When it comes to travel, there’s plenty to praise about Hawaii, as proven by the destination’s steady outpouring of awards and accolades.
Beaches, airlines, resorts, restaurants and cities around the islands are earning high marks from experienced travelers and reputable travel-related sources, underscoring the value of a vacation in the 50th state.
Here’s a look at some of the most recent honors bestowed on Hawaii and its visitor industry partners.
Hawaii Cities Earn TripAdvisor Thumbs-Up
TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Destinations awards named Honolulu on Oahu, Lahaina on Maui and Kailua-Kona on Hawaii Island as three of the top 25 destinations in the U.S. Based on millions of reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor readers, the winners were determined according to travelers’ favorite and most highly-rated places to visit. The state’s capital city of Honolulu came in ninth on the list, with Maui’s historic whaling town of Lahaina in the number 18 spot and the seaside, culturally-rich town of Kailua-Kona at 22.
www.gohawaii.com
Hawaii Scores Superbly With Gogobot Members
Hawaii was represented well in the recent Travelers’ Favorite Awards from social travel planning website Gogobot. Based on feedback from Gogobot members around the world, best beaches included Lanikai on Oahu, ranked fifth, and Kaanapali Beach on Maui, ranked 11th. On the best resorts list, Hilton Hawaiian Village came in second, with Sheraton Maui fourth, Hilton Waikoloa Village seventh, Westin Maui 13th and Kahala Hotel and Resort 14th. Among the favorite family hotels were Maui’s Grand Wailea (fourth), Aulani, A Disney Resort on Oahu (ninth) and Grand Hyatt Kauai (15th).
Hawaiian Airlines Ranks Highest With Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure readers ranked Hawaiian Airlines as the top domestic carrier serving Hawaii, according to the magazine’s 2013 World’s Best Awards. The results of the survey recognized the carrier’s in-flight service, customer service and value for money.
“We aim to make our guests feel that their Hawaiian vacation has begun the moment they board our aircraft, and this recognition suggests we are succeeding,” said Hawaiian Airlines president Mark Dunkerley.
Along with being the nation’s best on-time airline, Hawaiian is the only U.S. airline that serves free hot meals in all cabins.
www.hawaiianairlines.com
Honolulu Restaurants Impress OpenTable Diners
The Plumeria Beach House at Kahala Hotel & Resort and Prince Court restaurant at Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki had a good showing among OpenTable’s 2013 Best Brunch Restaurants. A casual open-air restaurant, Plumeria Beach House serves such signature morning fare as Hawaiian sweetbread French toast with island lehua honey, while Prince Court is touted for its brunch buffet with standouts such as kalua pig benedict. The list of 100 winners is based on five million restaurant reviews submitted by OpenTable diners for more than 15,000 restaurants nationwide.
www.kahalaresort.com
www.princeresortshawaii.com
Lava Lava Beach Club One Of Ten Best Beach B&Bs
Lava Lava Beach Club was selected as one of the ten best beach bed-and-breakfasts in the world by bedandbreakfast.com, a website that helps travelers find bed-and-breakfast properties globally. With four 576-square-foot, air-conditioned cottages, each of the seaside Hawaii Island digs comes with a covered furnished lanai, a king-size bed, a queen-size day bed, an outdoor rock wall shower and a kitchenette.
Bedandbreakfast.com general manager Gregory Sion said his site’s award-winners “often become a destination to discover, and not just a place to stay.”
www.lavalavabeachclub.com
Outrigger Properties Make Travel + Leisure's World's Best List
Travel + Leisure’s 2013 World’s Best Awards named Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach and Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk — an Outrigger-managed hotel — as two of Hawaii’s top resorts. Outrigger Waikiki, one of only seven hotels located directly on Waikiki Beach, completed an expansive renovation in 2012. Oahu’s only all-suite resort, Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk, offers one- and two-bedroom suites, and an array of free services and amenities that are worthy of their own awards.
www.embassysuiteswaikiki.com
www.outriggerwaikiki.com
