rani

Has anyone stayed here? Is it a nice hotel? We have reservations in July at this hotel and at the Four Seasons but this is half the price.... However, these are the only 2 days out of a 10 day vacation for our anniversary that we won't be surrounded by family so we do want to make it special.

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

Also, has anyone hiked the volcano in Hawaii? Does it take a lot of organizing?

Nanook

Jailer posted a trip report on this hotel. See:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum81/HTML/003699.html

rani

Thanks!

jes999

This is an amazing property. One of my favorites in all the world. (It makes me feel good that Steven likes it as well :-) ( See the linked trip report from "Jailer"))

Check the archives in the Starwood Forum for additional trip reports and opinions.

tcook052

http://www.detnews.com/2003/business...b04-267294.htm

Here's the bit of the article that applies:

High-end operators try to limit their risk by putting time limits on deals, folding discounts into broad packages and maintaining their basic price, while offering add-ons.

The Fairmont Orchid, a seaside hotel and spa on the Big Island, in Hawaii, is going further: It's dropping its basic room rate to $199 from $409 for the next four months.

west_end_NYC

My wife and I are booked for three nights starting on Nov. 7th. I understand the hotel is on the process of conducting a "property enhancement" through November. Hotel staff have assured me that this is limited to the closure of one restaurant and temporary relocation of the spa.

Has anyone stayed at The Orchid recently who can verify this - or are the 'enhancements' moye noticeable than staff has led me to believe?

Thanks.

John Linebarger

I have stayed at that property since it opened as a Ritz Carlton. Fairmont acquired prop management this year from Starwood.I was there April, May and Sept. this year. everything was open Sept 6-13. There is a large residential
construction project on the south side of the hotel. Be sure to request the north wing. Join Fairmont Presidents Club before you travel-free high-speed internet connection in your room and a possible upgrade. Staff is great. Large modern gym and good restaurants.
Be sure to rent a car as you aren't close to anything and that is the beauty of the Big Island-no crowds and room to roam. Don't miss volcano-call first to see if visible flow at night-it is a long hike

UAL_Rulez

We were there in July for 10 nights and while I agree with the above post that you are better off in the North wing due to the residential construction project, FWIW we were on the north side of the south wing and were not bothered by any construction noise. Overall it's a beautiful property with a very friendly and helpful staff. We had a wonderful time.

Feel free to e-mail me if I can answer any specific questions.

west_end_NYC

Thanks for all the feedback. I will report back if I find out anything interesting with respect to the ongoing 'property improvements'.

a1bengal

hacve not been there since the spring the North side is quiet I upgreaded to the club floor and they feed us 5 times a day A cra is a real necessity for getign around but there is a jittney of sorts tat goes to the shopping areas I remember seeing Have a great trip and enjoy Jane

kpalle

I haven't seen anything on this property on FT for a while, although the Fairmont website makes the property seem like it's a fantastic resort!

Can anyone report on the renovations, or have any insight into the hotel?

I'm booked into an Executive Garden Suite--any reports on this type of room?

Altaflyer

Check tripadvisor.com. Lots of reviews there, although maybe not very recent ones.

Hotelfinder

I know the director of sales if you want me to check for you?

UAL_Rulez

Not sure if this qualifies as 'recent,' but we were there for 10 nights last July, in an OV suite + connecting dbl. A fabulous property generally. Rooms are a bit formally decorated for Hawai'i (property was originally a Ritz Carlton, and furnishings look it) but are very nice by any standard. Grounds are beautiful if perhaps not at the Wailea level of over-the-top gorgeous. Brown's Beach House is a great restaurant with a zillion-dollar view at sunset. The tennis facilities and staff are superb and have programs for everyone, regardless of skill level. (We don't golf, but the golf courses looked wonderful too.) The private cove and beach are great, you can just run down and snorkel (often with the giant sea turtles that live on the property) any time the urge strikes. We would definitely return. Feel free to PM me with any specific questions.

kpalle

I'm happy to report that our week at the Fairmont Orchid was fantastic. We checked into a very nice Garden Suite on the fifth floor of the hotel, with a partial ocean view and lovely balcony. We had booked a fairmont room, and I used my upgrade cert to get us into the garden suite. An excellent choice!

The room was quite large, with an oversized bedroom, living room, his and hers closests, make up area, and 2 bathrooms, one of which was larger than my ensuite bath at home!

Service from check-in to check-out was the usual fairmont type: wonderful. Kudos to the porters and concierge staff who really did everything we could have asked for.

We dined at the Grill and at Brown's, and loved both places. The Grill has a fantastic menu, with a high end winelist. Browns has a must-see sunset. It still takes my breath away.

The pool, grounds and beaches were well maintained, and the hotel looks like it came straight out of a "Home & Garden" magazine, with the flora which is quite abundant both inside and outside of the hotel.

I played golf at the Francis Brown South Course, and it was an education in

The only negative was that the hotel was filled with conventions, which made our honeymoon a little less peaceful (lots of loud people drinking at the bars from noon until night).

It's a wonderful, albeit expensive, hotel right on the Kohala coast, so don't be afraid to stay there for any pleasure trip. It is truly an exceptional fairmont property.