Paradise in the Palms

of luxury townhomes on the South Kohala Coast within the world-renowned Waikoloa Beach Resort. One thing you notice on the Kohala Coast driving here is that the landscape is dry grass and lava. It almost never rains here! Of course if you miss the rain, travel over the Saddle toward Mauna Kea and you’re almost bound to be inundated. But you will also see wonderful waterfalls, lush rainforest and really big tropical plants (imagine the ones you buy for little pots in your living room, only 30 feet tall). Airy, spacious, and comfortable: The villa is airy and spacious, a 2 storey townhouse with 17 feet vaulted ceilings, decorated in a sort-of Hawaiian contemporary style we’ve been making up as we go along. There are two bedrooms: the master has a king, the 2nd with 2 twin beds that can be converted to a king plus a queen-size sofa bed, so we can sleep 6 with ease. Equipped for food, drink, and grilling by the pool: The villa has a terrific, well-equipped gourmet kitchen, complete with all the equipment you’re likely to need on a vacation: a massive modern fridge, smooth top oven, dishwasher, microwave, toaster oven, coffee machine, coffee grinder, blender, and kettle. The kitchen has granite countertops, a granite bar with stools, and plenty of glasses and other cocktail-related equipment that can make a great party for a group of young or young at heart adults or hidden from the kids as necessary. Barbecues are provided poolside and roadside a few feet away. The kitchen is right next to an elegant hardwood dining table, or if you prefer, a full size table out on the lanai where you can watch the traffic on the 15th fairway go by. Eating affordably: We’ve also provided a spice rack as well as a Hawaiian gourmet cookbook for you to try your hand at local dishes. Talking of which, the Island Gourmet Grocery Store down in the nearby Queen’s Marketplace has a great collection of local sauces and other ingredients to help you with this. A good selection of produce at reasonable prices can be found in the Waikoloa Village Market in the Waikoloa village a few miles up the hill from the beach resort. You will find fresh ingredients at the Kona Farmers’ Market year-round in Kailua-Kona on Saturdays and Sundays. Your stay in luxury here need not also cost an arm and a leg! Eating not-so-affordably: When you’re sick of cooking, the King’s Shops and Queen’s Marketplace down near the waterside have an excellent selection of restaurants to suit all budgets, great upscale Sushi at Sansei (see http://www.sanseihawaii.com/location_waikoloa.html )


casual, tasty, and local at the Merriman’s Market Café, fine dining at Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion, and the Macaroni Grill chain, to name but a few, as well as fast food such as Subway and Arby’s, and a pizza joint. The malls also have a variety of other stores to seek out fashion and island originals. Stay as connected as you choose to... We know you aren’t coming to Hawai’i just to watch TV, but for when you want to sit back and relax after a hard day on the beach, snorkelling, or scaling volcanoes, the living room has a 47” LED Stereo TV with a Wi-Fi capable Blu-Ray player. Those of you who subscribe to Netflix can watch it here also, or perhaps follow the latest zaniness or viral videos on YouTube. So, clearly we also provide broadband Wi-Fi internet. And, talking of communications, phone calls are free anywhere in the USA or Canada. Luxury master suite: The living room and both bedrooms have ceiling fans and air conditioning, and there is a washer and dryer inside the villa. Each bedroom also has comfy hotel-class mattresses. The upstairs bedroom is really a suite that occupies the whole floor, including a small lanai that looks out onto the golf course, 22” LED TV, a phone, and a large bathroom with two sinks and separate shower and bathtub. There’s also a walk in closet big enough for two or three people to stand up in at the same time. The downstairs bedroom can be set up with two separate adult-sized twin beds or as a king size bed. It has a large closet and a full bathroom is close by. What else to do at the complex and beyond: Condo amenities include two pools, the closer one with a beautiful waterfall, a hot tub, fitness center, and tennis courts. Beautiful beaches are just minutes away. There’s a beach inside the resort, and the world famous Hapuna Beach is just 5 miles to the north. Check out the guide book we left around for all the other great activities – and the DVD we left behind to give you some ideas about the highlights (Volcanoes National Park, Waipio Falls, macadamia nut factories, coffee farms, the highlights of Kona, and the amazing sea life). Tune into channel 9 (Big Island TV) for what’s going on currently and more ways to escape. The Hilton at the resort offers great luaus and opportunities to swim with dolphins and in the utility closet you will find beach chairs, a beach umbrella, a cooler, boogie boards and sand toys to make any day a day at the beach. From the complex you can enjoy views of Mauna Kea (gleaming telescope domes, and well worth a tour), the Pacific Ocean, Kohala Mountains, golf courses, lava fields, and swaying palmtrees. It really is a piece of paradise and we hope you enjoy it. TAT #W01907049-01