FourSeasons Big Island and flights
Jul 9th, 2003, 10:19 AM
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FourSeasons Big Island and flights
Is the Four Seasons worth it? I read that the beaches are not for swimming? Is this true? FYI: money is not an object (for heaven) and we do not have children.
Also, where do I research/reserve transportation between the islands?
Also, where do I research/reserve transportation between the islands?
Jul 9th, 2003, 10:51 AM
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Can not help you with FS ? as money is object for me. $-)
Interisland travel can be viewed at either Aloha
http://www.alohaair.com/
or Hawaiian Airlines:http://www.hawaiianair.com/flightinfo/schedules/
and reserved online with expedia.com, travelocity, orbitz, etc.
Interisland travel can be viewed at either Aloha
http://www.alohaair.com/
or Hawaiian Airlines:http://www.hawaiianair.com/flightinfo/schedules/
and reserved online with expedia.com, travelocity, orbitz, etc.
Jul 9th, 2003, 11:14 AM
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Assuming money is no object, with the FS Big Island the issue comes down to how important having a good beach is to you. The beach at the FS is artificial and is not good for swimming. The resort has the best of everything else (food, service, amenities, facilities, etc...). There is an adults-only pool if you are looking for more quiet. If a beach is really important to you, the Hapuna Beach Prince and Mauna Kea have the best beaches on the BI and are fine resorts in their own right.
Inter-island air is provided by either Aloha or Hawaiian. Their rates are similar but check their websites. If you are booking a package the inter-island air will be included.
Inter-island air is provided by either Aloha or Hawaiian. Their rates are similar but check their websites. If you are booking a package the inter-island air will be included.
Jul 9th, 2003, 11:23 AM
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Yes, IMO it's definitely worth it. The rooms are beautiful and the service impeccable. There is one cut out manmade beach for swimming at the far right of the hotel past the restaurant but not too big. As mentioned above w/ the airlines, inter-island flights run almost every hour.
Jul 9th, 2003, 07:52 PM
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That would be my first pick. I walked through the grounds in May and watched the eagle ray feeding. The beaches are beautiful yet rocky with lava and coral. I saw people swimming. The natural pool is full of awesome fish. It feels like a neighborhood rather than a hotel. The wild donkeys were by the entrance too.
Jul 10th, 2003, 04:37 AM
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The four seasons is worth every penny. The rooms are luxurious and the first floor rooms have a outdoor lava rock shower with tropical plants. Service is exceptional. One of the pools is filled with fish native to hawaii where you may snorkel.
The beach, however, is not good. It is disappointing but the rest of the resort seems to make up for it. If you really must have a terrific beach, the Hapuna Beach Prince has a beautiful beach.
We stayed at both resorts and enjoyed both. The Four seasons is definitely more luxurious and offers better service.
Hope this info is helpful to you.
Cindy
The beach, however, is not good. It is disappointing but the rest of the resort seems to make up for it. If you really must have a terrific beach, the Hapuna Beach Prince has a beautiful beach.
We stayed at both resorts and enjoyed both. The Four seasons is definitely more luxurious and offers better service.
Hope this info is helpful to you.
Cindy
Jul 10th, 2003, 06:52 AM
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Thanks for all of your help. I don't usually swim far out. I like to float. Is the beach rocky like in Costa Rica? If that is the case, I am fine with it. I mean, can you hang out on the beach, or is it lame?
Jul 10th, 2003, 07:47 PM
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I was there last week for the first time. I never really saw any adults in the ocean; it didn't appear to get that deep.
The negatives for me were (1) children everywhere even at the adult pool (2) the food was not that impressive (3) most rooms appeared to lack privacy (4) one time the maid service sometimes did not arrive until 4pm and then only after I called and complained.
(5)
I had originally booked an oceanfront room. Upon entering room, I noticed instead of the ocean it had a full view of a very crowded pool and lacked total privacy. I downgraded into a room that was set back behind the quiet Kings Pond and had a beautiful oceanview.
(6)
Also, when I checked out, I didn't pay attention to whether or not the bellman had retrieved all the bags from our hotel room at checkout. It wasn't until I was at the airport that I noticed one bag was missing.
(7)
At dinner at one of the restaurants they provided live musical entertainment. One night a family took over the microphone and had their two daughters (approximately 8 and 3 years old) get up and sing. Believe me these children had no talent and belted out such tunes as Now I Know My ABCs. Our waitress thought it was great. This was not what I paid for. It was such a shame because the real entertainers were quite good.
On the positive side the room was beautiful, the grounds were spread out giving the place a very non-hotel feel, and, even with the tons of children, most of time I was able to seek out a little nook of privacy.
The negatives for me were (1) children everywhere even at the adult pool (2) the food was not that impressive (3) most rooms appeared to lack privacy (4) one time the maid service sometimes did not arrive until 4pm and then only after I called and complained.
(5)
I had originally booked an oceanfront room. Upon entering room, I noticed instead of the ocean it had a full view of a very crowded pool and lacked total privacy. I downgraded into a room that was set back behind the quiet Kings Pond and had a beautiful oceanview.
(6)
Also, when I checked out, I didn't pay attention to whether or not the bellman had retrieved all the bags from our hotel room at checkout. It wasn't until I was at the airport that I noticed one bag was missing.
(7)
At dinner at one of the restaurants they provided live musical entertainment. One night a family took over the microphone and had their two daughters (approximately 8 and 3 years old) get up and sing. Believe me these children had no talent and belted out such tunes as Now I Know My ABCs. Our waitress thought it was great. This was not what I paid for. It was such a shame because the real entertainers were quite good.
On the positive side the room was beautiful, the grounds were spread out giving the place a very non-hotel feel, and, even with the tons of children, most of time I was able to seek out a little nook of privacy.
Jul 10th, 2003, 10:20 PM
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Too bad you had some negatives at the 4S, Myname. We learned not to go to Hawaii during the summer the hard way. So the adults only pool was not enforced? Did you say anything fo the pool staff?
BTW the spa is also fantastic, a definite must do if you enjoy massage & such.
BTW the spa is also fantastic, a definite must do if you enjoy massage & such.
Jul 11th, 2003, 09:53 PM
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cnmiranda,
I should add to the above posting we had a wonderful time in Hawaii. It was just from everything I heard about this FS I was expecting so much more.
No, I never complained to the pool attendants about the children at the adult pool. I usually would take a beach chair and those were much quieter.
I can imagine during off-season the place truly feels like paradise.
I should add to the above posting we had a wonderful time in Hawaii. It was just from everything I heard about this FS I was expecting so much more.
No, I never complained to the pool attendants about the children at the adult pool. I usually would take a beach chair and those were much quieter.
I can imagine during off-season the place truly feels like paradise.
Jul 12th, 2003, 07:13 PM
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I won't bother to add details to the above, but I would mention that the Four Seasons Hualalai has been rated the top resort in the entire US by many, many travel media resources including Zagat, Conde Nast, Travel Channel, ad nauseum.
I'm not sure I'd personally go that far, but it's certainly in my top 5 or so.
I'm not sure I'd personally go that far, but it's certainly in my top 5 or so.
Jul 20th, 2003, 01:17 PM
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We just cameback from FS Big Island last night..
High points : Large and wonderful grounds , good food choices, great pools including an adult only pool ( enforced ) , quiet and elegant , great array of activities including Hawaiian cultural center, service top notch.
Low points :
Don't expect perfection, housekeeping was spotty - after three days we had to welcome ants into our bathroom ,
we stayed at the golf view room - which is nice if you wake up at 7 am - the maintainance crew was working everyday that early ..., ( the good thing about these rooms is that you have a place to park your car close by, but the best rooms if you have no kids are the ones located around kings pond or the adult pool) , and the beach is beautiful but not good for swimming ( Mauna Kea beach is way better ).
overall, we had a great stay , we will be back ( maybe the first two nights at the Mauna Kea so we can swim in the ocean), definitly FS is best resort in the Big Island . There are lots more positives in this resort that outweigh the few flaws. But this was not the best in the world -- we were stopped once by a security emploee cuz we were taking pictures with 35mm camera - he told us that they have many VIPs in the hotel and we should not point our camera where people are... that made us feel not welcome .. he could approach us with a different manner - his manner was not acceptible to us . This incident does overshadow a wonderful vacation overall.
High points : Large and wonderful grounds , good food choices, great pools including an adult only pool ( enforced ) , quiet and elegant , great array of activities including Hawaiian cultural center, service top notch.
Low points :
Don't expect perfection, housekeeping was spotty - after three days we had to welcome ants into our bathroom ,
we stayed at the golf view room - which is nice if you wake up at 7 am - the maintainance crew was working everyday that early ..., ( the good thing about these rooms is that you have a place to park your car close by, but the best rooms if you have no kids are the ones located around kings pond or the adult pool) , and the beach is beautiful but not good for swimming ( Mauna Kea beach is way better ).
overall, we had a great stay , we will be back ( maybe the first two nights at the Mauna Kea so we can swim in the ocean), definitly FS is best resort in the Big Island . There are lots more positives in this resort that outweigh the few flaws. But this was not the best in the world -- we were stopped once by a security emploee cuz we were taking pictures with 35mm camera - he told us that they have many VIPs in the hotel and we should not point our camera where people are... that made us feel not welcome .. he could approach us with a different manner - his manner was not acceptible to us . This incident does overshadow a wonderful vacation overall.
