Video: Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii Island

[trip style = sun + spa + beach + luxury + food + wine]

After my second stay in three years at the AAA Four Diamond Fairmont Orchid, I wanted to show off the unique hotel in a short video {below}. Set over 32 acres of oceanfront along Hawaii Island's famed Kohala Coast, the 540-room resort combines the spaciousness of 24 football fields {approx}, with the seclusion of a boutique escape due to its wide-angle footprint and thoughtfully designed enclaves. 

Complete with all the accoutrements of a high-end property—think: meandering pool, lagoon-style beach, multiple restaurants, spa, tennis, golf, kids club, etc...—the escape has everything you need for a complete stay; so much so, when I visited with the Trip Styler crew {Mr. + Baby Styler} in late 2015 for five nights, we didn't leave the hotel once. We didn't need to. Note: Because we explored the island from its heights to its depths in past visits, this time we opted for c-o-m-p-l-e-t-e relaxation.

Video

Details
Who --> For families, honeymooners and couples who value well-groomed oceanfront stay complete with stunning sunsets, nightly. 
Where --> 45 mins from the Kona International Airport along the Kohala Coast.
Cost --> from $251 nightly + daily resort charge of $30.00 per room per night, which includes self-parking, basic internet access and more...

Trip Styler Tips for a Sweet Stay
* For an easy-breezy stay, consider staying on the Fairmont Gold floor with complimentary lounge access. While this option is a touch more pricey than the regular rooms, it's nice to have a dedicated concierge, breakfast, non-alcoholic bevs, teatime, and nightly appetizers always at the ready—a perk we really relished with Baby Styler in tow! 

* Book a treatment at the hotel's Spa Without Walls. Few spas in the world can open their doors and let nature in. Totally in. This spa is an exception. Here, 14 hales (huts) are perched at the ocean’s edge or atop waterfalls for a tropical take on rejuvenation. While just lying in my hale listening to water flow and birds chirp is almost a treatment unto itself, the Ali’i Experience adds a dose of regal to your relaxation. Designed with royalty (Ali’i) in mind, the 110-minute journey from your hut to Hawaiian heaven calms with a lomilomi massage, cleanses with a locally-sourced herb scrub, and culminates with warm coconut oil cascading down your scalp in an experience so pampered, it’s as though you’re being readied for your coronation.

* Don't miss the Fairmont's happy hour in Luana Lounge from 5pm-6pm daily. Also, every Friday, sample a complimentary taste of the island during Social Hour from 4pm-5pm.

* If you want to use beach gear such as snorkels and stand-up paddleboards for your entire stay, consider an Activity Pass instead of paying per use. Also, there are complimentary cultural hikes, daily arts and crafts and activities available through the hotel's Beach Club program.

* Fairmont president club members {a prog that is free to join} receive $10 off of a beach or pool cabana

[photos via @tripstyler taken while I was a partial guest of the resort, which I sought out during my Big Island visit because I enjoyed it so much the first time I stayed]

Packing for a QUICK Airport to Resort Transition

[trip style = sun + steal + luxe]

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all could travel in roomy jets, sip Champagne on Cloud 9, and strut STRAIGHT from the plane to the pool at touchdown? 

If there's one thing I've learned from quick trips to tropical locals is not to waste time between the airport and resort. You're there for sun and relaxation, right? So, start ASAP. Read: Forget unpacking {you can do that later} and browsing the hotel, and get an umbrella drink in your hand on the double!   

After years of editing and re-editing my travel routine down to an art, I’ve settled on the following packing techniques for an easy-breezy airport-to-resort transition. Because, let’s be honest, if you’re traveling somewhere hot, you’ve got one thing on your mind: Sitting at the water’s edge. Stat.

1. Bring a plane-to-pool travel tote

The key to your jet-set success is selecting a tote {read: “personal item” in plane-speak} that’s chic and sturdy enough for the plane and casual enough for the pool. I have a few bags that I take based on where I’m going. If I’m headed to an upscale resort I pack my large leather purse, which I embellish with tassels for a tropical feel. If my destination is a sand-in-your-toes stay, I bring a hand-woven bucket purse with leather straps. In either case: Save time and packing space combining your travel and pool tote into one, meaning there’s no need to pack an extra bag for the beach.

2.  Wear part of your pool garb in transit

Don't worry, this does NOT involve wearing your bathing suit under your clothes, but the next step in arriving poolside arriba is wearing your pool cover-up on the airplane.
Ladies: Select a large scarf, an upscale poncho, an oversized button-down shirt, or a kimono that can go from home > hotel > plane > pool. This way, you don’t need to open your suitcase and select a pool outfit—you’re already wearing it!
Guys: This one is easy for you, a white t-shirt looks chic in the sky and over your trunks at the swimming pool.

3. The essentials

The reason you need a personal item the size of a laptop bag {ladies: Think oversized purse} is to set you up for the pool, p-r-o-n-t-o! Basics I always pack include a high-SPF face and body sunscreen {three ounces or fewer, duh}, a hat, a book, flat sandals (if I haven’t worn them on the plane), and my bathing suit. This way, all my essentials are ready and I can change into my bathing suit anywhere. 

4. Get there, FASTER 

Waiting at the carousel for checked luggage, waiting in line for a taxi with everyone else from your flight, and waiting {again!} to check-in at your hotel can take at least two hours of relaxation time away from your getaway. So, avoid it! You’re there for the palm trees and the pool, right? In addition to packing a carry-on with your plane-to-pool tote, prearrange a ride so you don’t have to wait for one, and instead of bee-lining for the front desk upon arrival, drop your bags at the bell desk and check-in at sundown once you’re glowing with sun-kissed serenity.  

For the full article + more tips, see my latest in the Expedia Viewfinder Travel Blog: How to get from plane to pool, pronto.

[Photos sourced from a video I did with Air Transat, see it here.]

Style Guide: Whistler

[trip style = luxury + active + adventure + weekend getaway + food + wine]

Famous for its winter scene winning Whistler the best ski resort in North America {multiple years running} by SKI Magazine plus a host of other pubs, Canada’s posh peak is packed with hotels, spas, shopping and restaurants fit for outdoorsy types who put as much thought into their snow-tinerary as they do into their summit style. 

To hit the ground running like a pro weekender, we give you our TS-ified stay, play, eat, and shop guide to the West Coast’s most chill address {highlights + extras below, view the full article in the Expedia Viewfinder Travel Blog}. 

--//---> Photos below <---\\---

Stay
From luxury villas to local-flavor inns, and all-the-fixings resorts to boutique hotels, there are nearly 20,000 pillows within 500 meters of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. For an edited stone-and-timber stay so stunning it needs no filter on Instagram, check out Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler Creekside, just a five-minute shuttle (included) to the resort’s epicenter. The all-suite boutique hotel touts a fireplace and double-soaker tub in every room and has enough distractions of the spa and dining variety that you’ll never need to leave the lakeside property, but I implore you to explore the snow-dusted surroundings! 

--//---> We also LOVE: Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler <---\\---

Play
Spa: Let’s begin with bliss. While a bevy of spas grace the mountain retreat’s slope-side resorts, the most magical locale to soothe your muscles is under the backdrop of snow-capped summits at Scandinave Spa. Borrowing a page from the Finnish relaxation tradition of hot-cold-relax-repeat, the 20,000-square-foot spa—equally popular with women and men—has created numerous enclaves of hot, cold, and calm with its cedar sauna to its cold plunges, relaxation rooms, and hot pools with cascading water. Best of all, you don’t just look at nature from a window, you’re in it as you walk under evergreen tree branches between plunges. {Suitable for all seasons!}

Ski: In wintertime, everyone from beginner ski bunnies to seasoned ski pros can find something to match their activity level in the diverse alpine terrain. Enter Whistler Blackcomb’s world-class downhill skiing and snowboarding, counting 37 chairlifts and gondolas, and upwards of 200 ski runs, all connected by PEAK 2 PEAK, a world record–holding gondola hanging 1,427 feet above the valley floor.

Do: If you’re inclined to love activities with less slope, check out the cross-country skiing and snowshoeing around Lost Lake, both of which pair nicely with a post-ski vodka tasting at the Ketel One Ice Room, the coldest vodka-tasting room in the world in the Bearfoot Bistro.   

Eat
Dinner: When it comes to noshing, you’ll find a range of options suited to Whistler’s panorama of palates. For a taste of the local haul, from fishing line to field, secure a seat at Alta Bistro. When you arrive, don’t be fooled by the minimalist wood-and-mason-jar decorated environs—the jars aren’t just for show, but rather a working display where preserved provisions hint at the menu’s homegrown brilliance with dishes such as local oysters paired with a preserved berry granita and fresh lemon. 

--//--> For dinner we also LOVE: Bearfoot Bistro and Sushi Village <--\\-

Tapas: A few steps up the Whistler Village Stroll, find Bar Oso, Whistler’s hottest address for Spanish tapas, with a dedicated gin-and-tonic menu. Helmed by Madrid-raised chef Jorge Muñoz Santos, who sharpened his knife in his family’s restaurant before coming to Canada, its small plates like beef tartare and duck liver–topped toasts are significant enough to fill hungry tummies but petite enough to keep you wanting more. All this in a geometric, tile-clad space straight out of Barcelona, which gives your meal an urban upgrade.

Brunch: Since brunch is a big deal during any getaway—especially ones that involve physical activity—I’d be remiss not to mention my favorite meal of the day. Whether you head to the hills or to the spa, start your day with a dose of comfort cuisine at Stonesedge Kitchen. Take a cue from the hungry locals who flock to the woodsy eatery for their hearty breakfast bowls of all four food groups anchored with eggs. Sporting deer decor throughout (figurines are even integrated into the crystal chandeliers), wood furniture, and purposely frayed linen napkins, it reminds you you’re in the heart of West Coast casual.

--//--> For brunch we also LOVE: Crepe Montagne and Elements Urban Tapas Parlour <--\\--

Shop
DIY shoppers and coffee lovers will love Camp Lifestyle + Coffee Co.—an outdoorsy-cool destination shop complete with a campfire and Adirondack chairs that’s a 10-minute drive from Whistler Village. Here, live-edge tables that look as though they came straight from a forest display goods such as clothing, totes, ceramics, beer growlers, pillows, canoe paddles, tents, and chocolate sourced and crafted nearby.

Get There
Whistler is situated 90 minutes from Vancouver or five hours from Seattle by car.

Nita Lake Lodge

Scandinave Spa

Skiing at Whistler

Ketel One Ice Room in the Bearfoot Bistro

Bar Oso

Camp Lifestyle + Coffee Co.

Stonesedge Whistler

Whistler from afar

[photos via Tourism Whistler/Mike Crane + Scandinave + Bar Oso + Nita Lake Lodge + Camp]

Why Ischia, Italy is A MUST for your Go-List

[Trip Style = Sun + beach + food + wine + spa + luxury]

This past summer, during my month-long immersion into la dolce vita, I visited a place that captivated me to the point where I was lost for words {obviously, this doesn't happen often}. And so, I didn't write about it right away because I was still wrapping my head around its allure.

--->Photos Below<---

Seven months later, I've finally put my virtual pen to paper. Here's an except from my recent Destination to Watch in 2016 piece in the Expedia Viewfinder Travel Blog.

My stay on Ischia was only supposed to be four days. As I was sipping prosecco from a lemon tree–scented terrace overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, I couldn’t help myself: I rejigged my itinerary to extend my stay. 

I was told about the Italian isle an hour from Naples {via hydrofoil} through a friend who was in Italy for work. With a few precious days off, she enlisted the help of local contacts to suggest nearby seaside escape. Enter Ischia, a classic Italian getaway established first for its trade position, followed by its wine and wellness.

A Rarity
Part of what makes this coastal escape a rarity—and a must-go travel gem—is its ultra-local appeal coupled with its off-the-tourist-track charisma. Unlike Capri and Amalfi {the island’s popular neighbors}, there are not visitors arriving in droves, souvenir shops toting florescent hats, nor menus translated into six languages. During my weeklong stay, I only spotted two North Americans; the rest were Italians, plus a few Brits to boot, a stark reminder that it’s still a virtually undiscovered escape in a country where almost every coastline and countryside has been touched by tourist sandals.

The volcanic island’s lush landscape, fringed by 21 miles of sand and rock, is an ode to the good life, or as the Italians say, “la dolce vita.” Teeming with mineral-rich water and mud which banishes impurities from the bod, fertile fields where lemons and tomatoes bake to the ideal temperature, terraced landscapes that produce knockout wine, white-sand beaches, and beach clubs cut into the rock, Ischia has everything Italophiles love about southern Europe sans the resort-wear cachet of nearby Capri.

Prosecco Days
When I visited in summer 2015 with Mr. and Baby Styler, we started every day with breakfast at Terme Manzi Hotel & Spa—one of our best stays in 2015—where we found it hard to control our cravings around the fresh-squeezed orange juice, vine-ripened tomatoes, chunks of buffalo mozzarella, and prosecco {Prosecco 1, Trip Styler 0}. If not for my post-breakfast dip in the spa’s mineral pool, I would have come home double my size.

When 11:00 a.m. rolled around, we raced for the sea—the best place to keep cool during the summer heat—because Ischia’s version of waterfront relaxation came with all the fixings: an alfresco restaurant, bright umbrella-topped lounge chairs, and a seafront location so fetching it belongs on Pinterest, not in real life.

Because we’d spend every afternoon eating, drinking, swimming in the sea {and trying our best to mimic the bronzed miracle glow most Italians seem to sport year-round} we kept our evenings simple.

Simple Nights
At night, we’d head to the marina in Porto, a beautiful, cobblestone-fronted stretch of restaurants overlooking ferries and yachts bobbing in the day’s last light. Here, we’d “break the bank” ordering a half-liter of house wine and bruschetta for about four euros each. For the price, you’d expect these provisions to be subpar; instead they were another outflowing of Italy’s ode to all things fine and good. The wine was not some eye-squinting table version; it was perfect. The food followed the same storyline: It wasn’t some thrown-together version of store-bought stuff, but rather a combo of house-made bread, Italian cheese, about-to-burst tomatoes, and basil so fresh you could smell it 20 steps away. 

There are some destinations that pair so perfectly with your person, it’s as if you were meant to be there at that moment in time. For me, that’s Ischia. From the bruschetta to the boat-access beach clubs that look as though they’re a summer hideaway for James Bond, Ischia has graduated from what I thought would be a one-time summer fling to a destination I'm determined to visit again.

Get There
Unless you charter a yacht or heli, the best way to get to Ischia is by hydrofoil or ferry service from Naples, the Amalfi Coast or Capri.

[Photos by @tripstyler]

On Camera: Transat Luxury Collection x Trip Styler

[trip style = luxury + beach + sun]

Since I traveled to Mexico's Riviera Maya in November with Air Transat, Canada's leading holiday travel airline, I've been going blue in the face waiting to talk about the top-secret project that features Mr. Trip Styler et moi in a Transat Luxury Collection video shoot. Now the wait is over and I'm tickled pink with the results. 

Transat Luxury Collection x Trip Styler
Transat has put together a curated collection of 26 chic escapes down south, a.k.a. the Luxury Collection, which in addition to debonair digs and other perks, offers high-end extras like a special airport check-in desk, upgrade to Option Plus seating, lounge access, private round-trip transfers, free WiFi, concierge or butler service, plus a welcome bottle of champagne and fruit platter in your room. 

Partnering with travel influencers for each of their Sun Collection videos, Transat asked if we'd be interested in being "the couple" for the Luxury Collection—given our penchant for the finer travel in life and past experiences with their airline and a few of their luxury partner hotels. It was a win-win!

So with a camera crew following our every move from airport to resort, we flew to Mexico, where we filmed in a hotel so gorgeous—Grand Velas Riviera Maya—that I immediately featured it as part of Trip Styler's Roam+Board series.

Photos
Here are a few screenshots from the video. Enjoy—we did! 

[photos via Transat Luxury Collection video]