By:Marcia Abramson
I think that I shall never see a hotel as spectacular as Hilton's Waikoloa Village. It is truly paradise, here on Earth. When I arrived at this tropical setting, I was greeted with the ubiquitous orchid lei and instructions to either take the sleek shiny boat or the equally luxurious tram to the low-rise tower in which my room was located. This hotel is located on 62 oceanfront acres, with three freshwater pools, a saltwater lagoon and beach, two 18-hole golf courses, an 18-hole seaside putting course and eight tennis courts. My room was lovely with all the amenities I could possibly need. Hilton's Waikoloa Village is also noted for its Kohal Spa which features pampering Hawaiian style treatments. These were most appealing to me and proved to be almost as relaxing as those at my local Capellini's. The other plus provided by the Hilton resort is the interactive program with the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins conducted by the Dolphin Quest's marine mammal experts. My grandchildren, 7 and 10 years old, would be delighted with the Dolphin Discovery program for kids, 5 to 12 years of age. It is a 30-minute shallow water experience with an additional hour of fun games and activities in the "Yellow Submarine Room." There are also special dolphin training programs for older teens and adults. I found just watching this program fascinating.
I singled out this hotel for special mention because it is full of treasures of the area along its walk-ways and lagoons. It was no problem walking the walk to find the Oceanic Art collection from Polynesia and Melanesia and gain an understanding on why the primitive lifestyles and art of the Pacific was so influential for the renowned artists Gauguin and Matisse. Mark Twain and James Michener's writings were also influenced by this culture. I was fascinated by the displays of bridal mats, bows, arrows, spears, clubs, ceremonial crocodile figures, slit gong drums, Kundu drums, tapa cloth, shields and paddles. They provided me with further understanding of how this culture survived through the ages until they became our 50th state. The Chinese porcelain vases, the Hawaiian paintings by local artists, cloisonne vases, bronze Buddha, royal chariots and fabulous Han Dynasty pottery and sculpture all added to my fascination with this oceanic paradise.
The other hotel I have singled out for special mention is the Outrigger Waikoloa Beach because of its fabulous food aside from its beautiful setting on the lush beachfront and $25 million renovation. The restoration of the dining area was complete and offered a magnificent tropical setting for a scrumptious dinner. To start off, I feasted on a dinner of Keahole smoked lobster medallions with shrimp and crab sushi, a dainty Waikoloa duck consomme, and a salad of Kawamata tomatoes and Puna goat cheese salad with truffle balsamic vinaigrette. To clean my palate in readiness for the entree, I had a refreshing mango sorbet. The main course was a delicious grilled Molokai venison with demi glace, served with Waipic fern shoots, Koloa fresh asparagus and Okinawa Sweet Potato. My meal ended with an unbelievable eye-catching white and dark chocolate creation. It was as good to eat and pleasing to the senses. An assortment of cheeses and fruits were added to a trilogy of desserts. Of course, the Outrigger's wine cellar was well represented with the appropriate Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc 1998, J. Pinot Noir, 1997 and the Robert Sinskey Stags Leap District Claret 1996. This dining was a far cry from the traditional luau of roast pig and poi and much appreciated.
After wonderful lodgings and gourmet food, what could be better than a kayak tour of Paradise. There is an ecotourism adventure called "Flum in Da Ditch," which took me through the historic Kohala Sugar Plantation irrigation system of 22.5 miles of open ditches, flumes and tunnels via a kayak ride. I found myself in a five-person kayak going through pristine rain forests and ravines. There were the accompanying waterfalls with some thrilling dark, eerie tunnels to add to the mystery of this unforgettable journey. For information on the kayak ride, you can call (877) 449-6922. The Big Island Visitors Bureau at (808) 961-5797 can help you plan your visit to this island.
Copyright by Marcia Abramson
E-mail: mascribe@aol.com
