Fairmont Kea Lani overview – The Factors Man

Arrival expertise

Upon coming into the luxurious oasis that’s the Fairmont Kea Lani (which we reached through a quiet driveway), a bellhop greeted us and supplied help with our baggage. One other visitor expertise workers member greeted us with leis and supplied our daughter a whale’s story carved necklace. The journey was already off to an amazing begin, and we hadn’t even stepped into the attractive foyer but.

We made a fast cease on the entrance desk and had been welcomed by the villa expertise staff. They knowledgeable us that drinks could be replenished day by day in our villa fridge and that breakfast was included as a part of the villa keep; additionally they defined that the staff could be only a telephone name away if we would have liked something.

Through the golf cart journey right down to the villa, a bellhop supplied a quick property tour, mentioning areas as we went alongside. As soon as contained in the villa, he supplied an outline of the villa’s options and facilities.

Spectacular oceanfront villas

When you’ve ever questioned what dwelling on the ocean in a villa could be like, that is your probability. We spent three superb nights in a newly renovated, expansive two-bedroom, two-bath, 1,800-square-foot oceanfront villa with a non-public plunge pool and lanai. This could be my perfect dwelling state of affairs — falling asleep to the sound of the ocean each evening and realizing the water is simply steps out of your patio door. It was heaven.

Villa company take pleasure in sure resort facilities included with their keep, comparable to day by day breakfast at Kea Lani Restaurant and valet parking. The villa itself additionally included a barbecue grill on the lanai, two lounge chairs and an out of doors eating desk. The workers stocked the kitchen fridge with drinks and snacks, and the kitchen was absolutely geared up for cooking. The villa staff may also help with arranging grocery deliveries.

A big granite eating desk was between the kitchen and dwelling space. The lounge furnishings included a sectional couch and cozy chair, a flat-screen TV and a ceiling fan.

The first suite with a king mattress was on the villa’s higher ground (the ground you enter from the skin stairs right down to the villa). The room additionally included a writing desk and chair, a chaise lounge and a small patio with a lounger.

Ample charging areas for gadgets had been constructed into the nightstands and TV stand, making it straightforward to cost a number of gadgets for a household (not that you’re going to want them once you’re having fun with the resort!).

A lower-floor bed room off the kitchen and dwelling space supplied two queen beds, a full closet and a toilet. Every bed room included ample closet area (a big walk-in closet was upstairs for the first suite) and a full rest room with a bath and walk-in travertine bathe.

Twin sinks with marble counter tops supplied loads of area for journey kits.

Alongside the Le Labo bathtub facilities had been bottles of ocean-safe Undertaking Reef mineral sunscreen and after-sun lotion on the toilet counters — a considerate contact.

Considered one of my favourite facilities was with the ability to do laundry in our villa midway by our journey (that is additionally how you are over 40). The stackable washer and dryer had been within the utility room, together with an ironing board and iron.

Consuming and eating

Maui gives outside eating climate year-round, so you’ll be able to really feel the ocean breeze whereas having fun with a cocktail, dinner and a beautiful sundown regardless of the season. The Fairmont Kea Lani has a number of choices for dinner, all with ocean views (along with room service). General, the meals high quality in every single place on the property was distinctive — even in case you are not a seafood lover, you’ll not go hungry whereas staying right here.

An added bonus is that children below 5 eat free when eating with a registered visitor by the resort’s Keiki (children) eating program at Ko, Kea Lani Restaurant and AMA Bar and Grill (restaurant solely, no poolside eating). Children 6 to 12 might order from the Keiki menu at common value or choose gadgets from the total menu and obtain 50% off.

Dinner in Ko Restaurant

Ko incorporates a fusion menu of Hawaiian, Asian and South Pacific flavors in an open-air idea area with principally patio seating. It is on the bottom stage of the primary constructing overlooking the gardens, the grownup pool and the ocean. The restaurant is open for comfortable hour, dinner and Sunday brunch.

To begin, we shared the crispy shrimp with a Maui lavender honey sauce, candied macadamia nuts and smashed sesame cucumbers ($30). The flavors had been an amazing complement to one another — it was savory and a bit candy on the identical time.

Our dinner selections had been the surf and turf particular of the evening ($57) and the Korean braised brief ribs ($58). The surf and turf was a bowl of Asian noodles tossed with bok choy, inexperienced beans, crimson peppers and sauteed shrimp. Completely cooked medium-rare slices of ribeye and a chimichurri sauce had been sitting on prime of the noodles. The Korean braised brief ribs had been served with carrots, child bok choy and kimchi fried rice. Each dishes had been stuffed with taste, and we had lots to share.

Breakfast buffet at Kea Lani Restaurant

A villa keep contains day by day breakfast at Kea Lani Restaurant. The buffet was plentiful and catered to many various tastes — there have been shows of sliced meat, cheeses, artisan bread and pastries, together with Asian-style udon vegetarian noodles and miso salmon, rooster potstickers and miso soup.

Every morning, a beneficiant choice was obtainable, from waffles, pancakes and made-to-order omelets to bacon, Portuguese sausage, scrambled eggs and egg whites. Continental choices included cereals, yogurts, granola, dried fruits and contemporary sliced fruits.

Pilina ocean-view foyer bar

Serving lunch and dinner, Pilina is an open-air foyer bar with attractive ocean views. The menu gives native drinks, contemporary seafood, sushi, and a collection of meat and fish you’ll be able to cook dinner at your desk on a sizzling rock. Simply exterior the doorway are swinging chairs which proved to be my daughter’s favourite spot to go to apart from the pool slide and seashore.

The drink menu features a world wine choice, domestically made and Japanese sake, a collection of spirits from Hawaiian distilleries, beer from Maui Brewing Firm and cocktails. Attempt the Mauka cocktail ($24) — which implies “towards the mountains” — which mixes Fy Hawaii gin, Ohia Lehua honey, ginger, lemon, smoked Massive Island bee pollen, angostura bitters and lavender from the Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm we visited earlier within the day.

For dinner, we loved a collection of salmon sashimi ($27), rainbow rolls ($37) and edamame ($16) to begin, adopted by venison sliders with yuzu tomato jam aioli on Hawaiian candy rolls ($26). The particular sushi roll of the evening was beneficial by our server and turned out to be our favourite — a lobster, avocado, cucumber roll with soy sauce poke on prime with ogo, cilantro microgreens and garlic chips ($37).

I adore it when resorts have wonderful foyer bars for an off-the-cuff dinner, and Pilina positively checked all of the packing containers due to its enjoyable environment, nice drink menu and scrumptious meals.

Cultural preservation and family-friendly actions

In 2024, the resort unveiled a brand new cultural middle within the foyer, and it is appropriate for all ages. The Cultural Middle on the Kea Lani is much more vital now as a result of so many invaluable Hawaiian artifacts and historic paperwork had been misplaced within the Lahaina wildfires.

The middle gives lessons comparable to hula dancing and ukulele classes. Plus, it features a everlasting show of Hawaiian artifacts — comparable to feather headdresses worn by royalty, jewellery created from seashells, ceremonial accompaniments and musical devices — that had been handmade by Maui artisans who replicated the normal strategies of making them.

Kamahiwa Kawaʻa, the pinnacle of the cultural middle, defined that every thing on show is supposed to be explored and used — permitting company to expertise the tradition and historical past firsthand.

We additionally had enjoyable experiencing the day by day koi fish feeding at 9 a.m. (geared towards youthful company). Children 10 and over may just like the stargazing occasion twice per week on the garden or the outrigger excursions supplied a number of instances every morning.

Stargazing in Hawaii is especially distinctive since you’re on an island in the midst of the Pacific Ocean with little or no gentle air pollution. When you reside in an city space, you might need by no means seen the Milky Approach or taking pictures stars. It is value it to attempt the high-powered telescope the astronomer brings to see planets and nebulae.

A swim with sea turtles is a good way to begin the morning, and the outrigger tour (ages 10 and up, reservation required) was an informative cultural exercise that lasted about an hour. It started with a proof of how the Hawaiian individuals historically used canoes for recreation and fishing.

After a conventional Hawaiian prayer and blowing of the conch, the outrigger shoved off Polo Seashore and out into the ocean. We paddled in unison for about quarter-hour earlier than stopping to gaze down on the reef under and ease into the water with goggles for a swim. When you’re fortunate, you will even get to see some turtles.

Cool off on the seashore or pool

The principle pool (appropriate for all ages and households) is split into the higher pool and decrease pool, with a slide connecting the 2. Pool cabanas can be found in each areas, and rental charges begin from $350 per day. The AMA Bar and Grill on the higher pool serves informal Hawaiian fare and in addition gives comfortable hour, a swim-up bar and patio eating.

The adults-only pool is nearer to the primary constructing, dealing with Ko Restaurant and the Kea Lani breakfast patio.

Cabana leases include a bento field of edamame and contemporary pineapple to snack on, in addition to a soft-sided cooler stocked with ice, water, juices and sodas. Pool attendants usually make the rounds checking on company and, within the afternoon, deliver round frozen chocolate mochi bites for everybody to take pleasure in.

Pool facilities embrace refillable bottles of mineral sunscreen, a retail store the place you should purchase goggles, sun shades, pool floats and toys; there’s additionally a scuba desk the place you’ll be able to organize classes.

Down at Polo Seashore, there’s an expansive verdant garden for actions like watching the sundown, morning yoga or for teenagers to play. Visitors who want to borrow kayaks or stand-up paddleboards can achieve this freed from cost from the seashore.

Chill out on the Willow Stream Spa

Willow Stream Spa is a signature of Fairmont properties with distinctive customer support and coverings. The spa at this property — which is slated to be renovated later this 12 months — options 13 remedy rooms, a full salon and boutique, oceanfront and poolside spa cabanas, and a number of leisure areas.

For my remedy, I selected the Pure Hawaiian Journey (120 minutes, $465), which options domestically grown components that native Hawaiians use to keep up well being and well-being. I additionally selected so as to add on a Knesko collagen face masks ($55).

After my remedy, my pores and skin felt hydrated and relaxed. My therapist, Kellie, supplied professional suggestions for my pores and skin sort and methods to keep up my post-spa glow.

You should definitely depart your self time to expertise the opposite elements of the spa, from the comfort room to the therapeutic clay and steam room to the experiential showers — an “afternoon thunderstorm” bathe was fairly the journey.

Accessibility

The Fairmont Kea Lani is compliant with the Individuals with Disabilities Act, because it gives pool chair lifts, broad entrances and broad pathways. The principle constructing has elevators for entry to the retailers, eating places, health middle and swimming pools.

Large pathways join the primary constructing to the swimming pools, villas and seashore. A choose variety of single-story, ocean-view villas are accessible from the primary pathways with out having to navigate steps.

As at all times, TPG recommends calling the lodge forward of your keep to make sure they’ll meet your accessibility wants.

Testing

After having fun with our final sundown at Polo Seashore, the villa staff referred to as to rearrange help with baggage and a golf cart journey as much as the entrance of the resort for the following day. When it was time to depart, we had been unhappy to say goodbye to our new oceanfront dwelling away from dwelling, however the aloha spirit of the Fairmont Kea Lani workers stays till our subsequent go to.

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