Resort Review: The Kahala Resort

I don’t even know where to start with The Kahala Resort.  It’s so luxurious and amazing!  Coming here was a total surprise from my honey for our 4 year so as we walked in, I was floored.  Not to mention my eyes welled up with excitement when I saw the dolphins (see my last post for pictures of the happiest girl in the world and her dolphin pal).

We might be the luckiest people to have gotten an upgrade to the 9th floor with views of the ocean and the dolphin lagoon.  We were able to sit on the balcony, enjoy our celebratory mimosas, and watch the dolphins play frisbee with their trainers.  The Kahala is also a hugely popular place for weddings and we saw at least 3 happening daily.

The resort is a place for relaxation and since cabanas come with the room, we spent many hours soaking up some rays, eating lunch in the sand, and snorkeling the reef that starts just feet from the shore.  You can paddle board, kayak, and do yoga classes on a paddle board as well but we decided to be lazy so swimming and snorkeling were our activities of choice.

The Kahala is also home to Aracino, one of the best Italian restaurants we’ve ever been to.  We had the 5 course meal with wine pairing and could hardly believe how delicious everything was.  The service was amazing as well and they were able to answer all Tyler’s questions about the meal (he’s an aspiring chef so there were many questions!).  If you’re on Oahu, I highly recommend coming here for dinner.  It’s one of the top 3 meals I’ve ever had so this is an absolute must-visit in my book.

Overall, The Kahala has everything a relaxing Hawaiian resort should have.  I did not want to go home at all after staying here.  I mean, life is good but there’s just something about a vacation that makes everything even rosier.  5 stars Kahala… 5 stars…

You would have found me in this position often

The Grand Entrance of The Kahala Resort

Super excited about the view for our balcony

I loved watching the sea turtles swim

The view from our balcony

Sunset on the balcony

Sunrise on the balcony

Look at those people doing that exercise thing *sips mimosa*

There’s a gorgeous wall of orchids on the way down to the beach

 

Rental Review: Mika Taki House with Lagoon

This house is almost too spectacular to review.  I kind of want to keep it a secret so it stays our little hidden gem.  I can’t do that to you though!  The whole point of visiting these amazing places it to share them!

This 4 bedroom 4.5 bathroom house is situated just a few blocks from the main Hilo area but is far enough away to feel secluded.  You’re surrounded by lush tropical rainforest that bursts to life every night.  The froggy noises are so loud that light sleepers might have a difficult time sleeping.  It felt really fun for us though since it’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.  The home itself is fully stocked with everything you could possibly need on your stay.  Seriously, we didn’t need to buy anything while we were there except bug spray (and food and wine of  course).  With all the rain (Hilo has the highest rainfall in the USA!) comes lots of bugs.  I got about a million mosquito bites on our stay in Hilo.  I’m kind of a target for them though.  I’ll get 12 and my friends will get 1… so unfair.

Another amazing bonus about this place is the private lagoon with waterfall.  It’s spectacular.  You could probably not leave the house for a few days and just lounge by the lagoon, BBQ, and be perfectly content with life.  The lagoon has big tadpoles, prawns, and tons of little fishies that were fun to watch.  It’s a tad on the chilly side but a nice relief from the warm weather and humidity.

We’re talking about renting this place out for our entire family some time soon.  It’s really one of the best rental properties I’ve ever experienced.  Leaving was the only thing I didn’t like about it.

Find out more info or book your stay here!

Tons of tropical fruit trees surround the property

The rainforest view from our bedroom

A cute sitting area overlooking the rainforest

Huge palms trees tower over the property

Loved the secluded lagoon

Stunning lagoon… I couldn’t believe it was our own!

A cute little dock on the lagoon

Boys will be boys…

The steps down to the lagoon

A Secret Hike in Hilo

After we said our goodbyes to the North Shore, we took an island hopper flight over to The Big Island to stay in Hilo for a few nights.  Originally we were supposed to visit the Volcano National Park but because of the government shutdown we weren’t able to go.  No worries though!  Hilo was full of super fun things for us to do!!

One of my favorite adventures was a totally unplanned stop on our way up to Akaka Falls.  There was a teenie tiny trail head on the side of the road with a stunning view.  So we pulled over to take some shots and decided to head down the trail a bit.  I’m so glad we did!  There were little hidden beaches, mini waterfalls, and plenty of ocean views.  If you’re looking for this secret spot, it’s about 1 mile South of the Hawaiian Botanical Garden entrance.  Just keep your eyes peeled for a small trail head sign just before one of the bigger curves in the road.

Tip:  Do this hike before buying your tickets to the botanical garden.  Once you’re a ticket holder, you can’t do this hike for insurance reasons.  Also, bring some water shoes.  You’ll be walking across a few streams and things you won’t want to miss out on!

 

Monday Must-Have Lust List

Woohoo!!  Hawaiian vacation here we come!  We’ve just touched down in Oahu so this week’s lust list is largely inspired by our coming adventure.  Happy lusting!

1) MAI TAIS

When I think Hawaii, I think of this fun tropical beverage.  So while I’m here, this will be my drink of choice!

2) SPENDING TIME WITH OLD FRIENDS

We’re really here because we surprised my good friend of 15 years.  She currently lives in Australia and Hawaii is about as half way as you can get to California.  She didn’t know that we were coming to crash their vacation so the look on her face when we knocked on the rental place door was absolutely priceless.  There’s nothing better in the whole world than good friends that love you no matter how silly/crazy/weird/obsessed/awesome you are.

3) JUMPSTART TO SKINNY BY BOB HARPER

Thanks to this diet and exercise program, I’m officially back down to the weight that my drivers license says I am!  Before heading on our Hawaiian adventure, I knew I wanted to lose a few pounds before spending 24 hours a day in a bikini.  So I researched and researched and this program seemed to have rave reviews!  Well, I only had time to do 2 of the 3 week program and I lost 8 pounds!  I’m feeling WAY more confident in my bod for its bikini debut.  I’m not a doctor so always make sure you check with those guys first before starting any diet and exercise program but if you get the OK, I’m a huge advocate for this one.  Pick up your copy here.

4) REVLON BY MARCHESA NAIL ART

I’ve definitely mentioned my love of nail art before (see here and here) so when I got wind of this, I made a mandatory stop at my local drug store.  These things are little works of art for your nails!  Not all of us are able to buy (or have a reason to wear) a Marchesa gown so now we get a little piece of it right at our finger tips!  And since they last for up to 10 days, it’s an absolute must have!  Hurry up and run to the nearest drugstore now!

5) LAVA

I don’t think I really need to go into much description on this one… I mean… it’s LAVA!!  We’ll be heading to the Big Island and I don’t care if we do nothing but find lava.  If we find it, I’ll definitely be showing you the photos!