KONA—While Tropical Storm Olivia hammered the surrounding Hawaiian Islands, it took a left turn and bypassed our side of the Big Island entirely, leaving us in its breathtaking tropical splendor. The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is a longtime favorite, but if the place has gotten a little too princely for your pocket, try its sister hotel, the Hapuna Beach Resort. It’s just undergone a major multimillion-dollar renovation complete with a divine adults-only infinity pool, which is transporting. Just look out for those adorable red-neck finches who like to crash the party for a quick bird baths before they head back to their fragrant Plumeria blossom trees.
Waking in the morning to a symphony of songbirds, azure skies and miles of the Pacific as far as the eye could see is the magical setting. There are aloha touches everywhere: beautiful grounds of hibiscus and philodendron and every sort of palm. Even the lobby has two impressive displays of floor-to-ceiling pink and green Anthurium blooms by the hundreds. On the way to a nice cup of perfectly brewed Kona coffee, you’ll encounter a splendid koi pond with numerous water lilies in white, pink and purple and oversized lily pads that would make a tiny frog feel right at home.
While reading the Wall Street Journal, it was a treat watching the breakfast chef with his kitchen shears snip fresh mint from the herb garden below, clean the leaves and top them into your glass of fresh papaya juice. Talk about garden to table!
There are plenty of tasty choices at the Hapuna, from the casual Piko and Naupaka to the high end Meridia. If you miss the Mauna Kea with its gleaming golden Buddha, breezy passageways and one-of-a-kind shopping and eateries, there are Hapuna shuttles to take you there.
The hotels can cater to your every whim, offering everything from chanting to yoga classes, exotic lime and salt glow, to sound wave therapy. Both resorts offer water recreation like kayak rides, surf lessons and outrigger canoe adventures.
If, for some reason, you want to go out on your own, there are plenty of dining and shopping offerings close by.
A personal favorite is Tommy Bahama (please come to Malibu). It is a wonderful complex that shows elegant beach-appropriate clothes and some of the best food on the island. Even if you are anti-raw fish, their ahi fish tacos are unlike anything you’ve ever had. Their scallops melt in your mouth like soft butter and, at five inches, they are sky high. After another crazy year, it was nice to get a plumb assignment. We got a Mahalo send-off with a rare double green flash sunset as well as a peek at Jupiter, Mars and Venus.
I wasn’t quite ready to come back to find Malibu Angel Roma Downey and Mark Burnett involved in a shuffle with Tom Arnold or the scandal surrounding Sesame Street’s Burt and Ernie.
Despite all the craziness. It’s good to be home.
Aloha!