Luxury Travel Advisor - December 2007 - (Page 10) 50-minute massage for two at Hualalai Sports Club & Spa. Agents can book spa treatments for clients up to two months in advance by contacting the resort’s spa director, Thad Calciolari (tcalciolari@hualalairesort.com; 808-325-8400). Prior to guests’ arrival, one of the resort’s concierge staff will reach out to pre-arrange any needs or preferences and build an itinerary for their stay. The same concierge will be available for additional assistance throughout their visit. There are two luxury ADVISOR INSIGHT: “When I’m qualifying a villa client, I first find out where they’ve gone and what they’ve liked before, and then I take it from there,” says Carolyne Brandon, a travel counselor with American Express Travel Services in Palo Alto, CA. “It’s important to know what level of pampering they’re accustomed to.” When it comes to Hawaii, Brandon gives high marks to Classic Vacations. “Their villa product is great,” she says. “They have a good name and a good reputation.” Brandon favors a pair of Hawaii’s Big Island resorts when she’s booking Hawaii villa vacations for her clients. She’s a fan of the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel’s Hapuna Suite, an 8,000-square-foot villa. “It’s great for corporate clients and extended family groups because it has its own pool and butler service,” she says. Brandon also prefers to book villa clients into one of the five oceanfront or oceanview Bungalows at Mauna Lani Bay at the Mauna Lani Resort. travel liaisons at the resort: sales managers Gloria Krier (gloria. krier@fourseasons.com; 808325-8005) and Leighton Kitagawa (leighton.kitagawa@fourseasons.com; 310-286-7545). The Vera Wang Suite at Halekulani (www.halekulani. com) has received lots of play in the press, and deservedly so. Renowned designer Vera Wang partnered with the hotel to create the 2,135-square-foot suite, where a selection of her furnishings and accessories are featured. The dining room has a dark wenge wood table surrounded by natural-cane-backed dining chairs; the living room features an eclectic mix of modern and ancient objects from around the world, such as a 19th-century Chinese writing desk; and the bedroom has side tables made from rare palm wood and shagreen. The 642-squarefoot oceanfront lanai overlooks Waikiki beach, the Pacific Ocean and Diamond Head. Guests also have dedicated formal 24-hour butler service. While art-directed to the max, the suite comes fully equipped with the latest in technology, such as a 50-inch plasma flat-screen TV and a Master Control system allowing guests to alter room temperature and lighting and butler, housekeeping and other services. There’s also a DVD Wireless Audio Dream System with a five-disc DVD/ SACD/CD changer, digital sound and a six-speaker surround-sound system. Tip: Book the adjoining one-bedroom suite for clients who are traveling with family or staff. For questions and requests, call the hotel’s reservation number (800-367-2343); your request will then be routed to the appropriate person. Tropical Villa Vacations (www.tropicalvillavacations. com) is a Maui-based luxury villa provider offering rentals on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. The Royal Ilima at Wailea Beach Villas on Maui is a prime example of the high level of villas in the company’s portfolio. The three-bedroom, four-bath Royal Ilima is a top-floor corner villa with its own elevator, in-villa BUNGALOWS AT MAUNA LANI (bedroom shown, below) are serviced by personal butlers; each bungalow comprises 2,700 square feet of living space and a 1,300-square-foot lanai that affords ocean views. 10 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | December 2007 http://www.halekulani.com http://www.halekulani.com http://www.tropicalvillavacations.com http://www.tropicalvillavacations.com
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