LAXGUY

FYI from a story in the Sept. 7 Wall Street Journal about the troubled financial status of many hotels in Hawaii:

"All told, real-estate analysis company Real Capital Analytics counts roughly $2.1 billion in troubled mortgages attached to 11 properties in the state that have defaulted since the start of the recession in 2008. Most are big resorts, such as the Four Seasons Maui, which went delinquent on its $425 million mortgage this year. Several are in the hands of their lenders, including the 540-room Fairmont Orchid Hawaii and the iconic, 203-room Ilikai Hotel in Honolulu.

point bonita lighthouse

Laxguy
Thanks I missed that wsj article. Was there any mention of the implications of the defauts on their hotel management company affiliation?

LAXGUY

I don't think so. The article was mainly about the Ritz Kapalua. The Orchid was mentioned only in passing in the sentence I posted.

Ancien Maestro

I don't know how the maintenance and upkeep at the hotels are going to be like. I guess its all about cut and save where possible.. rates will have to continue to keep going down.

Big names like Ritz Kapalua, Four Seasons Maui, Fairmont Orchid.. nobody is recession proof.

NJTravelers

I want to reserve a cabana for our upcoming visit to the Orchid and was hoping I could get some recommendations from my fellow FT'ers. We don't have any children and beach/pool doesn't matter - just a nice quiet place to relax. My partner is fair skinned so is always under shade and I am out in the sun, which is why the request for the cabana so it will protect him.

Thanks in advance!!!

pancakex

<deleting out of date information>

Ancien Maestro

Sign up FPC membership.. its' free if you haven't signed up yet, and you get a discount on a cabana being an FPC member. There are regular cabanas, premium cabanas and presidential cabanas. Rates start at $50 per day up to $100+ per day and you get a bag with water and fruit, and they set up towels and cabanas for you. I think FPC gets the cabanas for $35 per day and up.

I like the point on the rocks with a premium cabana (regular cabana in a premium location).

Ancien Maestro

Checked into a fabulous ocean front suite.. fabulous. We've had another ocean front suite before, but this one has a bit of a different feel to it. Hotel management honored my request for specific location and floor, and the suite looks brand new. The suite has actually two foyers to it, and the living room is oversized. The two bathrooms is a definite plus.. all encased/detailed in marble.

A lovely sunset off of both lanais tonite.. we were greeted with a band the first night, so added to the arrival excitement. Took a bit, but we probably had ten requests for i.e.. crib, baby bathtub, turndown, water, more fruit, high chair, etc. But, we're settled into our 14 night vacation (Did 5 nights in Houston/San Antonio where we hit NASA space center Houston, Downton Houston Aquarium, San Antonio Sea World, and San Antonio Six Flags.. I recommend seeing all.. Aquarium was a bit of a bore, but it was good for the young kids to hit the rides, and the Landry's Aquarium restaurant is an excellent destination with the fishes and decor). Did a run to Walmart and Costco prior to arrival at the hotel, that helps.. and the shops at Waikoloa and Mauna Lani is a convenient destination to pick up quick sundry and snacks. Thereafter, off to Kea Lani for a short 5 night stint before heading back YYC. The nice thing was we booked our flights on Aeroplan Classic, so 40K points per ticket, and was able to get a 5 night layover in IAH via Continental, IAH-PHX-KOA via US Airways, open jaw, OGG direct YYC.. all on one classic reward aeroplan ticket. So, seems like three seperate trips all built into one reward redemption.

I'm a bit floored quite a few employees remembered me by name.. I look Hawaiian with a dark tan, 6'5", I wonder if that helps.. but its' good to see the O'hana once again.. many work two or three jobs just to make ends meet. In the end, we've become friends with many of the employees at the hotel. Talked with quite a few of them, as a result of the Tsunami that hit the Kohala Coast.. looks like Kona Village is closed indefinitely, and the Four Seasons will be opening back up April 30th (we were hoping to do the Surf Sand and Stars at the Four Seasons, but will have to wait for a future visit). Business is booming at this hotel, which is good to see.

For some reason, Sushi Chef Norio moved offsite and started up Monstera Restaurant at Mauna Lani Shops.. Pupu discount is now 25% (use to be 50%) at the lounge 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm on weekdays (will have to check if they have this special on the weekends as well. We've tried the Big Island Grill last night.. very nice.. and tonite Merrimans for the first time.. very nice as well. We're hoping to hit a bunch of new restaurants around the Big Island as this is our fifth time, so we should cover what we haven't tried a bit better.

We'll also try to hit up the observatory on Mauna Kea, and hit up the Science Center in Hilo.. Will provide further updates along the way.. two thumbs up for this Fairmont.^^

nmenaker

@Ancien, you need to start taking and posting pictures! My local friends tell me FS won't open on time, most likely now end of MAY. With Kona Village closed and FS a bit off, demand at the Mauna Kea, Orchid, even Mauan Lana will go up. We plan to be there at christmas this year, that might be scarey.

Ancien Maestro

I tried booking for Christmas this past year and opted for 3 weeks in Disney World. The hotel won't accept certificates period, no exceptions during the Christmas season.. so we ended up opting for the Canadian Spring Break which thankfully this year is offset to the American Spring Break.

Posting pictures is like posting website pictures without all the personal stuff.

We did the observatory yesterday.. this is a must do.. it's free with a one hour video from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm everyday, with evening stargazing. Our family got to see Saturn through the telescope which was neat. We'll be eating at Ruth's Chris Steak House at the Mauna Lani Shops.. yum. Prime Time.. super yum.

We heard good things about Daniel Thibault so will have to try that out. Looks like we'll do the new Japanese Buffet at the Hapuna Prince Hotel on Saturday. Will update what we think.

btw.. the waters are gorgeous as whale watching season started late this year. The sun is gleaming off the ocean just like in Wailea.. this is the most beautiful I've seen the Kohala Coast.. glorious, especially the panoramic water and coastline views off the double lanais.

hershcules

Is it typical for the Fairmont Orchid to remove promotional rates before their 'book by' date has passed? I was ready to book a reservation under Upgrade With Aloha rate this past Thursday only to realize the rate was pulled down yesterday (Friday). Here is a version of their cached offer page from Google, which has a clear book by date of August 31:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.co...www.google.com

Seems like bad business to me and is making me reconsider this property. This would never fly with airlines or their revenue management departments.

bocastephen

As the FS Hualalai made the dastardly decision to pull their Kama'aina rates for the entire week before Thanksgiving (no bookings after 11/18), I need another luxury property for a stay and the Fairmont Orchid has some good locals rates, but I would like some advise choosing.

From the room photos published on their website, the furnishings don't look all that nice - what is the current state of the rooms...do they compare favorably with the FS Hualalai?

Here are the options:

Kama'aina Garden View is 174, Partial Ocean is 186, Deluxe Ocean is 240, Signature Ocean Front is 318. These rates are room-only.

Bed and Breakfast rates - Garden View is 209, Partial Ocean is 229, Deluxe Ocean is 279 - bed and breakfast buffet included, main building only, no Gold floor.

Fairmont Gold floor with lounge access is Garden View at 288, Ocean View is 300. Gold floor includes lounge access, continental breakfast, evening snacks, private check-in, etc.

I am tempted to book the Gold floor ocean view at 300 or the deluxe ocean B+B for 279 - is the Gold floor really worth it? Are there any other benefits, or just private check-in and lounge? Are the room furnishings the same? If not, I'd just opt for the regular tower deluxe ocean with breakfast for two.

Ancien Maestro

imo FS Hualalai is one of the top 100 hotels in the world, so you will be hard pressed to find anything on the island that will match its stature.. I've never stayed at FS Hualalai, but have visited onsite for their Surf Sands and Stars at Beach Tree, and everything top to bottom is world class.

Fairmont has nice rooms and used to be a Ritz Carlton.. I've stayed there over the past 8 years, and definitely, I love the hotel and what it represents and hope to revisit here next year..

The Gold floor has been touted pretty nice, and for most here who've tried.. I've tried it only once, having had the Presidential Suite at the Chateau Whistler once.. Its' good.. But I always go for the room and breakfast, as I prefer to have nice accomodations and a full breakfast buffet, then I do being up on the golf Floor.. Impeccable service, evening hor dourves as well as a private lounge.. If you're into service, I would definitely go for the Golf Floor..

All rooms even Deluxe Ocean View will be angled, just the way the hotel is set up.. If you are a Plat member, I would use an upgrade cert for this hotel.. Ocean front is the only room that gives you bang on ocean front. Ocean View will be decent and normally on a higher floor, but again its angled..

svenskaflicka

We loved the Orchid. From check-in to check-out the staff was wonderful. The hotel itself has such an elegance to it. It's not a modern elegance, but a classic elegance. Public area's have the highly polished marble floors and the ornate crystal chandeliers. Think of how classic Ritz Carlton's have always been and you have the description spot on.

The rooms are in need of a refurb, but they are very clean. I have been in some of the hotels in Hawaii that need a refurb and just feel, well, dirty and depressing. The Hyatt Maui is one of them. The Orchid doesn't feel that way at all. It still has that feel of the Ritz of by gone days to it. You can tell they take very good care of it. Never saw even one bug, anywhere. The pool area is quiet and peaceful with very good furniture.

We did not stay on the Gold Floor because we don't like to be tied to certain times to do things, so I can't speak on that, but, if their offerings are anything like the rest of the food at this hotel, you will be quite happy.

The customer service is outstanding. They never make you feel like a bother and always called us by name even though it was our first visit.

The people on that island are genuinely friendly. The whole island enveloped us with kindness. I can't believe that in almost thirty visits to the islands in eleven years it was our first visit to the Big Island. Big mistake on our part. All the shopping is modern and brand new. We like to visit the small mom and pop stores too and had great fun takling to the locals while doing so. It's like a trip back in time when you stop at these places.

I'm fussy and I loved it, so you should be fine with no regrets. We visited all the other well known hotels too. With some of them we found ourselves saying that they were a letdown compared to the website pictures. Anyway, have fun.

Ancien Maestro

Glad the vacation met your expectations..

The architecture, finishing, and elegance is what brings us back to this hotel year after year.. The excellent customer service by staff and feeling of O'hana.. the staff is like family to us, and we know a lot of staff there by name. We catch up with many of them when we return..

I agree with the description of classical elegance, and the fact that they maintain this hotel very well for being an ocean front resort.. The fixtures throughout the hotel must be wiped down regularly to prevent rust.. The man power involved with do this is high. What's impressive about the hotel is that it used to be a Ritz, and the many waterfalls that surround the common area of the property..

The hotel is built on lavarock, and as its desert conditions there year round with only 8 inches of rain, there is an enormous amount of water required for the resort..