Let’s hear it for a Girls trip! My daughter Ryan is graduating from High School, and while she will be the first to say this may not be a huge accomplishment for her- it IS a huge milestone. She will be moving to Phoenix for college at Grand Canyon University in August, and I am going to have a hard time with my only girl leaving our home- she is a joy to have around and will be greatly missed (if I add an exclamation mark it will sound like I’m happy, but it’s more like I’m happy for her- is there an emoji for that??)
Over the past several years, Ryan and I have enjoyed taking winter Girls trips to Florida- to Miami Beach, Ft Lauderdale, and Marco Island. This year, I wanted to do something extra special with her… and decided on Hawaii. I visited the Hawaiian islands about 30 years ago and have always wanted to go back. Since she only had a week off school for Spring Break, we just chose to visit one island. Her primary goal was to RELAX (and get a tan) so I knew the resort would be KEY, and where we would spend the majority of our time! Our musts: beautiful beach and pools- and great food (no chicken tenders for a whole week- is that too much for a mom to ask for?)!
We chose the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island of Hawaii, a 5 star Luxury resort with lush gardens and tropical vibe. We invited our longtime friend Chelsea from Oregon to join us there; we have lots of memories together… Chelsea lived with us during her college years, and shared a room with little Ryan- they became close friends, like sisters! Our flights arrived into Kona (on the west side of the island, where it is more sunny and most resorts are located) around the same time in the afternoon. We rented our car from Hertz, and after a long day of travel we arrived to a lovely lei welcome at the Fairmont Orchid… Did we feel as lovely as our lei’s? NOOO, we did not! But we were SO happy to be there.
Our ocean view room overlooked the Mauna Lani golf course next door, such a peaceful setting. The bathroom was beautiful with marble floors, walls, and counters- and best of all had TWO showers, perfect for 3 girls getting ready!
We were on the 5th floor (the resort is only 6 floors high) and had a balcony where we spent every morning doing devotions and drinking our coffee- the Nespresso machine in our room was wonderful. The Fairmont gave us two reusable water bottles as a keepsake from our stay, and to use at the water dispensers which were plentiful throughout the resort.
Let’s talk about the gardens, the lush tropical landscaping with waterfalls and koi ponds was stunning! It made every walk around the resort feel special, since there was so much beauty to take in!
The pools meandered through the gardens, with an organic shape and plentiful chairs- there was NO waking up early to reserve a chair! We always had choice of where to sit- lawn or poolside, under an umbrella or in the sun. The resort provided chair covers, towels, sunscreen, ice water- and FRUIT service… that last one was a treat, every afternoon they walked around with fresh pineapple on skewers! Oh, and cold neck towels- we really felt spoiled!
The beach was a small, secluded cove where we enjoyed great snorkeling- many colorful fish were right off the beach! We could rent stand-up paddleboards and kayaks (but we didn’t, because you know- we were too busy relaxing!) Whether we were at the beach or pool, there was always a nice breeze- so we were comfortable, even in the heat of the afternoon.
Who is here for the food content? I mean, really this surpassed expectations. Yes, food is more expensive in Hawaii- that was expected. However, the quality of the food was exceptional!
Let’s start with dining at the Fairmont Orchid… known for Brown’s Beach House- where the oceanfront dining makes for the perfect setting! They brought purple sweet potato buns to our table right away, with a honey butter. These were melt-in-your mouth glorious! And we learned…. The Fairmont Orchid is home to more than 80,000 honey bees. These honey hives are located close to the kiawe tree blossoms and produce a delicious kiawe honey blend… All I can say, is this pairing was exquisite!
Kona’s local fish is Kampachi. And tonight we had it prepared with a generous Dungeness crab topping- perfection! And since we were celebrating a special occasion, this surprise dessert arrived for Ryan! After sunset, we ended the night at one of the oceanfront firepits before heading to the outdoor hot tub.
Another special restaurant at the Fairmont Orchid is the Binchotan Bar & Grill. I met up with my longtime friend Cat, a native Hawaiian who lived in Peoria during which we became good friends! The Kanpachi Tartare (in front of food photo) was so fresh and delicious.
Merriman’s has been highly rated, so we made reservations- and I’m SO glad we did! It was a 30 minute drive from the Fairmont Orchid. Up winding hills, through a misty rain- and over a literal rainbow. It’s hard to describe the ambiance, because the feeling was unique- you knew you were somewhere special when you were greeted and entered a modest-sized dining area. The warmth of a farm to table restaurant resonated, yet it was upscale in a non-pretentious way. They knew quality, and you knew you were in for a treat! Our waiter was older and well-versed in the menu and answering our questions.
We started with a Mai Tai, which we heard they were famous for, but the lilikoi (passionfruit) foam froth elevated the drink to a new level- WOW. I ordered the roasted Chateaubriand Hawaii Island Beef, it melted in my mouth. And again, Ryan was celebrated with a dessert!
We ventured out from our resort very little, even though we had a car, because we loved the property so much and had everything we need! However, we drove to the other side of Kona (45 minutes) to tour a local coffee plantation, Greenwell Farm. And, oh my, I am SO glad we did! It was such a great tour- free and no reservations required- and was both educational and entertaining. We learned about the history of how coffee came to the island and to this particular spot, how the coffee “fruit” is harvested, dried, and roasted into the beans that we purchase. Kona Coffee is well known, and we loved gaining an understanding of its origin. We also enjoyed tasting their different roasts and brews!
The Fairmont Orchid hosted a Luau on Saturday, which we were so excited for! We had front row seating, and loved everything about this evening- from the delicious food (made by the Fairmont chefs) to the Polynesian Show! THIS was the most memorable night of our trip!
The Fairmont Orchid has a shuttle within the Mauni Lani Resort area, so one evening we had dinner at the Canoe House at Mauna Lani. This beautiful oceanfront dining restaurant made for another memorable night!
Let’s loop back to the Fairmont Orchid… we saw many families, Honeymooners, couples of all ages, and friends traveling together to enjoy the beauty of this island and resort. I would recommend this resort to our clients, and would return in a heartbeat! We could have ventured out so much more than we did…. Volcanoes National Park is 2.5 hours away, Akaka Falls State Park is known for its short trail through a lush rainforest to a beautiful waterfall that plunges 442 feet into a gorge, the Manta Ray Night Snorkel was highly recommended… and so much more!
I will just stay that we enjoyed every moment of this trip, it was perfect in every way for what we were looking for- luxury, relaxation, and beautiful memories! I would love to book this resort for any of our clients who are looking for a similar experience. Reach out if this sounds like something you would enjoy!!
~Lisa
All My Passions 