The Fairmont Orchid - Waimea, Big Island, Hawaii - Upscale Resort on the Kohala Coast

Occupying 32 oceanfront acres on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island, the AAA Four-Diamond-rated Fairmont Orchid celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2010 as part of the Mauna Lani Resort community. It is a spacious, upscale resort, intended for meetings, conferences and events as well as idyllic, carefree vacations.

The Fairmont Orchid has more than 30,000 square feet of indoor meeting space. Its Brown's Beach House and Plantation Estate is a uniquely exclusive private outdoor function area covering 76,000 square feet. From Hawaiian-style receptions on the beach at Coconut Grove to elegant indoor events and lavish weddings, the resort's catering team provides a full range of services.

The 540 guestrooms of this luxury resort were unveiled in 1990. Six years later, $13 million in improvements and renovations were completed, and the latest round of renovations took place in 2006.

Today, the Fairmont Orchid offers upscale dining facilities, a full-service spa, a 10,000-square-foot pool, a fitness center and championship tennis courts. The tropical landscaping features gardens and waterfalls, along with ready access to the sugar-white sands of a secluded lagoon facing the Pacific Ocean.

Four different types of standard guestrooms are available, starting with the Fairmont Rooms, which offer a private lanai with a view of the gardens and one king bed or two queens in 522 square feet of floor space. Similarly configured, but with different views, are the Signature Ocean Front Rooms, Partial Ocean View Rooms and Ocean View Rooms.

A number of suites and specialty rooms are also available. The Executive Suite Garden View has a bedroom closed off from the living room with French doors. It includes a full bathroom with separate shower and water closet. Also provided are two large closets, a television and private lanai with patio furniture. Off the bedroom, there is an alcove with a writing desk, and the living room has a queen sofa bed, easy chairs, another writing desk and a full stereo system with a CD player. An additional half bathroom is located off the living room, and there is as a second private lanai with patio furniture.

Other suites range from the 1,050-square-foot Executive Suite Ocean View to the One-Bedroom Oceanfront Suites with 1,477 to 2,144 square feet of interior floor space. The ultra-deluxe South Tower Presidential Suite has a four-poster king bed in its master bedroom, along with a dressing area and vanity, a full bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub, and a separate powder room off the living room. It covers 3,214 square feet.

With four restaurants and three lounges on the premises, guests' dining needs are fully covered. Choices range from Brown's Beach House Restaurant and Brown's Deli to Norio's Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar. The Orchid Court offers a breakfast menu, while the Hale Kai Restaurant provides a casual family dining experience all day long. For drinks and appetizers, the Kahakai Bar serves beachgoers outdoors, complemented by the Luna Lounge and Ocean Bar. In-room dining is also available.

The Fairmont Orchid is located at 1 North Kaniku Drive, Kohala Coast, Kamuela, Hawaii 96743. The nearest major town is Waimea, and the resort can be reached via State Route 19, the Queen Kaahumanu Highway, just 19 miles north of the Kona International Airport. The entrance to Mauna Lani Drive is located on the left (ocean side) of the highway. Past the round-about traffic circle, North Kaniku Drive is the first right turn and the resort is at the very end of the road. Valet and self-parking are available.