely consider the CanoeHouse. - Our last Big Island meal was at Napua Restaurant in Mauna Lani Resort for lunch. This restaurant serves great food to go along with the ocean view. The fearless fire knife dancer at the Hilton Waikoloa Village luau. Worth Mentioning - Because Avis was sold out for the day we needed to pick up, we carefully shopped around for another rental company. I’m happy to report that we had pleasant experience with Hertz. Our car was clean and we weren’t carrying around unwanted hitchhikers . - Our visit was sponsored in part by the Big Island Visitors Bureau . We’re on facebook! Please click here to join us. © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .
Continue reading...Aloha Friday Photo: Somewhere Under the Rainbow Edition
Friday, November 4, 2011
Today’s stunning photo was captured by Michael Kinsley of Pahoa on Hawaii’s Big Island. He shot this vibrant rainbow on the Red Road near Kehena in the Puna District of Hawaii’s Big Island. Amazing! Isn’t it? Mahalo to Michael for allow us to share his photo! I first saw this magical photo on the No Ka Oi Adventures facebook page , where I’m a fan after touring the road to Hana with No Ka Oi . The owner, Wade Holmes, is friends with the photographer. So, I asked Wade if we might be able to get permission to share it on our Aloha Friday Photo Series. Wade kindly took the time to ask for permission. Thank you, Wade! I titled this photo ‘Somewhere Under the Rainbow’ with the famous IZ song in mind. What other titles/captions would you use for this unique photo? © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .
Continue reading...Review: Aulani, Disney Resort & Spa
Monday, October 31, 2011
Though we’ve covered quite a bit about Aulani after visiting last month for their Grand Opening Celebration , I felt like there were several aspects that I still needed to share with you. Hawaiian Culture Is Embraced and Honored When I first heard that Disney was coming to Hawaii several years ago, I wondered how Disney would blend in Hawaii. Actually, I think Disney has gone to great lengths to incorporate Hawaiian culture into Aulani and emphasizing that above iconic Disney characters. Hawaiian culture seems to drive the car, so to speak, while stereotypical Disney aspects ride along in the backseat. For example, when we first arrived, we noticed the kalo (taro) plants in front of the resort, we were greeted with alohas and when we went into the lobby we noticed then the beautiful murals of Hawaiian scenes. It wasn’t until we got into our room that we finally noticed the first Disney-influence, which was a vintage-looking lamp with a wooden Mickey Mouse carved in the lamp stand ( see photo ). Aulani Lobby I had a chance to meet with some of the Aulani artists who were all born and raised in Hawaii – most were local from the Waianae Coast. When they were commissioned for their art, they said that Disney provided very little input. Each artist expressed how much they enjoyed being a part of Aulani, telling their story and perpetuating their native Hawaiian culture. If you’re interested in learning more about the art at Aulani, I found this article . Just about every place that has a name at Aulani has a Hawaiian name. Hawaiian is usually spoken first. In fact, a helpful Concierge, Sharilyn, told me that though she had grown up in Hawaii, she’s never spoken as much Hawaiian as she has since she started working at Aulani. Kid & Family Friendly Donald Duck rocks an Aloha Shirt at Aulani In my opinion, Aulani is the most kid-friendly resort in Hawaii. Here are some of the great things designed for kids to enjoy: Aunty’s Beach House is a dream play house for any kid. Just touring it made me want to be a kid again. There’s Hawaiian crafts, dress up, story time, outdoor play, hula, musical instruments, movies, games and more. I’ve not seen anything else in Hawaii that matches it. Not only is it outstanding – it’s a complimentary amenity for guests. Other Hawaii resorts charge $35 or more for a half day. You do need to pay for meals. Aunty’s Beach House is open from 8am to 9pm or 9am to 11pm depending on the day. Aunty’s Beach House is available for potty trained guests ages 3 to 12. Aulani offers complimentary activities designed especially for tweens and teens like pool parties, obstacle courses and stargazing. Disney Characters make regular visits and appearances much to the delight kids of all ages. Character Breakfasts are scheduled three days per week at the moment. Aulani has embraced the legend of the Menehune – so much so that they’ve placed hundreds of Menehune statues and carvings throughout the resort. It’s fun for both kids and grownups to find Menehune hiding throughout the resort. Rainbow Reef , two waterslides and the Menehune Bridge ( photo ) are ideal water fun parks for kids and adults, too. You’d have to try really, really hard not to have fun in the Aulani Waikolohe Valley collection of water park fun. Rooms include Pack ‘n Play playard for the little ones. The lagoon beach adjacent to Aulani offers relatively safe protection from big waves. Couple Friendly? I added the question mark because, I’m not too sure about how couple-friendly Aulani is. It’s not couple unfriendly , that’s for sure, but I wouldn’t say that Aulani is exceptionally romantic either. Andy and I certainly enjoyed our visit, though we spent most of our time working. When we could, we enjoyed the waterslides and lazy river like a couple of kids . Mickey & Minnie Mouse enjoy a romantic Aulani sunset. Some of the romantic things you can do at Aulani are have a Fairytale Disney Wedding , enjoy private ocean view dining, get some spa pampering with a couples massage, go on a catamaran sunset cruise, relax by the adults-only pool, watch sunset in the infinity whirlpools, have a sunset beach picnic, etc. Outstanding Spa Facilities I think it’s just a matter of time for Aulani’s Laniwai Spa to be listed among Hawaii’s best spas. Access to their outdoor hydrotherapy garden, Kula Wai, is included in most treatments. Kula Wai offers whirlpools, cold plunge, mineral baths and my favorite – six different rain shower experiences. If you’re not staying at Aulani, but you want to get a spa treatment in Oahu, I highly recommend Aulani’s spa. (Psst! Here’s a tip, when there’s availability, guests can purchase a day pass to the hydrotherapy garden for $45.) Rooms Aulani offers both hotel and vacation ownership accommodations. The hotel portion was sold out, so we were lucky to be assigned one of the Disney Vacation Club rooms . We had a sitting area, dining area, full kitchen, washer and dryer, separate bedroom and a bath and a half. We could have lived there. The rooms are nicely decorated with dark woods, Hawaiian prints and kapa designs. Even if you are not a Disney Vacation Club owner, the DVC rooms are available for booking within 60 days of your visit when they’re available. Dining Aulani offers several dining venues across the resort from take out to fine dining. Our favorite restaurant was ‘ AMA’AMA where we enjoyed their kulua pork on steamed rice buns and the ocean views. For casual evening dining, we liked The ‘Olelo Room where Hawaiian is spoken first. It’s a great place for sliders and learning to speak Hawaiian words – a great combo. For a cool treat, we really liked the shave ice hut near the pools. Aulani has their very own Shave Ice hut that looks like it was transported straight from the North Shore. As I’ve already mentioned, Aulani offers a great chance to meet Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and other Disney characters at the Character Breakfast that’s served buffet-style for $32 in Makahiki. We enjoyed it. (Psst! They also offer an a la carte menu at Makahiki if you don’t want the buffet.) If there’s one area Aulani could improve upon, I’d say it’s with dining. We didn’t have a bad meal, but we didn’t have many impressive ones either. We chalked it up to the standard learning curve that all new restaurants endure. Pricing With rooms starting at $399, Aulani’s rates are definitely well above average for Hawaii of about $185 per night. That being said, the service and the amenities are well above average for Hawaii, too. I could be wrong, but I predict that Aulani will begin offering more deals. At the moment, they have a limited 5th night free offer. We felt like food and beverage costs were in line with what most Hawaii resorts charge. Nothing shocked us in comparison to other Hawaii resorts we’ve visited. A few tips for getting the most out of your stay: Check the all the resort happenings with the weekly, and daily ‘IWA for crafts, character meet and greet, movies on the lawn, Starlit Hui show, etc. Most of these activities are complimentary for guests. If you think you might be interested in taking part in the Character Breakfast, I recommend you book a month or more in advance to make sure you secure your spot. Also, aim to get there for an early arrival, like 7am, where you’ll have the characters almost all to yourself. If you are getting a spa treatment, do plan to check in an hour before to enjoy the spa amenities. Check out is at 11am, but don’t worry if you have a late flight. Aulani provides a fantastic lounge for guest after check out, the Luana Lounge. You’ll find lockers, showers, swimsuit dryers, hair dryers in case you need to freshen up before your flight. There’s two separate lounges with sofas and televisions. They even provide a monitor with Honolulu flights and a station to print your boarding passes. Wifi is free, yippee! See all the photos we took during our Aulani stay. Don’t forget to check out our video tour of Aulani . We’d like to thank Aulani for hosting and inviting us to their Grand Opening Celebration. © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .
Continue reading...Hawaiian Airlines Puts Fares On Sale for January, February & March 2012
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Now is the time to plan your winter warm up. Hawaiian Airlines has fares on sale for the travel period of January 5 through March 14, 2012. You must book by October 31 to take advantage of special round-trip fares like these: Models in Vintage Attire for Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants To/From Maui’s OGG Airport Portland – Maui $328 Seattle – Maui $338 Las Vegas- Maui $348 Oakland – Maui $298 San Jose – Maui $298 To/From Oahu’s HNL Airport Oakland – Honolulu $328 Portland – Honolulu $328 San Francisco – Honolulu $328 San Jose – Honolulu $328 Phoenix – Honolulu $338 Los Angeles – Honolulu $338 Sacramento – Honolulu $338 San Diego – Honolulu $338 Seattle – Honolulu $338 Las Vegas – Honolulu $348 Please note that these prices do not include taxes or fees. If you’re wondering if winter is a good time to go to Hawaii, the quick answer is yes. See my post: Is Winter a Good Time to Go to Hawaii . We’re on facebook! Please click here to join us. © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
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