Mike Brown at the Fairmont Kea Lani

Aloha,
If you are going to do your Birthday in style then you have to add the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, Maui, Hawaii as your next Birthday Destination. I just celebrated my, ahem, 50th going on 29 again, Birthday last weekend at the Fairmont here on Maui and I was treated like a Rock Star. The kind staff upgraded me to a Kilohana Suite. These are located Oceanfront at the end of the Wings. They are at elevation, so have amazing panoramic views of offshore Islands and the Sunset. From Dec-Apr, when the whales are here, this is a perfect vantage point for watching the whales cavorting out of the water in the warm tropical Maui waters. The Kilohana Suite is equipped with a powerful set of binoculars and there are many lookout spots on the huge wraparound balcony of these Suites. An amazing property for honeymoons, weddings and family vacations.

The Suite itself is very spacious. Separate Bedroom with access to the Balcony. Balcony has plenty of deck furniture for lounging. Living room has a wraparound glass wall to take in the incredible view. Living Room also has a large screen TV with Bose sound system , gaming equipment, and wireless Internet. Internet is free if you join the Fairmont Presidents Club ... which is also free. Self Parking is free, there is no "Resort Fee". 24 Hour Fitness Center in the Resort is Free, Wallstreet Journal or local paper was delivered to my Suite every morning.

These things can add up to big savings when you take in overall cost of a Resort Experience. The Kilohana Suite just like the other Rooms at the Fairmont Kea Lani, has a large marble Bathroom with large soaking tub, his and hers sinks and a separate shower from the bathtub. The Suite has a mini-fridge and a microwave. For me, the best part was that it came with - a beautiful white chocolate and raspberry Birthday cake, nice '06 Red, box of chocolates and a discount coupon for their luxurious Resort Spa :)

Hmm wonder what you may get on Your next Birthday here :) :)


Aloha,
Mike
800-256-4280 ext.109

Faye's Mother & Daughter trip To Maui

Aloha!
My young daughter and I had the opportunity to stay at Westin Maui this past week. We had an oceanview room with a fantastic view over the resort pools and out to sea. The room was beautifully furnished and we enjoyed the welcoming chocolate amenities. The water slide was a huge attraction and my daughter spent many hours playing with new friends. The pool and grounds are great for young and older - with an adult pool in a well located area. It was also close enough to walk next door to their favourite restaurant with the Golden Archs although we did have a very nice lunch - gourmet pizza at the poolside restaurant also. We had a mother/daughter "couples" massage in the spa. This was such a treat! after 50 minutes we were so relaxed and content to sip lemon water in the spa Serenity Room overlooking the beachfront. It was a very enjoyable stay and we loved every minute of this Resort!
Contact me for great savings on your next trip to Maui!
Faye
213-784-0210 or 800-256-4280 ext.129

Mauna Lani Point - Big Island with Faye

Aloha!
We stayed 2 nights at Mauna Lani Point. The condo was two bedroom with luxurious furnishings Tommy Bahama style - a fully equipped kitchen with lots of inclusions, Books, Games and CDs - even some snorkeling gear. Spa tub in the master bathroom, flat screen tvs in the bedrooms and living room. The view was beautiful and would be fantastic during whale season. The Kohala Coast was sunny and completely "Vogless". We took a sunset walk along the oceanfront cliffs and watched a beautiful full moon rise up over Mauna Kea - it was so bright it was like daylight!

The view and the immaculate grounds and the beach was only a walk 10-15 minutes to the beach (Or call the complimentary shuttle which will take you to the beach, Mauna Lani shops or resort areas) The pool area was very peaceful with a huge spa pool and BBQ area.

It was a very relaxing weekend. I would recommend to couples looking for luxury privacy and great views, also to families with small children. The staff were very friendly and helpful.
Give me a call for reservations and special savings at 213-784-0210

-

Faye Bartlett

Kaanapali Alii with Mike Brown

Aloha,
What another gorgeous day it is here on Maui. Just back from staying and experiencing the beautiful Kaanapali Alii for 2 nights with my 2 kids. Wow, I could not believe how awesome the Alii Rooms are furnished. With a Full Kitchen , washer/dryer, huge balcony, nice living room and 2 bathrooms , one with a bathtub in it. Parking was free, but you do have to pay for Internet connection.

Best part for me was to see how huge the front Beach has grown, This has to one of the best stretches of sand on Maui!! Pool was fun enough for the kids. They have 2 pools. The Other is for quiet people :) They also have 2 jacuzzis and a large BBQ Social area a 2 big flat screens in operation by the pool. No Liquor Outlet at this Condo Resort though, so BYO by the Pool. You can order food to be delivered by the Westin next door , but you pay a lot for delivery and min order is $35 before 20% tip is added. But you can always stock up yourself with supplies on the way to the Condo no probs. I loved the Alii best as the condos were exquisitely furnished and the Beach has to be one of the best in the World !!!!!

Mahalo Kaanapali Alii,
Mike
213-784-6129

Melissa McCoy in Fiji - Bula!

Aloha Everyone!

It's been quite some time since I have updated you on my comings and goings, as well as what the McCoy crew have been up to. After a less than stellar 2009, 2010 started off with an incredible amount of people wanting to travel ASAP and we were busier than ever. And so... off we went on some jaunts of our own here at McCoy Travel! Although not everyone has traveled YET in 2010, we all share our knowledge so we can better assist our clients. So you know where we have been, and that we are out there beating the pavement on our clients behalf, here is the short list :)

The agent that traveled the furthest was Hiapo Cockett and his wife Mary. McCoy Travel had earned a reward trip to Rome from Perillo Tours. Hiapo and Mary were eager to accept (with Hiapo also being our top producer for Perillo tours). Hiapo and Mary spent their whole week in Rome really getting to know that spectacular city. Click here for Hiapo's review & pictures.

Fiji was the most traveled destination for us this year (not surprising). Lori Evans enjoyed a week of diving at Beqa Lagoon Resort with Maui Dreams (a Maui Dive operation). Lori and Maui Dreams, work closely together to "craft" fabulous dive holidays. Afterward, Lori and Rachel meandered over to Vatulele and Taveuni. Mike Brown joined me at the Bula Fiji Conference in Nadi. Prior to his arrival to the conference, Mike was able to savour the flavours of Namale Resort & Spa and Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Resort & Spa. After the conference, he was our McCoy Pioneer by heading out to the Yasawa Island chain were he visited Viwa Resort.

I outdid myself this year and I'm still trying to catch up, after a whopping 5 weeks in Fiji! starting the week of the Bula Fiji Conference. My blog is lagging behind my travels, but please feel free to click here to follow along as I fill you in as I have time to write. Also, please remember to back up your computer back up, as computers/ backups DO crash at the same time (Yikes) and mine is having surgery to resurrect ALL of my photos/videos from the last 3 years (not to mention the 5 weeks in Fiji ++). I stayed at 13 resorts and visited another 2, in 5 weeks. In order of experience..

Castaway, Mana, Sofitel, Namale Resort & Spa, Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Resort, Intercontinental Natadola Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Vatulele Island Resort, Qamea Resort & Spa, Taveuni Island Resort, Taveuni Palms, Matangi Island Resort & Radisson Denarau. Visited were: Koro Sun Resort & Rainforest Spa, Malolo Island Resort

Sue Michailidis, and her hubby and son meandered down to Riviera Maya in Mexico in May. Some of the properties she visited are the Presidente Intercontinental, Ritz-Carlton Cancun, Grand Velas and Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita. Please visit her reviews here.

McCoy Travel sent Lori Evans to Tahiti in April for 2 weeks. What a 2 weeks it was visiting such incredible resorts as Sofitel Maeva Beach Resort, Le Taha'a Private Island & Spa, Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort, Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa, ~ Four Seasons Bora Bora and Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa topped off a most amazing experience. Visit Lori's reviews here.

I spent a week in Tahiti in March (blog), with focus on Bora Bora. It was a whirlwind but very very worthwhile. On Moorea I visited the Sofitel and then Tahaa Island Resort & Spa, InterContinental Le Moana Resort Bora Bora and was then WOW'd by the Four Seasons Resort & Spa. (Melissa's trip advisor review)

Fondest Regards from Maui
Melissa

Melissa McCoy

Hiapo in Rome 2010

Aloha,
I wanted to share with you my notes about my recent trip to Rome! Hope you are well, and I look forward to hearing from you and helping out with your next incredible vacation!

Rome…
The Eternal City…

I have been told that Rome is called the Eternal City because it has been there for so long. I have another theory: It takes an eternity to experience all of the history, the art, and the food. Bring your most comfortable shoes, bring SEVERAL extra camera batteries, bring a cell phone with GPS, internet service (so you can look up “what the heck is that?!”) and Google maps (an iPhone is my personal choice). If you have a camera with GPS in it, that will help.

Along with my favorite traveling companion (my wife), we braved 31 hours of airplanes and airports to experience the biggest time change possible (12 hours difference from Hawaii). Our home away from home was the lovely, 4 star, and boutique style Rose Garden Palace Hotel. Located a block or two from Villa Borghese and in the corner of what is considered central Rome, the Rose Garden Palace Hotel features comfortable rooms with high ceilings, parquet hardwood floors, marble bathrooms with VERY deep tubs, an eclectic blend of antique and modern style furniture, flat screen TV’s with satellite service, rich burl wood walk-in closets, all staffed by a friendly staff whose professionalism is exceeded only by their charm. The common areas of the resort include a lobby bar replete with polished marble, a fully equipped gym (for those of you that need more exercise than walking MILES AND MILES every day), sauna and a relaxing grotto with a ~20’ X 20’ “whirlpool” (sitting depth, regular pool temperature, tile bench running along all sides). Spa services are offered. The restaurant serves a complimentary continental breakfast (which includes hot items), as well as lunch and dinner. This resort is used by Perillo Tours (our host for this trip) and would be comparable to the Hyatt Regencies that are featured in Perillo’s Hawaii tours. Dinners are elegant and feature creative dishes served by attentive staff fully versed in knowing the best wine pairings for their dishes.

No matter what tour you take, with all my heart, I implore you to extend your stay in Rome. There is just too much to see: In the time of Jesus, Rome was a thriving metropolis. Around the time the Pilgrims were arriving on the shores of America, Bernini was busy sculpting grand fountains including the famous Trevi. A hundred years before that, Michelangelo was doing this little paint job for Pope Julius II, perhaps you have heard of it: The Sistine Chapel.

Our second day was comprised of 2 of Perillo’s half-day tours. First was the Coliseum, the world’s first Superdome. Built in the first century, it stands as a skeleton of its original glory, stripped of the white marble skin the adorned most of its surfaces. Here the first rock stars performed: Gladiators. Performing their blood-art on a wooden stage covered with sand and constructed over hidden galleries, they performed for the Caesars, but the adoration of the masses was perhaps their real motivation. Inside the three levels of ancient archways are the venerable causeways where thousands flocked to watch the grandest spectacle of their time. While most of it is in ruins, part of the theater has a reconstructed wooden stage and a few of the bleachers are being recovered in the alabaster hued marble that made this structure worthy of being the centerpiece of the throne of the known universe.



Do yourself a favor and climb the (dangerously steep) steps to the second level. Here you will find a nice souvenir shop and many cases of gladiatorial armor (mostly recreations, but several real pieces as well).

Next is the half-day tour of the Vatican. To say that a half-day tour is too brief is the grandest exaggeration I could conjure. In 2006, the Vatican Museums celebrated their 500th year. With the purchase of a sculpture of Laocoön (the priest who inspired “beware Greeks bearing gifts”), Pope Julius II began a habit that 500 years of Popes continued: art collection.

Comprising of 54 GALLERIES of art, you will find not only masterpieces of Raphael and Michelangelo, but also so many unnamed artists as to boggle the mind with the shear mass of the creations. Exiting the museums, you are lead to St. Peter’s Basilica, the grandest monument to Catholicism ever imagined. Dwarfing all churches, St. Peter’s even has markers in the main hall showing how some of the world’s most famous churches elsewhere would fit cleanly inside. Besides the grand altar build over the (even grander) tomb of St Peter, the many chapels are wall to wall with Papal tombs, running from the modest plain white marble for Pope John Paul II to the ginormous and extravagant red and white marble, Bernini designed tomb of Pope Alexander VII. And the Pièce de résistance: Michelangelo’s Pieta. I could have stood and stared for hours at this one piece.

I cannot blame Perillo tours for the shortness of the Vatican visit. They arranged to get us to the head of the lines, showed us the most important pieces and enough history to whet our appetite for more. As their tour includes days “on your own”, they can also arrange to set you up with more detailed experiences for everything that Rome can offer. They even offer “extended stay packages”. Please take advantage of your time in Rome.
The rest of our days in Rome were spent following particular artists (Bernini may be my new favorite), exploring countless churches’ art collections, wandering the ancient Forum and Palantine (trust me, take 2 days and bring a lunch), and counting our blessings for being able to take the tiniest peek at Rome, for which the title “Eternal City” seems just a bit understated.

Feel free to call me with any questions about your travel interests.

Hiapo Cockett ,
Toll Free 1-800-588-3454 x102
Local 213-784-4910
Click here to call me on our dime I'm ext.102.

Mike Brown Fiji Reviews

Aloha and Bula Bula , Hope you all are having a wonderful 2010.

I just returned from my latest foray to the fabulous Fiji Islands. I visited some wonderful Resorts and attended a very positive Tourism Conference. I must say right off the bat that the Exchange Rate continues to be a very positive reason to go to Fiji. The US Dollar really goes a long way to give you much more bang for your buck!

Fiji is among the top 15 best rated countries for American travelers during the current recession in the US financial market. This has resulted in a 26% increase in US Visitors to Fiji compared to last year. Once they come back they are reporting just how amazing Fiji Islands really are.
For Instance, Mana Island Resort was recently listed by Trip Advisor readers as one of the "Top Ten Best Beaches in the World." Mana is the only Mamanuca Island resort offering all inclusive pricing - Call me for more details.

Also, The new InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa has been included in the 2010 Conde Nast Traveler Hot List, one of only three South Pacific hotels and resorts to make the definitive list of the world’s best new hotels. They offer everything from Champoinship Golf, to horseback riding on Long Beach, and even Surfing and Scuba.

More accolades are pouring in as many discover just how beautiful and friendly Fiji and its people really are... Something Melissa McCoy and all the experienced staff here have known for a long time.

So let me tell you the latest from the Resorts that I visited this time around..

Westin Resort and Spa is in Denarau, Nadi. This is the oldest "fine" hotel in Fiji, originally the Regent. Westin added all of their well known ingredients, including the Heavenly Bed, and created a unique and relaxing environment. One short night and away I went to....

Namale Resort and Spa.. I discovered a private path to a private bluff overlooking a massive blowhole. At the end of the path was a woodedn deck/platform at elevation with both a daybed , Private Dinning Table ... and SCOOP>> a big 4 person blue modern Jacuzzi Spa Tub .. You can arrange a private meal, champagne and sit in this jacuzzi and watch the Blowhole, rolling crashing waves, under the sun or stars :) Talk about Romance !! Food is awesome , Dive Shop is fully operational (did you know you get a free dive or discover Scuba dive each day included in your Tariff ?????). The many Resort Pools are serene, and there are a ton of activities available to you. Let us NOT forget, that Namale now has a 18 hole golf course (you play 9 one way and 9 the other). Golf is also included, free, in your vacation package at Namale. Best part for me was the massage in their $2.4 mill Cliff-edge Spa :)

Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Again, great food and there is now more Beach sand at the resort. Diving was incredible with their Fulltime Staff Marine Biologist (he is from Hawaii). Lots of great Fish ID which I love. During this visit to the resort, I was reminded that every child 5 and under gets their own personal Nanny assigned .. for free !!! So if you come with two 5yr olds and a 4 yr old .. you get 3 Nannys assigned !!! This Resort does a wonderful job of catering to both families and Honeymooners, so couples should definitely consider this Resort a perfect destination too.

Side note .. Did you know that all Resorts in Tahiti accept children? Yes they do. A country known as a premium romance destination, opens families and kids with open arms, at all resorts. So we ask, is it that important to go to an adult only resort in Fiji? Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort has found a spectacular balance for couples and families. It has so much to offer both!

Koro Sun Resort ... They just constructed a new main Reception/ dining Building. I liked their semi Overwater Bures with private pool. You can literally walk out your front door straight onto the dive boat .. 4 paces max !! Their Dive Operation is receiving the highest PADI accolades. But the best is the Rainforest Spa with a natural stream cascading past your private massage Bure .. so serene.

Sofitel Resort... has the Mandara Spa on beachfront.. Wow !
Their activities department is run by Adrenalin Fiji and they offer Hot Air Balooning, Jet Ski Safaris, Scuba, Sailing and a choice of Sport Fishing Launches. We were at this hotel for the 4 nights of our conference so I was not able to enjoy as much as usual, But as always, the friendliness of the staff, live Fijian music during your breakfast buffet, and consistently great food, makes this one my favorite Nadi resorts. Nadi is not my favorite, but Sofitel is!

Viwa Island Resort ..Brand New Adults only Escape.
This is my new best kept secret for Fiji. It is a remote Island in the Yasawas, where they get the best Fiji weather any time of year. Just 11 Bures, well spaced out with air-conditioning and large front porch. Panoramic Beach views. Perfect white sand beach , great swimming and pristine coral reef to snorkel on right off the beach in front of your Bures. I personally think this Resort is underpriced for the quality of the Bures and Resort facilities. It takes an hour to walk accross the center of the Island so it is not small. The guests that came on my boat brought their surfboard and Kite Surfing equipment and this was their second trip there already ! Full Dive Shop in operation there. I had a great massage right on my Porch. Food is good, especially their chocolate croissants with Breakfast. Viwa is offered a stay7/pay5 Special, so 7 nights in your own Bure for 2 people including Continental Breakfast is less than $2000 incl tax.
Add air from LAX and Boat transfers and you are still under $5000 total !!!

Alright, so it is no longer a secret! Lets talk, Fiji is booking up fast. In fact, is selling out MONTHS in advance. Some great values are still being offered, if we can get you in!! If you are thinking of Fiji (or Hawaii and Tahiti for that matter), now is the time to act on your desires for the vacation of your dreams. Check back soon for more pictures, which I am still going through - they'll be loaded soon.

That is all for now, call me soon, Moce Mada , Mike

Mike Brown
Direct:1-213-784-6129 or 800-256-4280 ext.109