Travel Agent - December 24, 2007 - (Page 41)

Kapalua Adventures Mountain Outpost tion. The renovation will bring an expanded fitness center and movement studio with panoramic ocean views; specially created latedeparture facilities with lockers and showers; a new pool bar and grill; and major enhancements and additions to the resort’s pools. The AAA five-diamond resort’s restaurants will have new names and concepts. Updated amenities include miles of new hiking and biking trails and horseback riding. Look for all 297 guest rooms to include contemporary elements such as new furniture, porcelain tiles in the bathrooms and flat-screen TVs. The interior redesign will use indigenous materials such as coconut and seashell accents with wood grains, rug designs with patterns of Hawaiian tattoo motifs with plumeria and Hawaiian print artwork framed with koa wood. The resort’s Club Level rooms come with four complimentary food and beverage presentations daily, along with personal concierge service in the Club Lounge. The Ocean Front rooms have the best views of the Pacific Ocean and Molokai. The resort will have 86 connecting rooms and suites. A major change is the addition of 107 oneand two-bedroom full-ownership Residential Suites. These come with fully equipped kitchens and spacious living rooms, making them suitable for families. Residential Suite owners are granted access to all of the resort’s services, as well as membership privileges to join the private golf club and play the new Tom Fazio-designed Mauka Golf Course. and Ashlee Simpson, Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson are just a few of the celebrities who have stayed there. The resort’s Ocean Front Villas numbered 1 to 21 are very popular. These offer a choice of two or three bedrooms; two extra-large marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and separate walk-in showers; a living room with full entertainment system, including a 32-inch plasma TV; full kitchen; and washer and dryer. Outside is a private courtyard with plunge pool and barbecue grill. Those looking for the best ocean views should book one of the Deluxe Ocean View Suites. These have Pacific panoramas, and on clear days guests can make out the islands of Lanai and Oahu. There are 50 sets of connecting suites. Families would do well to reserve one of the three-bedroom villas, which have two full bathrooms each. The resort’s Spa Kea Lani has nine treatment CONTINUED ON PAGE 42 AGENTADVICE Lynda Turley, president of Saratoga, CA- based Alpine Travel of Saratoga, has visited Maui more than 50 times and gives the island high marks for its diverse hiking options, from the trails north of Waikoloa, to Kapalua and up-country Maui. For another activity, “I often recommend my clients take the ferry to Lanai,” Turley says. “They can go and come back the same day after a day of snorkeling or golf on Lanai.” Standout restaurants for Turley are Sansei, which has two locations in Maui (Kapalua and Kihei), for Japanese cuisine, and Pacific “O” in Lahaina, which serves Asian-Pacific fare. “There’s a real trend towards the best restaurants on the island serving local products, such as vegetables, fruits and even fresh goat cheese,” she says. For the classic Hawaiian meal, “I’m a fan of the Feast of Lele [in Lahaina], which in my opinion is the best luau on the island,” says Turley. “It’s sit-down service rather than buffet lines, and the whole experience is more intimate than some of the larger luaus.” Other Hotels A new spa is scheduled for completion at the Ritz-Carlton in spring. The spa renovation doubles the size of the facility and features garden treatment rooms offering traditional Hawaiian treatments like lomi lomi massage. The spa will have 15 treatment rooms, with many of these opening to private gardens and showers, and two outdoor couples’ cabanas. For reservations, contact Lucia Rodriguez, director of spa and retail, 808-665-7082. The resort is taking bookings for after January 7. Heidi Denecke, senior sales manager, travel industry, is the travel agent liaison. She can be reached at 808-665-7200 or heidi. denecke@ritzcarlton.com. Farther south along Maui’s western coast, the Fairmont Kea Lani (www.fairmont.com) is a luxury all-suite and villa resort on Polo Beach, about 17 miles from Kahului Airport. Jessica traversing deep gorges, a ropes challenge course, a climbing wall and a 3,000 square-foot lookout deck. Two suspension bridges will be added at a later date. Guests can visit the Kapalua Adventure Center on the resort grounds and consult with its concierges to schedule activities or craft their own custom adventure, with options for helicopter sightseeing, private zipline tours or dinners at the Kapalua Adventures Mountain Outpost lookout. Much anticipation is surrounding the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua (www.ritzcarlton.com) these days, as the resort will reopen in early January, following a $130 million transforma- December 24, 2007 TravelAgent | 41 http://www.ritzcarlton.com http://www.fairmont.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - December 24, 2007

Travel Agent - December 24, 2007 Online Now Contents From the Editor Letters to the Editor Contributors Europe: Lyon, the Center of France Two Iconic London Hotels Jazz Up their Top Suites Europe Briefs Mexico: Puerto Morelos on the Riviera Maya Mexico News & Notes Pacific/Asia: Large-Scale Developments Strengthen Singapore’s Appeal to Families, Meetings and Other Travelers Caribbean: Old San Juan’s New Hotel The Cervantes Ritz-Carlton Upgrades, La Concha Reopens in San Juan Peter Island Resort Hawaii: Maui Enhances its Allure for Active and Luxury Clients Las Vegas: Hoteliers and Wholesalers Go Beyond Gaming Las Vegas Briefs Tours: Pacific Northwest Briefs Hotels: News and Packages from All-Inclusives in Mexico and the Caribbean Cruises: Luxury Lines’ Shore Excursions Cover Story: Gerry Cahill Agent Profile: Nancy Nicol, Hawaii Specialist and Hyatt Award Winner Technology: Mailpound’s Customized Marketing Transportation: Boeing’s Anticipated Next Arrival: the 747-8 Intercontinental New York: The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Vegas Travel Week Sofitel’s Two New Brands Travelport Rolls Out Leisure Product Expedia CruiseShipCenters Debuts U.S. Tourism to Israel In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch Special Supplememt: 2008 Portugal Travel Guide

Travel Agent - December 24, 2007

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