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! ! 2016!TYD!Media!Highlights! 2017 YTD Media Highlights
Kukui'ula 2017&YTD&Media&Expsure&Summary &Return&on&Investment:&18 MEDIA&OUTLET PLACEMENTS:
DATE
AUDIENCE
PR&VALUE
Departures CNT.com RobbReport.com UniqueHomes.com, DaySpaMagazine.com TravelWeekly.com Forbes.com Luxury,Magazine Martha,Stewart,Weddings LuxuryTravelMagazine.com, OceanHome.com, The,Hollywood,Reporter GolfDigest.com EcoSalon.com Woodbury,Magazine GlobalTraveler.com LATimes.com MauiNews.com RobbReport.com BridalGuide.com RobbReport.com FourZMagazine.com VeganZMagazine.com Coastal,Living CoastalLiving.com OceanHome.com NRN.com, Travel,Channel,(Instagram) Food,Network,(FB) MansionGlobal.com
September,2017 August,24,,2017
1,387,141 5,340,667
$132,187 $3,560
August,25,,2017 August,14,,2017
473,398 82,707
$20,192 $904
July,20,,2017 July,17,,2017
29,206 37,005
$708 $7,042
July,13,,2017 Summer,2017
29,730,942 110,000
$134,780 $13,125
Summer,2017 June,26,,2017
210,944 146,108
$17,662 $1,163
June,23,,2017 June,14,,2017 June,8,,2017
33,301 72,264 1,548,986
$2,750 $12,000 $6,970
May,30,,2017 Summer,2017 June,1,,2017 May,3,,2017
161,776 10,000 50,415 23,969,120
$1,941 $500 $946 $9,587
May,1,,2017 April,27,,2017 April,27,,2017 April,21,,2017
67,613 631,010 1,882,462 631,010
$1,014 $20,192 $9,412 $20,192
April,20,,2017 April,20,,2017
10,000 16,545
$500 $500
May,2017 April,18,,2017 April,6,,2017 March,23,,2017
660,123 860,242 22,000 60,509
$86,250 $25,807 $2,750 $605
March,19Z20,,2017 March,20,,2017 March,17,,2017
1,400,000 48,129 1,243,072
N/A N/A $3,107
San,Francisco,Chronicle, “Island,Style”
March,12,,2017
167,602
$942
Elite,Traveler, ChefsFeed.com Travel,Weekly San,Francisco,Chronicle, SFChronicle.com
March/,April,2017 March,6,,2017 February,22,,2017 February,12,,2017 February,9,,2017
97,059 28,900 37,005 245,772 844,229
$434,700 $500 $30,144 $942 $9,725
PacificBusinessNews.com GOOP Elite,Traveler
February,6,,2017 February,5,,2017 January/February,2017
43,132 1,125,533 97,059
$992 $4,783 $13,584
January,15,,2017 January,2017
2,094,757 1,011,407
$7,855 $124,800
UPCOMING&COMMITMENTS: GoEscape,Magazine,(USA,Today), DuJour
Fall,2017 Fall,2017
100,000 332,197
TBD TBD
Agent,Inc.,Magazine
Fall,2017
TBD
TBD
Unique,Homes Luxe,Lavs/,Peter,Greenberg AOL,Travel Robb,Report Vogue.com Luxe,Life,(Houston,Chronicle) Frommers.com C,Magazine,
Fall,2017 Fall,2017 Fall,2017,
40,000 TBD 191,782
TBD TBD TBD
Fall,2017
631,010
TBD
Fall,2017 Fall,2017 October,2017
6,599,016 TBD 3,775,470
TBD TBD TBD
Fall,2017, TOTAL&CIRCULATION&TO&DATE:
152,270 88,540,895
TBD
StarAdvertiser.com Marie,Claire
TOTAL&PR&VALUE&TO&DATE: 8&month&return&on&investment&
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W W W. T R A V E LW E E K LY. C O M
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The Evolution of All-Inclusive
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I N M O N T EG O B AY
Rose Hall H YAT T Z I L A R A A N D H YAT T Z I VA R O S E H A L L
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COVER STORY
BABY ON BOARD As parents increasingly embrace travel with infants, websites, agents and suppliers are coming up with ways to make the experience easier and more enjoyable.
14 TRAVEL WEEKLY
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TW ILLUSTRATION BY THOMAS R LECHLEITER
By Michelle Baran
I
t is perhaps one of the most polarizing issues among travelers, and yet more families than ever are bringing their infants and toddlers with them for vacations near and far, schlepping them despite all the gear, diaper changes and patience they require.
And as more families choose to travel with tots, it seems as if they are being received with greater acceptance and improved amenities as well as with exasperated disapproval and unhelpful loopholes. When it comes to making it easier to travel with a baby, “travel companies have both taken great strides forward but also many leaps backward,” said Corinne McDermott, who founded the parent-travel advice and resource site Have Baby Will Travel. McDermott provided as an example that while most airlines will check or gate check baby gear for free, many airlines have also done away with family preboarding. Additionally, she said, some airlines have great kid-friendly onboard entertainment, but many planes only have one washroom with a changing table. Asked whether she thought there is greater acceptance of traveling with real little ones today than in the past, McDermott said, “If you read comments on internet articles about traveling with a baby, the answer to this would be a resounding ‘No!’” Indeed, a big part of the challenge, according to Marianne Perez de Fransius, co-founder of Bebe Voyage, an online community of globe-trotting parents, is that there is a much more negative attitude toward traveling with a baby in the U.S. than exists elsewhere in the world. “I would definitely say that in North America, traveling with a baby is seen as much more unnatural or subject to criticism,” de Fransius said. “In the U.S. in particular, trav-
elers who travel with babies feel like they’re getting the side-eye and feel like they have to fight for things. Either it’s perceived as potentially unhealthy for the baby — what happens if your baby gets sick? — or it seems frivolous — your baby isn’t going to remember this so what’s the point? Is it really worth it, considering all the gear?” Consequently, de Fransius said, when Americans travel with their babies internationally, they’re surprised to find how friendly and welcoming international fellow travelers can be toward their little ones. “When Americans travel to the Middle East, they’ll say, ‘It was a totally different world. Everyone liked the baby. Everyone was so excited, and they were entertaining our baby,’”de Fransius said. “Depending on which part of the world you’re in, it’s a very different experience.” Bebe Voyage was launched in 2015 in an effort to create a supportive online community for traveling parents, people who could lift each other up rather than discourage or cast doubt on a parent’s decision to travel the world with small children. The Bebe Voyage Facebook page, which has more than 6,000 followers, and website are intended to serve as forums where advice, services and information can be exchanged among traveling families to motivate and inspire them to take just about any global adventure with their babies and toddlers. They swap tips on how to find babysitters in distant locations, what kind of accommodations are most baby-friendly
(vacation rentals are often touted as the most convenient), how and where to rent cribs and other baby gear and how to respond to medical or health issues that can crop up. More recently, Bebe Voyage has also become more involved in legislative issues that impact traveling families. For example, it threw its support behind the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act (Babes Act), which was signed into law in December, just in time for the busy holiday travel season. The law requires the TSA to better train its agents to ensure that parents traveling with breast milk, formula and infant-feeding equipment aren’t mistreated and that breast milk isn’t forcibly tossed out, equipment isn’t broken or flights get missed due to prolonged inspections. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.), who wrote the act, stated: “For parents, working moms [and] caretakers, air travel can present its own unique challenges, and to accommodate these challenges, the TSA has important exemptions in place that allow passengers to bring breast milk, bottles and feeding equipment through airport security and onboard the aircraft.” Beutler said she introduced the Babes Act in response to numerous reports of traveling parents being subjected to inconsistent, possibly harassing scrutiny from the TSA when attempting to travel with breast milk, formula and infantfeeding equipment.
The next generation of travelers Despite the challenges, and perhaps to the chagrin of travelers not interested in sitting next to a screaming toddler on an intercontinental flight or being awakened in the middle of the night by a baby bunking in the hotel room next door, anecdotal evidence suggests that a growing number of families have embraced the notion of vacationing with a baby. Consequently, a growing number of suppliers are introducing amenities to cater to them. Misty Ewing Belles, managing director of global public relations at Virtuoso and herself a traveling mom, said, “Overall, the traveling public continues to grow, and as a result there are more traveling babies out in the world. Busy working parents want to take advantage of every available second with their kids, and multigenerational travel, great See BABY on Page 16
Left, from left, Marianne Perez de Fransius, co-founder of Bebe Voyage, an online site that offers advice for traveling parents, with her husband and son; Beth Ertas, Bebe Voyage’s chief technology officer, with her husband and daughter; and co-founder Juliet Perrachon with her husband and son. Above, Corinne McDermott, founder of parent travel advice and resource site Have Baby Will Travel, with her children in Cuba.
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Continued from Page 15 baby- and toddler-friendly travel providers, all factor into it.” She added: “It’s also why Gen Z, your kids and mine, are poised to be the best traveled generation to date and, most likely, the most influential at an earlier age.” McDermott observed that select hotels and resorts have made it their policy to be more baby- and toddler-friendly in an effort to be more competitive with the growing vacation-rental industry. Many hotels, she said, no longer charge for cribs or cots, and some even offer welcome packages for young guests including baby toiletries, minibathrobes, stroller rentals and milk and cookies during turndown service. According to Julie Danziger, director of luxury travel services for New York-based Ovation Vacations and a parent traveler, the investment in the youngest members of the family makes sense. “Travel companies have come a long way and are truly taking it up a notch understanding that the happiness of the
Above, play spaces at airports, such as the one at Bermuda’s L.F. Wade, can keep a toddler entertained while waiting. Left, Daniel Lakey and his kids on a Yellowstone vacation. His sister, Lesley Egbert, owner of the Live Longitude agency in Montana, helped plan the family trip.
baby or toddler is literally what will be the secret to a happy customer who will come back,” Danziger said. Some of the most baby- and child-friendly upscale properties, Danziger said, are Ritz-Carlton (“They have put tents, popcorn machines, board games, activity mats and scavenger hunts around the hotels, in our rooms.”); Four Seasons (They “really focus on making the toddlers and babies feel that they are VIPs.”); Acqualina (“They have all the baby gear you need ready, from Diaper Genies to babyfriendly bath products.”); and Aman (“They do an amazing job with kids, and many of their rooms have private pools, making it easy to nap the baby and still enjoy some time in your suite by the pool.”). Travel sellers interviewed for this story also cited Disney resorts and cruise line as being obvious good choices for traveling with tykes but also gave high grades to Club Med, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. There are, of course, numerous additional resorts and cruise lines that are courting this business, from all-inclusives to cruise lines, from ski resorts to theme parks. Depending on the family’s needs, travel sellers should ideally be able to recommend the right brand and price point that suits them (many traveling families are on a budget, after all). Lesley Egbert, owner of Helena, Mont.-based Live Longitude, an independent agency member of the Avoya Travel Network, said the key to building a successful vacation for a family traveling with a baby or toddler is qualifying not just the parents but the little ones, as well. “It’s really finding out about what the family’s interests are and really designing a package working around what’s going to work best for them,” she said. “Not all kids are created equal. I’ve had 4-year-olds who can walk 10 miles.” Flight options are important, too, she noted. For example, it helps to get a direct flight when possible or allow for enough time during connecSee BABY on Page 36
No need to worry, baby’s first Hawaii trip a positive experience
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t was the one thing I didn’t want to have happen on our trip. And sure enough, 24 hours before our flight to Maui last month, our then-6-month-old, Niko, started sounding stuffed up. To say I lost it a little bit amid all the packing and prepping stress was putting it mildly. Judging from my reaction, you would have thought Niko was coming down with something much more serious than a cold. Alas, the anxiety I was feeling as we got ready for Niko’s first big trip is a reason a lot of people just don’t feel comfortable traveling with a baby. But we were undeterred. Since his parents are journalists, Niko is destined for a life on the road, and it was somehow fitting that his first trip would be booked to help report a story about traveling with a baby. While brainstorming possible destinations a month earlier, my husband, Jonathan, and I pretty quickly zeroed in on Hawaii. Jonathan had never been there, there are good flight connections from the Bay Area and it seemed like a worry-free locale in terms of health and hygiene. I immediately contacted Classic Vacations, knowing they have a wealth of knowledge and resources in the destination, and they could not have been more helpful, setting us up with a four-night stay in the recently renovated, family-friendly residential suites at the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua on Maui. That would be coupled with a three-night stay at
The cottage bungalow complex at Kukui’ula, a private club community on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, has the amenities to make traveling with an infant easier. Kukui’ula on Kauai, a private club where a portion of the residences are let as vacation rentals. In preparation for the trip, I reached out to other traveling parents for tips and advice. Travel Weekly news editor Johanna Jainchill, herself the traveling mother of a 3½-yearold, gave me some of the best advice of all. “Most important thing is not to worry too much,” she texted me. “He will be fine.” Armed with renewed confidence thanks to Johanna’s guidance, we headed out with our slightly stuffed-up
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baby. We decided to drive and park at the airport so as not to have to deal with installing the car seat in a taxi or car service. Plus, with a coupon for Park SFO, an off-airport lot, it would be cheaper to park than to use roundtrip car service. At the airport, we opted to check in the stroller and car seat and just carry Niko through security and to the gate in an Ergo baby carrier, which was a pretty seamless experience. In his carry-on, we packed saline spray and a NoseFrieda to help clear him out before and during the flight and had several books and toys to entertain him. I tried to feed him during takeoff and landing to help relieve his ears due to the changing cabin pressure. Since Niko was flying as a lap child, it helped to have at least two seats side by side to juggle him between. All four flights were relatively without incident. Niko was easygoing and aside from eating my boarding pass for one of the connections (something the gate agent did not find funny — how is that not funny?), we didn’t have too many hiccups. We rented a car on both Maui and Kauai, which proved an invaluable resource in terms of the ease of getting around. We brought our car seat and car-seat base (a frame that easily clicks into most newer cars) and could throw the stroller in the back whenever we needed to go somewhere. Getting to and from the car rental lot on the shuttle was a bit of a juggle with all the gear, but with two
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Author Michelle Baran arrives in Maui with her husband, Jonathan, and 6-month-old son, Niko, for the tot’s first big trip. They stayed at the RitzCarlton in Kapalua and Kukui’ula in Kauai, both of which had babyfriendly amenities.
Continued from Page 16 tions, considering it’s hard to move as fast when traveling with a baby. She cited Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue as more baby-friendly carriers, with Virgin Atlantic, for example, offering a bottle-warming service. Vacations with a baby in tow can range from something pretty easy and low-key in closer-to-home destinations such as Hawaii or Mexico to something a bit more complicated, such as a European getaway. Because of the additional logistical challenges of traveling with a baby, travel sellers who have tapped into this market have something unique to offer in the way of advice and service.
Danziger can speak to the issue from personal experience. “Food can be a big issue for many,” she said. “That is why kitchens are important to many these days. Connections and long flights also can be an issue. Personally, I’ve struggled with sleep. If the crib is not comfortable, the room is too bright or the space is not great, it makes it really difficult for a baby to sleep. Sleep is probably the most important part of a hotel room for my baby.” Clearly, traveling with a baby is not without its trials. But that hasn’t stopped families from hitting the road with their munchkins. While that puts some travel suppliers in the difficult position of having to please both those traveling with and without babies, the hope among those who advocate for family travel is that ultimately travel companies will view babies as just as much a priority as any other passenger or guest. Said Bebe Voyage’s de Fransius, “In my opinion it would be nice if they started seeing the babies as potential long-term customers.”
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Continued from Page 16 of us, we managed. The Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua had several amenities that made staying there with a baby a delight. We booked a one-bedroom residential suite, which meant we had a separate living room (with a door that closed). That was great for when we needed him to sleep in a separate room. It also had a kitchen, which was ideal for easy dining in. The property provided a travel crib (a slightly smaller crib with an actual crib mattress) and a complimentary laundry room, which is crucial for parents. We had a cabana suite by the pool, a tented area with couches and a fridge that guests can rent out daily. The cabana provided ample shade and protection from the wind so that Niko could take comfortable naps poolside. At Kukui’ula on Kauai, we stayed in a two-bedroom cottage that also had a detached, one-bedroom guest cottage, and we were provided with a Pack ’n Play portable crib. The residential community has a central clubhouse where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served. There is also a pool, a golf course with views of the ocean, an activity center where guests can book everything from surf lessons to guided hikes, a full gym with multiple fitness and yoga classes each day and a full-service, sprawling spa complex, all of which guests staying in the vacation rental homes have access to, as well. The vibe at Kukui’ula was much more quiet and intimate. I could see how for some families staying in a luxury vacation rental such as this, with a full kitchen, plenty of space and privacy, would be preferable. And I could also see the advantage of staying at a resort such as the Ritz-Carlton with tons of services and amenities. This is where you get into the personal preferences of each family. All told, we had a really positive experience traveling with our 6-month-old. There were some challenges with
Clockwise from above, the author and Niko at Kukui’ula’s farm, where guests can pick fresh produce to cook in their vacation homes; the poolside cabana suites at the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua provided Niko ample shade and wind protection; the Ritz-Carlton’s residential suite. his cold and not always sleeping very well because of it (I felt bad for our neighbors at the Ritz during one particularly challenging night), but we would have been dealing with the same situation at home, and this way, we still got to explore new sites and have a family ad-
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venture. It’s true that Niko will never remember this trip. We will have to show him the photos when he grows up. But his father and I always will remember it, and that alone makes it worth the extra effort, at least for us. — M.B.
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Kauai’s South Shore gets the sunny days that the island’s North Shore residents crave—a secret that’s unknown to most Hawaiian island tourists. Often referred to as the edge of the world by locals, the neighborhood of Kula Makai along that Kauai’s coastline has unsurpassed ocean views and dramatic mountain vistas. Here, some of the last available coastal lots are for sale, overlooking verdant cliffs and lava tube blow holes. Launched by the luxury community resort of Kukui’ula, the plots of land have quick access to the resort’s amenities as well as those of the nearby town center while still feeling private. The Garden Island Kauai—Hawaii’s oldest island—is called the Garden Island because of its steep green cliffs accented with waterfalls, tropical rainforests, and meandering ravines. The wild terrain lends itself to outdoor pursuits such as hiking and mountain biking, but it also gives ways to plentiful local farms offering tropical fruits and organically grown produce. Building codes prohibit the construction of structures taller than a palm tree (about four stories), so this island feels much more intimate and welcoming than some of its busier neighbors.
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Gorgeous views on Kauai’s Kula Makai neighborhood. Photo: Courtesy Mike Coots
Build Your Home Kula Makai borders the National Tropical Botanical Garden and overlooks the Kuiku-ila’s Tom Weiskopf 18-hole golf course. There are 19 free hold sites available, ranging from 22,998-square feet to 44,088-square-feet giving owners the chance to design, conceptualize, and build from the ground up. The resort’s architecture was led by John Sather who has harmonized the design with the landscape, bridging the owners’ necessities while keeping with the natural surroundings. Owners can work with the resort’s team of curated architects and designers or contract with firms of their preference. Other homes in the community range from sleek and contemporary to tropical-modern or plantationstyle cottages rooted in Hawaiian heritage.
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Kukui’ula Offerings Kula Makai is one of five distinct neighborhoods that make up Kukui’ula. The town center is only a 15-minute walk (five-minute drive) from the resort, offering restaurants, art galleries, surf-centric retailers, a gourmet market, and a medical clinic. The resort’s spa, golf clubhouse, and main house with dining are even closer. Tiers of waterfalls end in a sand-bottom saltwater pool. The 20,000-square-foot spa has its own quiet lap pool, a yoga studio, meditation garden, and a fitness center stocked with top of the line Technogym equipment. Hot and cold hydrotherapy will help ease muscles after a round of golf or paddleboard session. Owners also have access to the on-site organic farm. The sites at Kula Makai are priced from $4.7 million to $12.1 million based on lot size and location. In this case, you can put a price tag on beauty.
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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Among!the!record!8.9!million!visitors!to!Hawaii!in!2016,!more!than!5.5!million!stayed!in!hotels,! according!to!the!Hawaii!Tourism!Authority,!and!the!majority!of!visitors!are!repeat!travelers!to!the! islands.!Besides!Hilo’s!Grand!Naniloa!Hotel,!here!are!brand!new!or!newly!transformed!hotels!seeking! to!keep!those!statistics!equally!high!in!2017:! ! Maui:!After!several!years!of!planning,!Westin!Nanea!Ocean!Villas!will!debut!two!months!early,!with! reservations!accepted!for!May!1!and!a!“soft!opening”!April!15.!The!16Racre!beachfront!resort!in! Kaanapali!includes!390!oneR,!twoR!and!threeRbedroom!residentialRstyle!villas,!a!10,000RsquareRfoot! lagoon!pool,!children’s!pool!and!a!Hawaiian!cultural!center!with!extensive!offerings.!Rates!begin!at! $665.!www.westinnanea.com! ! Oahu:(The!$115!million!metamorphosis!of!Pacific!Beach!Hotel,!set!to!rebrand!itself!as!Alohilani! Resort!Waikiki!Beach!in!fall,!has!completed!renovations!on!the!initial!round!of!guest!rooms!and! suites.!Rates!for!a!new!partial!oceanRview!king!begin!at!$168!and!$216!for!a!Diamond!Head!oceanR view!room.!www.pacificbeachhotel.com! ! Kauai:!Luxurious!new!oneR!to!fourRbedroom!bungalows!and!villas!have!joined!the!threeRbedroom! cottages!at!the!Lodge!at!Kukuiula.!The!52!units!in!total!permit!access!to!Kukuiula’s!championship!golf! course,!spa,!restaurant!and!other!facilities!otherwise!only!available!to!owners!of!the!resort’s!highRend! estates.!Nightly!rates!start!at!$750!for!a!1,235RsquareRfoot,!oneRbedroom! bungalow.!https://lodgeatkukuiula.com! !
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! We've been dying to get behind the wheel of a Tesla—now it's possible across America and Canada. Sure, you could test drive a Tesla at the store, but wouldn’t the experience be better on an island in Hawaii? The allelectric luxury vehicles and their charging stations are getting easier to find, and they’re making their way into hotels. Many resorts and hotels have started offering Teslas to guests looking to take one for a weekend spin. For visitors who already own a Tesla, charging stations—that Model S can only make it 210-315 miles, after all—are readily available to keep the battery full and ready for an adventure. Here are some places to give it a try: Rent from Tesla Owners Car rental service Turo specializes in luxury vehicles (although it offers a range). Vehicles listed on the site are typically owned by individuals who use the service to make extra money off their car when they’re not driving it. Teslas on the site range from older Model S vehicles to brand new Model Xs. Since the inventory is owned by individuals, you can find the vehicles all over the United States and Canada. GetAround has a similar business model, and offers a wide range of Teslas for rent as well. Traditional Car Rental Both Enterprise and Hertz offer Teslas in select cities. Enterprise offers the Model S through its Exotic Car Collection at select locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, Texas, and Washington. Hertz offers a Model S in select locations as well, but be forewarned, your $179/day rental only includes 75 miles a day. With each mile costing an extra $.75, that environmentally friendly road trip could become a pretty costly endeavor. Take a Test Drive at a Hotel Kukui’ula, a resort and real-estate community on the South Shore of Kauai, has Tesla batteries in several of its vacation homes. One home set to be completed this month will come with a Tesla Model X in the garage. Guests at the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina can borrow a Tesla Model S or X for the day. Penthouse and Presidential Suite guests can enjoy the cars for the duration of their trip, and all guests who book specialty suites can book up to 48 hours with one of the cars. Kids can even get in on the action, with an on-site Tesla Model S Radio Flyer. In New York, Teslas are the house cars at 1 Hotel Central Park and 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, the Mandarin Oriental, and The Delmar Hotel in Greenwich. The Standard offers Teslas for guests to use overnight when you book a corresponding room package. The Mandarin Oriental, Miami also offers Tesla Model S vehicles for guests to rent during their stay.
Hawaii(Island:!The!Waikoloa!Beach!Marriott!on!Anaehoomalu!Beach!is!converting!a!wing!into! Marriottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s!Waikoloa!Ocean!Club,!which!will!offer!oneR!and!twoRbedroom!villas!with!kitchenettes,!living! rooms,!sofabeds!and!washerRdryers,!plus!free!parking!(and!no!resort!fee.)!Reservations!are!available! starting!May!5,!with!oneRbedroom!rates!starting!at!$308!and!twoRbedroom!rates!at! $455.!www.marriotthawaii.com! ! Hilo!Hawaiian!Hotel,!near!the!new!Grand!Naniloa!Hotel!Hilo!on!Banyan!Drive,!recently!completed!a! halfRmillionRdollar!renovation!that!included!a!complete!makeover!of!its!bayfront!pool!and!ballrooms.! BanyanRview!rooms!start!at!$157,!oceanRview!from!$189.!www.castleresorts.com/hilohawaiian! â&#x20AC;&#x201D;"Jeanne"Cooper! !
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! When Kukuiula, a property on Kauai's south shore featuring a resort and residences, started a farm seven years ago, the managers thought it would be a nice addition that would allow for some easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables. But the farm, and other gardens and growing areas, have been a much more popular feature than originally expected, and Kukuiula is in the process of doubling its space used for growing. Kukuiula is made up of a handful of residential neighborhoods and also features a boutique resort open to the public with a managed rental pool of accommodations that travelers can book. They now run several programs involving the farm, including farmers markets, a monthly farm-to-table dinner in the summer and community gardening plots. Kukuiula is not alone in augmenting its farm- and food-related offerings. Agritourism has proven to be no passing trend, and now resorts and other properties are investing more resources and staff than ever into building their agritourism features.!
"It's become bigger than I ever thought it would be," said Kukuiula landscape and farm project manager Roger Peckenpaugh. "When the agritourism stuff started I thought it would be a fad. But it's turned out to be a big movement, and people are really interested in seeing where their food comes from. It's somewhat surprising how interested they are. It seems to be only growing." In addition to the farm, which grows tropical fruits like papayas and bananas in addition to chard, arugula and herbs, there is also an orchard and a medicinal herb garden. Chef Ben Takahashi runs Umeke Kitchen + Bar on property, using the farm's produce and coordinating the farm-to-table dinners, which often feature a local producer. Kukuiula also has plans to add to the amenities at the farm, including camping areas, more bike trails, a zipline and a pavilion with a stone oven for hosting more food events. Two Four Seasons properties in the Aloha State have also started digging deeper to uncover unique and rewarding agritourism experiences for guests. At Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Hawaii Island, natural resources director David Chai pushed to turn the golf course's features into more than just hazards for players. Below the surface of the course's manmade pond are 50,000 oysters, which help keep the water clean and also end up on the resort restaurant's menu. They have three varieties, including the popular Kumamoto oyster. Guests can get a behind the scenes tour of the oyster operation, including the chance to slurp down a fresh-out-of-the-water mollusk. The resort also recently secured a 10-year ban on fishing along a 3-mile stretch of coastline, with the intention of allowing depleted fish stocks to rebound. Hawaiian law stipulates oceanside developments have to provide public access to the coast. When construction started at Hualalai in 1993 and roads were developed, that opened up the waters to shoreline fishing. "There are not a lot of rules in Hawaii regulating take, and it was very unrestricted fishing," Chai said. "It is relied on by families that live here. When it reopens after 10 years we want to work with the community to allow fishing in a sustainable way." Guests can get hands-on and participate in marine life surveys in the protected zone, or enjoy activities like the resort's fish circus where a variety of fish perform tricks like shooting a ball through a hoop. Chai and his staff have also restored a number of anchialine pools and fish ponds on the property, and run a hatchery that is currently producing Hawaiian
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yellowtail. Today the resort offers 16 programs related to its food, sustainability and conservation efforts, some of which are complimentary. "It's growing more and more and word is getting out," Chai said. "When we first started we didn't have a lot of programs for guests, and my role was mostly maintaining things. But guests started to show real interest in these things, environmental programs and fish feeding." At sister property Four Seasons Ko Olina on Oahu, the resort has partnered with a farm with a unique mission that has operated since the 1970s. Kahumana Farmprovides transitional housing and employment assistance to homeless families and adults with developmental disabilities, and helps fund the services through its farm cafe and agricultural operations. Guests of the resort can arrange an hour-long tour of the farm. Chef Martin Knaubert of the resort's La Hiki Kitchen uses fruits and vegetables from the farm, including its flagship salad mix, and also hosts a farm-to-table brunch.! The oldest farmer at Kahumana, which works with approximately 70 different restaurants, is 30, and agritourism manager Rachel LaDrig says that has created an atmosphere of experimentation. "We like to try things, and we're willing to fail," she said. For example, staff have recently began knocking on doors in Waianae to inquire about backyard fruit trees to supply its community farm hub. "Waianae has one of the largest native populations of indigenous Hawaiians in the whole world, and it's an area that has had a lack of educational resources and support," LaDrig said. Kahumana wanted to address both the limited sources of income for the community as well as the high proportion of food that is imported. They asked residents with pomelo, tangerine and other trees in their yards if they would be willing to sell, and then set up a market for the community bounty of fruits. Tours of Kahumana cover the nonprofit organization's social and community mission, including the transitional housing that provides shelter for 125 families, and how that connects to their food production goals. Guests can then see the farm's aquaponics facility, sheep, free range chickens and growing fields, where LaDrig touches on soil health, crop rotation and other keys to sustainable agriculture. "I want them to come away with an understanding of the disconnect we have with food today," LaDrig said. "Food is a universal vehicle and language we have to build connections around. If we're always busy, busy, busy and eating on the run or not cooking, then we lose that connection food and each other. Food can be the place where we start rebuilding those connections." ! ! 3!
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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Kukui‘ula combines a comfortable home-away-from-home vacation experience with the sophistication and style of a world-class resort. Visitors can book luxury accommodations at this private South Kauai club and residential community and enjoy all of its amenities and services, including golf, tennis, spa, tours, fine dining and special events. The Plantation House is the heart of Kukui‘ula; it’s where to go for meals, including complimentary continental breakfast and snacks (think fruit, candy bars, ice cream, homemade granola and freshly baked cookies). Numerous gathering places invite conversation and camaraderie: a restaurant; bar; the Game Room, with pool, shuffleboard and arcade games; the Keiki Room, where kids meet for crafts, board games, movies and more; and the open-air Great Room, offering books, ample seating and spectacular views of sunset, the ocean and Spouting Horn. Home sweet home The Lodge at Kukui‘ula’s collection of cottages, villas and bungalows exude tropical living at its best. All of the homes have large lanais, gourmet kitchens, separate dining areas, outdoor lava rock showers, washer/dryer, flat-screen TV/DVD in the living room and every bedroom (there’s surround sound in the living room), islandinspired furniture and original art, and ocean, mountain and/or golf course views. Families and friends traveling together might consider staying at the Club Villas. Sleeping up to eight people, these four-bedroom, single-family homes provide 3,219 square feet of living space. The fourth bedroom is a
separate unit that’s perfect for the nanny, grandparents or those in the group who want extra privacy. A gas grill, tiki torches, fire pit and plunge pool draw occupants to the backyard for hours of fun and relaxation. Whatever the accommodations choice, diversions galore are close at hand. Cuisine art Kukui‘ula operates its own farm, where more than 70 kinds of fruit, herbs and vegetables flourish, including basil, bananas, chives and Swiss chard. Most of the produce in the dishes the culinary team presents for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily comes from the farm. Guests are welcome to visit the farm to chat with the farmers and gather ingredients and organic eggs laid by the resident chickens for meals that they prepare. The 20-acre lake bordering the farm is stocked with peacock bass, which avid anglers are welcome to catch and cook. Regular food-centric events include the weekly Chef’s Choice Dinner and Family Dinner, the twice-weekly Wine Dinner and the monthly Chef’s Table, a gourmet four-course repast with wine pairings for just a dozen guests. A recent menu featured Tataki of Opakapaka, Lobster with Saffron Cream and Potato Puree, Roasted Duck with Mushroom Risotto, and Pineapple Lilikoi Cheesecake with Mango Gelee and Almond Crumble. In the swing of things Keeping your eye on the ball might be tough at the 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Weiskopf. It showcases gorgeous greenery (from palms and plumeria to lychee and lauae fern) and spectacular ocean panoramas starring leaping dolphins on any given day and breaching humpbacks this time of year. At stations throughout the course, golfers can choose from an array of refreshments; think beer, wine, Champagne, frozen pineapple and grape cups, house-made beef jerky and chocolate chip cookies, and even root beer floats. Five sets of tees on each hole accommodate all skill levels, and for those who want to fine-tune their game, pros are available for lessons that might include the use of a Flightscope Launch Monitor, a radar tracking device that measures distance and trajectory. Complimentary Friday classes for women focus on everything from rules and etiquette to swing techniques. There are also complimentary classes for junior golfers every other Saturday and a twice-yearly Junior Golf Boot Camp, three days of instruction that covers all facets of the game. And more … Guests can also reserve time for croquet on the Great Lawn; tennis on two brand-new courts; swimming in seven connected saltwater pools; and bocce, horseshoes and volleyball by the pools. In addition to fishing, the farm is a great spot for hiking, canoeing and picnicking. Kukui‘ula’s Island Pursuits staff can arrange off-property adventures, including hiking, biking, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Mahealani, the club’s 32-foot boat, is available for sunset cruises, fishing expeditions, snorkeling tours to Niihau, crabbing and whale watching through April and, from May through September, snorkeling excursions to magnificent Na Pali, known for its sea caves, 3,000-foot-high cliffs and secluded coves and beaches. Ah, the spa Massages, scrubs, facials, manicures, pedicures — Hi‘ilani Spa + Fitness offers multiple paths to rejuvenation. In this 18,000-square-foot sanctuary are lava rock saunas, glass steam pavilions, indoor-outdoor treatment
rooms, outdoor garden showers, a lap pool, Jacuzzis, cold plunge pools, fitness equipment and a movement studio where exercise classes are held, including yoga and Pilates. Prep your mind, body and spirit for your appointment by arriving an hour earlier for the complimentary SevenStep Wet Ritual. Then indulge in your treatment, which can be customized. For instance, add acupuncture and Chinese medicine to a lomilomi massage. That, in fact, describes Kukuiâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ula as a whole: the ultimate escape, which unfolds your way, at your pace.
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The Best Way to Do Kauai With Kids There are a lot of things going for Kauai, from its empty and stunning beaches (Polihale has to be one of the world’s most glorious, even though it’s rough-going road is outside of the coverage of all the rental companies on the island), to the unparalleled Nāpali Coast, to the fact that it still feels relatively untouched by the big, super-touristy chains. The downside to its pureness is that there aren’t a lot of places to stay, particularly in the southern part of the island, far from the more trafficked Hanalei. While the Southern side doesn’t have the north’s jungle-y, tropical vibe, it does get a lot less rain, and it’s also home to Waimea Canyon, Hawaii’s version of The Grand Canyon. One relatively new and excellent antidote to the housing crunch—particularly for families, or anyone traveling with other couples—is the Lodge at Kukui’ula, a private club in Poipu. Stretching across 1,000 acres, they started developing the site exclusively for ownership, before allowing a handful of rentals to open up recently. Comprised of multi-bedroom homes—most with adjacent guest houses—it is really well done, with plenty of high-end touches and amenities. It is so well done in fact, that you might find yourself spending too much time sprawled out on the couch, and not enough time at the beach (one upside of staying at a more bare-bones option like Waimea Plantation, also in the south, is that you will be inspired to get up and go). While all the homes are equipped with lavish kitchens, the club restaurant is excellent, and serviced by an onsite organic garden. The fact that you open up a club account at check-in makes it a siren song, particularly because it’s adjacent to a multi-level pool complete with hot tubs, a water slide, and a beach (the real beach is just across the road). It’s kind of kid paradise—compounded by a keiki play room lined with toys, DVDs, and all the things you might not have packed, including bouncy chairs and strollers. Kukui’ula also developed a shopping center down the road, replete with some of the island’s best restaurants, an organic market, ice
cream and shaved ice spots, and shopping, should you feel compelled to go on an adventure. And speaking of adventures, there’s an on-site outfitters staffed by locals who know all the island’s secrets—what’s better is that they’ll take you there, or pack you a cooler and bag of equipment and send you on your way. There’s a gym, yoga studio, tennis courts, and a seemingly empty, gorgeous golf course—designed by Tom Weiskopf—that winds around the property, dotted with views of Sprouting Horn and, if we’re honest, snack shakes that justify the trip from the mainland (smoothies, fruit cups, Häagen-Dazs bars, chips, and about a dozen varieties of beer). And finally, there’s a spa: It’s a full complex, complete with an adults-only pool and a packed menu of services, including modalities that are a bit more far-flung (thrillingly, our massage therapist was trained in gua sha, which you really don’t find most places). In short, Kukui’ula is a total no-brainer, particularly if you like a vacation where you essentially have to plan nothing at all.
Merriman's*Fish*House! Peter!Merriman!was!one!of!the!pioneers!of!the!local!food!scene!in!Hawaii—he!was!at!the!forefront!of!efforts! to!grow!vegetables!in!the!local!volcanic!soils,!so!they!could!be!eaten!fresh!(rather!than!after!a!lengthy!journey! on!a!boat).!Today,!he!partners!with!local!farmers!to!serve!his!three!restaurants,!and!there’s!one!each!on!Maui,! Kauai,!and!the!Big!Island.!The!dining!room!and!menu!are!dressed!up!without!being!overly!stuffy,!so!it’s!ideal! for!a!nicer!family!or!group!outing.!Try!the!upcountry!salad!(made!with!kale!and!butter!lettuce!from!local! farms),!the!freshFcaught!mahi!mahi,!and!vegetarian!taro!cake.! * Hanalei*Bread*Company! This!brandFnew,!openFair!coffee!shop!café—from!the!same!people!as!Bar!Acuda—is!one!of!those!spots!that’s! perpetually!packed,!though!you!can!generally!always!snag!a!spot!(they!also!do!a!lot!of!perfect!preFpacked! beach!picnic!fare).!While!it’s!not!exclusively!allergenFfree,!there!are!tons!of!options!for!the!glutenF!and!dairyF averse,!including!really!good!almond!milk!lattes!and!delicious!rolls!and!breads.!BrunchFtime!is!particularly! prime!(consider!a!stop!on!your!way!to!hike!the!Nāpali!Coast),!as!they!offer!very!kidFfriendly!crepes,!as!well!as! lots!of!egg!dishes.! ! !
Living*Foods*Market*Café*&*Juice*Bar*! While!you’ll!certainly!find!larger!grocery!stores!in!Kauai,!you!won’t!find!nearly!the!same!sort!of!healthFcentric! offering,!from!organic!and!local!produce!to!bioFdynamic!wines.!There’s!also!a!prepared!food!counter!where! you!can!pick!up!fresh!juice,!sandwiches,!smoothies,!and!salads,!including!pretty!excellent!egg!and!cheese! sandwiches!and!glutenFfree!crepes.! Banana*Joe's*Fruit*Stand! On!the!road!to!Kauai’s!North!Shore,!before!Princeville!and!Hanalei,!and!just!past!the!town!of!Kilauea,!look!for! the!yellow!hut!on!the!side!of!the!mauka!(mountain)!side!of!Kuhio!Highway!(between!mile!marker!23!and!24!if! you’re!headed!north).!This!oldFfashioned!fruit!stand!has!been!in!business!since!1986,!specializing!in!exotic! fruits!like!atemoya,!rambutan,!and!starfruit,!and!classic!tropical!fruits!like!banana!(several!varieties),!Kauai’s! strawberry!papaya,!and!mango.!Get!one!of!their!entirely!fruit!frosties!(pineapple,!banana,!or!pineappleF banana!mix—can’t!go!wrong!on!flavor)!that!they!press!through!a!Champion!Juicer.!Easily!rivals!most!softF serve.!
Puka*Dog! So!much!better!than!your!typical!(openFfaced)!ballgame!dog,!Puka!Dog!serves!their!variation!in!their!own! Hawaiian!sweet!bread,!which!they!toast!on!custom!skewers.!Rather!than!slicing!the!bread!open,!Puka!serves! their!Polish!sausages!and!veggie!dogs—along!with!your!choice!of!garlic!lemon!secret!sauce,!Hawaiian!fruit! relish,!and!mustard!sauce—fully!enclosed!in!the!roll,!which!makes!them!surprisingly!easier!to!eat.!All!that!said,! this!meal!is!best!followed!by!an!afternoon!nap!at!the!beach,!as!opposed!to!say,!a!hike.! Salt*Pond*Beach! A!natural!lava!rock!ridge!protects!this!crescent!beach,!meaning!its!gentle!lagoon!makes!for!safe,!easy! swimming!and!snorkeling!with!kids.!(Plus,!its!glimmering!redFandFgold!sand!is!too!pretty!to!miss.)!Located! close!to!Hawaii’s!last!remaining!traditional!saltFgathering!ponds!(hence!the!name),!it’s!known!to!be!a! preferred!hangout!for!Monk!Seals,!as!well!as!local!families.!That!said,!in!order!to!protect!the!fragile!natural! environment,!the!namesake!salt!ponds!are!offFlimits!to!the!public.!
Wishing*Well*Shave*Ice! Open!since!1983,!Wishing!Well!Shave!Ice,!which!operates!out!of!a!white!food!truck!on!Kuhio!Highway,!has! long!been!a!staple!in!Hanalei.!More!recently,!though,!it’s!taken!a!fresh,!organic!turn!under!new!owners—Kauai! natives,!Jesse!Merle!Jones!and!Aamion!Goodwin—who!have!done!away!with!artificially!flavored!syrups!and! powders,!while!still!making!really!tasty,!refreshing!shave!ice.!This!is!also!an!easy!spot!to!pick!up!a!breakfast! acai!bowl!and!cup!of!coffee.! The*Beach*House! Sure,!the!views!from!all!sides!are!stunning—one!of!the!island’s!best!snorkeling!beaches!is!immediately! below—but!the!food!here!is!also!reliably!fantastic.!This!is!partly!due!to!the!fact!that!it’s!coFowned!by!Peter! Merriman,!who!knows!exactly!how!to!nail!the!upscale!Hawaiian!beach!vibe,!but!a!fair!share!of!credit!goes!to! chef!Marshall!Blanchard!who!turns!out!seafoodFinflected!comfort!food!that’s!the!perfect!amount!of!fancy.! This!translates!to!a!really!good!option!for!big!celebratory!family!dinners,!as!well!as!lowFkey!sunburnt!lunches.! Don’t!miss!standFouts!like!pankoFcrusted!calamari!and!the!fish!&!chips!(with!pineapple!tartar!sauce)—there’s!a! straightforward!kid’s!menu,!too.!