The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii

Old Apr 19, 2005, 9:14 pm
  #31  
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Fairmont Orchid offers buy one, get one room family package

http://travelvideo.tv/news/more.php?id=4916_0_1_0_M

Kohala Coast, Hawaii’s Big Island, April 2005 - The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii is making it twice as easy for families and friends to travel together this year with the resort's popular Twice As Nice Package. Rates for the package start at $499 USD (approx. $615 CDN) a night for a Moderate room, with the second room free; two free activity passes per room; and two complimentary full buffet breakfasts per room daily. Reflecting a 35 percent savings, the Twice As Nice package is valid now through December 20, 2005. No minimum stay is required.



Twice As Nice can be booked by calling the hotel toll-free at 1-800-845-9905 or through a preferred travel agent. Rates are based on double-occupancy, are subject to availability, exclude taxes and gratuities, and are not combinable with other packages or promotions.

The two free Activity Passes per room (total of four) are valid the entire stay, and provide limitless access to The Fairmont Orchid’s best recreational, ocean, sports, culture and wellness activities and gear, including daily Seaside Yoga, kayaking, snorkeling, outrigger canoe paddling and soft-top surfboards, tennis clinics, and cultural hikes by the hotel’s Beachboy ambassadors. Also included with each Activity Pass is a Saturday evening Keiki (Children) Aloha program, so Mom and Dad can enjoy some time together, while their keiki watch a movie and meet other young hotel guests. The Activity Passes are valued at $40 per person per stay, and $30 per child, ages five to 12, per stay.

Families and friends can fuel up for the day’s adventures at The Orchid Court restaurant. Twice As Nice includes two complete buffet breakfasts per room daily at The Orchid Court (open from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.), where a tantalizing morning spread of breakfast meats, an omelet station, fresh Big Island fruit, breakfast pastries, bagels, Japanese breakfast items, and much more, is offered. The Breakfast Buffet is valued at $26 per person.

Adding to the packages allure is The Fairmont Orchid features new ‘Ohana (Family) Connector rooms, which offer an inside connecting door between rooms. Guaranteed only in the Moderate category. Connecting rooms in all other categories are on a request basis.

Featuring a collection of fabled castles, secluded lodges, storied meeting places and modern retreats, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts opens the doors to some of the world's most celebrated addresses. With locations throughout six countries, our 45 distinctive hotels - including The Fairmont San Francisco, The Fairmont Banff Springs and London’s Savoy - promise travelers unparalleled settings, rich experiences and lasting memories. Future Fairmont Hotels & Resorts include The Fairmont Mayakoba, Riviera Maya (fall 2005) The Fairmont Cairo and The Fairmont Abu Dhabi Resort & Villas. Call 1-800-441-1414 or visit us online at www.fairmont.com
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Old May 3, 2005, 1:16 pm
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Fairmont Orchid--Upgrade to Suite at Check-in?

I will be staying at the Orchid this summer with my family in tow and would love to upgrade to a suite if available. I am Fairmont President's Club but unfortunately not Premier (was just downgraded from Gold this year). I'm willing to pay extra $$$ for the privilege, within reason. Does anyone know if the Orchid will offer a suite at check-in, if I ask for it?
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Old May 3, 2005, 2:44 pm
  #33  
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Given the 700 sq ft. difference and the sizeable difference in price I would doubt it very much but hey, you don't ask you don't get No first hand experience at this property for me yet!
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Old May 3, 2005, 7:27 pm
  #34  
 
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Get Amex Platinum card

Get the Amex Platinum card which gives you Premier status right away. The suite upgrades, and $100 in meals by far out weigh the cost of the card.
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Old May 3, 2005, 9:16 pm
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I agree. The Amex Plat card is a great investment, and the Fairmont Premier status is one of the best perks. We used the Suite upgrade and the free night stay at the Orchid last month. It's a great property - the suite we got was not one of the best, but it was still pretty nice!
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Old May 4, 2005, 10:00 am
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Re the Amex Platinum card--please clarify: I thought that the card includes Fairmont Premier status only for Canadian card holders (would love to be wrong though!).
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Old May 4, 2005, 9:56 pm
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Sorry, you're right. One of the few times we Canucks get a better deal!
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Old Jul 1, 2005, 10:20 am
  #38  
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I plan on being at the Fairmont Orchid in early November.We are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and am looking for a write up on this property from a FT'er.
Thanks
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Old Jul 1, 2005, 2:02 pm
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Originally Posted by acysb87
I plan on being at the Fairmont Orchid in early November.We are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and am looking for a write up on this property from a FT'er.
Thanks
Early congratulations.
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Old Jul 1, 2005, 3:32 pm
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Fairmont Orchid, Gold Floor

I posted the following last fall after a stay in September. It was part of a longer thread on the Fairmont Orchid that had other people's comments as well: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=359980

I'd add that as you're celebrating your anniversary, be sure to book massages in one of the oceanside cabanas. Worth doing ahead of time cause they do book up.
I was just there a few weeks ago, first time to the property. Um, wow. Where to start: Basically, heaven on earth. Four hours after I arrived in Kona I had already snorkeled with sea turtles and watched the sunset from a lava rock jacuzzi that sits just off the pool. Hard to top. I spent much of the rest of the trip trying to decide whether this or the Banff Springs were the most perfect hotel I've ever been too.

I should say -- I didn't eat in any of the restaurants. I'm not a foodie, so I was fine with the club floor buffet, the on-property deli and in-town food as I traveled around the island. The location of Brown's is very cool -- but you can also sit in basically the same place w/o eating there, so go only if you're into good food.

I'm more of a beach girl, and I loved the Fairmont's. It sounds like you've been there before, so I won't go into the description. The hotel room itself was wonderfully lush and I loved that they gave us full-size toiletries (that might just be the club floor, though.) Most comfortable bed I've ever slept in.

The lushness extended around the property -- but so did a nice island informality. Everyone was very tidy, but I didn't feel like I had to deck out in full "resortwear" everytime I left my room -- nice change from the Four Seasons. Service was also a nice mix of a lush hotel and island informality. One woman I spoke with said she came to work there because her father did as well -- I thought that said a lot about how well the hotel treats its staff. (The woman who drove the shuttle from Blue Hawaiian also commented, unprompted, that the Fairmont staff seemed the happiest of the hotels in the area.)

There was construction visible on the way to the hotel, but I forgot about it after that -- not visible or hearable from the property itself. People have also griped about the views and I think that's probably fair -- really only the top floors or the north side of North tower have "partial ocean views" that deserve the name. On the other hand, the south side of North tower you get to fall asleep to the sound of waterfalls, which is awesome, and the South Tower is about 4 feet from the beach.

Things are much closer together than they look from the maps I had seen. I was staying in the North Tower and was concerned I might be too far from the beach, but no problems at all (I'm somewhat mobility impaired, though not in the water.) At the same time, however, the design of the property is so well done that you never feel like you're surrounded by people. I assumed the occupancy was low -- but it turned out it was almost full.

My only disappointment, and it was very very minor, is that the spa has kind of cramped pre-treatment facilities. I mean, the massage on the beach was great, and the waterfall huts looked cool, too, but there's a very limited number of treatments you can get in them and otherwise you're in the very small main building. And things like facials and pedicures are relegated to a small "salon" that could be in any shopping mall. I was told there were plans to turn it into a Willow Stream, which would be awesome, but they were shelved over the summer.

But anyway, awesome property. You'll have a great time. Happy to answer any specific questions.
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Old Jul 1, 2005, 7:59 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by ohmark
Early congratulations.
Thank-you,although Mrs.acysb87 deserves all the credit.

TeaAddict has some good points on the messages.We have a suite reserved using the coupons(newly renovated ^ ,garden view ),and am using some of the free night coupons.

We are visiting Oahu 1st and saving the Orchid for the 2nd half of our stay.Appreciate the comments.
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Old Jul 21, 2005, 2:13 am
  #42  
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Fairmont Orchid

If you like Japanese food, be sure to eat at Norio's at the Orchid.
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Old Jul 21, 2005, 11:23 am
  #43  
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Originally Posted by RLG
If you like Japanese food, be sure to eat at Norio's at the Orchid.
Mrs.acysb87 can eat Japanese every day.Looking forward to sampling the fine food at Norio's. ^
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Old Jul 22, 2005, 11:05 am
  #44  
 
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Orchid - KONA, my 2 cents

Great reviews here ... I was there for 7 days both in Feb '04 and Feb '05. Kona is great - it's on the "sunshine" coast, not sure why ayone would fly for 11 hours to be on the "cloudy/rainy" coast.
What I loved:
1. Size of room - had exec suites both times, one garden view, one ocean view. 1,100 sq feet is incredible!
2. Golf - I love golf. Played both courses a few times and would recommend the "lava" course. Think it's the south course? It hugs the coast and there are some beauty sights.
3. Sunsets - grab a couple of drinks and watch the sun drop. Of 15 nights there, only 3 clear sunsets though. If it's clear, drop all plans and relax witht a view!
4. Pool - the pool is the perfect temp! I could not get out of it!
5. Kona's not crowded. A few days after arriving in '04, I said to myself, "I need to get back here before this place gets more crowded" When I returned a year later, there was a significant increase in people. good for the city, bad for the tourists / locals.

Recommendation - Get the direct flight!!!! The hassle in HNL is brutal. Especially for the honeymooner. Drop a little extra ca$h and use DEN, SEA, LAX, ORD, or YVR nonstop to KOA.

Have fun, it's very hard not to.

Last edited by CloudsBelow; Jul 22, 2005 at 11:07 am
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Old Jul 22, 2005, 6:08 pm
  #45  
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[QUOTE=CloudsBelow]Great reviews here ...
1. Size of room - had exec suites both times, one garden view, one ocean view. 1,100 sq feet is incredible!.....

Which would you prefer?We are booked into the garden view suite.( all I could get on the upgrade cert )
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