Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Hotel Hana-Maui Sparkles with Distinguished Crowns and Natural Baubles

And speaking of Hana and Hawaii . . .


Diamonds (and Gold) are a Hotel’s Best Friend
Hotel Hana-Maui Sparkles with Distinguished Crowns and Natural Baubles

With its jeweled backdrop of golden sunrises, a sapphire ocean, garnet and onyx hued beaches, and emerald green rolling lawns, Hotel Hana-Maui has once again proven itself to be a true jewel tucked among the trees on Maui’s eastern coast. Indeed, the start of 2010 is off to a dazzling start with a fresh collection of honors for the heavenly gem in Hana, Hawaii.

Respected industry leader, Condé Nast Traveler, has once again named Hotel Hana-Maui to its celebrated Gold List – chronicling the world’s best places to stay. But the real crown jewel for the legendary hideaway was being named the #1 hotel in the United States in Condé Nast Traveler’s list of The Best by Location.
No treasure chest of jewels is complete without a few diamonds and for the seventh consecutive year, Hotel Hana-Maui was honored with the celebrated Four Diamond Award by AAA.

With such a luminous bounty, it’s no wonder that for TravelAge West’s 2010 WAVE [Western Agents’ Vote of Excellence] Awards, Hotel Hana-Maui was selected as the Best Resort for a Romance Vacation in Hawaii.

Hotel Hana-Maui – www.hotelhanamaui.com – 808.248.8211


Cheryl Bruedigam, Editor
Guidebook America
http://www.guidebookamerica.com/

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Paradise in the Pacific: Haleakala Crater

Haleakala Crater - Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Ron Dahlquist
Searching for Paradise? You will have to travel a good distance to get to it but it is well worth the time. Where? To the top of Haleakala Crater. Located on the east side of the island of Maui, in the Hawaiian Islands, Haleakala Crater rises 10,023 feet above sea level below and was aptly named the House of the Sun by early Hawaiians.

The crater is approximately seven miles across, two miles wide and twenty-six hundred feet deep. It is an amazing sight and feeling to stand on the very top, looking both down to the depths below and out to the horizon beyond surrounded by nothing but pristine Pacific ocean for as far as the eye can see. One does truly feel that one has reached the ends of the earth (or perhaps the beginning of Earth).

My trip began with a morning at the beach followed by a drive up to Haleakala. An unsuspecting tourist, after my morning at the beach, I was clad only in a bikini and a towel for a wrap. As our rental car made the climb to the summit, the temperature began to drop lower and lower. Though down below we knew that on that August day, it was a lovely, if not overly warm in-the-nineties day on the beach. Not so on the road to Haleakala. Higher we climbed. And definitely not so at the top. So traveler be warned, if you plan to venture up, throw something long sleeve or long legged at least, in the car, though I can assure you it is the only time in Hawaii that you will need it, or just brave the cold in your skivvies.

Our arrival at the top was greeted by a lone but very friendly, park ranger. He quickly gave us our guidelines and as many know, at 9,740 feet, the Haleakala Visitor Center is the best place to watch the Haleakala sunrise. We however arrived in early afternoon but were not short-changed. It felt like we were standing in heaven, standing right among the sky and the beautiful white puffy clouds, so close you try to touch them. It was awe-inspiring and has always remained the very top vacation spot on my list. Little can compare to the view and experience of standing high atop Haleakala Crater; feeling both special and isolated, yet completely connected to all that is.

If you want to get away from it all, including the crowds, stay in Hana, it's a charming coastal Hawaiian village. Rates are lower and you cannot ask for a more romantic ambiance.

Whether you stay in Hana, Lahina, Kahana or anywhere else on the island, with a visit to Haleakala, your visit to Maui will become magical and will be an experience that will remain with you always.

For information on accommodations and more in Maui, please visit our Maui directory.


Cheryl Bruedigam, Editor
Guidebook America
http://www.guidebookamerica.com/

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Shopping in Santa Fe

Shopping in Santa Fe is a helpful artical so I thought I would blog it for some great info on shopping in the City Different. Shopping in Santa Fe is fun, unique, and though a bit on the expensive side, as you will find in our article, the locals know where to go for the best value and southwest style!

A Texas Valentine

If you're in Texas or planning to be in Texas for Valentine's weekend, check out the following special from the Mesina Hoff Winery & Resort in Bryan:

Celebrate Valentine's Day at Messina Hof Winery & Resort
Treat someone special to a gourmet meal and award winning wines
Messina Hof Winery & Resort, the fastest growing award-winning winery in Texas, has planned a special Valentine's Day menu to serve on the evenings of Saturday, Feb. 13 and Sunday, Feb. 14 in the romantic Vintage House Restaurant.

Guests will choose from a variety of options on the four-course menu created and prepared by Messina Hof's expert culinary staff.

Menu:

Appetizer:Tempura lobster medallions with estate-grown Meyer lemon & Sauvignon Blanc dipping sauce
Texas goat cheese & spinach quiche

Salad:Strawberry salad with bleu cheese tossed with a strawberry rhubarb vinaigrette - Marinated artichoke hearts served with a White Zinfandel vinaigrette

Entrée:Nolan Ryan Beef Filet topped with a Cabernet Sauvignon demi glaze -Gulf coast flounder with an estate-grown Meyer lemon Cabernet sauce - Roast duck with orange muscat sauce

Dessert:Chocolate Marquis served with sorbe - Swedish cream with fresh berries in a Riesling marinade

Award winning Messina Hof wines and cocktails will be available. The knowledgeable Vintage House Staff will be available to recommend pairings for each course.

For information and reservations, please call 800-736-9463 ext. 234.

After dinner guests are invited to make the most of the evening by spending a night in the Villa, recognized as "Most Romantic Bed and Breakfast in the USA." Reservations are currently available. To make a reservation, please call (979) 778-9463 ext. 222 or visit www.messinahof.com.

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 13, 4-9 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 14, 4-9 p.m.
WHERE: The Vintage House Restaurant
Messina Hof Winery and Resort
4545 Old Reliance Rd
Bryan, Texas 77808
COST: $49.95, plus tax and gratuity.

Messina Hof Winery and Resort was established in 1977 by Co-Founders Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo. Messina Hof was founded on family values, romance and tradition. Messina Hof is the leader in the establishment of the Texas wine industry and ranks as one of the fastest growing, most award-winning wineries in the state.
Four-time winner of the "Top Texas Wine" at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Messina Hof wines are handcrafted at the winery, located in Bryan, Texas. In 2009 Messina Hof was recognized as "Best of Herd" Winery, or best Texas winery, at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Wine Competition. Messina Hof Winery and Resort boast on their 100 acre property the Vintage House Restaurant, origin of Vineyard Cuisine Cook Book, the Villa, which was voted "Most Romantic Bed and Breakfast in the USA" and the Wine Master's Room Wine Bar, voted best wine by the glass in the Brazos Valley.
For more information on Messina Hof Winery and Resort, please visit http://www.messinahof.com/.

Welcome to Guidebook America!

Greetings and welcome to the Guidebook America Travel Blog!  We are excited to be able to bring you even more information on travel and tourism in the beautiful United States!

It's been a rough couple of years on travelers and the travel and tourism industry but the tide is turning and it is time to look toward those future travel plans so whether you're planning a summer vacation or just to explore your own "backyard" we have everything you need to get started.

If you are looking for something short-term, this week's e-news includes several Valentine's Day specials and packages for the Valentine weekend and it will be coming out tomorrow.  All of our weekly newsletters may be found in the archives.

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