Travel Like a VIP in Maui
There’s so many ways to travel, but sometimes you just gotta go in style! I mean go big or go home, right? I’ve been to Maui many times now. It’s one of my favorite places to go in the world especially during the holidays. There’s just an excitement in the air when the holidays roll around. I love seeing all the Christmas decorations. Actually, to be honest, I have a weird thing on my bucket list that I still haven’t completed yet. I really want to take a family photo with “Hawaiian Santa throwing up a shaka.” Brown Santa with Aloha shirt, shorts, riding in on a surf board! The whole nine yards! Unfortunately, Santa wasn’t available yet, but the Xmas decorations were great.
This was the gorgeous main Christmas tree at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui, which is where I was staying at. This was my first time staying at the Kea Lani. The oceanfront property was sensory overload. If my Pinterest board came to life, the Kea Lani would have been it! Total paradise on the Wailea coast.
Here I am in my ocean villa. The villas are ideal for family or multi-party Maui beach vacations. They have two and three-bedroom villas with 1800 and 2200 sq.ft. of living space that come with a full kitchen with dining area, two master bedrooms each with an oversized Italian marble bathroom, full entertainment system with flat screen TVs, and a private furnished courtyard with plunge pool and barbeque grill.
I stayed in the 3 bedroom ocean villa and it came with complimentary valet parking, a daily buffet breakfast, and a welcome basket filled with pineapple and other tropical fruits, Hawaiian jams, freshly baked banana bread, cream, milk, butter, chips, and Maui’s very own Ocean Vodka. The staff even brought in new banana bread, bottled water, and Hawaiian juices every day, which was great because I was definitely snacking in the night and early morning due to the jet lag. You can watch my IGTV tour above to see just how luxe the accommodations were! The size would be perfect for a family trip with my nephews and sister. I’m so glad that Boston will soon have a direct flight to Hawaii. Maybe my mom and I could fly in from LA and meet them in Hawaii soon!
Since Maui pretty much has perfect weather all year long, my friends and I got on a yacht to explore the waters and snorkel at Molokini. Molokini Crater is an ancient volcanic caldera that has some of the clearest waters in the world. Only those with permits are allowed to go ashore. Satisfaction is Maui’s only luxury power yacht vessel for charter. It can take guests snorkeling at Molokini Crater, around the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and even go on overnight trips. Aside from snorkeling, Maui Yacht Charter guests can fish for mahi mahi, ono, ahi and marlin, go whale watching, see dolphins, scuba dive, swim, stand up paddle boarding, among other water activities.
Another activity I did while on Maui was getting some cardio and hiking done. Wake up early for a journey along the ancient Hoapili to follow the “king’s paths,” which were used for centuries by native Hawaiians. Walk the very roads that Hawaiian nobility and kings did back in the day. Appropriately named the King's Trail, the ancient trial was designed in the sixteenth century to unify Maui's 12 districts (moku). Walk through beautiful scenery, hike through black lava formations created by Maui’s last eruption, see old abandoned Hawaiian village sites, and if you’re lucky, see humpback whales, goats, turtles, and Hawaiian monk seals along the approximately five mile trail. The views of the volcanic coastline make the trail one of Maui’s most adventurous hikes. The lava terrain looks like you are on another planet. There’s also areas with pools for fishing or snorkeling. Make sure to start the hike early as the lava rocks and uncovered portion of the trails can get extremely hot.
This trip was more about relaxing so I mostly stayed on property. It worked out though because the dining was out of the world. I love green juice and the Fairmont Kea Lani had this fresh green juice made with pineapple, kale, mint, coconut water, and ginger that is the absolute best-tasting juice I’ve ever had. I could drink that forever.
Photo courtesy of Fairmont Kea Lani
One of the best parts of staying at the Fairmont was that they provide a free traditional Hawaiian canoe ride for their guests. The Kea Lani’s canoe experience is run by guides that are multi-generation native Hawaiians that know the area like no other. Riders can hop out of the canoe and go snorkeling. Each excursion pretty much guarantees at least a turtle sighting. In addition to turtles, if you visit Maui from December through April, you may also see and hear humpback whales during their mating season in the Islands. Hawaiian spinner dolphins and Hawaiian monk seals also frequently make appearances during the canoe ride.
So I am a skincare buff and I absolutely was sure that I had to try a treatment at the famous and award-winning Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Kea Lani. It was recognized as "World's Best Hotel Spa”. Plus, I’ve had a HydraFacial on my bucket list for a pretty long time. I’ve been doing facials since I was 11. Yeah, I’m a skin snob. But holy crap! The HydraFacial was actually one of my highlights of the trip. It was hands-down the best facial I’ve ever had in my life and I’ve done IPLS and all sorts of gold and other fancy facials before. For those unfamiliar with the HydraFacial, it's a medical-grade hydradermabrasion machine that cleanses, exfoliates, and infuses skin with moisturizing serums! The machine requires no painful extractions. It vacuums out pores while pushing in helpful ingredients that brighten, plump, and protect. I was glowing when I got out. I wish I could have one more often. That was life changing!
For this short trip to Maui, I mainly stayed on property to relax. It was very important to me to stay at a resort that had lots of authentic activities that would keep me entertained. The food was another important component for me. One of the problems I have when I go to Hawaii is that I overeat. I eat all the local foods, which unfortunately have a lot of starch and carbs. This trip really helped me eat cleaner and healthier. I never felt bloated or crashed from eating too much. The food tasted amazing and I was able just to sit back and relax for three days.
This was a beautiful private party set up that the Fairmont put together for us to enjoy our dinner while watching the sunset on the beach. I could totally see coming back and getting married here. How gorgeous is that chandelier? If you’re thinking about doing a party or any sort of celebration, you should really check them out!
For those who are interested in following and booking my Maui trip for themselves, The Fairmont Kea Lani is currently offering a brand new Luxe Villa Adventure package. A number of the experiences you saw me enjoying on social media like (VIP arrival, Villas, Spa, Yacht and chef BBQ are all part of this package. The package is called the Luxe Villa Adventure. It’s perfect for those who want the very best and to travel in style.
LUXE VILLA ADVENTURE
Package Includes:
Luxury Oceanfront or Ocean View Villa accommodation
VIP Welcome Greeting and Airport Pickup
Private Villa BBQ
2 hour Private Satisfaction Yacht Cruise
Two 60-minute Willow Stream Spa experiences
Le Labo Discovery Set
Availability:
Between Tuesday, November 13, 2018 and Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Rates:
Luxury beach villa rates from $2,419 USD per night, excluding taxes, with a minimum of five nights stay. This offer is subject to availability at time of booking.
Disclaimer: I was invited to the Fairmont Kea Lani as part of a media trip. All views are my own. I am grateful for their invitation and hospitality.
All comments and opinions are strictly my own.
