Roam+Board :: Napili Kai

[trip style = sun + beach]

{Editor’s Note: I realize it's been awhile since we've dished up a dose of Roam+Board---oh so many properties are in the queue---but I wanted to get the party re-started with a casual, beachfront property outside of the Maui resort realm. Because I only feature properties I LOVE and think YOU would LOVE for R+B, while there I was already thinking ahead to my next visit.}

What
Started by a group of Vancouverites in the 60s, Napili Kai Beach Resort recalls vintage Maui in a way that made me want to break out into the hula (lucky for me, lessons are free). Winding its way over 10 beachfront acres along Maui's Northwestern shore, 11 low-rise condo clusters built over the 60s, 70s and 80s hover near the ocean---some so close, from the inside it looks like you're in a cruise ship cabin.

Built before the tidal wave of posh resorts started popping up along Maui's shores, Napili Kai perfected the easy-breezy Hawaiian vacation with tiki, plantation-style architecture hugging the crescent-shaped, sandy bay. Ocean-view pools scattered throughout the property followed, while the grassy beachfront hub makes you want to spread your beach towel in the shade of a palm or spend happy hour playing a round of shuffleboard with a glass sherry.

Taking a democratic approach to vacationing, every room has a lanai and there is NO resort fee {a big deal in Maui where some resorts charge up to $25 daily}. WiFi and parking and are also complimentary, as is use of on-site BBQs and snorkel gear. Sadly, not everything in life is free, you have to pay for the giant pineapple-coconut shave ice pictured above, but that will only set you back $5!

Where
Napili, Maui, between Ka'anapali and Kapalua. A 50-minute drive from Maui's main airport {OGG}.

When
Maui's 25-degree C average temperature attracts visitors year-round. High season tends to revolve around major holidays/breaks like American Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break and summer. Visit in fall, Jan/Feb and late-spring for fewer crowds and cheaper rates.

Who/Why
Single and multi-generational families who choose the sand-in-your toes, laid-back location over the glitz and glam of nearby resort areas.

Cost
Off-season rates start at $270 but this can be lowered when you book multiple nights in a row with the current 5th, or 6th and 7th Night Free promotions. Washers and dryers with complimentary soap on-site. Note that luxury, oceanfront rooms have been recently renovated in sleek neutrals with a similar design palette carried over into all room categories.

More Roam+Board
Nita Lake Lodge - Whistler, BC
Hester Creek Winery – Oliver, BC
Fairmont Banff Springs – Banff
Thompson – Beverly Hills
The Sorrento Hotel – Seattle
The LIT! Bangkok – Thailand
Hotel De La Paix – Thailand
From ice hotels to Anna Wintour’s steal-of-a-deal holiday escape, find all featured R+B properties here.

[photos taken by @tripstyler--except 1st and 4th courtesy Napili Kai---while a guest of Napili Kai]

Vancouver / Seattle Weekend Getaways

[trip style = weekend getaway]

Steeped in wild West Coast scenery, you don't have to escape far from Vancouver {BC} and Seattle for a cozy fall or winter trip style = weekend getaway. Plus, going in shoulder season, your getaway will be filled with peace and quiet and less $$$. Here are some not-so-obvious weekend getaway options for whatever trip style you’re feelin’ at the moment:

Last-Min Vacay It's friday afternoon or Saturday morning and in a fabulous fit of spontaneity you decide you want to get away that night. Applicable to most major cities in the US and Canada, enter Hotel Tonight, one of our fave all-time, last-min travel booking apps.

Storm Watch Pick any beachfront hotel along the upper West Coast and you've got pretty good shot at storm watching {with a cup of coffee and Baileys, of course} during the blustery days of late-fall and winter. Head to Tofino---one of the choicest, stormiest locations---on the westernmost side of Vancouver Island where you can find a romantic beachfront accom for close to $100/night.

Spa If the idea of being surrounded by millions of Swarovski crystals, bathing in a tub-for-two overlooking Lake Okanagan, or “refreshing yourself” in a -110 degree Celsius sauna appeals to you, then the $122-million Sparkling Hill Resort in Vernon, BC is right up your alley. By car it's about five hours from Vancouver or six hours from Seattle, and by plane it's about one hour {fly to Kelowna Airport}. {Don’t miss their current offer for two including 2 nights, breakfast for 2, 5-course dinner for 2, and 2 $150 spa vouchers from $930.}

Outdoorsy Glampers Something most people don’t know is you can rent vacation homes from the Washington State Government. Whether you want a lakeside retreat or beachside bungalow, they’ve got you covered. Accommodations like the red-roofed Lighthouse Keeper’s Residences at Cape Disappointment won’t … disappoint.

Wine + Diners Vines from three incredible wine regions thrive close to home. For those who like to “discover” the of-the-moment wine, or eat and drink their way through the Pacific Northwest, this weekend in wine country is for you:

• Vancouver – take a day trip and discover the wineries in your own backyard. Don’t miss Domaine de Chaberton, Lotusland Vinyards, Township 7 and others.
• Okanagan – internationally recognized for its perfect mix of mountains, lakes, fresh air and intense sunlight, the Okanagan’s wineries give Napa a run for its money.
• Washington – Did you know the Washington and France wine regions are situated along the same latitude?  Merveilleux! After Napa, Washington is the US’s biggest wine region with 650 wineries and vineyards to enjoy!

Train {or Bolt} Try out Portland’s famed food scene or shop ’til you drop {no sales tax} in Oregon’s biggest city. Amtrak Cascades rail service runs from Vancouver to Portland {return} departing twice daily {Seattle to Portland has more frequent daily departures}. For something a little cheaper and quicker, also check out the groovy and tech-savvy, BoltBus.

TS Picks If you're visiting any of these cities, also check out some of our fave hotels in: Whistler - Nita Lake Lodge Seattle - The Sorrento {boutique} Hotel, The Alexis Hotel, The Pan Pacific Seattle Vancouver - Fairmont Pacific Rim, Loden Hotel

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[photo by @tripstyler]

How To Sleep Well When Traveling

[trip style = any]

There are two travel sleeping camps; those that sleep well in hotel beds and those who toss and turn. On the road, I spend part of my time in the zzzzzz camp and part of my time in the restless camp, yet the more I travel, the better I'm becoming at counting sheep. Good night!

Experience has taught me that sleeping well is probably the single most important factor in warding off potential sickness. The second I lose a lot of sleep, I'm down, which is why traveling so much, I've become a little obsessed with this topic.

A few years ago this became very clear when I spent four days in Italy before flying to Africa. After losing sleep on my flight to Italy and failing to get any shut-eye on the plywood-esque beds in the Cinque Terre, my body broke down and I got a t-e-r-r-i-b-l-e cold. Once in Nairobi, I slept for 14 hours the first night, and my health was on the up and up from there.

Here's some travel sleeping strategies I've learned over time, plus a few tips from a "getting the best sleep ever" article I recently read by Dr. Oz: 1/ Wear ear plugs. This eliminates any rogue noises you're not used to in a hotel. 2/ Check your pillow when you check-in. A bad pillow can mean the difference between a great and grappling slumber. 3/ Regulate the room's temperature before nodding off. Generally I know to set all hotel thermostats between 70-72F before bed. 4/ Wear sox to bed. According to Dr. Oz, insulating your feet regulates your body's temperature diverting heat away from your core to your feet. When your center is cooler, it slows down your metabolic processes giving your brain the internal signal it's time to drift off---or stay asleep! 5/ Ix-nay on the TV, iPad, iPhone-ay. Dr. Oz also advises turning off all screens 90 minutes before bed, because each contains a blue light which suppresses melatonin, a sleep-promoting hormone. 6/ Leave the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door so you don't get an AM knock-knock before your body wants to wake-up. 7/ If you're in a new timezone and want to jump into it asap, light and darkness are huge factors in our body's ability to sleep and wake, so make sure your room is totally dark at night. 8/ Finally, double check your hotel alarm clock is set to off. On recent trips I've been woken up more than once due to the previous guest's setting.

[photo by @tripstyler, taken at the Hotel Monaco (which I recommend) in Portland]

Travel Beauty :: Splurge VS Steal

[trip style = any]

{Want more travel beauty? Get your fill the third Wednesday of every month. Lauren, our travel beauty expert, is already whipping up her next concoction post!}

There are so many incredible beauty products on the market nowadays, both expensive and affordable, it's daunting to try and pick the right ones. I haven't tried every beauty product out there, but I've tested enough to pick what I think are the best beauty splurges and share where you can save money on cheaper items. Read on to find out what beauty products you should be packing on your next getaway!

1/ Face Moisturizer Steal: Oil of Olay Regenerist Lotion with SPF 15, $22.99 When I meet with beauty editors for work, we often discuss their favorite products and this one comes up over and over again. This line of anti-aging products contains incredibly effective ingredients and has the performance of a product five times its price. Using their amino-peptide and B3 complex, plus Vitamin C in a non-greasy formula, this lotion regenerates the skin's appearance and protects from UV rays.

2/ Lips Splurge: Clinique Chubby Stick Tinted Lip Balm, $19 These nourishing, moisturizing lip balms tint lips in the most gorgeous colors. Packed with mango and jojoba oils and available in 16 shades, these healthy lip colors provide hydration with a touch of shine, perfect for travel. No sharpening required---just swivel up to get more of the balm.

3/ Nail Polish Steal: Essie Nail Polish in Mademoiselle, $8 Hands-down this is the best all-around nail polish. The pretty pale pink {perfect for all trip styles} flatters every skin tone and instantly makes nails and hands look tidy, clean and put together. You don't even need two coats, and it lasts and lasts when you apply a top coat.

4/ Body Wash Steal: Caress Tahitian Renewal Silkening Body Wash, $6.50 Prepare to be transported on a trip style = beach vacation when you use this ultra hydrating body wash with its indulgent formula containing pomegranate seeds and Tahitian palm milk. Skin is left super soft and smooth---impressive for a small price tag.

More Travel Beauty Gorgeous Hair In 5 Minutes A Sky-Vival Kit The Best BB Creams For Travel How To Prolong Your Gorgeous Glow In-Flight Beauty Masks Q&A With OPI’s Founder {Nail Tips For Travel} St. Tropez’ Celebrity Tanning Expert’s Self-Tanning Secrets Q&A With Dr. Murad

[collage by @tripstyler with images sourced online]

Maui Waui :: Paia

[trip style = sun + beach]

{Editor's Note :: Last week I was in Maui investigating as many corners of the island as I could possibly fit into a one-week trip. Over eight days I stayed at five hotels ranging from beachfront boutiques to mega-glitz Goliaths. Yes, I packed light. In the next few weeks I'm going to be talking about the highlights and areas I'd recommend, starting today with Paia.}

Pa'ia [pah-ee-ah]

You don't have to go far from Maui's main airport in Kahului {OGG} to reach Paia. From the adjacent rental car pick-up area to the small town stuck between rustling sugar cane fields and a bevy of North Shore beaches, it's all of a five-minute commute.

With boho-beachy boutiques and independent ocean-to-table restaurants sprinkled over the first few miles of the Hana highway, Paia embodies day-to-day Maui devoid of big-name hotels or mega resorts. The locals are chill and health-focused, and within a few days, I feel fully educated in Island Life 101.

Paia is all about the wind-swept, salt-in-your-hair {instead of product} beachfront culture. It's not uncommon to see people dining and grocery shopping barefoot, hair still dripping from a surf session. What's so attractive about the place---aside from its natural beauty and vibe---is its confidence. This one-of-a-kind historic town doesn't try to be somewhere else, Paia is comfortable with its size, location and islandy flow, and confidence is the cornerstone of beauty.

Eat Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in an indoor-outdoor setting, Cafe Des Amis is unique to Maui dishing up Mediterranean and Indian food, versus Hawaiian regional cuisine. My lunch above is an apple, brie and avocado crepe with a dollop of sour cream and a light salad. Also check out the Paia Fish Market, a busteling restaurant sporting large communal tables and grab-your-own cutlery, where cooks fry and flip just-caught fish and fries for a constant line-up of hungry locals.

For those who want an upscale beachfront dining experience, head to Mama's Fish House, perhaps the most famous restaurant on this island. Dripping in tiki-glam, the island eatery takes fresh catch to a new level naming the fisherman who troll local waters each morning to reel in that evening's fare. Open for lunch and dinner.

Stay Find the Paia Inn right in the center of town on a plot of palm-shaded land that reaches from Paia's trendiest shops to the beach. A favorite of celebs---one such A-lister was staying at the same time as me---and Apple execs, one of Maui's only boutique hotels caters to the type of crowd that wants to go incognito and dive into local life. Room types range from basic town-view standards to indoor-outdoor private garden suites to beach villas. Rates start at $189.

Do Two must-visit beaches near Paia are Baldwin and Ho'okipa. Baldwin is sprawling and unspoiled, perfect for a lazy afternoon sunning session or a long walk along its mostly flat shore. Hookipa is a windy and wavy world-famous stop for and windsurfers and surfers frequented by the likes of Laird Hamilton. Finally, don't leave Paia without popping your head into a few boutiques. I love the curated finds for stylish guys 'n gals at Imrie.

[photos by @tripstyler snapped while exploring Maui with Tourism Maui]