Travelore News: Maui's Fairmont Kea Lani Completes $70 Million Renovation

The all-suite and villa Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui recently announced the completion of an extensive $70-million renovation project.

Improvements have touched every corner of the 22-acre Wailea property over the past three years, resulting in a luxurious vacation experience for guests.

Highlights include the $5.1 million rebuild of Kō restaurant, which showcases the diverse culinary history of the sugarcane plantation era with innovative Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese dishes. Led by Executive Chef, Tylun Pang, the menu features family recipes and utilizes over 90% local produce, fish and beef.

In January 2014, the all-suite resort débuted the acclaimed Willow Stream Spa. The 9,000 square foot sanctuary doubled the size of the previous facility and was voted Top Spa in Hawai’i by Travel + Leisure Magazine within six months of opening. The luxury spa features Hawaiian-inspired treatments and amenities such as Maui rain showers and a soothing pālolo (mud) bar. Guests may also experience the latest in spa technology such as the revolutionary WaveMotion table, which tilts, rotates and rocks to create a weightless sensation, and the K-Lift Facial, developed by NASA to instantly firm skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Learn more about Willow Stream Spa Maui.

In addition to the restaurant and spa, every 413 one-bedroom suite has been renovated, offering a new tropical contemporary design. Each suite now includes a ceramic tile entry with granite countertop, as well as new carpet, furniture, décor, lighting and local artwork. Sleeper sofas and other amenities, such as microwaves and mini refrigerators, remain.

The resort’s luxurious 37 two-story villas have also been refreshed with new furniture, carpet, décor and lighting. Local art hangs in the recently remodeled kitchen and the terrace with private plunge pool boasts new outdoor furniture.

“The resort is in better shape today than the day it opened,” said General Manager, Charles Head. “The addition of a signature restaurant and an award-winning spa, coupled with refreshed suites and villas make for a top-notch resort experience. We’re eager to share the many improvements with guests this year.”
Travelers can experience the newly remodeled resort firsthand 20% off the best available rate through April. VisitFairmont.com/KeaLani to learn more about the Seasonal Savers offer.

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Have Dog, Will Travel: Top Pet-Friendly Hotel Chains

All for one, and one for all. If a vacation simply isn't complete without your pet at your side, you'll be happy to know that more hotel chains are making it easier (and less prohibitively expensive) to bring along your dog. The pet-friendliest of the bunch even extend the invitation to other animals, including cats, birds, and reptiles. So cancel the pet sitter, pack the treats, and hit the road.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Not all Four Seasons hotels and resorts accept pets, but those that do offer an experience yours won't ever forget. The luxury brand offers small dogs and cats (usually no more than 15 to 25 pounds) in-room amenities like beds, water bowls, and piddle pads, and concierges at pet-friendly locations have plenty of helpful tips about local dog parks and more. Properties that accept animals tend not to charge for the option.

La Quinta

On the pet-friendly hotel scene, La Quinta is one of the big dogs. Of its more than 830 U.S. locations, only four don't allow pets (San Antonio Conference/Medical Center; Manhattan and Queens, New York; and Monterey, California). The hotel allows up to two dogs or cats per room at no extra charge.

Not traveling with a pet? Kimpton will outfit your room with a friendly pet fish for your stay.(Photo: Kimpton Hotels)

Kimpton Hotels

There's pet friendly, and then there's Kimpton. Welcoming not just dogs but any pet that can fit through the door, the boutique hotel chain with 59 properties in the U.S. shows its dedication to furry (and feathery, and scaly) friends by not charging guests extra to bring an animal. Amenities such as pet beds, concierge lists of nearby pet-friendly restaurants and parks, and a complimentary nightly wine reception where pets are welcome make Kimpton the friendliest of the pet-friendly hotels chains. Not traveling with a pet? Kimpton will outfit your room with a friendly pet fish for your stay.

Loews has a room service menu with vet-and-chef-developed recipes for cats and dogs.(Photo: Loews Hotels)

Loews Hotels and Resorts

With a pet program called Loews Loves Pets, is there any question that the brand—with hotels in 18 cities in the U.S. and Canada—has a serious soft spot for animals? Fees vary by hotel, but a one-time service fee of $25 is common. Amenities (for up to two pets per room) include pet mats, food and water bowls, treats, beds, and even litter boxes. There's even a room service menu with vet-and-chef-developed recipes for cats and dogs.

Best Western

When Best Western calls itself a leader in pet-friendly travel, it's not kidding. With more than 1,600 hotels that accommodate pets, this unfussy favorite keeps costs low and options open. Pet-friendly properties allow two dogs (up to 80 pounds each) in each room. Some hotels also allow other pets, including cats, birds, monkeys, and snakes. Best Western hotels charge a maximum of $20 per day, with a maximum per-week charge of $100. Some properties also charge a refundable damage deposit.

Ace Hotel

At the Ace Hotel's seven locations (five in the U.S., plus hotels in London and Panama), "pet friendly" loosely translates to dog friendly. The Ace does clarify, though, that prospective visitors should "get in touch if you have something stranger or larger and we'll try to make it work." The hotels charge $25 per night for the first pet; additional pets are either free or cost an additional $10 per night, depending on location. (Through December 31, 2014, visitors to Ace Hotel New York who book with the rate code PUPPYLOVE will get the pet fee waived and receive a BarkBox treasure chest of dog goodies.)

Fairmont loves dogs so much, it has its own Canine Ambassador program.(Photo: Lisa Poole, AP)

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts

Fairmont loves dogs so much, it has its own Canine Ambassador program that brings a little puppy love to lobbies including the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston and the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. But pet owners can bring their own four-legged best friends too. Policies vary by property but are clearly outlined online. For instance, at the Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown, dogs stay free and are lavished with treats handmade by the hotel's Executive Pastry Chef, while at the Battery Wharf in Boston, pets under 25 pounds cost $25 and receive a pet bed and food and water bowls.

Hotel Indigo has more than three dozen hotels in the U.S., and they all roll out the red carpet for dogs.(Photo: Jennifer S. Altman for USA TODAY)

Hotel Indigo

Open arms and full bowls—that's the pet policy of boutique chain Hotel Indigo. The InterContinental brand has more than three dozen hotels in the U.S., and they all roll out the red carpet for dogs with welcome treats and doggie beds. Associated costs usually run somewhere between $25 and $75, depending on the location. Some properties have resident dogs, including Huey at Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge and Indie at Hotel Indigo Atlanta Midtown.

Red Roof Inn

Red Roof Inn is a friend to pets. The hotel chain has 360 pet-friendly properties (only three Red Roof Inns don't accept pets, due to local ordinances). Best of all, the chain is among the few that simply don't charge a nightly fee or deposit for pet guests. You won't find pet concierges or doggie room service, but you will find a welcoming community of pet lovers.

Contributed by Christine Sarkis, SmarterTravel.com

READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Nine super pet-friendly hotel chains

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