The Fairmont Orchid

The ocean at the hotel

Have you ever been to a hotel where you walked in, looked around and thought, “This is nothing like what was advertised?” You get that same sensation with The Fairmont Orchid in Hawaii, only in this case it’s because the pictures can’t possibly do the hotel justice. From the magnificent views of the ocean, to the multitude of delicious meals to the many activities for hotel guests, The Fairmont Orchid is a hotel that has to be seen to be believed. And it has forever ruined other hotels for me.

My room was a deluxe partial ocean-view room. This means that the view directly outside my room was this golf course:

The view directly outside my hotel room

But, step onto the spacious balcony (and into the divine Hawaii air), turn to the left, and you see this:

Partial ocean view was fine by me

The hotel room was large, with two luxurious queen beds (the most comfortable hotel beds ever), a television and a small fridge. For those people who experience severe sunburns and wind up spending the vacation in a hotel room, this is the hotel room to do it in. Plus, the bathrooms were magnificent, with double sinks and a separate walk-in shower. Plenty of room in the bathroom for me to apply all the sunscreen I needed to avoid turning lobster red in the sun.

Part of the reason pictures of the hotel don’t do it justice is the amazing atmosphere. It’s difficult to feel stressed out when you’re staring at the beautiful ocean, breathing in the fragrant Hawaii air and enjoying the Hawaiian music piped through the hotel’s speakers. The staff were all incredibly friendly and helpful whenever I had a question or request, which just added to the comfortable atmosphere at the hotel.

In addition to the beach property, the Fairmont Orchid has a 10,000 square foot pool that’s open 24 hours. I highly recommend taking advantage of the quiet time to enjoy a dip. The moment my brain finally accepted that I was in Hawaii was at the end of my first full day, when I went down to the pool at 10:00 pm, floated on my back and stared up at the stars while the palm trees swayed in the breeze.

The pool, right by the ocean

Of course, you don’t have to stay at the pool. The Fairmont Orchid has a beautiful beach that includes an activity center–you can snorkel, paddle board, surf or even take out an outrigger with one of the “Beach boys” (men who run the activities on the beach). Whether you’re by the pool or the ocean, someone is always nearby to take your drink order, so you don’t miss any time in the sun.

A view from the beach

I actually tried snorkeling and wound up swimming next to Honu (green sea turtles) as they rose to the surface for air. (Please note: on land you must stay at least 20 feet away from Honu because they are endangered animals. When swimming, however, you can be around them, provided you don’t get too close and do not in any way impede their movement or bother them. Staff at the hotel is absolutely strict about protecting these beautiful creatures and will take action if people get too close.)

A Honu basking

You don’t have to walk far at all to see beauty at the Fairmont Orchid. Every trail has gardens, waterfalls, ponds or fountains to enjoy. For those who enjoy shopping, there are plenty of guest shops, jewelers and shops with resort wear to keep you happy.

A waterfall at the hotel

When it comes to food, the Fairmont Orchid has something for everyone, from Brown’s Deli, which serves sandwhiches, wraps, salads and pizza, to Brown’s Beach House, with outdoor seating, to Hale Kai, an outdoor restaurant with sand floor, that serves the best mud pie ever, to the Orchid Court, with its daily breakfast buffets, and Norio’s Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar. For those worried about finding food for keiki (children), every restaurant has a special keiki menu.

The Hale Kai restaurant, next to the pool

On two evenings, we sat in the Luana Lounge and watched the sunset while eating appetizers, listening to live acoustic guitar (the singer was amazing) and watching a hula dancer (who was mesmerizing). It was the perfect way to end some truly wonderful days in Hawaii.

Sunset from the Luana Lounge

Although it’s not an inexpensive resort, if you can save the money to stay at The Fairmont Orchid, I highly recommend it. It has something for everyone and helped to make my vacation perfect.

The Fairmont Orchid is a five star, four diamond (AAA, 2010 rating) hotel with a Green Key eco-rating located on the Kohala Coast, Hawaii. The 540-room luxury hotel is set on 32 beachfront acres in the Mauna Lani Resort. In addition to the above-mentioned amenities, the hotel features a “Spa Without Walls” with private outdoor venues, and a fitness club. For those who can’t travel without their dog, The Fairmont Orchid allows “well-behaved canine companions.” Fairmont has a President’s Club, which allows guests a variety of special rates for activities and other benefits, you can join by visiting the Fairmont website.

A bird drops by for a visit outside Brown's Deli

All photos courtesy K. Douglas