Monday, July 25, 2011

Summer Escapes

Looking to get out of the blazing hot Texas heat? Travel Consultant Molly Ryan was able to get out of Texas for a few times this summer to attend destination weddings. She has put together a review of the places and properties she saw along the way.




Park Hyatt Beaver Creek
My first attempt to escape Texas summer weather was in June; I attended a wedding in Beaver Creek Colorado. With the cool mountain breeze, it was wonderful break from the Texas heat. I stayed at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek. What a wonderful property. A lodge atmosphere in the lobby. A wonderful outdoor mountainside restaurant for casual dining or drinks under the fire torches. Ski in/out for the winter. And for the summer, the hiking is fantastic; the gondola is open for a ride up and maybe a lunch at the top, and you can ride down, bike down or walk down the mountain. The Hyatt overlooks the Beaver Creek Village shops and restaurants. Easy access to everything. For families who want to walk out their door for activities, dinning, ice skating, etc, Beaver Creek is ideal.
Park Hyatt - Lobby
Just up the road is the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch - you never feel as if you are leaving the mountain area. These are all ‘contained’ so
to speak on the mountain. A shuttle can take back and forth from Bachelor Gulch to Beaver Creek - maybe a 3 minute ride. Not really walkable though. There are some wonderful condo units for rent, all overlooking the village. Walk out your door and either go to the mountain or to the village for fun. 
Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch
Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch












Four Seasons Maui
In July, I traded in the Texas heat for a nice Hawaiian breeze. On my trip to the Hawaiian Islands I attended a wedding in Maui. I was fortunate enough to have site visits to some wonderful resorts in Wailea. The Four Seasons Maui is the first in the line of three grand resorts—beautiful grounds, quiet and tasteful atmosphere. 
The Grand Wailea  is next door; it is the grande dame of the three. A little too large for my tastes, but another lawn expanse lowering down to the beach. The Fairmont Kea Lani is next in line, my favorite for size of rooms. The outdoor areas seemed  most inviting. The rooms are all suite with living areas separated from the bedroom. Currently there is a huge discount, up to 50%, on all the rooms available until Dec 15. What a deal! There is some remodeling occurring to their prime restaurant, but it is not at all obtrusive, and would not affect any guest rooms.   
Fairmont Kea Lani
The Grand Wailea