Fairmont Orchid
Close your eyes and take a deep breath in, hold it for just a few seconds, and then release - the stress, the anxiety, and the mental to-do list. Let it all go and imagine that you’re right by the ocean instead. You can hear the waves crashing and birds chirping away, you feel the sun beaming down on your face, and there’s a sense of relief washing over you. That is exactly what you’re going to feel the moment you step onto Fairmont Orchid.
Located just 30 minutes from Kona’s International Airport, Fairmont Orchid is a luxury getaway that’s focused on your well-being. Offering daily wellness activities, a spa with the option to have a massage right by the ocean or their many waterfalls on the property, a delicious array of options at their breakfast buffet, and a handful of fun-in-the-sun activities to choose from. There is so much to do but also, but you can do absolutely none of it too. After all, this is your vacation so do whatever makes you happy but may I suggest a few things?
I don’t need to go into detail about how spacious the rooms are or how comfortable the bed is, that’s a given. I do want to touch upon the fact that your stay comes with two free water bottles because Fairmont Orchid cares about the environment. As part of its sustainability program, Fairmont Orchid does not distribute water bottles and instead gifts guests new water bottles to refill at their many water refilling stations around the property. I love this so much and wish that every hotel cared this much.
Speaking of caring, the staff at Fairmont Orchid really does go above and beyond in their service. We loved the breakfast staff at the buffet, they were attentive and so kind. We enjoyed seeing their joyful faces every morning. We also love that there is a breakfast buffet, that offers a variety of delicious options to choose from. Don’t forget to get your fresh juices either.
To balance out all the eating we were doing during our stay, we made an effort to go to the gym on the property and walked around the resort quite often. I love how there are waterfalls at every turn and the Fairmont has intentionally carved out areas around the property for you to just be still in. For example, there’s a tranquil area by the ocean and a place of calmness (Wahi Malie) right by one of the waterfalls. You can sit, meditate, read and just enjoy the present moment in these places without ever being bothered.
Dining options are plenty as well. We had a beautiful sunset dinner at Brown’s Beach House, which offers a variety of delicious options including vegan-friendly ones, and is lactose intolerant friendly (for people like me). We had the lobster bisque (made with coconut milk), Kona prawns, Kona kampachi, surf and turf with the filet minion, Kona coffee mud pie, and a selection of sorbets. The service was great and the food was amazing. Highly recommend grabbing a dinner reservation so you can watch the sunset with your wine. We also heard great things about their other restaurant, Binchotan Bar & Grill, but it is only open Friday thru Tuesday for dinner, and unfortunately, we didn’t have time to try it but next time! Room service is also available and the food was just as good as the restaurant options so if you want to just relax in your room, I would definitely go with this option.
Now if you’re itching to do something during your stay, there is an activities calendar with plenty to choose from. There are also yoga classes available and if you’ve never been to a luau, the Fairmont Orchid has its very own you can attend (every Saturday). For me, I opted to book a massage at their Spa without Walls. The 50-minute Lomi Lomi massage right by the waterfall was so therapeutic and much needed after our flight. I left the spa feeling the most refreshed I’ve been in months!
We spent a total of 4 days on the property and loved every moment of it. I am not usually a morning person either, but I woke up each morning just to catch the sunrise, and never missed a single sunset. To see a visual of how gorgeous this property is, watch my reel here. This property is perfect for solo travelers, couples, and families and is also frequently booked for weddings. Make sure to check out Fairmont Orchid’s Instagram for updates and insight into any special promos they may have.
