Pop Up Hotel!

Now this is cool. We've all heard of pop up retail stores (although if you live in the suburbs like me it's unlikely that you have experienced one). But this story takes the pop-up store to a whole new level.  Design Hotels, which handles reservations globally for independently owned hotels, recently announced an innovation in the lodging industry: a pop-up hotel.

The hotel is in Tulum, Mexico and features 99 cabanas, most with private bathrooms, a spa with treatments based on Mayan healing practices and restaurants run by KaterHolzig, a hot Berlin club, and 42°RAW, a Copenhagen restaurant whose food is cooked at 42 degrees Celsius or below.

Would you stay at a pop up hotel?  What about a pop-up hotel in Hawaii?  I'd be willing to give it a try!

* Photo courtesy of Design Hotels

Can't Decide on a Hawaii Hotel?

I listened in on a very interesting conference track yesterday at Blogworld hosted by John Forrest Ales, who leads communication strategies for Hilton Hotels and Resorts.  He explained some great dos and don'ts for travel bloggers who are looking to pitch travel brands, especially for free hotel stays and other activities as part of a trip you may be planning.  One key piece of advice I did like was to ask for something that you may not have otherwise been able to experience while on your trip, instead of expecting that a brand will comp your entire stay.  These companies still need to make money!

With that said, I am booked and heading to the Hilton Hawaiian Village in the next few weeks for vacation.  I always use my vacations to gather more content for my blog, and this one is no exception.  We are planning on attending the Waikiki Starlight Luau during our stay, and I have seen the penguins, flamingos and swum in the super pool so many times that I plan to email John Forest and find out what else I might be able to do during my trip.  Maybe there is some secret tour at the Hilton that I don't know about?  Or maybe I can get a room upgrade so I can have uninterrupted views of the crystal clear Hawaiian waters.  Stay tuned, I'm excited to hear what he says!

In any case, I will be doing a full review of our stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village so watch this space for more information over the next couple of weeks.

Get Ready for Disney

It's still one year until the official opening, but Disney’s Aulani resort in Ko Olina in West Oahu is about to start taking reservations.  It's a vacation planner's delight!

This is the first Disney hotel that is not located near a Disney theme park. If you want to be one of the first to stay at the resort, mark your calendar on August 2, and you can get a piece of Disney history in Hawaii. The resort is scheduled to open on Aug. 29, 2011.

When completed, the resort will have 360 hotel rooms and 481 two-bedroom Disney Vacation Club villas. It also will include an 18,000-square-foot spa, two restaurants, a 14,545-square-foot conference center, and 48,685 square feet of outdoor venues including pools, hot tubs, a snorkeling lagoon and a variety of programs for children. While Waikiki has a lot of great options for children, this is sure to be a treat for kids and adults alike.  See you soon Mickey!

Waikiki EDITION To Open in October

Another new hotel for me to check out! The first hotel under Marriott’s newest luxury boutique brand, EDITION, will open in Waikiki this October.

The Waikiki EDITION, a partnership between Marriott International and hotelier Ian Schrager, will open on the site of the former Yacht Harbor Tower wing of the Ilikai Hotel.

The 353 room Waikiki EDITION, designed by New York’s Yabu/Pushelberg, will also be home to a new restaurant by world-renowned Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto and an exclusive Crazybox nightclub, as well as a full-service spa, outdoor movie theater and ballroom.

No word yet on how much it will cost to stay at the hotel, stay tuned for more information!  It sounds like it will be something special!

Hilton Hawaiian Village - Even More Rooms!

I am still having trouble deciding on where to stay during my next trip to Hawaii.  We visit Hawaii so often that it makes sense to find a hotel chain and stick to it. We haven't done that in the past because we haven't found a hotel that we really loved, but we are getting close to making that decision.

Speaking of hotels, the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki has just announced that they will begin construction on two new vacation timeshare towers in 2013, launching an aggressive expansion that will add 550 units to the resort’s timeshare holdings by the end of the decade.  They will also be doing some renovations to the existing Rainbow Tower as well as building some new swimming pools (finally an adults only pool!) as well as a new bar/restaurant.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village’s total lodging capacity currently comprises 3,627 guest rooms, timeshare units and suites in seven towers.  The good news is that these new towers will create more jobs and offer more options for visitors to the Islands.  The photo below (courtesy of Hilton Hawaiian Village) shows the entire site with the new towers once they have been built.

I love the location of the Hilton; its next door to the Hale Koa hotel which has my favorite bar - The Barefoot Bar! Can't wait to see Rex and crew when we go back!

Hawaii Facebook Pages

To stay on top of the many activities going on in Hawaii, I like to use Facebook fan pages as a way to get a quick update on the latest news.  I have a fan page Natalani Hawaii- are you a fan?


I wanted to share a list of my favorite fan pages with my readers - if you love visiting Hawaii or perhaps you are trying to find out more while planning your next vacation, take a look at these pages and become a fan (I think you now click 'like' to receive updates - I can't keep up with all the Facebook changes!)


HAWAII Magazine - This is a must for anyone interested in Hawaii.  The fan page of the popular magazine, HAWAII Magazine and its Web site HawaiiMagazine.com are for anyone who loves the Islands—whether you live here, visit us regularly or are still dreaming of doing both. The Facebook page provides links to their stories and great photos for you to enjoy as you plan your next Hawaii vacation.


Go Visit Hawaii - A fan page founded by Sheila who has made the page a community-based site. Go Visit Hawaii readers can share tips, photos, and discuss their Hawaii vacation.


MVP Hawaii - Provides readers with the latest news from the Islands.  The page regularly has discounts offers from hotels and restaurants and also shares fun facts - who knew that there was free parking at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center for 3 hours with restaurant validation!

Oahu Concierge Magazine - The Oahu Concierge Magazine is an industry publication for hospitality employees.  They provide up-to-date information on what's happening around Oahu each month, covering special events, arts, Hawaiiana, dining, and entertainment through monthly articles, an updated calendar, and more.  This is great for locals and for tourists - you want your concierge to know what's happening during your visit!

Edible Hawaiian Islands - I have recently discovered this page and find it to be a wonderful resource for all things food related in Hawaii.  Edible Hawaiian Islands is dedicated to celebrating the harvest of the Aloha State, season by season.  You can pick up their newsletter at various locations in Hawaii, or subscribe to their newsletter online.

If you have any suggestions on some great Hawaii fan pages, please share them with me!  Add your favorite page to the comments section.

All Smiles at the Sheraton Waikiki

I’ve stayed at a number of hotels in Waikiki, and last year I had the pleasure of staying at the Sheraton Waikiki, located on Kalakaua Ave, next door to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. While we were only there for three nights, we had a fabulous time! Let me share my highlights:

1. The View – Wow, from our room on the 17th floor the view of Diamond Head was spectacular, and looking down from our balcony you were able to see Waikiki Beach and beyond, it was simply stunning.

2. The Restaurants – In addition to my usual favorites like Alan Wong’s, we also had dinner at Rumfire, which is on the ground floor of the hotel. Again the view was simply beautiful, and the food wasn’t bad either! The dish I had (pictured below) was asian-style chicken lettuce wraps, which were very impressive. The menu does change frequently, and you can view all their food and drink menus on their website. One small complaint – although the food and drinks were good, it made for an expensive meal –for the two of us it was over US$100 for two small appetizer dishes and two cocktails each!

3. The Location – This hotel would have to be in one of the best locations in Waikiki. Literally, the hotel is in the center of the action, and is in walking distance to everything. You can access the beach via the hotel pool area (see photo), and although there is not a lot of beachfront at the hotel, it’s a five minute stroll to Waikiki Beach or Fort De Russy Beach. The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is almost connected to the front of the hotel facing out to Kalakaua Ave, with plenty of coffee shops, restaurants and retail stores close by. In terms of location and value for money, this is by far the best Waikiki experience I have ever had.

All hotels have their weaknesses, so if you are looking for personalized service and Hawaiian hospitality, I probably wouldn’t recommend this hotel. With over 2,000 guest rooms, the hotel lobby always looks like an overcrowded train station with people coming and going at all hours of the day and night. It’s a busy hotel, and with only a small business center and limited concierge service it’s probably easier to bring your laptop and plan your own itinerary from your room (for a fee of course). Overall, the stay we had at the Sheraton Waikiki was fabulous and I would definitely recommend to other travelers. One final tip: Be sure to check the website regularly for travel specials; after we had booked our hotel, the price per night dropped by over US$80 per night and we were able to get a much better deal closer to our travel date, which we were able to update at no cost.

Ohana Waikiki West – Buyer Beware

Now is a great time to head to Hawaii and take advantage of some of the many travel deals available. I did this during Thanksgiving last year – in addition to the cheap flight, we thought we were getting a good deal on a hotel too. We stayed at the Ohana Waikiki West on Kuhio Ave, at a rate of US$79 per night, plus tax. While this sounds like a steal, let’s just say if I had paid any more than this for the room and service we received, I would have been very upset.


The Ohana Waikiki West is part of the Ohana Hotels chain, and it has some great features, like location, pool with a great sun deck, and Hawaiian hospitality. However, when I’m on vacation, I mainly use my room for sleep, showering, and catching up on the daily news. In terms of the bed, I haven’t had such a bad night’s sleep in a long time. The mattress was hard, the pillows old, and the sheets were so thin and with no comforter (only a thin quilt cover), it made for a restless night. While the shower had great water pressure, I wasn’t able to have a hot shower the entire stay. As for the TV - if the remote had worked properly, that would have been really helpful. And if that wasn’t enough, the batteries went flat in the electronic lock on our door, keeping us locked out of our room for a period of time while we waited for the maintenance team to come and repair it. Let’s just say, I have had better hotel stays in Hawaii.

My point to this story is while there are many great advertised specials at a number of Hawaiian hotels – be sure to do your research. Read reviews from other travel websites, and pay attention to the less than complimentary reviews from other travelers, in order to gain good perspective before you book. There are many hotels to choose from especially in Waikiki, so you shouldn’t have to settle for anything sub-standard. Don’t be fooled by the low prices – in my opinion, many Waikiki hotels have dropped their rates to a fair price for what they are offering.

Orchids at Halekulani Unveils New Hawaii Centric Menus

For all you foodies out there, some welcome news from the Halekulani in Waikiki. Orchids Restaurant has just announced a new lunch and dinner menu by Executive Chef Vikram Garg and Chef de Cuisine Darryl Fujita.

The new menu features a wide selection of appetizers, entrees and desserts while preserving three of Orchids signature dishes:

Steamed Oriental Onaga 'Orchids Style'

Manoa Butter Lettuce Salad

Halekulani Coconut Cake

I had the chance to look at the new menu (thanks for sending the press release Erika!) and I would say my top three picks on the new menu would be:

Big Island Goat Cheese with Kalamata Olive Cake, Tomato and Macadamia Nut Chutney

Lobster and Crab Burger with Sambal Aioli, Pickled Cucumber and Dill Parmesan Fries

Kumamoto Oysters with Japanese Cucumber and Yuzu Dressing

The menu has been designed to celebrate contemporary seafood and there are some amazing items to choose from, with modern flavors and local produce.

For more information about the Halekulani or to make a reservation at Orchids, visit their website. I am looking forward to Sunday Brunch on my next trip!

Vacation Deals in Hawaii? Well....

I must be on every email mailing list to get last minute deals and specials to Hawaii (any excuse for a vacation right?) So, an email alert came through from Hawaiian Airlines last week, offering vacation packages to Hawaii (flight, hotel and car). I went to the website to check out the specials, and I was able to find return airfare, 5 nights accommodation at the Outrigger Waikiki and car rental for $900 per person for the Thanksgiving break. Sounds like a good deal right? Well, when you price each part out separately, it turns out that it actually isn't a good deal after all. If there are 2 of you going on the trip at $900 each, its actually rather expensive.

$350 - Return flights from SEA to HNL
$450 - Accommodation
$100 - Rental Car

Plus taxes, gratuity, meals, etc etc.....

I guess this is a good price for Thanksgiving, but when you compare to other travel deals currently available (right now I think of Las Vegas and Mexico) - this seems a little steep. Too bad, as I was almost ready to book!

I do think that better deals to Hawaii are around the corner, so keep looking for specials. One option we thought about was using our Hawaiian air miles for the flights and just paying for the hotel and car, which can help with costs. Other options include staying at hotels that offer special rates and deals e.g. Free breakfast included, stay 4 nights get one free etc. There are many ways to make your vacation a reality, you just need to do your research and be prepared for the occasional compromise! And for me, that means not taking a third trip to Hawaii this year. Oh well...

Trump Hotel Waikiki - Almost Open for Business!

Its official - the Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk has started taking reservations for November. The 464-unit hotel has started accepting bookings starting November 16, just in time for the Thanksgiving break.

Rates start at $US255 per night for a studio hotel room, and go up to $US8,000 per night for a penthouse suite in the 38-story building at the Diamond Head end of Fort DeRussy. The hotel will feature a number of amenities, including Laurent Tourondel’s BLT Steak restaurant and The Spa at Trump. Take a look at the location on the map below - its in such a great location and its hard to miss. So even if you can't afford to stay there, make sure you swing by and take a look - its breathtaking!

Hawaii's Top Hotel? The Halekulani of Course....

It's no surprise that the Halekulani hotel has been named the number one resort in Hawaii by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine. The hotel, located in Waikiki, O'ahu also ranks No. 41 on the list of World’s Best Hotels Overall. When you plan your next trip to the Islands, be sure to take a look at this hotel - you may not be able to afford to stay there but you could always have brunch at Orchids Restaurant, or for a little indulgence - dinner at La Mer Restaurant.

Halekulani’s top ranking on the list of Top 25 Resorts in Hawaii, up from fourth place in 2008, will be featured in T&L's August issue.


The annual Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards are based on the opinions of Travel + Leisure readers, who rated hotels, islands, airplanes, spas, rental-car agencies, cities, cruise lines, tour operators and safari outfitters around the world.

Other outstanding Hawaii resorts in Travel + Leisure’s Top 25 list include:

• Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Kaupulehu-Kona
• Hotel Hana-Maui & Honua Spa, Maui
• Four Seasons Resort, Maui at Wailea
• Four Seasons Resort, Lanai at Manele Bay
• Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui

Wyland Waikiki Is No More....

During my last visit to Hawaii we stayed at the Wyland Waikiki. We had such a great time during our stay and would definitely have stayed there next time we went back. However in the news this week it was reported that the Wyland is no longer the Wyland - it's now a Courtyard by Marriott. I am really bummed about this! Not only is this no longer an Outrigger property (it is still managed by Outrigger) - it is much more expensive to stay there! I went to the Marriott website to see how they were promoting/branding the property, and they have rooms listed from US$209 per night, which is much more than we paid when we stayed at the hotel. I also didn't notice any special deals or offers like the Wyland had offered previously (we had a stay 2 nights, get one night free deal), so I am thinking that our last visit to that hotel may have been our last. Too bad, we really liked it and would recommend it.

Looks like I will have to start looking around for another diamond in the rough - any suggestions?

Things Are Looking Up for Oahu Hotels

Although the travel and tourism industry could be doing better, there is some encouraging news out of O'ahu today. Oahu hotel room occupancy grew 2.2% to 75.1% for the week ending May 2. But, compared with the same week last year, statewide occupancy fell 2.9% to 64.8%.

Good news for travelers (like me) though - room rates on O'ahu and statewide fell as well, each down about 11 percent to average $156 and $172 a night, respectively. Perfect if you are still trying to decide where to head for your summer vacation.

Other occupancy and average room rates for the other Hawaiian Islands are as follows:

Maui occupancy dropped 8.9% to 56.6%, while room rates slid 13% to $212;

Kauai occupancy plummeted 12.7% to 49.6%, while room rates were down nearly 12% to $172; and

Big Island occupancy decreased 4.4% to 52.3%, while room rates were off about 1% to $174.

This Hawaii hotel industry snapshot is thanks to Smith Travel Research and Hospitality Advisors.

Hawaii Hotels Make the "Stay List"

Five Hawaii hotels have been included in this year's “Stay List”, as published by National Geographic Traveler. The list which is in the April issue of National Geographic Traveler, includes 129 hotels and resorts in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Caribbean.

So, the winners, are:

Kona Village Resort - Kailua-Kona, Big Island (pictured here)

Hale Ohia Cottages - Volcano, Big Island

Four Seasons Resort Lana'i - Manele Bay, Lana’i and The Lodge - Koele, Lana'i

Napili Kai Beach Resort - Lahaina, Maui

Mama’s Fish House Restaurant & Inn, Paia, Maui

The list was compiled by asking for nominations from local travel experts to seasoned travelers. Congratulations to these properties!

Trump Tower Waikiki

Trump Tower Waikiki is one of many mew developments in the greater Honolulu area, and in the 12 months since we had last visited Hawaii, the building had grown from a hole in the ground to over 35 stories high. The tower is actually a combination of condos and hotel rooms, and is scheduled to be completed in late 2009. When they first broke ground on the site, I have to admit it was exciting! But, after seeing just how big this building actually is it makes me a little concerned about the future of development in Waikiki, and Hawaii in general. Unfortunately Waikiki is turning into a concrete jungle. Don’t get me wrong, I think its great that business is booming and that Waikiki is being cleaned up a little, but at what point do you decide that there is enough development in the area?

The stats on Trump Tower are very impressive. The day that the building went on sale (November 9, 2006) all 464 units were sold, breaking real estate records around the globe.

Features and amenities of the Tower include:
24 hour concierge
24 hour in-room dining
6th floor pool with large lanai deck
Valet Parking
Fitness Center
Full Service Spa
Fine Dining
Private Owners Lobby (no idea what that is, but it sounds fancy!)

The Trump Tower website has lots of great information, including construction updates and info on color schemes should you be lucky enough to own a piece of this property.

Here’s some pictures of the development as of February 2009. I am sure you will agree that it is MASSIVE!

Welcome to the Wyland Waikiki

I had trouble deciding on where to start when writing a recap of our vacation. I wanted to start at the flight to Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines but I think I will save that for the end. When we arrived in Waikiki on February 6, we were so excited to get to the hotel, check in, and head to the Barefoot Bar. However, when we arrived at the Wyland Waikiki Hotel we were very surprised to see that there was a huge party about to start at the hotel pool. As it turns out, Thomas Jones from the New York Jets was staying at our hotel, along with his massive entourage, and he was hosting a Pro-Bowl party! John was beside himself, all star-struck! I didn't know who was who, so I just sat by and watched the football players arrive - I only recognize them if they have their jersey on with the number on it!

Here's some pics from the party:

Once we were able to check in at 3pm, we were pleasantly surprised with the room; it was cosy but tasteful, and we had a balcony which got lots of sun in the afternoon. The bathroom was so small that only one person could literally fit in there at any one time, but it was fine! I thought I would have trouble living in such a tight space with John for the whole time given that we have such a large house in Seattle; but actually, it was fine and it made me realize how much space we really need to survive - not much at all.

The hotel facilities were excellent; they had two pools and a hot tub, a cafe and business center in the lobby, massage chairs and x-box consoles for game junkies, great concierge services and free internet in each hotel room. We also got a copy of the Honolulu Advertiser delivered to our room each morning, which was a blast from the past - we used to get the paper delivered when we lived in our apartment and that was how we kept up with the news, not the internet! Unfortunately we did experience one problem, being noisy guests in the room next to us - we had to call security twice but they did handle the situation for us so kudos to the security staff for responding so promptly (at 2am).

We really enjoyed staying at the Wyland Waikiki and would definitely recommend to others. You can book via the Outrigger website or directly at the Wyland Waikiki website if you are planning a trip. Also, thanks to Stacy Manzo, Director of Sales and Marketing at the hotel for taking care of our internet queries and for her Island recommendations, particularly the 'Monkey Lunch' at Turtle Bay!

Room Photos:

The Ritz Carlton, Kapalua

I haven't written about my travels to the other Islands as yet. I have been to the other major Islands (Maui, Kauai, Big Island) a few times, so this post is about my trip to Maui with my mom when she came to visit in 2007. She stayed with us in Honolulu and we decided to sneak away for the weekend and head to luxury at the Ritz-Carlton, in Kapalua. We spent a full weekend there, and it was so wonderful that I didn't want to leave. The facilities were amazing, especially the pool and the pool bar! The hotel does have its own private beach, but when you live in Hawaii you tend to get tired of the surf all the time, so relaxing in the huge swimming pool was a nice change. I was used to the heat, and stayed out in the sun for hours (with sunscreen on of course) - but my mom was not so impressed with the need to get fried like a lobster in the sun, so she chose the shade option. Personally I think she wanted to leave the hotel and see a bit more of Maui, but I have decided that after that trip, and a recent trip to the Wynn Las Vegas - I am a resort/relax by the pool/cocktail drinking gal. When we were at the Wynn I could have slept by the pool I loved it so much. Not sure what the obsession is but note to self: purchase a house in a warm area with a pool as soon as possible!

The Ritz-Carlton is made up of a number of guest rooms and suites, at a price for everyone. Mind you, we ate at one of the restaurants for dinner, nothing fancy but the bill was nearly $US400 - so be prepared to bring a few extra $$ with you to fully enjoy the experience and what the hotel has to offer. The one thing I really liked about the hotel was that they used a lot of local ingredients. Hawaii produces a wide variety of food, from Maui onions to goats cheese from the Big Island. Of course, there is also the obvious - pineapple, coffee and sugar cane.

Enjoy some snaps from our vacation. If you have time to go to Maui for the weekend, I would definitely recommend staying at the Ritz-Carlton - I hope I will get the chance to go back one day soon!




One of the wings of the hotel - looking out to the pool



The private Ritz-Carlton Beach




Ahhhh the pool!