Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008 - (Page 11)

The RITZ-CARLTON KAPALUA (both) offers unmatched ocean views amid plush surroundings. The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua (www.ritzcarlton.com) re-opened in January following a renovation of epic proportions; in fact, the $180 million overhaul is the largest in the company’s history. Just days before our arrival, doors opened to the brand-new Ritz-Carlton spa, rendering the massive refurbishment complete. Repeat guests will immediately notice the resort’s new look, which features dark wood floors throughout, complemented by tropical prints in muted tones. We felt the new motif fit perfectly with the surrounding ocean and golf course scenery. If you’re sending a highprofile client, secure one of the hotel’s two top suites—the Royal Pacific Suite (#1650) or The Ritz-Carlton Suite (#2650). If your client prefers something more low-key but with similar comforts, opt for one of the new Residential Suites. They’re outfitted with kitchens, dishwashers, refrigerators, dining room tables and furnished outdoor lanais. Or, book a Club Level room or suite. Each Club Level floor features an exclusive lounge offering several food-and-beverage presentations daily, as well as a dedicated concierge staff. Note: Though we could see the ocean beyond the adjacent golf course from our room, clients who require a full panorama of the Pacific should request an oceanfront room or suite. To book, contact Travel Industry Senior Sales Manager Heidi Denecke (heidi.denecke@ ritzcarlton.com; 808-665-7200). Bookings also may be made via the GDS. First on our to-do list was a visit to the new 17,500-squarefoot Ritz-Carlton Spa for a Vitamin-C facial. To prolong the effects of the heavenly treatment, our spirited esthetician, Suji, sent us home with a prescription card detailing the best skin-care regime for our complexion. Contact Jason Albino or Ador Ordonez (808-665-7280) in the spa reservations department as early as possible to book the VitaminC facial or other treatments, such as the highly recommended signature Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage. Let Spa Manager Lauren Wideman (lauren.wideman@ ritzcarlton.com; 808-665-7280) know if your client requires special attention at the spa. We logged several post-spa hours at the Ritz’s pristine pool, which boasts seven new luxury cabanas with flat-screen TVs, DirecTV, wireless headphones, refrigerators, personal safes and cabana attendants. Ask Head Concierge Kim Zeigler (kim.zeigler@ritzcarlton.com; 808-665-7182) to assist with cabana reservations. She also can arrange off-site activities, be it a private fishing excursion aboard the hotel’s boat, Jay-Hawk, or a tour of the Maui Pineapple Company’s (www.mauipineapple. com) farmland, where visitors can snack on fruit picked straight from the ground. Zeigler is also eager to assist with dining reservations, whether onsite or elsewhere on the island. We found the resort’s fare—from poolside cocktails to lunch at the Beach House—so fantastic that we enjoyed all of our meals onsite during our stay. To sample what hotel staff claim—rightfully so, we think—is the best sushi around, clients should head to the lobby-level Kai. We started off our meal with a fresh-fromthe-sea tri-color seaweed salad before tackling the sushi deluxe entrée. Ask for a table in the rear alcove of the restaurant for the best ocean breeze, and advise clients to move into the lobby’s open seating area afterward to enjoy cocktails and live music. For fine dining, ask Zeigler to reserve an oceanfront window seat at Banyan Tree. There, insiders suggest the pine nut-crusted Ahi tuna with cucumber noodles and Thai basil pesto. Banyan Tree also offers a three-course Sunset Menu from 5:30 to 6:30 each evening, as well as Wine Wednesdays, which means 50 percent off all bottles of wine on that night. Tip: Our visit coincided with the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival (www.kapalua. com/recreation/events/kwff ), hosted by the Ritz-Carlton and the neighboring Kapalua Resort (www.kapalua.com). Check the festival’s website for next year’s schedule, and be sure to score tickets to its fun events, many of which are hosted by celebrity chefs. We particularly enjoyed the beachside Grand Tasting. Booking notes: Availability is already limited during the PGA Tour’s Mercedes-Benz Classic January 5-9, 2009. Insiders report that other busy times include Whale Quest Kapalua, February 13-15, 2009; Celebration of the Arts, April 10-12, 2009; the aforementioned Kapalua Wine & Food Festival every June; and the 1st Annual Kapalua LPGA Classic, October 13-19, 2008. Plan to book at least one year in advance for a stay during the December holidays. Another major renovation making news on Maui is at Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa (www.grandwailea.com), a member of The Waldorf=Astoria Collection, where we stayed in a made-over Molokini Suite. The ground-floor suite’s large bedroom alone would have sufficed for space, but instead was complemented by a master bathroom, a large living/dining room, an extra half-bath and a spacious furnished terrace. To boot, we enjoyed direct views of the ocean, the resort’s painstakingly landscaped lawns and its storybook wedding chapel. www.luxuryta.com August 2008 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 11 http://www.ritzcarlton.com http://www.grandwailea.com http://www.mauipineapple.com http://www.kapalua.com/recreation/events/kwff http://www.mauipineapple.com http://www.kapalua.com/recreation/events/kwff http://www.kapalua.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008

Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Maui Dubai Cape Town The Capella Resort and Spa, at Pedregal Cabo San Lucas Ritz-Carlton Cancun Presidential Suites The Palazzo, Las Vegas The Water Club Arrabelle at Vail Square Ferntree The Spa at Half Moon Fall Foliage Cruises New England Strong Travel On the Horizon: Luxury Travel Expo The Pulse Traveling Shopper Leaders Speak Sightings Source List

Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008

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