It’s getting towards the sixth week on my trip over in the US with five of them in Hawaii. Still a week to go and I’m staying in three more hotels.
I just moved out of the Aqua Palms Spa which is my favorite little hotel if I have to pay, usually getting a hundred a night rate for a king on Ala Moana close to everything I frequent.
Lovely people who know me well, hold onto the stream of packages that I have sent from US bird product vendors, Penzey’s Spices, Big Dog’s clothing, Amazon, Ola creams and lotions from the Big Island and a few other delights.
This morning at 8am I vacated and left behind my dear friends Brian Peacock and his wife Jane Wexler who I swanned around the island to my special places. So now I’m on my own again and ready to savour that last week. I’m free tonight as I didn’t get an invite to the $1000 a plate dinner (surprise!) that Tetsuya is cooking at across the street at Halekulani. This leaves me open to choose either Roy’s or Nobu downstairs and a few steps away for sushi or getting something to fix in the room.
And what a room it is! Up on the 27th floor of the Trump Hotel Waikiki, it’s a two bedroom big suite with two balconies, over 3000 square feet with wall to wall windows all around.
Impeccably furnished with gorgeous woods and (watch that pinot) white carpets, it’s a bright and airy nest up here above Waikiki.
To the right are beaches and public park with the city out yonder, mountains and bays all along the coast where the sun will set at 6:30 followed by a fireworks display at 7:30.
To the left are more beach vistas and all around me is ocean with sailboats, yachts, cruisers, pleasure palaces on the water since we’re close to the marina.
The water is azure with green areas of coral holes, the water dances like glitter being blown across a floor.
The occasional jet cruises in with new holiday makers and this property really does occupy a special place here at the Northern end of Waikiki.
While Halekulani is the Queen of hotels on the strip here, Trump is unarguably the King that has taken over as the first ultramodern luxury hotel, meriting a six star status if there was one.
Architecturally, it is alluring and has a flow that sucks you in.
Just walking by the spa chilled me right out and made me want to go in and lay down.
All of the residential units, suites and penthouses are owned with about 25% of them either lived in by owners or a few remaining vacant as investments. The rest are rented out like hotel rooms and are amazingly furnished and comfy. They went on the market a few years back and sold out within seven hours.
I couldn’t fault a thing about it and it’s been a blessing to have this opportunity to stretch out and watch the world go by. Damn! A bird just hit the window but luckily landed on the balcony rather than plunging down the tower. Oh well, time to open up that bottle of Hitching Post pinot and some ahi tuna poke for mid afternoon snack. Then maybe a nap.