Happy Thanksgiving from Hiapo & Mary

Aloha,
As we start the Holiday Season, Thanksgiving reminds us to count our blessings. I am thankful that I have been able to visit several new resorts this Fall (some new, some new to me!) Here are my reviews. Please call so we can start planning your next escape and share your reviews with me. I truly enjoy finding the perfect destination for each client, and hearing all about your trip and seeing pictures upon your return! The smiles in those photos bring a smile to my face as well.

Honua Kai
First was the new Honua Kai. Finished about a year ago on the North side of Kaanapali Beach, Honua Kai raises the bar on fine Hawaii condominiums. Fine touches abound inside and out of the studio, one, two and three bedroom units. Starting with the common areas, 3 pools form the focus points. One of the pools has a nice waterslide for little and big kids, a sandy-bottomed area, a couple of grotto caves with waterfalls, and water fountains for the delight of your little ones. Signature red umbrellas highlight the beautiful grounds surrounding the pools, where you will also find cabanas (for a Hawaii bargain price of $25/day!) and covered couples lounges. Next to the pool, you will find creative dining served up by Dukes Beach House, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which also handles poolside service. In the main lobby, you will find Aina Market, featuring an amazing selection of local gourmet favorites, a gelato bar, a fresh and creative sandwich menu, and some of the better beer and wine selections available on Maui.

Inside each of the suites, you will find some of the nicest amenities available in a Maui condo. Kitchens replete with marble counters, stainless steel Bosch appliances, plenty of nice dishes suitable for entertaining (including my personal requirements: a martini set!). Each bedroom has its own big screen LCD TV (with all digital cable), some of the most comfortable beds on Maui (let alone in a condo), and a separate bathroom with DEEP tubs, and separate glass-enclosed showers. Even the living rooms have queen-sized sofa beds featuring the same fine linens found in the bedrooms, and another big screen LCD TV. The in-room Bosch washer and dryer made it convenient to unpack clean laundry when we got home! Complimentary wireless/wired Internet further add to the long list of amenities.

Other services include 2 gyms with state-of-the-art equipment, available underground valet parking (think hot car relief), and a kids club that takes 3 years and up (the only one I know of that takes under 5 years in Maui). Daily maid service and room service make this condo feel more like a full service hotel. Do yourself a favor; the next time you are thinking about a condo in Hawaii, there are few nicer places than Honua Kai. My wife is already bugging me to plan our next stay.

A Hui Ho, (Until next time)
Hiapo Cockett
213-784-4910
Hiapo@McCoyTravel.com

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - My Reviews

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Amazing Big Island beach is almost an oxymoron. While you can find stunning ocean views, swimming beaches are rare. Then, if you are looking for a 5 star resort in addition to a great beach, your list gets very short. Fortunately, compromise is not necessary if you choose the Mauna Kea. The most northern resort on the Kona side, it is a good hour or so from the airport. Situated on an amazing cove with the type of white sand that dreams are made of, the Mauna Kea was always a nice resort with the perfect location. A couple of years ago a sizable earthquake caused some minor damage. This gave the owners a perfect excuse to close the entire resort and spend $150 million to not only make the needed repairs, but to completely redesign the rooms.

Now, with only 258 rooms total, you have a state of the art resort with everything one could ask for in a Hawaii resort. Brand new rooms feature great beds, big screen HDTVs hidden in a wall cabinet, iPod docks, dimmable lights that have master controls at the door as well as your nightstand, and the bathrooms: THE BATHROOMS! Twin sinks that are WELL LIT (and dimmable) L’Occitane bath products (including their fizzy bath cubes!), and in the bathroom area is a tub big enough for a 6’3” me to float! It has a design that lets you fill the tub to the brim (neck high for me) and if you splash a bit too much, IT DOESN’T MATTER as the whole bathtub area is tile and drains into the shower area. This shower area has a huge rain-shower-head in addition to a hand held shower. Many of the rooms offer a view outside to either the mountains/golf courses or the ocean. These rooms feature a second balcony off of the tub area (with a privacy curtain, of course).

Dining options abound with 5 different restaurants, plus room service, a weekly luau, a special Sunday brunch (this whole chain is famous for their gigantic brunches), as well as their famous Saturday Clambake. If you are a drinker, make sure you check out Monettes steak and seafood restaurant, where you will find one of the most exotic liquor selections anywhere, and the Manta & Pavilion Wine Bar (named after the spot where they attract manta rays at night) where they offer 48 different wines “on tap” letting you sample many different wines without necessarily buying an entire glass.

Mauna Kea, I think I’m in love.
Hiapo Cockett
213-784-4910
Hiapo@McCoyTravel.com

Kona Village Resort Reviews from Hiapo

Kona Village

There are very few places in Hawaii that feature the same kinds of individual bungalows as found in other parts of the Pacific. Add to that a dearth of resorts that include meals other than breakfast. Finally, there are no other places in Hawaii that allow you to disconnect from the outside world the way that Kona Village allows.

Built on 80 acres on an oasis surrounded by old lava flows, 120 individual thatched roof huts line the shores of the ocean, beach and brackish pond. Run more like a family operation, you will feel your many stresses melting away because of the many little touches: no televisions, radios, internet access or clocks are in the rooms, thus eliminating the constant droning white noise of the outside world. Cell phone use is highly discouraged outside of your room. Even the path lighting is subdued. Just as a blind person has other senses enhanced, you will find more stars in the sky, more rhythm in the waves crashing to shore, and notable by its absence: a complete lack of busy sounding noise common in most resorts.

Quiet does not mean boring. Kona Village features a full activities desk with sailboats, kayaks, snorkeling gear (AMAZING snorkeling conditions and turtles abound), cultural activities, hieroglyphics tours and a full gym are offered complimentary. Massages, golf, and helicopter tours from their own helipad are some of the options available for an extra charge. Weekly paniolo (cowboy) BBQ’s and twice weekly Luaus are included in the meal inclusive rate. You can call our very own activity hot-line for pricing and reservations: 877-256-4248

Nowhere else in the US will you find a more genuine and relaxing stay than at Kona Village, as evidenced by their HUGE repeat clientele list. Check out of the world, and into Kona Village.

Aloha,
Hiapo Cockett
213-784-6143
Hiapo@McCoyTravel.com

Hiapo & Mary Heading to Rome... When in Rome...

Buon Giorno!

Quick note to let you know that Mary and I are departing for Rome today and will be returning to Maui on April 29th. I look forward to seeing such a wonderful place and will fill you in on the details when I get back with my reviews. We'll be staying at the Rose Garden Palace Hotel and will be hosted by and joining Steve Perillo of Perillo Tours for the trip, dinner and tours! On the way home we'll be stopping to see family while staying at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach.

I look forward to hearing from you in the future to assist with your travels and to answer any questions you may have.
Aloha,
Hiapo

Bula Bula from Hiapo - Fiji Reviews 2009

Just a quick note, as I head off to Fiji with my beautiful wife Mary. We'll touch base with you and give you updates on all of the properties we visit. Resorts include Vatulele Island Resort, Likuliku Lagoon Resort, Jean Michel Cousteau Resort, Namale Fiji Resort, Qamea Island Resort and Taveuni Island Resort.

Please email me if you would like some assistance when I get back and we'll start planning your fabulous trip to the Islands!

Update: In Heaven, the word “Fijian” must translate as “beloved family”. Any absence from them takes a little something from your soul, and yet, when you are reunited, you are more than whole again. The Fijian people have always been known for their friendliness beyond their terrific service, but when 2 different Fijians approach me and say they remember me from the last time I visited. This is more remarkable as they remember my name and how to pronounce it (not easy), AND they both worked at different resorts, AND I had not been to either resort in over 5 years!

Reviews:
Likuliku Lagoon Resort
Vatulele Island Resort
Namale Resort & Spa
Qamea Island Resort
The Wakaya Club
InterContinental Fiji Resort
Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort
Yasawa Island Resort
Taveuni Island Resort
Savasi Island Resort

Bula & Vinaka,
Hiapo

Hiapo Cockett
213-784-4910
www.McCoyTravel.com
McCoy Custom Travel & Cruise

Zoetry Paraiso De La Bonita - Day 2

After realizing we are still on Hawaii Time, we woke up at noon. Don’t laugh, a surprisingly firm mattress covered in fine Frette sheets do wonderful things after spending 12 hours on planes and in airports.

Lunch makes a fine breakfast. Fresh mango margaritas are better than OJ any day! The casual restaurant, Kaax, serves a 4 course lunch that turned into a 7 course lunch (they saw that Mary and I share our selections, so they brought our appetizers, salads, and my pasta separately, only bringing our entrees together, so we could savor each unique flavor fiesta in its own glory. Try the chicken breast: broiled with a very thin, light, crispy breading, it is stuffed with goat cheese and apple slices that have been simmered in red wine, bringing out their natural sweetness to a candy-like delight.

Next was the spa experience. A basic skin analysis and 20 minute neck/shoulder massage is part of your experience here, but if you wish, you can pay the difference to upgrade to a Visia® complexion skin analysis, and/or to one of their Thalasso spa treatments. We chose a couples-massage and got an amazing aromatherapy, deep tissue 80 minute couples massage for the price of the 50. To begin the spa treatment, you enter through a Mayan archway into a delightful, naturally lit Jacuzzi room. A roman style, jetted hot tub sits in the center of the room adjacent to a cold plunge, surrounded by lounges (again with the Frette towels!). Adjoining that room are men’s and women’s rooms with steam rooms and saunas. As for the massage treatments, I am going to be shy and leave a few of the details out, suffice to say we floated out of the spa with a new appreciation of massages and silly grins on our faces.

On Sundays, their fine dining restaurant was closed but a fine dining experience was to be had again at Kaax. Sunday is their prime rib and seafood night. Starting with a lovely little Argentinean merlot, and a basket of a variety of still warm rolls, we ordered a beef Carpaccio sliced impossibly thin, and topped with the smoothest of guacamoles. A dollop of the most amazing garlic “smashed” potatoes, strips of mushrooms and asparagus bring out the savory-ness of their wonderful roast beef. During the meal, a strolling trio of guitar players gave Spanish versions of 50’s songs like “Peg o my heart”. Then, to the delight of all, the chef came out and sang an operatic version of “I did it my way” in Spanish of course, and brought the house down!

After dinner, we highly recommend a visit to their library. Inside awaits a quiet retreat with large paddle ceiling fans, comfy couches and photos of the various celebrities that have visited here. A new laptop and WiFi are available to those who cannot “disconnect” themselves from the world, but the star is the bar: staffed by another genuinely friendly barkeep, a wide selection of liquor awaits your tempted palate. Normally a good bar at an all-inclusive resort would consider Absolut their premium top shelf vodka (NOTHING wrong with this, I am a fan of Absolut), but here at Paraiso De La Bonita, Grey Goose (our favorite) and Belvedere tops their vodka selection. In Mexico, you would naturally expect a good tequila selection, but here Cuervo 1800 is their well tequila. Don Jose and even a bottle of Platinum Silver Gran Patron await the discerning connoisseur (Super premium liquors and wines are an additional cost).

Additional complimentary activities include sailboat trips to shopping areas and sunset cruises, complimentary golf nearby, gym with a view (refrigerated!), yoga classes performed at the end of the pier, surrounded by the ocean and the accompanying breezes, water gym in their jetted salt water pool, an authentic Mayan Temazcal steam ceremony (imagine a spiritual Native American sweat lodge), scuba demonstrations, sailboats, kayaks, afternoon tea served surrounded by parrots, cockatiels, parakeets, and finches (Look for the talking green Macaw that plays “fetch”), a pool surrounded by double sized daybeds that are built on iron or wooden rack, all adjustable to your comfort. Regular drink and snack service is de rigueur. Our favorite was the tequila tasting where 3 types of Don Jose (shop for it by name!) were GENEROUSLY sampled along with 2 types of sangrita (red: like a sweet bloody mary mix. Green: salty, sweet, cilantro with tomatillos) made to refresh the palate after tequila tasting. Have you ever been to a wine tasting where everyone spits the beverage into a pot after tasting? This was not one of those places, even our host was sampling (he may or may not have had actual tequila in his glass, if any of his bosses are reading this). Taquitos, fresh guacamole, and REALLY fresh tortilla chips were served afterwards to give us a fighting chance of being able to walk back to our rooms unassisted.

Call me and ask about days 3 and 4, all this typing is taking me away from all the fun!
Hiapo
213-784-4910 or 800-256-4280 ext.102

Zoetry Paraiso De La Bonita

Before today, you could not convince me of the existence of a true 5 star, all-inclusive resort in Mexico. Yes, there are plenty of resorts that claim to be 5 stars, including a few scary ones on the show Dateline. Of course Trip advisor has people that would rate a Motel 6 as a 5 star resort. That is the underlying problem: if you are used to a Four Seasons, very little else will do, but if you were a Motel 6 customer, almost anything would be fantastic.

It all started at the recently updated Cancun airport, if you have been there before, you are used to the throngs of people selling timeshares, activities, and representatives from every tour wholesaler you have ever heard of and a bunch that would be new to you. Waiting for my wife and I was Jose in a crisp white straight collared shirt, and adobe colored pants, hair neat and clean shaved. Instead of the usual van (in various states of repair), there is a nice, clean, cool A/C, Ford Expedition supplied with chilled champagne, bottled water and a nice chilled towel served on a burnished wood tray.

On arrival at the resort, we were given a brief tour of the property and then driven to our room where the check-in was completed. For those of you unfamiliar with the property, all of the 90-ish rooms are beachfront, steps from some of the finest, whitest, softest sand imaginable. All of the rooms are generous suites with Mexican marble everywhere, décor touches based on the name of your suite (our suite “Bangkok” has Thailand figures displayed in prominent locations). Standard amenities include early check-in and late check-out (based on availability during busy season) a fully stocked mini bar, a bottle of Tequila served on a marble platter with lime slices, salt and shot glasses, a decorative fruit platter (refreshed daily) with chilled champagne on demand. They also have one of my favorite bathrooms: Marble showers with 3 showerheads, a tub for 2 (lying side by side!), separate water closet with bidet, all well stocked with Bvlgari bath products, Frette linens, 24 hour in-room dining AND laundry, and more. New to the property are LCD TVs in the living room and bedroom, complimentary WiFi internet in all rooms, cordless phones with complimentary worldwide calling, ipod docks, and aromatherapy turndown service.

Typically when a resort goes all-inclusive, service and food are some of the first things to suffer. Rest assured that the meals and the dining service are up to the standards of the finest restaurants worldwide. The first thing served to us was an amuse-bouche (like a pre-appetizer) of a baked cherry tomato, served with a Gorgonzola sauce, pesto and micro-herbs on top. It was like an explosion of flavor went off in my mouth. Next was a still-warm-from-the-oven selection of rolls. They are served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar poured into a small smooth stone circular dish, the size of a small sushi shoyu dish. Our choice of appetizer was yellow fin tuna Carpaccio served in 3 different incarnations, each one better than the last (and frankly the best I have ever had), next my wife and I had 2 different “salads”, mine was a spicy soft shelled crab, served with small cubed pieces of kiwi, and jicama, the combination attacked every taste bud on my tongue from multiple angles. For my entrée, I had a petite Angus filet mignon served with three types of mushrooms reduced to an amazing pate that amplified every essence of flavor contained in such a morsel. After this, a mango sorbet was served to cleanse the palate in preparation for dessert: chocolate and coffee filled ravioli served with a raspberry sauce and topped with “vanilla foam”. Then, the “after dessert”: a small marble canoe topped with a selection of chocolates and macaroons.

To add to the romance of an adults-only Caribbean resort, tall candle lanterns lit the walkways, warm ocean breezes carry the music of songbirds, and accompanying that are a duo of classical guitarists: one does most of the singing and the other harmonizing while his fingers danced quickly over the fret board, almost blurring at times.

Top all of this off with a staff that seems to be more interested in knowing how to pronounce my name, than begging for tips and you have an experience heretofore previously unknown in Mexico.

And that was just the first day.

Save your money, I guarantee you will pay triple for a similar experience anywhere else in the world.