Northern California Style

Northern California Style

Getaways -The Mauna Lani Hotel in The Big Island

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Last week it was winter break for our kids at school and we decided to make a trek to one of my favorite spots on the planet, The Big Island of Hawaii. Regular readers of this blog know how much I love this place and it’s beauty. In fact I had to control myself from over Instagramming while I was there. There’s just so much gorgeousness. I’ve been to Hawaii in June (our usual time) and in April for Easter, and this was our first time in February. Even thought it was high season by their standards, it never feels crowded in the Big Island or where we love to stay, The Mauna Lani.

What keeps bringing us back to The Mauna Lani is the serene and understated elegance that just seems to permeate the whole resort. It’s modern and pretty, but has an old school Hawaiian vibe about it. To me that means wonderful Big Island people- the same employees have there since my boys were small and remember us, though it’s often years between visits. 
 
 
It also shows in their huge commitment to historic preservation of the Hawaii culture as the 30 ocean-front acres are set amid historic Hawaiian fishing ponds.  A cultural center where you can learn ukulele or weave a pretty basket, as well as an historic cottage for storytelling and music makes you feel part of true Hawaii and not a big hotel’s phony version of it.

The minute I walk through the entrance there is ukulele music gently wafting on air and the smell of tropical flowers hits me. I’m relaxed before I can even think about it!


Right before I left on this trip coincidentally I was contacted by the Mauna Lani to share about special rates they have beginning March 1. When they heard I was traveling there they invited me to experience dinner with my family at the legendary Canoe House with their newest Chef de Cuisine. Who could refuse? So today I’ll share all the good things about this hidden gem of a resort. Just don’t tell too many people! I want it to stay that way.

First thing in the morning, my favorite thing is to grab some Kona coffee or a coconut latte at the Mountain Thunder Roasting Company in the lobby and then take an early morning beach walk with my husband while the kids sleep in.  This is the northern facing beach on the property near the bungalows and has the best turtle sighting and is a pretty walk or jog. There’s a path to the Fairmont Orchid which is about a ten minute walk along the beach here. You can also take a one of the beach cruiser bikes over there and have  lunch or to the Mauna Lani Shops and restaurants which are about a five minute drive or ten minutes by bike.

After that we usually have buffet breakfast overlooking the fishponds and beach. Love this outdoor seat to all the birds and flowers. It’s a wonderful way to begin the day.

 

Since there are two beaches we sometimes walk through the historic fishponds. On this day we came across someone playing guitar. It’s such a inspiring spot.
On this side of the resort, there is fantastic snorkeling in a secluded cove and Mauna Lani Sea Adventures where you can rent standup paddle boards, kayaks, canoes, surf or learn to scuba, take a night dive or a catamaran sail. My guys were loving the snorkeling and saw so many beautiful fish. They spent a lot of time standup paddle boarding too.
The beach here also has a little restaurant if you want lunch with a view

We loved the little cat who has a special spot to nap at the lifeguard station here!

 

After lunch we like to go back to the pool at the hotel which is very large and never feels crowded. We have never once felt the need to save a chair at the pool or the beach and I was happy that it was the same during the busier high season in February. Everyone loves the afternoon popsicles they hand out at the pool!
There are also 3 jacuzzis- one for the small ones with little spurting fountains. There’s the Ocean Grill here too which serves cocktails, lunch, dinner and snacks from 11- 8:30. The view cannot be beat and it’s a perfect place to watch the sunset.

I also am partial to the front beach of the resort as it has beautiful trees, hammocks and cabanas to duck into and read or watch sailboats float by. There’s a nice reef here for beginning snorkelers and paddle boarders. It’s also where the green turtles or Honu like to sun themselves. You have to be careful not to step on one as they sometimes blend in with the lava rocks!

This little point is probably my favorite spot…

 

 

 Great tide pooling out here as well. The boys love it.
This to me is the most paradise part of the resort and the most relaxing!
My youngest just couldn’t get enough of the hammocks.
The view from our ocean front corner room was wonderful too.
I see why some people never left their rooms!
Most evenings there is live hula and music in the hotel’s center.
Our last two nights were the best. First, we had dinner at The Canoe House which is located right on the properties oceanfront and is all about fresh and sustainable ingredients. Chef Alan Nagun is the new Chef de Cuisine and focuses on using the farm to table as his suppliers are all nearby small farmers. He himself is a Big Island native as are many of the longtime team here and they work together so well to showcase the best of food, drink and a dining experience you won’t forget.
Our view from the table right before sunset of the torch lighter.

I think this picture says it all. Probably the prettiest sunset and view we’ve ever had at dinner!

Cocktails did not disappoint! I love a flower in my drink. They have many house specialty drinks and a terrific wine list. David Morimoto the manager, has worked in Napa and has brought his knowledge of wines to the table so to speak here.

 

 

It was hard to choose what to order.

 

Everyone takes photos at sunset and on the bridge into the restaurant as it’s exquisitely picturesque.

 

Max had the wok tossed lobster, a new creation by the chef and it was AMAZING! I want to have it again. Yes I ate some of his..Okay a lot of his!

I had the macadamia encrusted mahi mahi. Was wonderful with pineapple relish.

I can’t eat enough macadamia items when I’m in Hawaii.

My boys had filet mignon and were in heaven.

Desserts were pretty as well as yummy with a kit kat bar like creation that we all wanted more of and a bread pudding to die for!
There was even a special pineapple drink too! Max ordered it and I just posed with it. I think I had the perfect Hawaiian dinner ensemble with my Trina Turk fringed short outfit and my grandma’s vintage coral color beads which I think were from a Hawaiian trip in the late 1960’s she took.
If you plan to go to The Canoe House, make a reservation as this is a very popular destination for visitors from all over the island. There’s live slack guitar music every night and there is also a special Captain’s Table where chef Alan offers a blind tasting menu Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. He uses 85% of Big Island ingredients paired with his personal wine choices!  The restaurant is closed on Sundays. I think this is probably one of those experiences you want to savor at the end of your trip as it’s an evening you’ll remember for a long time. I know we did.
As if The Canoe House wasn’t enough, we were fortunate that our last night coincided with Twilight at Kalahuipua’a, Talk Story Under a Full Moon- the Mauna Lani’s evening of storytelling and entertainment held monthly on the Saturday closest to the full moon rise at the Eva Parker Woods cottage lawn. Historian Danny Akaka shares Hawaiian legends and lore and there is a musical guest. Everyone brings a chair or a blanket and some even had dinner and settle in for a night under the moon. This particular night we were so lucky as the guest was none other than Jake Shimabukuro, who is one of the most famous and innovative ukulele players in the world. We had no idea how talented he was. He plays the ukulele unlike you’ve ever heard it before from celtic music to Jackson Five and even Queen along with Hawaiian songs.
Right after Jake began playing people were oohing and suddenly the whole audience saw that whales were going crazy flipping and splashing not far off the beach. There were several of them and they wouldn’t stop. At one point Jake jokingly said he’d just play background music as we were all mesmerized. The evening could not have been more magical. I highly recommend going to this special night if you are at the resort during the full moon Saturday. You’ll never forget the stories, fun and maybe you’ll see whales too. Pretty romantic!
One more thing I learned about the Mauna Lani and have to pass along.. They are a Green Resort and generate the most solar power of any resort in the world and were named top Eco-Friendly Beach Resort by Conde’ Nast Traveler. They received an award from Golf Magazine as one of the ten Golf resorts that were leaders in environmental stewardship. Love that! They also have a turtle program where they raise them from babies and set them free on July 4 each year. If you happen to be in The Big Island, that is the day they swim them out to sea and help educate the public about these beautiful creatures. How cool to do that! It’s on my list.
Click on this link to the resort where they have a beautiful video playing that really shows the whole expanse of this beautiful property.

Next up on the blog, I’ll share my other favorite spot on the Big Island..It was hard to leave the resort, but we did make it out to some cool places.  Then I’ll tell you what to pack and what to bring home from a Big Island getaway.

Thanks for coming along!

Kim

Last photo courtesy of Mauna Lani, all other property of NorthernCalStyle.

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Comments

  2. Coulda shoulda woulda says

    You are killing me with these pics. I showed them to my husband on your IG feed and I was saying we need to go although I can't figure out how we will get there with his no flying. But I just love the place and the light you captured is how i remember it except I also remember the gentle mist of rain. So glad you all looked like you had a great time xx

    Reply

  3. MsBintheBayArea says

    What a fun post!! Your beautiful pictures made me feel like I was there! We love the Big island and I agree that it never feels busy, which is so wonderful! I'll never forget the first time we landed on the Big Island and all I could see was black lava out the window and I thought, what have we gotten ourselves into?! Such an incredibly beautiful and diverse island and I have come to love the black lava against the beautiful turquoise waters and against the beautiful green palms. Gorgeous! We never miss having dinner at the Canoe House or Brown's Beach House when we are there! Always so delicious and the backdrop stunning. We discovered a great place to have lunch the last time we were there called Jackie Rey's Ohana Grill ….so delicious and fresh and a great spot to check out when you are near Kailua-Kona. Look forward to your next post!

    Reply

  4. DaniBP says

    How amazing! Hawaii wasn't even on my list but now it is in the top three, I'm dying over the beauty and the relaxed vibe just comes through in the photos. Your whole family is looking great (love your outfit for dinner: 11/10) and the boys are getting so big!
    My whole family would love this trip but with my older two entering their young adult working years it's difficult to organize a family holiday, but I know my Mr would love this place and it would be the perfect relaxing antidote to hectic life. Thanks so much for sharing this with us Kim XOX

    Reply

  5. Jennifer Connolly says

    I'm drooling over your photos. It's all so beautiful. I love, love, love everything about Hawaii. It looks like an amazing trip for your family. You could never have over posted on Instagram for my taste.
    XO Jennifer

    Reply

  6. LPC says

    Beautiful. I am wondering, how is the beach there? Swimmable? Water is deep enough? We usually stay at the Four Seasons but their beaches are very lava-ey:).Always looking for the perfect Hawaiian stay. Of course, they are all perfect in their own ways:).

    Reply

  10. kim at northerncalstyle. says

    April, Thank you. I know the first time I landed there I thought it seemed like a desert! Then I saw all the beautiful beaches and the beautiful tropical parts too. It's really something isn't it? I haven't gotten to The Ohana Grill, but will put it on my list! Sounds great!

    Reply

  13. kim at northerncalstyle. says

    Lisa, The beach is swimmable all around the whole resort. The only exception is in front of the Canoe House which is off to the far right of the resort. There are bigger waves there and people surf. Otherwise, it's great for kids and everyone to swim, unlike some resorts…I love The Four Season's Hualailai, but the gorgeous front beach is not swimmable and their other to the right has a very small and shallow reef so not ideal. This time The Four Seasons was closed down to 'outside' people so I didn't even have lunch there and it wasn't missed.

    Reply

  15. Alissa says

    Kim, hi again! Would you believe I’ve been to 46 of our great US States and never Hawaii? We’re planning our Thanksgiving family vacation to Hawaii! I’m so excited. And after reading your posts, I was eager to take a look at your fav hotel. Sad to see that rooms are unavailable – perhaps closing for renovation? Could I ask you to recommend another lovely resort? We have so many friends who’ve been there and of course there are thousands of websites for info, but I love your style and value things you seem to prioritize for you and your family – your recommendation would mean a lot! Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!
    Sincerely,
    Alissa (new Los Gatos resident!)

    Reply

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