Go It’s time for a trip to Hawaii.

Destinations

THE LATEST LOCAL TRAVEL DEALS AND GETAWAYS PLUS JOURNEYS AROUND THE GLOBE

HAWAII CALLS

Whether 20 years ago or last month, a getaway on the islands is always just what the doctor ordered.

BY MIMI TOWLE

A vintage look at the Outrigger Hotel on Waikiki Beach.

WE COULDN’T HELP but notice that many iconic properties are celebrating milestone anniversaries marking decades of Hawaiian hospitality. With such a strong tie between Marin County and the Hawaiian Islands, we knew many readers (and even some staffers) would have cherished memories from the 50th state. Here are their stories.

The Memories

• OAHU A summer in Kahala included din-

ners at Kahala Hilton and a breach of national security for Michele Johnson of San Rafael.

“My mother rented a house in Kahala during the summer of 1971, after my high school graduation. She wanted to ensure my father’s death two years prior didn’t keep us from having fun and moving forward. One of the best things about the location of the house is we could walk down the beach to eat at the beautiful Kahala Hilton and listen to the amazing Hawaiian singer Danny Kaleikini. One day, I drove our rented station wagon to see Pearl Harbor with my mom, brother, sisters, cousin and grandparents inside. I was 17 years old and newly licensed. I mistakenly pulled up to the naval station gate and when instructed to turn around, I continued straight instead of following the guard’s directions to proceed to the left. I guess the military police thought we meant harm, because sirens and whistles sounded and officers came running from every direction. We were surrounded; I slunk down in my seat while all my relatives cried out my name in disbelief.”

• BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII A favorite child-

hood vacation spot for Mill Valley’s Claudia Cowen, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel becomes the setting for an unexpected proposal and a lifesaving moment with a Hollywood legend.

“Back in 1980, after dating for about three years, my then-boyfriend Steve brought me to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel because he knew it was a special place from my childhood. My mother had brought me to this hotel when I was 9 years old, and I remember it so well — the wind blowing through the lobby, the flower leis they gave us with juice as we checked in, the stingray pool and the hammock outside our room. I remember the foot-long hot dogs they had at the beach, before there was an actual restaurant, and I remember we ended up running into my mom’s dear friend Rock Hudson, with whom she made two films in 1954. At one point, when I got stuck snorkeling offthe white-sand beach after a riptide caught me, it was Rock Hudson who came to the rescue. He was with his longtime boyfriend, Tom Clark, and the two of them joined us for dinner and breakfast almost every day. Another family friend, Cloris Leachman, was also at the Mauna Kea with her son and future soap opera star Morgan Englund. He was about my age, and after a few days of playing on the beach, he became the object of a very hard crush. Despite that detail, Steve knew how special these memories were for me, and when it came time for him to propose, he arranged a surprise dinner for two on an old putting green, right on the edge of the water. I thought we were headed to the hotel manager’s meetand-greet party on the tennis courts. Instead, Steve guided me to a candlelit path that led right to our own private perch over the ocean. We saw the sun go down, the stars come out, and 21 years of marriage later, he’s still the most romantic man I know.”

MICHELE JOHNSON CLAUDIA COWEN

• KAUAI San Anselmo’s Heidi Darling had an

idyllic childhood living the hippie lifestyle on the North Shore of Kauai, with a few cinnamon rolls thrown in for fun.

“Our family had so many fun celebratory dinners at the Coco Palms, especially when my grandparents would visit. But our go-to special occasion spot was the Princeville. On many Sundays we would go to the old stone church in Kilauea; I remember hearing the windows were shipped all the way from England in the ’30s and the land was donated by the sugar plantation. It was the cool place to be — so much history. After church, we would often go to the Princeville for family brunch back when people dressed for that sort of thing (even crazy hippie haoles!). I loved anything with sugar because my parents didn’t allow it at home — my favorite were the cinnamon rolls with lots of frosting and I always had to have seconds of haupia pudding. Another Sunday we skipped church and drove to Kalihiwai beach in my mom’s silver Honda hatchback (she had one of the first of these models on the island). We used to paddle out to see the dolphins, but on this particular day it was eerily quiet because there had been a tsunami warning that we didn’t know about — luckily it never showed up and we had the beach to ourselves.”

• OAHU A year early, Dan Jewett, a 1970s-

era Dixie School alumnus, joined friends and classmates for a senior trip to Waikiki.

“Although I was only a junior at the time, my four best friends were all graduating seniors and when they mentioned the idea of joining in on the senior class trip to Waikiki, I made sure to invite myself along — I wasn’t going to miss this trip. We stayed at the Outrigger in Waikiki and definitely enjoyed the all-you-caneat buffet at Perry Boys’ Smorgy in the lobby

HEIDI DARLING

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Our beautiful Hawaii hotels and resorts are ideally located, so you can see the sights, play on the beach and experience local shopping and dining. Our live Hawaiian music, hula and ukulele lessons are complimentary and will create a lifetime of memories.

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DAN JEWETT

of the hotel. The location was great and we all thought we were pretty cool, traveling alone for the first time and some of us were even able to go to clubs (the drinking age was only 18 then). As I remember it, The Breakfast Club was in theaters, and we hit the streets of Waikiki with the attitude of Judd Nelson, but probably came across a little more like Anthony Michael Hall. The limited nightlife aside (we weren’t all 18) we enjoyed hitting the beach, visiting the exotic gardens, snorkeling, renting scooters, diving off waterfalls and visiting Diamond Head Crater and Pearl Harbor. We all definitely had a great time. I’ve since returned many times for fun and adventure with my wife, who was born on Oahu — she’s the best tour guide.”

• MAUI Ashley and Riley Hurd, of San

Rafael, bring baby Riley to Maui for the first of many family vacations.

“We’ve gone to Maui for the past three years, and since our good friends Jeff nd Laura just had a baby, we decided to all go together. In the past we have stayed in condos in Kihei and Wailea and we’ve also stayed at the Sheraton in Kaanapali. This time we stayed at the Villas in Wailea, right next to the Grand Wailea; it was the perfect location. As soon as we got there I took Riley out of the water and dipped his toes in the little waves. He loved it, especially when he got splashed. Having a baby with us was great; when he napped we relaxed and since he wasn’t walking yet, he wasn’t hard to contain when he was up. And he slept great. A T-shirt and diaper was all he needed and we all loved the weather. This will definitely become our family tradition.”

ASHLEY AND RILEY HURD

• MAUI Jimmy Dillon, of Mill Valley, has deep

roots in Maui; he lived there and played music in the ’70s and recently married his wife Kelli in Paia, starting a new chapter of Maui memories.

“This photo was taken in Maui around 1971 or so. I lived in Makena on Little Beach, where I camped out and played acoustic guitar during my Cat Stevens period. I played my first Maui gig at Lahaina Yacht Club and Peter Fonda was in the audience; his boat Tatoosh was parked in the harbor. At that time Makena was a ninemile hike on a dirt road to get in, long before

HAWAII • FIJI • AUSTRALIA THAILAND • BALI • GUAM • MAURITIUS On the Horizon: CHINA • VIETNAM

JIMMY DILLON

HANG TEN. HANG LOOSE. HANG OUT.

Wailea existed. A few years later I met Mike Pinder from the Moody Blues at Baldwin Beach and did his solo album The Promise in Malibu. Still later I bought some property in Olinda, where I built a house and played at Blue Max during the mid-’70s with my band Oasis. Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, Boz Scaggs all hung out and jammed — great moments! It was a very magical time to be there for sure. My brother Bill still lives upcountry in Ulupalakua and I just played there a few weeks ago at Fleetwood’s, where we did a benefit show for Tibetan monks and the Dharma Center in Paia.”

The Venues

Looking to create some of your own memories? Here are a few of our favorite (50ish-year-old) properties on the islands that have aged gracefully.

Maui/Molokai/Lanai

HOTEL LANAI was built in the early 1920s right on the main street of downtown Lanai as a guesthouse for James Dole’s executives. Enjoy a second night at 50 percent off, and each consecutive night take 25 percent off he rack rate of $189. hotellanai.com

HOTEL MOLOKAI, built in 1966, is offering the “Romantic Retreat” package, which includes an oceanfront room, wine, chocolates and fresh flowers starting at $299 for the first night and $249 after that; use the promotion code “ROMR” when booking. hotelmolokai.com

NAPILI KAI RESORT, just north of Kaanapali Resort area, is an oceanfront development that first opened in 1962 with 11 units. The property was the brainchild of a handful of Canadian investors who wanted to create an unpretentious low-rise, traditional-style resort. Today the property boasts 163 hotel rooms, studios, and one-, two- and threebedroom suites on Napili Bay — all, except the hotel rooms, feature kitchens. The winter promotion offers the seventh night free, rooms start at $280 per night. napilikai.com

TRAVAASA HANA Want to skip the long and winding legendary road to Hana? Travaasa Hana is offering complimentary round-trip flights (value $240 per couple) from Kahului to Hana on Mokulele Airlines for guests who book three nights or more. Room rates for “Total Travaasa” (includes three meals per day and $125 per person credit per day) start at $600 per night, or standard rooms start at $350 per night. travaasa.com

ROYAL HAWAIIAN

Surf Lessons Shopping Hike Le¯‘ahi (Diamond Head) Farm-to-Table Cuisine

visit-oahu.com or like us at facebook.com/OahuHawaii.

Kauai

ASTON WAIMEA PLANTATION COTTAGES

dates back to the last 1800s with architecture from three west-side plantations. The oldest houses are from H.P. Fayé Company at Mana and date from 1884. The H.P. Fayé house was used in the filming of 1981’s The Thorn Birds at its original location in Mana. The 48 vacation rentals in the complex are arranged from the oldest houses, original Waimea Sugar camp homes built between 1900 and 1920 to younger Kekaha Sugar homes from 1918 through 1938. Plantations provided woodburning cement stoves and water heaters, with garden plots for each house. The complex has retained plantation idiosyncrasies such as outbuildings for washing machines, chicken-wire fences and food safes. Inside, the amenities are comfortable and modern. Enjoy the “Spring Savings” special starting at $189 per night. astonhotels.com HANALEI COLONY RESORT opened in 1969 and is located on a secluded beach in a remote area of Kauai’s North Shore. The property features 48 two-bedroom suites, all with kitchens and private lanais. The “Rainbow of Savings” offer includes 20 percent off he rack rate, which starts at $256 per night. hcr.com

Oahu

The distinctively elegant HALEKULANI ON WAIKIKI had a rather modest beginning as a small residential hotel consisting of five bungalows called the Hau Tree. The Kimball family purchased the property in 1917, spiffed it up and named it Halekulani, or “House Befitting Heaven.” Rates start at $520 per night for a garden courtyard view. halekulani.com

The 6.5-acre KAHALA HOTEL & RESORT is kicking off its 50th anniversary this

OUTRIGGER REEF’S RICHARD (LEFT) AND ROY KELLEY

fall with its “The Legend Inspires, The Promise Continues” room and restaurant promotions. Rates start at $422 per night (three-night minimum); guests can enjoy a view of the Waialae golf course, daily buffet breakfast for two at the Plumeria Beach House and a $50 resort credit. Other packages include: The “Kahala 1964 Golden Jubilee” package, featuring a two-night stay with breakfast buffet for two at $1,964, and the “Kahala Imperial Suite, Golden Jubilee” package, featuring five nights, a multi-island helicopter tour, private sunset catamaran sail, breakfast, lunches and dinners and spa treatments for $50,000. kahalaresort.com

The MOANA HOTEL was Waikiki’s first hotel after it opened in 1901 with an elevator and telephones in every room and a rate of $1.50 per night. Opt for the Starwood Group’s “Ocean” promotion here to save at least 30 percent on ocean-view rooms with daily breakfast for two; rooms start at $405 per night. moana-surfrider.com

OUTRIGGER REEF As a Hawaii-born company and a family-owned business with a 66-year history, the Outrigger group has many properties throughout the islands. One of the first was the Ocean and Diamond Head towers of the Outrigger Reef on the Beach built in 1955; the hotel’s Pacific Tower was built 10 years later in 1965. While the rack rate is $519, there are various promotions, allowing guests to get rates starting as low as $375. outrigger.com

The ROYAL HAWAIIAN is set on 10 acres of prime property in Waikiki; the “Pink Palace of the Pacific” was opened in 1927. The “Timeless Waikiki” package, which includes daily breakfast for two, $100 resort credit per stay and a

KAHALA HOTEL & RESORT

One More Day in Paradise

*5th Night Free

Indulge in The Fairmont Kea Lani’s luxurious suites and oceanfront villas for one more day. When you stay four nights, enjoy the fifth night free. Now, find your mana (energy) at the newly-opened Willow Stream Spa. With unique experiences that combine Maui-sourced products, oils and herbs with ancient Hawaiian tradition, you will return home with a restored sense of kaulike (balance).

Call 800.270.9904 or visit fairmont.com/marin

Some restrictions and black-out dates apply.

complimentary fourth night, starts at $580 per night. royal-hawaiian.com

Hawaii

The MAUNA KEA BEACH HOTEL, which opened in 1965, is officially turning 50 next year and has recently undergone a renovation of its beachfront accommodations. The “Prince Winter Escape” package includes the rate of $825 per night and for those staying four consecutive nights, the fifth night is free and a $300 resort credit is offered. princeresortshawaii.com

The VOLCANO HOUSE HOTEL, which originally opened in 1864, has recently been restored and now offers 33 historic guest rooms, a dining room, snack bar, lounge and gift shop, along with cultural events and demonstrations; rates start at $59 per night. hawaiivolcanohouse.com m

ANOTHER SUNNY BEACH DAY, OUR COMPLIMENTS

Spring into Summer* with FREE nights, resort credits and breakfast buffets at the newly refreshed oceanfront Prince Resorts on Hawaii Island and Oahu. Come experience gracious hospitality and no mandatory resort fees.

*Package inclusions vary per property. Offer is valid April 20 - September 30, 2014. Some restrictions apply.

1.866.PRINCE.6 | PrinceResortsHawaii.com/Spring

MAUNA KEA BEACH HOTEL | HAPUNA BEACH PRINCE HOTEL | HAWAII PRINCE HOTEL WAIKIKI