Maui/Kauai wedding trip Part II
Jul 8th, 2004 | 01:25 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 43
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Maui/Kauai wedding trip Part II
Aloha!
This is continued..sorry if i am wordy.
FOUR SEASONS:
This is where I had my wedding..if you or anyone you know is thinking about having a destination wedding in Hawaii, please email me at [email protected] and I will elaborate more on what an amazing job they did. AMAZING. I expected quite a bit, but they exceeded my expecations in everyway.
We stayed at the FS from June 23-26th because we were trying to save money.We had arrived in Maui on the 18th. Now I wished we could have stayed longer. What an experience. Since we had our wedding there, we were upgraded from a garden view to a junior suite.
The hotel is beautiful, but what makes the Four Seasons so special is 1) the customer service and staff and 2)the fact that they don't nickel and dime you once you are there. For example, at all the other resorts, we had to pay a daily rate of $15 for parking. No charge at the FS and valet is also complimentary. No charges for beach chairs, towels, etc. I did not find that the drinks were much more expensive than the other places, although I am sure that depends on where you stay and also WHERE you eat/drink on the Four Seasons property.
I am not a pool person when I go to the beach, but i was certainly tempted at the Four Seasons. Yes, the pool is not huge and yes, the cabanas fill up quickly, but we were always able to find someone leaving and snag one easily. The staff are to die for...so nice and always anticipating your needs!
I read that some people have commented in the past (mainly on another website) about "cell phones" and the "snobby people" who visit the Four Seasons. I am a laid back, middle class girl from Austin, Texas and I did not feel uncomfortable at all. I assure you, I don't dress up around the beach. (I live in Austin so I rarely dress up at all
I looked quite hideous every time I went to the pool. Honestly, every family i met at the Four Seasons was nice and friendly. Yes, there are a lot of kids, but they were everywhere in Hawaii! There were probably a million kids and babies on my flight from LA to Maui. I was prepared though and it did not bother me in the least. I was actually impressed by all the "young" travellers and how well behaved most of them were (a compliment to all you parents out there!)Also, I was one of the "cell phone people" but I am not a snobby cell phone person! I simply had to talk on my phone alot to plan my wedding details! We had guests who always had questions and wanted to know where we were, so unless I stayed trapped in my room i had to use my cell phone. Anyway, my point is that yes, i think it is rude to use your cell phone out in public all the time like that, but sometimes there are situations that are out of your control. I did not mean to offend anyone while I was using it. Of course I know, there are the people who go overboard.
Anyway, I highly recommend the Four Seasons and will return in the future. Although it is much pricier than I would normally pay for a hotel, it is worth every penny to me.
By the way, if you can go by Ferraros and have dinner/drinks or appetizers, I hope Don Lax (violin) and Vance (acoustic guitar) are playing. They played at my wedding and were incredible. Ask them to play "Ave Maria" or Con Te Partiro"..it will make you cry! My husband and I danced (first dance) to the Beatles' "Here There and Everywhere." Beautiful! If that, along with a tropical drink, good food and an amazing sunset doesn't make you feel romantic, I don't know what will (ha ha)
RESTAURANTS:
All places at the Renaissance (Palm court and Maui Onion) Yummy and convenient. The bar is a great place to have a drink and watch the sites.
NICKS: Fabulous and worth the splurge. I actually had my rehearsal dinner there and was blown away. Every one of my guests loved the food and the atmosphere. There was a fireworks show on the beach next door to us right after dinner and it was like a dream.
FAIRMONT POOLSIDE GRILL? (can't remember the name) Very yummy..and good service. I loved the atmosphere..beautiful hotel.
TAIKO? (in the Diamond resort..i think that is the name): Had some wonderful Sashimi there..service was a little slow but they were doing the best they can. I think they were understaffed that day.
SOME JAPANESE RESTAURANT IN THE GRAND WAILEA: Im sorry, i can't remember any of these names, but this was very good as well. I have memory issues due to the wedding i think. My family from Japan came to the wedding and are very picky. They said the sushi was "very proper" and "made correctly." I was so happy. Pretty pricy though. The Grand Wailea is quite dramatic, but beautiful.
If you notice, while on Maui i mainly ate at the resorts. That was due to the wedding factor..we did not have as much time to explore the local hole in the wall places (like we did in Kauai). I will just have to go back i guess. Ha ha
One last thing about restaurants: Did not go to Mama's fish house, but if the food is as beautiful as the view, I bet it is worth the $$$.
ACTIVITIES:
Mountain Riders: I highly recommend this bike company..if you want the self paced tour, which is what we wanted. They took us to another place that was not crowded to watch the sunrise and it was spectacular. We could also look straight down and see the crater from where we were. One of my guests who watched the sun rise from the top (went with another company) could not see the crater. We loved going at our own pace and had a wonderful breakfast at the Kula Lodge. Yummy eggs benedict and Bananna Foster Pancakes (drool). What a glorious day we had!
Kapalua Kai (Sunset Cruise): This was my gift instead of favors to all the wedding guests and worth every penny. The boat was spotless and the crew was so friendly and kind. All my guests enjoyed it, even the two who got sea sick. If you tend to get sea sick or motion sickness, you might want to take something. Although we were staying in Wailea, we had to drive to Kanaapali for the cruise and we were so grateful! No, I wouldn't want to do that drive everyday (there was some traffic) but it was so great for all of us to see the West side of the island. Totally different than Wailea...I would love to do both next time.
Due to the wedding, we could not do a lot of the activities we normally would do on Maui. During our down time, we hit alot of beaches, my husband and sister took surfing lessons and we enjoyed many sunsets. What a beautiful place..
To be continued..We left for Kauai on Saturday the 26th..
Thanks,
Becca
This is continued..sorry if i am wordy.
FOUR SEASONS:
This is where I had my wedding..if you or anyone you know is thinking about having a destination wedding in Hawaii, please email me at [email protected] and I will elaborate more on what an amazing job they did. AMAZING. I expected quite a bit, but they exceeded my expecations in everyway.
We stayed at the FS from June 23-26th because we were trying to save money.We had arrived in Maui on the 18th. Now I wished we could have stayed longer. What an experience. Since we had our wedding there, we were upgraded from a garden view to a junior suite.
The hotel is beautiful, but what makes the Four Seasons so special is 1) the customer service and staff and 2)the fact that they don't nickel and dime you once you are there. For example, at all the other resorts, we had to pay a daily rate of $15 for parking. No charge at the FS and valet is also complimentary. No charges for beach chairs, towels, etc. I did not find that the drinks were much more expensive than the other places, although I am sure that depends on where you stay and also WHERE you eat/drink on the Four Seasons property.
I am not a pool person when I go to the beach, but i was certainly tempted at the Four Seasons. Yes, the pool is not huge and yes, the cabanas fill up quickly, but we were always able to find someone leaving and snag one easily. The staff are to die for...so nice and always anticipating your needs!
I read that some people have commented in the past (mainly on another website) about "cell phones" and the "snobby people" who visit the Four Seasons. I am a laid back, middle class girl from Austin, Texas and I did not feel uncomfortable at all. I assure you, I don't dress up around the beach. (I live in Austin so I rarely dress up at all
I looked quite hideous every time I went to the pool. Honestly, every family i met at the Four Seasons was nice and friendly. Yes, there are a lot of kids, but they were everywhere in Hawaii! There were probably a million kids and babies on my flight from LA to Maui. I was prepared though and it did not bother me in the least. I was actually impressed by all the "young" travellers and how well behaved most of them were (a compliment to all you parents out there!)Also, I was one of the "cell phone people" but I am not a snobby cell phone person! I simply had to talk on my phone alot to plan my wedding details! We had guests who always had questions and wanted to know where we were, so unless I stayed trapped in my room i had to use my cell phone. Anyway, my point is that yes, i think it is rude to use your cell phone out in public all the time like that, but sometimes there are situations that are out of your control. I did not mean to offend anyone while I was using it. Of course I know, there are the people who go overboard.Anyway, I highly recommend the Four Seasons and will return in the future. Although it is much pricier than I would normally pay for a hotel, it is worth every penny to me.
By the way, if you can go by Ferraros and have dinner/drinks or appetizers, I hope Don Lax (violin) and Vance (acoustic guitar) are playing. They played at my wedding and were incredible. Ask them to play "Ave Maria" or Con Te Partiro"..it will make you cry! My husband and I danced (first dance) to the Beatles' "Here There and Everywhere." Beautiful! If that, along with a tropical drink, good food and an amazing sunset doesn't make you feel romantic, I don't know what will (ha ha)
RESTAURANTS:
All places at the Renaissance (Palm court and Maui Onion) Yummy and convenient. The bar is a great place to have a drink and watch the sites.
NICKS: Fabulous and worth the splurge. I actually had my rehearsal dinner there and was blown away. Every one of my guests loved the food and the atmosphere. There was a fireworks show on the beach next door to us right after dinner and it was like a dream.
FAIRMONT POOLSIDE GRILL? (can't remember the name) Very yummy..and good service. I loved the atmosphere..beautiful hotel.
TAIKO? (in the Diamond resort..i think that is the name): Had some wonderful Sashimi there..service was a little slow but they were doing the best they can. I think they were understaffed that day.
SOME JAPANESE RESTAURANT IN THE GRAND WAILEA: Im sorry, i can't remember any of these names, but this was very good as well. I have memory issues due to the wedding i think. My family from Japan came to the wedding and are very picky. They said the sushi was "very proper" and "made correctly." I was so happy. Pretty pricy though. The Grand Wailea is quite dramatic, but beautiful.
If you notice, while on Maui i mainly ate at the resorts. That was due to the wedding factor..we did not have as much time to explore the local hole in the wall places (like we did in Kauai). I will just have to go back i guess. Ha ha
One last thing about restaurants: Did not go to Mama's fish house, but if the food is as beautiful as the view, I bet it is worth the $$$.
ACTIVITIES:
Mountain Riders: I highly recommend this bike company..if you want the self paced tour, which is what we wanted. They took us to another place that was not crowded to watch the sunrise and it was spectacular. We could also look straight down and see the crater from where we were. One of my guests who watched the sun rise from the top (went with another company) could not see the crater. We loved going at our own pace and had a wonderful breakfast at the Kula Lodge. Yummy eggs benedict and Bananna Foster Pancakes (drool). What a glorious day we had!
Kapalua Kai (Sunset Cruise): This was my gift instead of favors to all the wedding guests and worth every penny. The boat was spotless and the crew was so friendly and kind. All my guests enjoyed it, even the two who got sea sick. If you tend to get sea sick or motion sickness, you might want to take something. Although we were staying in Wailea, we had to drive to Kanaapali for the cruise and we were so grateful! No, I wouldn't want to do that drive everyday (there was some traffic) but it was so great for all of us to see the West side of the island. Totally different than Wailea...I would love to do both next time.
Due to the wedding, we could not do a lot of the activities we normally would do on Maui. During our down time, we hit alot of beaches, my husband and sister took surfing lessons and we enjoyed many sunsets. What a beautiful place..
To be continued..We left for Kauai on Saturday the 26th..
Thanks,
Becca
Jul 8th, 2004 | 02:55 PM
#2
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Hi Becca-
We are going on honeymoon to Maui and staying at 4S in Oct. DId you do the road to Hana? I cant decide because I feel like I want to take advantage of the hotel.
Also, what time of day did you do the bike ride to the crater??
Thanks,
Missy
We are going on honeymoon to Maui and staying at 4S in Oct. DId you do the road to Hana? I cant decide because I feel like I want to take advantage of the hotel.
Also, what time of day did you do the bike ride to the crater??
Thanks,
Missy
Jul 8th, 2004 | 03:08 PM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
WOW! Beccad71, you are good at doing these trip reports!!! Oh, I'm so Maui and Renaissance-sick!!! I'm one of the ones who told you to have those Eggs Benedict at Kula Lodge......... aren't they delish??? You sound as though you enjoyed every moment of your experience to the max....... right down to whiny kids on the plane. How wonderful! I look forward to the rest of your report, and I wish you the best of luck in your married life!
Jul 8th, 2004 | 03:51 PM
#4
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Thank you bonnie, i believe you gave me several priceless recommendations. Hi Missy, Yes, I did do the sunrise bike trip and it was wonderful. I went with the self paced tour. Since we wanted to watch the sunrise, we had to be at the bike shop no later than 3:30am, which meant we had to wake up around 2:15am. Sounds terrible...but really the sunrise was worth it. Some people say that if it is too cloudy it is not worth it, but coming from texas I love being in the mountains (or volcano in this situation) so I would have been happy no matter what. The overlooks are breathtaking and if you have a chance to see the crater it is unreal.
Good for you that you are honeymooning at the Four Seasons! Did you tell them that you were honeymooning when you booked? Please let them know before you come, then gently remind them when you check in.
It is really up to you how you want to spend your vacation. I would have been very happy just lounging around the hotel...but my husband and I are pretty active people, so we just can't stay still too long, especially in Maui. If you choose to "lounge", at least pick one activity to do such as the bike trip or Road to Hana. Many of our guests did not book a lot of activities, and in hindsight, most say they wish they did more. The beaches in Wailea are beautiful, but if you want to see the "tropical" Hawaii, you need to do the Road to Hana. Most people say it takes all day and it could..but keep in mind once again..you can turn around whenever you want! We didn't even try to go all the way to Hana..and our friends that did were like "what is the big deal about Hana? It is the drive that is so great!" EXACTLY! Therefore, if you and your husband did not want to sacrifice a whole day for the Road to Hana I suggest waking up very early (avoiding traffic), eat breakfast at either Charlies or Anthonys in Pa'ia (grab some sandwiches/snacks while you are there), pick out a few stops from Maui Revealed and just spend half a day. Turn around when you have enough, just be sure to calculate how long it took you to get there. Once you get outside Pa'ia, the drive is quite enjoyable.
One more thing..if you hate riding in the car (which a lot of people do when they are in vacation) then you may not like Road to Hana since you spend a majority of your time in the car.
My husband and I love road trips and did not mind. We have gone to California many times and love the times we have in the car driving beautiful Highway 1.
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and don't worry! You will love Maui no matter what you decide!
Becca
Good for you that you are honeymooning at the Four Seasons! Did you tell them that you were honeymooning when you booked? Please let them know before you come, then gently remind them when you check in.
It is really up to you how you want to spend your vacation. I would have been very happy just lounging around the hotel...but my husband and I are pretty active people, so we just can't stay still too long, especially in Maui. If you choose to "lounge", at least pick one activity to do such as the bike trip or Road to Hana. Many of our guests did not book a lot of activities, and in hindsight, most say they wish they did more. The beaches in Wailea are beautiful, but if you want to see the "tropical" Hawaii, you need to do the Road to Hana. Most people say it takes all day and it could..but keep in mind once again..you can turn around whenever you want! We didn't even try to go all the way to Hana..and our friends that did were like "what is the big deal about Hana? It is the drive that is so great!" EXACTLY! Therefore, if you and your husband did not want to sacrifice a whole day for the Road to Hana I suggest waking up very early (avoiding traffic), eat breakfast at either Charlies or Anthonys in Pa'ia (grab some sandwiches/snacks while you are there), pick out a few stops from Maui Revealed and just spend half a day. Turn around when you have enough, just be sure to calculate how long it took you to get there. Once you get outside Pa'ia, the drive is quite enjoyable.
One more thing..if you hate riding in the car (which a lot of people do when they are in vacation) then you may not like Road to Hana since you spend a majority of your time in the car.
My husband and I love road trips and did not mind. We have gone to California many times and love the times we have in the car driving beautiful Highway 1.
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and don't worry! You will love Maui no matter what you decide!
Becca
Jul 8th, 2004 | 03:55 PM
#5
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Missy,
I forgot! If you do the Road to Hana, stop around the 17 mile marker at a little stand called "Halfway to Hana" and get some delicious Banana Bread! Also, if you see a flower stand, ask your husband to buy you a fresh plumeria lei! The smell is wonderful and you will feel beautiful when you wear it. Don't forget to get Maui revealed. I can't imagine that trip without that book.
Take care,
Becca
I forgot! If you do the Road to Hana, stop around the 17 mile marker at a little stand called "Halfway to Hana" and get some delicious Banana Bread! Also, if you see a flower stand, ask your husband to buy you a fresh plumeria lei! The smell is wonderful and you will feel beautiful when you wear it. Don't forget to get Maui revealed. I can't imagine that trip without that book.
Take care,
Becca
