Fairmont Orchid Resort and Spa--elegant relaxation on Kohala Coast, Big Island

When clients consult with me on suitable accommodations for their stay on the Big Island of Hawaii, the Fairmont Orchid Resort and Spa is one of a handful of favorite resorts that I can recommend.

Despite its luxury status as a 5* high-end resort, the Fairmont Orchid is unpretentious and surprisingly affordable with its numerous aggressively-priced promotions. The quality of the service and amenities, its authentic Hawaiian touches, and its perfect location on Pau’oa Beach, really make this a terrific resort value.

Let me start with its location on the Kohala coast of the Big Island: miles of sandy beaches and coastline perfect for any kind of water sport (swimming, snorkeling, sunning, kayaking, you name it) along with a dry climate and typically sunshine-y days are the reasons why the best resorts on the Big Island are dotted here.

The Fairmont Orchid sprawls lazily along the coastline and has its own Pau’oa Beach, an incredibly perfect arc of sand with rocky outcroppings on either side. I personally find the snorkeling here the best on the Island. Because of the U-shape of the cove and a reef that breaks the waves onto the shore, the surf is nearly nonexistent and the waters are crystal clear. When I’m feeling too lazy to put on snorkel gear, I can actually sit in this virtual bathtub of warm water and watch the diverse marine life swimming all around me.

Venturing past the reef, you are treated to the companionship of wild sea turtles who live in these waters and will come ashore to sun themselves or lay eggs at the Orchid.

A full-service ocean activity center will rent you snorkel gear, kayaks, pedal-boats, boogie boards, etc. And the Orchid is famous for its Orchid Beachboys, a group of Hawaiian men who are fonts of knowledge about Hawaiian culture, astronomy, and navigation. They lead hikes to the nearby petroglyphs and are always happy to take you on a real outrigger canoe and share with you the wonders of their Hawaii.

Accommodations at the Fairmont Orchid are spacious, elegant, and eminently relaxing. Every room has a lanai (balcony) with views of either the ocean or the lush gardens. If you get an oceanview room, you’re doubly treated to views of the island of Maui across the channel. And in the winter, you get the added attraction of migrating whales cavorting and breeching in that same channel. Truly divine.

Several restaurants, bars and lounges, including the award-winning Brown’s Beach House and even a deli which is handy for delicious picnics or long drives around the Island, ensure that you’re never far from food or drink.

If you’re more of a pool person than beach person (although Pau’oa Beach might convert you), the Fairmont Orchid has a one-acre freeform pool with center island and two lava-rock Jacuzzis. One is closer to the ocean, and the other is surrounded by hibiscus hedges in a more intimate setting. There is nothing like relaxing in a lava-rock Jacuzzi at midnight, under the brilliant Big Island night sky, where the star-viewing is unparalleled in this universe. Very romantic!

The Fairmont Orchid has one of the best spas and spa concepts of any I have encountered. They call their spa Spa Without Walls because it is mostly outdoors and offers a uniquely Hawaiian experience. Choose to receive your spa treatment in one of their eight private bungalows (called hales) situated by waterfalls or koi lagoons, or in one of their six private Oceanside hales. The therapist draws the blinds so you have privacy, yet you can still smell that scented flowers, hear the calming surf or waterfall cascade, and feel the tropical breeze against your skin—extremely sensual experience. Hawaiians believe that massage can integrate mind, body, and spirit and bring you into harmony with the environment. Spa Without Walls definitely accomplishes that. Try one of their Kona coffee exfoliative treatments and lomi lomi, an ancient Hawaiian massage technique that I predict would be the highlight of a memorable experience.

Email me to learn more about Fairmont Orchid and whether the ambience and services there would meet your needs.

 For more info: Visit http://celebrate-travel.com/hawaii/hawaii_hotels_resorts_spas.htm#Orchid for our exclusive slideshow of photos we shot at Fairmont Orchid

Visit http://celebrate-travel.com/hawaii/hawaii_slideshows.htm#Bigisland for our slideshow on the location of Fairmont Orchid