One and Done

[trip style = luxury]

Most travel publications, including this one, encourage you to see the world, highlighting must-dos and must-stays around the globe. But, sometimes you need a break, even from the musts.

Last month when I was on The Island of Hawaii with the rest of the Trip Styler crew, we purposefully ended our trip on a relaxed note. I call it the "one and done" holiday, which is code for: We never left the hotel. 

For this one-and-done stay we chose a resort we know well: The Fairmont Orchid, which has a special place in my heart given it's where our son learned to walk, in addition to a perfect set of beach-luxe amenities. Cue an orchid- and succulent-adorned lobby; space to roam; gradual-approach beach; protected swimming lagoon; curvy pool; tropical gardens, expansive grass fields; gorgeous spa with outdoor huts; an excellent Gold Floor lounge serving breakfast, tea and hors d'oeuvres, and staff who remembered us from past visits; "kids eat free" inclusion; and value for dollar when compared to other high-end beachfront accoms {I booked two adjoining rooms}.

Truth be told, staying put felt really, really good given our normal go-go-go pace. In our break from the "musts" we let the sun—and only the sun—dictate our "schedule."

Related
Post-Trip Talk: So Much To Say
Alaska Airlines Adds More Aloha 
Video: Fairmont Orchid

[photos taken by @TripStyler] 

Find Festive at these Vancouver Hotels

[trip style = staycation + luxury + food + wine]

Hotels really know how to deck the halls over the holidays. From twinkling lights to star-topped trees to cozy pop-up lounges set up with glee, finding festive is no big feat in Vancouver. Here is where to find an extra dose of magic this Christmas....{See you there} 

Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
I said this last year and I'll say it again, the Four Seasons is Vancouver's ultimate noël hotel {and not just because they are in the centre of the shopping district}. During December this posh urban retreat offers so much in the way of glad tidings, it's enough to make Santa a little jealous. 

Start or end your day with YEW's merry band of holiday sippers, think: Housemade nog spiked with cognac, served in a Christmas Vacation Moose Mug {among other festive cocktails}. Or there's the sparkle-factor: December is "bubble month" meaning there will be a lot of cork-popping with eight bubbles offered by the glass, in addition to sommelier-selected vintage bottles brought out from the cellar.

To make the Four Seasons version of festive last a little longer than your sip or stay, check out the Festive Desk nestled among the Festival of Trees on second floor lobby. Here, housemade stocking stuffers such as macarons, caramel corn, and stollen {bringing the former pastry chef out of retirement to bake} are available for you and yours. And if you really love the person, upgrade your gift to a plush Four Seasons robe...   

Rosewood Hotel Georgia
Baby, it's cold outside, but Reflections: The Garden Terrace, is toasty and warm. As the first winter pop-up for the chic open-air lounge, the elves at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia have transformed the alfresco space into a holiday haven complete with faux furs, outdoor fire pits, strings of light, posies of mistletoe, mulled wine, and fondue {among other Christmassy treats}! Open now until Dec 30, 3-10pm Thursday to Sunday, 4-10pm Monday to Wednesday.

Fairmont Pacific Rim
It's a good thing there is approximately 2km between me and the Fairmont Pacific Rim's giovane eatery + market. If I lived any closer, I'd need a staff of personal trainers to assist me in burning off the calories from daily sugarbuns, aka gooey-fluffy bread with whipped cream in the center. To add a little Christmas spirit to an already spirited treat, giovane has upped their own ante with ho-ho-ho holiday versions of their famed buns, think: pistachio with vanilla bean whipped cream and cranberry-orange. 

[photos via hotels featured]

Post-Trip Talk: So Much to Say

[trip style = sun + luxury] 

These days, when I return home from a trip, I have so much to say I don't even know where to start. There's the luxury angle, the food angle, the family angle, or a trip styled guide of all the cool finds; however, all of this takes a lot of time—time that is in short supply when there's two little ones running around my HQ {and my mind}, and I'm continuing to contribute stories to numerous travel publications. So, instead of writing about everything here on TS, lately, I say nothing at all, which is a highly unusual statement for a blogger...

Trip Styler V. 2017
Enter Trip Styler, version 2017. I'm going to write more, write often, and write in the moment to avoid a backlog of prose and pictures. I'm going fling open the window into life as a Trip Styler, because not every day is spent at the beach with a bottle of bubbles! I wish.

In this spirit, let me start to tell you about our trip November 2016 to the Island of Hawaii: part reporting, part vacation, all fabulous.

On the Suite Life
Unsure of how to handle an infant and a toddler in a standard hotel room—we'll get there, eventually—we stayed in a two-bedroom suite at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, a two-bed cottage at Puakea Ranch, and in two adjoining hotel rooms at The Fairmont Orchid. This was our {successful!} attempt at avoiding a chorus of night and nap wake-ups with little ones. 

Like a Supermodel
By design, we spent part of our time on the coast and part our time in the upcountry. The Island of Hawaii is best explored at all altitudes due to its unique blend of climate zones, as in, if you were keen, you could: play in the snow, play at the beach, go for a swim, hike to a waterfall, marvel at a botanical garden, ride a horse, pick a papaya, and walk beside molten lava all in one day. In short, the place is like a supermodel; blessed at every angle:  

Over the coming weeks I'll "unpack" the trip to guide you toward our TS Island of Hawaii faves. In the meantime, check out my photos on Instagram --> @TripStyler.

Related
Alaska Airlines Adds More Aloha

[photos by @tripstyler]

Holiday Gift Guide 2016

As I write this gift guide, the forecast is calling for our first snow of the season and I'm two hot apple ciders deep. Dig out the wrapping paper and blanket scarves because it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! This year, we've selected 10 gift ideas for travelers, from budget-friendly stocking stuffers to stylish splurges. Merry Christmas and happy holidays from the Trip Styler team!

1/ The Poglia Porter :: It's never easy traveling with a brimmed hat unless you're prepared to wear it on every travel day. This stylish tote solves that problem with its signature hat-holding feature. Fashion and function have never looked so good!

2/ Away Carry-On :: Speaking of fashion and function, we've had our eyes on this good-looking, tech-friendly carry-on all year. This start-up luggage company offers lightweight, flexible, scratch-proof hard shell bags with a built-in battery for usb phone charging. 

3/ Charging Cord Tassel Keychain :: Speaking of clever charging, this keychain is not only a handy charging cord, but also a superlative stocking stuffer.

4/ Aesop Rinse-Free Hand Wash :: Speaking of stocking stuffers, we haven't been this excited about hand sanitizer since our late 90s Bath and Body Works phase. Shout out to our favorite scents: cucumber melon and plumeria. This hipster hand sanitizer is a traveler's best friend.

5/ Herschel Supply Kids Backpack :: Speaking of hipsters, these backpacks are the perfect gift for the traveling tot whose wardrobe is already better than yours. Thankfully, they come in adult sizes too ;-)

6/ Reks Optics Sunglasses :: Speaking of adult sizes, this new line of bendy sunglasses claims to have 10 times the shatter resistance of glass and plastic. Create the look you want from six frames, three lenses and lots of color options. We like the round frame and mirrored, polarized lenses.

7/ Island Girl Cosmetics Nail Color :: Speaking of color options, we stock up on these fast-drying nail polishes at the ABC Store every time we hit the Aloha State.

8/ Lavanila Travel-Size Deodorant :: Speaking of fast-drying time, this natural, aluminum-free deodorant will have you smelling like a tropical cocktail as fast as you can say Mele Kalikimaka. Trip Styler Tip: If you're switching to a more natural deodorant for the first time, it may take your body a few weeks to adjust, so keep it on hand for a midday application just in case!

9/ Trip Styler Store Finds :: Speaking of the tropics, we picked up these beauties in Bali and Thailand. We love the flat-packing grass-weave clutch and stone bead tassel necklace. We also love the weight and texture of the 100% cotton towels we found in Morocco.

10/ Hotel Gift Card :: Speaking of Bali, how about a visit to the Fairmont Sanur Beach or the Four Seasons Resort at Sayan? Give the gift of a night away (or four!) with a hotel gift card — most luxury hotel brands offer them, and they're a smart way to give the gift of travel to those you love. Icing on the pillow-top cake? Offer to babysit {where necessary, of course}.

This post is written by Trip Styler's Assistant Wayfarer/Editor Heather.

Past Trip Styler Gift Guides
2015 / 2014 / 2013 / 2012 / 2011 / 2010 / 2009

Alaska Airlines Adds MORE Aloha {BLI to KOA}

[trip style = sun + beach]

Earlier this year I was asked if I would be interested in covering the inaugural {and nonstop!} Alaska Airlines flight from Bellingham, Washington to Kona, Hawaii. Obviously... Hawaii is ALWAYS a good idea, and I *really* love the island's ultra-tropical cocktail blending sand-sational coastal life with otherworldly landscapes in the upcountry. I'm also a superfan of Alaska Airlines—in my opinion they have THE best customer service AND mileage program in North America—so the answer was an immediate, YES. {As always, I'm not being paid to say this; Alaska is my go-to airline for US travel.}

Instead of going solo on a quick reporting trip, I decided to bring all the Stylers using my Alaska Airlines Mastercard companion pass for Mr. Trip Styler and Blue Styler {Pink Styler flies for free because she is under 2}. 

I'm writing about this Vancouver-vicinity to Hawaii flight because it's a big deal. Currently, WestJet is the only carrier to do a direct from Vancouver to Kona {Air Canada starts seasonal service mid-December}, and it's not my favorite as the WJ flight times run in red-eye territory making it tough to adjust between time zones. Enter the new Alaska flight, which leaves in the morn from Bellingham and comes back to the mainland at 1pm, and the Bellingham Airport is just 20-minute jaunt from the border {or one hour from downtown Vancouver}. 

The Details
Alaska Airlines nonstop service from Bellingham to Kona just started on November 12th, 2016 and runs until April 1, 2017. The fuel-efficient next-gen Boeing 737 aircraft offers a three-and-three seating configuration and departs once weekly every Saturday. As for entertainment, you can connect to Alaska's inflight entertainment through your own device, or on a pre-loaded tablet they rent at the beginning of the journey.  

Not that you need any convincing to hightail it to the Island of Hawaii, buuuuuuuuuut:

Walking on the beach at Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, a gorgeous stay edging the sunny Kohala Coast

Turtles in Anaeho'omalu Bay, otherwise known as "A Bay"

Pololu Valley Lookout, a must-do viewpoint and hike overlooking the island's northeastern coastline

Upcountry yee-haw: Horseback riding on an 11,000-acre working ranch stretching from the rainforest to the sea with Paniolo Adventures.

Savoring the sunset and farm- and fish-to-fork cuisine at The CanoeHouse, a Hawaii must-eat since 1989.

Sunset views c/o the Island of Hawaii

[Photos taken by @tripstyler, except the lead snap, courtesy of Alaska Airlines]