hawaii

Four Seasons Hualalai: A Natural Tropical Paradise

Perhaps the most kid-friendly of Luxist's best winter family vacation nominees is the Four Seasons Hotel in Hualalai, Hawaii. The island resort, which sits on a picture-perfect stretch of beach on the Big Island's Kona Coast, and its surrounding areas, offer a range of experience that will suit everyone from baby to grandma.

Situated between the roaring Pacific Ocean and a lush jungle with volcanoes beyond, Hualalai makes for quite the dramatic setting. Nearby attractions include an on-site beach, spa, and two restaurants including the elegant beachside Pahu i`a. Guest can work off dinnertime decadence at the Hualalai Sports Club, which boasts cardio equipment, free weights, basketball courts and a 25-meter outdoor lap pool. There's also a private 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed signature golf course that winds over 7,100 yards.

Myriad options beckon beyond the bounds of the Four Seasons' grounds. A half hour drive takes you to Kauna`oa Beach and its snorkeling and surfing opportunities. Those willing to endure a 2.5-hour car ride can explore Volcano National Park, home to Mt. Kilauea, the world's most active volcano. The 11-mile Crater Rim Drive is a scenic attraction for all ages; the more adventurous can spring for a helicopter ride over the crater. Local legend says the volcano erupts whenever the goddess Pele is angry, and she must be livid – Kilauea has been erupting continuously since 1983.

Amenities geared toward the younger set include a complementary children's program that includes such activities as treasure hunts, sand sculpting, volcano building, and canoe and tennis lessons. For the family, there's Hawaiian arts and crafts, snorkeling, and organized beach games.

The resort's 243 guest rooms, including 51 suites, are expansive and have private, furnished lanais and stunning ocean views. There are 20 new ocean-view deluxe and superior suites that are one and two bedrooms in size. Deluxe suites have private steam showers, while most lower-level guest rooms and suites have outdoor gardens and lava rock showers.

Airfare to the Big Island often approaches $1,000 per person when traveling from the mainland, since most require a stopover in Honolulu. Once at the Four Seasons in Hualalai, rates for a standard room start at $725 per night; while suites start at $1,300.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed for each of the Winter Travel categories. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on January 31st.

Tags: awards-main, big island, BigIsland, four seasons, four seasons hualalai, FourSeasons, FourSeasonsHualalai, hawaii, hualalai, luxist-awards, winter-travel-awards, winter-travel-main

Ka Nehe Place, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

The news media has been buzzing about the upcoming auction of a Hawaiian home owned by Cher that is being sold later this month. But Cher's house isn't the only home up for sale. Also part of the January 18 sale from Concierge Auctions is today's estate in the Kuki'o Golf and Beach Club and Residences. This home is being sold absolute, without a minimum bid or reserve. The home at 72-3209 Ka Nehe Place in Kuki'o was designed and furnished by its owner, architect and interior designer Jennifer Day. It was previously offered for $8.45 million and has expansive ocean views. The approximately 8,500-square-foot home has 20 rooms and seven lanais for appreciating Hawaii's balmy weather. The property includes a saltwater pool and spa on the rear lawn. It is selling fully furnished, complete with custom artwork and accessories, just bring your suitcase and settle in. Kuki'o is the only private equity Golf and Beach Club on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Beach Club includes a full service clubhouse, spa and fitness facilities, beach bar, a 10-hole Tom Fazio-designed short course,a 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course and the Kuk'io Golf Clubhouse.

Gallery: Ka Nehe Place

Tags: estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, hawaii, kukio golf and beach club, KukioGolfAndBeachClub, real estate auction, RealEstateAuction

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Grand Hyatt Kauai Room Renovation Beginning

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The Grand Hyatt Kauai is one of my favorite places to hang out on the island -- a perfect afternoon would begin with a Lomi Lomi massage at the hotel's Anara Spa, followed by an outdoor shower. Then a stroll along the resort's pretty stretch of beach at sunset, and then cocktails in the wood-paneled Stevenson's Library lounge that's like a good ol' boy's club, but not in an obnoxious sexist way.

So I was pleased to learn that all the guest rooms are getting a face lift, starting in April 2010-- from the renderings I've seen, the rooms look to be getting a sleek and simple décor, with local touches, including plantation-style wood shutters and hand carved headboards of sapele wood (similar to mahogeny), imprinted with the native hapu'u fern. The renovation will be done wing-by-wing, so you shouldn't be next door to drilling and hammering if you visit over the next few months. All the guest rooms are expected to be renovated by 2011.

Tags: cocktails, hawaii, hyatt, kauai, spa

Obama's Vacation Bad News For Small Planes In Hawaii

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

President Obama's first vacation in Hawaii as President may be good news for Hawaii's struggling tourism industry but according to Aero-News Network it's a big headache for those operating small planes in the area. A Presidential Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place for most of Oahu will restrict most of the general aviation in the area during the Christmas holidays. The TFR does not affect regularly scheduled commercial passenger and all-cargo carriers operating under TSA-approved standard security programs and procedures. Flights that can't take place include training flights, practice instrument approaches, aerobatic flight, glider operations, parachute operations, ultralight, hang gliding, balloon operations, agriculture/crop dusting, animal population control flight operations, banner towing operations, sightseeing operations, model aircraft operations, model rocketry, and unmanned aircraft systems.

Pilots and aircraft operators in the area are said to be outraged by the restrictions. The restrictions are based on the ones used to protect President Bush while at his Crawford, Texas ranch but the area being covered is much different. Many pilots feel that their having their wings clipped because of a Presidential vacation is unfair. In the article a seaplane tour operator said that he was forced to but his business on hold for two weeks because of the TFR. For small businesses taking off these two busy weeks surrounding Christmas can be devastating.

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Tags: aviation, hawaii, oahu, obama, travel

NYC, LA Top List of Most Expensive U.S. Cities

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

The list of the most expensive cities in the United States is now out, and unsurprisingly, New York has taken the top spot, with a cost of living that's double its closest follower. Of course, the financial crisis has put a bit of pressure on real estate prices and the cost of goods all over the country, but there are still some places that just cost a fortune.

New York: a two-bedroom luxury apartment (unfurnished) now costs a mere $4,300, off $200 from last year. And, there are other signs that the most expensive city is becoming less expensive, including the shuttering of Café des Artistes and the opening of our first J.C. Penney (ugh).

Los Angeles: this is where you go if you can afford only half the cost of living in New York. Unlike the most expensive city in the country, it makes sense to have a car out there, but get a nice one: you'll be spending a lot of time in it. LA has some of the longest commutes in the country.

Washington, D.C.: in this part of the country, take advantage of a 3.8 percent unemployment rate for the metro area. That's a hell of a lot better than the nationwide 9.8 percent (expected to break 10 percent early next year).

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Tags: boston, boston massachusetts, BostonMassachusetts, cafe des artistes, CafeDesArtistes, california, hawaii, honolulu, honoluluhawaii, los angeles, los angeles california, LosAngeles, LosAngelesCalifornia, massachusetts, new york, new york city, new york new york, NewYork, NewYorkCity, NewYorkNewYork, ny, washington, washington dc, WashingtonDc, white plains, WhitePlains

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Kaua'i Grill To Open In Hawaii

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Culinary Concepts by Jean-Georges, the global restaurant company by the renowned chef and his business partner Phil Suarez, has announced their first restaurant in Hawaii. The Kaua'i Grill will open at The St. Regis Resort Princeville at the start of November. The grill is the resort's signature restaurant and has stunning views of Hanalei Bay through panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. Chef Vongerichten and his team have created a menu that will utilize the freshest fish and ingredients indigenous to the islands while adapting recipes and culinary techniques to showcase the chef's unique approach.

The interior will be done in shades of cocoa, ruby, and bronze with zebra wood. The spiraling lit fabric ceiling evokes the shape of a nautilus shell. Cascading from the center of the ceiling is a hand-crafted fiber optic and ruby glass hibiscus chandelier. The restaurant will be open for dinner nightly from 6 to 10 p.m. for resort guests as well as the public.

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Tags: fine dining, FineDining, hawaii, hotel restaurant, HotelRestaurant, jean-georges vongerichten, Jean-georgesVongerichten, kauai, st regis, StRegis

Maui Prince Hotel Facing Foreclosure

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The hotel foreclosure shakeout continues with another Hawaii hotel in trouble. The operators of the 310-room Maui Prince Hotel will have to lay off 380 workers when the resort is shut down on September 16. The resort is being foreclosed upon by mortgage holders including Wells Fargo Bank after owners failed to pay the $192.5 million mortgage when it came due in July.

The 310-room beachfront resort offers rooms starting at around $425 a night. It is managed by Prince Resorts Hawaii but is owned by Morgan Stanley real-estate fund and local developers which bought the hotel in 2007 for $575 million (there is a $227.5 million in mezzanine debt being held by a UBS fund plus $250 million in equity that Morgan Stanley and others put into the property).

The resort is located on a white sand beach at the foot of Haleakala on Maui. The entire hotel is built around an Asian meditation garden with stone paths, waterfalls and streams. The hotel is designed so all rooms have at least a partial ocean view. There are 19 luxury suites. The resort is also home to the Makena Golf Course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Prince Resorts Hawaii has said it will stop managing the resort due to a shortage of funds from the resort's owners and lenders. The company manages three other resorts in Hawaii. Wells Fargo and other lenders have asked a Hawaii state judge to appoint a receiver to be in charge of find a new management company and to administer an escrow account for covering the hotel's costs. No word yet on whether a name change will be required if Prince Resorts is no longer managing the hotel.

UPDATE: According to the Maui News the trustee attorney for the Maui Prince says the hotel will remain open. The Maui Prince recently announced a $99 a night room deal available Sunday through Thursday nights. (thanks, Jeff)

Gallery: Hotels In Transition

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Tags: hawaii, hotel foreclosure, HotelForeclosure, hotels, maui prince hotel, MauiPrinceHotel

Adrenaline Thrills Without the Audience in Kauai

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The great thing about visiting an island like Kauai is that so much of it isn't easily accessible -- if you really want to get to the most stunning parts of the island, you're going to need to engage a guide. And for most people, engaging a guide means heading out with a group of strangers. This doesn't work out so well in the new movie A Perfect Getaway set on Kauai -- but of course, that horror flick is fiction. Although it's not fiction to say that one definition of luxury travel is being able to avoid what most people have to do on a holiday -- and that a luxury traveler's definition of horror could just be a lack of privacy.

Luckily, there's a way around such difficulties. Outfitters Kauai, on Poipu Beach, offers a host of adventures taking you to the parts of Kauai that make you feel like you've entered into a computer simulation of the most beautiful place on Earth. (Like, for instance, a sea kayak of the Na Pali coast.) These are group trips, but, when country music star/actress Reba visited Kauai last Fall, and decided she wanted to zipline through the island's tropical forest and waterfalls, she did the only sensible thing: she bought out the whole tour that day. Rick Haviland, owner of Outfitters Kauai, says that most of his excursions accommodate 13 people at a maximum, so if you purchase every single slot, no stranger can join you and your hand-selected group. A Na Pali sea kayak, for instance, will cost around $3,000, before taxes and guide gratuity.

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Tags: hawaii, kauai, movies, reba mcentire, RebaMcentire, travel

The Classicist: The $100,000 Panama Hat

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

Click above for a high-res image gallery.

Brent Black, renowned authority and preeminent purveyor of handwoven straw hats, is now offering the world's finest Montecristi Panama for $100,000. Known simply as "The Hat", Black calls the exquisite creation the most finely woven Montecristi Panama the world has ever known. Authentic Montecristi Panamas, the world's greatest, are made from extremely fine toquilla straw and woven only in Ecuador; a handful of master weavers produce the best of the best, which sell for tens of thousands of dollars apiece. The Hat was commissioned by Black from the king of the master weavers - Black calls him the best weaver in history - Simón Espinal, who lives in the village of Píle in Montecristi Canton. It took him five full months to complete.

After Espinal completed the weaving, five other artisans spent several more weeks preparing and finishing The Hat. An incredible amount of handwork goes into Montecristis; hence the price. You can see some of it in the gallery and a more detailed exposition here. The Hat has not been blocked into a style or sized yet, and is awaiting the purchaser's final instructions. Black offers dozens of different styles and bespoke finishes, some based on vintage patterns such as the dashing Optimo design, above. The Hat is so incredibly fine it weighs less than one ounce. "It is as thin as my stationery," Black tells The Classicist. "When I handle The Hat, I do not worry that it might fall to the floor if I drop it; I worry that it might float away."

While Espinal could theoretically create another one equal to The Hat's fineness, it's not a given that he could replicate the feat. "I have been obsessed with the very finest hats for more than 20 years," Black notes. "I have researched the finest hats woven during the 20th century. There is simply no hat that is comparable to this one." At first Black says he did not want to part with The Hat. However, "if someone were serious enough to pay $100,000 I think I'd have to give it up," he concedes. "I represent the interests of the artist as a gallery does. Simón would be pleased for me to sell it." If that's out of your range, don't worry - Black's best hats, other than this unique work of art, sell for $5,000 to $30,000. You can work your way up.

Gallery: Brent Black Panama Hats

Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger, ArnoldSchwarzenegger, bespoke, Brent Black, BrentBlack, custom, Ecuador, Harrison Ford, HarrisonFord, hats, Hawaii, Panama hat, PanamaHat, Pierce Brosnan, PierceBrosnan, weaving

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Two Luxury Homes In Hawaii Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

The latest in impressive real estate auctions takes us to Hawaii and two luxury properties at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Hawaii. The two homes were formerly listed at $10.3 million and $9.1 million. The homes will be auctioned off on August 10 through Concierge Auctions in cooperation with Hualalai Realty. No minimum bid is required.

The first property, 72-151 Lau'eki Street, is located on 25,000 square feet of land and contains a 5,900-square-foot residence with 4,600 square feet of air conditioned living space including five bedrooms, five baths and one half-bath, and more than 1,300 square feet of covered lanais. It was was previously offered to $10.3 million unfurnished. The second property, 72-155 Lau'eki Street, is on 21,000 square feet of land, with 4,416 square feet of interior living area and more than 1,200 square feet of lanais. It includes four bedrooms, four baths and one half-bath, and a two-plus car garage. It was previously offered to $9.1 million unfurnished. Both homes have a swimming pool with infinity edge and integrated spa, covered entry with zen garden, outdoor kitchen, and a private outdoor shower garden. A $100,000 deposit via wired or certified funds is necessary to bid.

Hawaii's real estate market has been hard hit by the recession because many properties are vacation homes. Short sales have been rising and the state ranks 19th in foreclosures in the nation.

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Tags: auctions, four seasons, FourSeasons, hawaii

Another Lawsuit Over The Value Of The Trump Name

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Once again the use of the Donald Trump name has gotten a developer in trouble. Earlier this year angry investors sued Donald Trump and Los Angeles developer Irongate Wilshire over the failure of the Trump Ocean Resort Baja Mexico. Now some of the buyers at the new Trump International Hotel & Tower Waikiki Beach Walk have filed a lawsuit looking to get out of their sales contracts. Once again they said that Irongate misrepresented Donald Trump's role in one of their projects. The sellers claim that Irongate said in 2006 that Donald Trump was a co-developer of the 38-story project but that the developer had only licensed the Trump name. The lawsuit alleges that Irongate concealed the terms of the license. The popular project set records in 2006 when sales opened and the units sold out in a single day with units selling for millions of dollars.

The lawsuit says that the buyers were only told right before final deposits were due that the project was Trump in name only. This led to concerns about the worth of the real estate if Trump pulls his name from the project. The AP reports that the lawsuit will be amended to add more buyers. The Trump name was also involved in a similar lawsuit in Florida. Trump is not named in these lawsuits but certainly they must bolster his belief in the value of his name and brand.

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Tags: donald trump, DonaldTrump, hawaii, irongate, lawsuit, waikiki

Bathys Benthic Automatic Men's Watch For Summer

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Summer is more than here, it is in middle season territory and hopefully you've been able to enjoy yourself despite economic issues that have have put a damper in your summer recreational budget. Part of summer time fun is summer time gear. What better item to define this ideal (especially these days) than a value priced luxury watch born from the surf-rich shores of Hawaii. Enter one of my favorite sporty timepieces this year - the Bathys Benthic line. A watch available in various styles, pictured is the Benthic Automatic (a quartz version is also available) with a mother of pearl or solid color dial. Note that the watch is currently available with a rubber strap. The pictured metal bracelet is coming soon I hear - but I wanted to show you how pretty it will look.

The steel case (also available in black PVD) is just over 44mm wide with a rotating diver's bezel. The dial is mother of pearl, black, or orange. You'll appreciate the large sized numerals and hour indicators that are treated well with luminant. The hands are easy to read and in different shapes to assist with legibility. The automatic version has a Swiss ETA 2892 movement inside, and is possibly the best priced watch on the market with this high grade movement inside. With 200 meters of water resistance, this watch is truly a diver's buddy, a surfer's friend, or a night club companion. It comes in a rugged Pelican travel case and is well priced at just under $1,700 (likely a smidgen more with the metal bracelet when it arrives). The quartz version of the watch is less.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: automatic, Bathys, benthic, hawaii, mother of pearl, MotherOfPearl, watch

Hawaii, Land Of The Millionaires?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

If you want to hang with the wealthy you might want to head to Hawaii. Phoenix Marketing International has announced the results of their latest study which shows that Hawaii remains the state with the largest percentage of millionaires per the overall population. In the Aloha State as in most everywhere else, the amount of millionaires has diminished over the past year. They led the list last year with 7.26 percent of the population and continue to dominate in 2009 with 6.4 percent of Hawaii's households being worth $1 million or more in investable or liquid assets, (excluding sponsored retirement plans and real estate).

The other states in the top five are Maryland (6.3 percent), New Jersey (6.2 percent), and Connecticut (6.2 percent), an order of ranking unchanged since 2008 with Virginia sneaking into the top five at 5.5 percent, displacing Massachusetts which is now in sixth place. Since this list ranks the percentage per population the smaller states have a better shot at making it to the top.

Where can you find the lowest percentage of millionaires? That would be Mississippi which has owned the bottom spot for the past four years and hits a new low this year with 3.06 percentage of the population being millionaires. The state with the most millionaire households is California with 662,735 or 5.28 percent of the population. The complete list is available as a PDF download here.

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Tags: hawaii, millionaire, millionaires, states with most millionaires, StatesWithMostMillionaires, wealth

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Will Rocketplane Bring Space Tourism To Hawaii?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Hawaii to Oahu via space? That's the potential plan being floated by Rocketplane Global which hopes to put a new spin on island hopping. The flight offers a different view of our planet than other space tourism take-off points, showcasing the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. At a time when Hawaii tourism is in the doldrums the state is considering a new law authorizes the state to spend $500,000 to apply for a spaceport license from the federal government. Hawaii's governor, Linda Lingle will either sign the legislation this month or let it become law without her signature.

The program, which will take about three years to complete, would make Hawaii the eighth state with a spaceport license. Travelers would eventually pay around $200,000 for a weeklong package for training and before a flight offering a a few minutes of weightlessness 62 miles above the Earth. Several space tourism companies, including Rocketplane, have shown interest in coming to Hawaii. It makes sense to have space tourism in an an area that already has facilities for accommodating guests in place. Since the bulk of the space tourism experience involves training with the actual space flight taking very little time, travelers might be compelled to want to spend that time in scenic surroundings.

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Tags: hawaii, rocketplane, space tourism, SpaceTourism

Famous Waikiki Hotel Shuts Down

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

One of Waikiki's most recognizable hotels will no longer be open for guests. The Y-shaped Ilikai hotel on Waikiki Beach (shown above, hotel not pictured) opened in 1964 but came to national attention in the 1970s when it used in the opening sequence of the "Hawaii Five-0" television show. But now the hotel has closed because its new owners were losing several hundred thousand dollars a month.

In its nearly five decades the 30-story Ilikai has hosted U.S. Presidents and celebrities, especially during its 1960s and 1970s heyday when stars like Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder and Lucillle Ball visited. But the hotel has fallen on hard times recently. New York-based iStar Financial Inc. bought the hotel for $51 million at a foreclosure auction in May and has decided it was too expensive to keep the hotel open. The move puts around 75 employees out of business. There were 203 hotel rooms in the 1,000-unit hotel-condo-timeshare property and guests staying at the hotel at the time of closure were relocated elsewhere. Operations related to the condo units are not affected. The hotel was an 800-room hotel operation just a few years ago before it was sold off into time share chunks.

Employees have said their tearful goodbyes but are holding out hope that the new owner will reopen the Ilikai with the same union crew. On the day before the closure workers rallied to save their jobs. Hawaii has seen many of its tourism jobs affected as hotel occupancy rates have plummeted. Recently the Hawaii Tourism Authority unveiled a new initiative aimed at boosting short-term travel to Hawaii by focusing on courting visitors from Japan.

UPDATE: The AP is reporting that the four dozen employees of the Ilikai hotel got their jobs back on Friday when their labor union and the property's new owner struck a new deal. Those employees that won't be rehired will receive severance packages.

Gallery: Hotels In Transition

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Tags: beach, hawaii, waikiki

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