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Hotel Experiences It will bring great joy to its tremendously loyal clientele to know that the Mauna Kea Hotel will indeed reopen. The target date is December, 2008, two years after the hotel closed due to structural damage caused by the 2006 earthquake off Hawaii’s coast. The multi-million-dollar refurbishment will focus on the interiors. Its room count will be reduced from the previous 310 to 258, resulting in larger bedrooms and bathrooms in the main building. At the same time, the hotel will be introducing retails shops and other amenities, including a spa and fitness center. The Mauna Golf Course, which closed in May 2007, will reopen in November. |
| Dresden “The trip to Saxony was fabulous. We stayed in Dresden the entire time at the same hotel (Radisson). It is right in the center of town, looks old from the outside but refurbished with all the modern conveniences while still keeping the old flavor of the past. Tourism has not arrived there yet so it was delightful not to have crowds. It is like Europe was 50 years ago. Most older adults do not speak English because they were made to learn Russian. Therefore, in shops you have the challenge of communications -- which I find fun. Credit cards are not accepted everywhere -- probably because they are still poor and businesses may not be able to pay the fees associated with this convenience. ATM machines are everywhere, however. Travelers cheques are difficult to use except at the hotel. The tourism company found this an item to look into. We had gourmet food with beautiful presentations everywhere. My friend took photos of every plate and table setting. Wine flowed like water. We went to two vineyards - one we had lunch with 4 different wines explained by the Wine Princess (who "won" that title by a blindfold identification test) - Once we had a dinner with three different wines explained by the sommelier. We went to the Meissen factory where we had a tour and a tasting of coffee, tea and a chocolate drink (hot) in their tea cups. My tea cup sold in the gift shop for $1800!!! I could go on and on.” C.P., Minneapolis |