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Travel Diaries

The Big Island with Kids

by Madeline Lu

Famous for its volcanoes and their occasional, spectacular lava flows, the Big Island also has many other treats in store, including lush green rainforests, black and green sand beaches, and more. There is just so much to see, do and explore for families—especially at Fairmont Orchid.

Near Kona on the Western side of the Big Island, Fairmont Orchid is one of the best family-friendly hotels there is—you can really feel how they take go the extra mile to make you feel welcome and comfortable during your stay. We stayed in a family suite with ocean view with one king-sized bedroom for the parents and a living room with a super comfy pull-out bed for the kids. Since my kids are relatively young, they don’t mind sleeping in the same bed, but they’ll put an extra bed in the room if the guest prefers it. The room was newly decorated and supplied with the best amenities, including Le Labo beauty care products.

We had our daily breakfast at the hotel because it is just so good! The hotel offers a great selection of fresh tropical fruits, juices, sweet and savory dishes. Freshly made pancakes, crepes, and waffles. Not to mention the dim sum and hash browns. We also attended their traditional Hawaii Luau Dinner one evening and it was fantastic. Not only do you get an amazing buffet packed with traditional Hawaiian dishes, you also get to take in culturally informative and entertaining cultural dances, music and shows.

My spa experience was one of my favorite Fairmont Orchid moments. I had a 110-minute Ali’i (Royalty) Experience treatment in their Spa Without Walls’ waterfall hale. It begins with a 50-minute Hawaiian lomilomi massage and foot wrap, followed by a compress of specially blended Hawaiian herbs applied to the body. I could feel how my body relaxed more and more as the treatment went on. Listening to nothing but the sound of the waterfalls, I was sure I was in a different world. The highlight of the treatment was when the therapist poured warm coconut oil over my hair and scalp; it was such an amazing sensation and experience.

We swam with sea turtles in the hotel’s lagoon—how about that for an activity! At Fairmont Orchid, they provide you with snorkelling gear, as well as stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, and other water sports equipment. We swam around the lagoons with the kids and saw sea turtles every time. They actually live on the beach of the hotel and Fairmont Orchid does such a good job to keep them safe.

Come bedtime, count stars instead of sheep. We saw millions of stars in the skies above Fairmont Orchid. It’s absolutely worth it to wake up in the middle of the night, step out and go stargazing. Sometimes you can even see Milky Way with your naked eye.