Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2007 - (Page 68) GRAND WAILEA RESORT welcomes kids with an array of outdoor ame- nities, the most popular of which is its Wailea Canyon Activity Pool (left). HILTON WAIKOLOA VILLAGE‘s Double Lagoon Cabanas open up to pri- vate patios and beautiful beach and garden views (below). ADVISOR INSIGHT: Mary Lou Lewis, co-owner and vice president of Honolulubased HNL Travel Associates, suggest that first-time visitors to Hawaii make an effort to visit two or more of the islands. “All the islands are different,” she says. “They all have nice beaches, but all offer different activities.” Lewis singles out Oahu as having everything, including attractions, shopping, scenic drives, and history. “For two dollars a person, you can ride The Bus on Oahu and circle the whole island,” she says. “Included in the price are two stops so you can get off and sightsee and then re-board.” Lewis describes Kauai as quieter and more nature-based, and finds Maui to be the most developed of the islands, although it has good hiking. “The Big Island is my favorite,” says Lewis. “It offers so many different things, from volcanoes to ranch land.” Lewis says the best beaches are on the Kona side and her favorite hotel for families is Kona Village Resort for its thatched-roof bungalows, which the locals call hales. resort’s hyacinth and scarlet macaws, green-winged parrot and Moluccan cockatoo and pose for pictures with the birds perched on their arms. Note: Children younger than 16 aren’t permitted to use the spa facilities or services, though salon services are available. Tip: Looking to score some seriously cute tot-sized togs and toys? Check out Sand Kids (www.sandpeople.com), a half mile away at Poipu Shopping Village. Rooms in the Shipwreck Wing are preferable for families, as they’re convenient to the resort’s pools, while Deluxe Ocean View rooms have exceptional views of the grounds, beach and Pacific Ocean. Tip: Of the resort’s 37 suites, Deluxe Suites tend to fill up quickest. The travel agent contacts are the resort’s travel industry sales managers, Ann Takechi (atakechi@hyatt.com; 808240-6422) and Chris Wingerberg (cwingerb@hyatt.com; 808-240-6428). Hawaii’s Big Island is home to the Hilton Waikoloa Village (www.hiltonwaikoloavillage. com), whose Camp Menehune captures kids’ creativity with lei making and coconut painting. A surefire favorite, Dolphin Quest Learning Center offers opportunities to see the resort’s resident bottlenose dolphins. If sports and swimming are more your clients’ speed, be sure to arrange a customized Kohala Tennis clinic for the whole family, or a Dive-in Movie (guests watch a movie while floating in the pool). In the Lagoon Tower, firstfloor Cabana Rooms open up to walk-out lanais, making access to the Kona Pool a breeze. Ocean View Rooms in each of the three towers (Lagoon, Palace and Ocean) offer spectacular views of the Pacific, but we say that families will feel at home in the Two-Bedroom Bay Suite, Two-Bedroom Royal Suite or Presidential Suite. Here, little ones don’t have to miss out on pampering, as the Kohala Sports Club & Spa offers a program just for them; insiders tell us the Coco-Mango Tango Scrub is consistently a kid favorite, and also recommend the TiLeaf Cooling Wrap for sunburn relief and the Surfer Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage. Travel advisors should contact Leisure Sales Manager Teresa Cosgrove (teresa_cosgrove@hilton.com; 808-886-2861). 68 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | September 2007 http://www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com http://www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com http://www.sandpeople.com
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