Hi Lori,
Thank you for all your help, I really appreciate it. You have helped make a “panic” situation much easier and the transition to another company very smooth.
S. Feria
Mesa, AZ
If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort/service or any other vacation planning, click here
Aloha Michael,
The accommodations were great and the services were outstanding. We were upgraded to the club floor with a great view of the pool and ocean. If you had anything to do with that, thank you. We did move to the other side of the building a couple days later because of the winds and coolness. The winds would blow the glass of wine off the table. We had a good time though. Golf was very windy at Kapalua and a hurricane at Ka'anapali. The wind would blow the ball off the green in some places but kept it under 90 strokes. Very challenging and beautiful. We will call you again.
Thanks,
S. & G. Rovig
Sparks, NV
If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort/service or any other vacation planning, click here
Bula Melissa,
The trip was fantastic. Many, many things done right. Mike was great, tolerating my frequent mind changes in the planning process. His suggestion for Raffles for a day room was good too – they just opened a new pool which is actually pretty nice for a “crash pad” level room.
Diving had to be the highlight, although the accommodations are a close second, followed by the quality of snorkeling around Davui.
We were more or less the only divers there at the time so we had essentially a personal boat driver and dive master. Even if there were a few more people, it beats the cattle boats from the big dive resorts. Mini, the dive master was excellent and a lot of fun to spend time with. The night dive just off the island reef was a highlight. Definitely a different set of critters out at night, and a couple sharks in the dark… Did the big fish encounter – good, checked the box, a bit like a zoo under water, without bars. Glad we did it, but the small reef sharks appearing out of the darkness and disappearing just as fast on the night diver were more impressive/a little unnerving. On a related topic – snorkeling is amazing – the colors in the coral are innumerable, throw in the vertical wall dropping down to about 30 feet, cool shells and I spent hours just kicking around the island.
The rooms at Davui are great. They do have a resort map now with locations. If I had that to overlay with sun/shade times of each, it would have been the ULTIMATE. We started with an upgrade Mike arranged (Valle 3) that for our time of the year, great sun/shade mix and evening sunsets. Then moved over to 6, which turns the corner and only got sun on the splash pool for about an hour – not a huge deal and since I picked it over Valle 1, oh well (1’s pool overlooks the boat area and thus a little less private). Bottom line though, the rooms are great and for the rainier season, we were lucky enough to have perfect weather right up the day we left, which rained and made it just a hair easier to leave, but only just.
After reading reviews, we had already determined that we weren’t the kind of people likely to write a disaster story review and nothing changed after the trip. It was a little humorous to see how some of the things people thought disastrous weren’t (at least to us). Mosquitoes, yes, we got bit. Inside and outside the netting, sometimes at dinner – its tropical. We had very, very strong repellent we brought with us – it helps a lot but still… the mangers were in transition but seemed to recognize that and went a little extra to make sure they weren’t missing an element we needed. They were good about setting some expectations up front as well – such as letting us know if there was ANYTHING we needed to ask, and yet reminded us that we were on an island and although they would always do their very best, sometimes they would not be able to accommodate certain food requests, etc. They had a smoked tuna breakfast sandwich that they never got the tuna in for, but they did know I had inquired about it a couple times and seemed to genuinely try and get it but could not. They substituted with smoked Salmon they were able to get. On the topic of food, it was amazing. In particular the fish, which seemed available at every meal in some form including the breakfast sandwich I mentioned. I read a very contrary review online about them never having fish before going so who knows why when that happened. It was definitely NOT an issue and it always seemed extra fresh.
One other pleasant, and not minor surprise, all drinks (except alcohol) WERE included. They don’t list it as that on their website that way (I think they say tea, coffee and water is). Probably saved us a little bit and kept us more hydrated than we otherwise may have. It also means that with a bottle or two from duty free in Nadi and the minibar stocked with coke, tonic, club soda, etc – we didn’t have to have drinks delivered, ordered, etc.
Staff was very friendly and mostly fast. We learned that if you get to know them a little better, ask them questions, etc, they seemed more at ease and more in tune with what you liked – by the end, they knew that I LOVED the fresh baked bread (they made a pesto bread, kind of swirl of pesto inside – to die for…), and got a kick out of keeping me well stocked at meals.
Airline was good – upstairs in the air pacific 747, bulkhead seat was KEY on the way there. The little commuter 3 seater plane Davui used was a kick. If you have any fear of flying or small plans though, watch out. I have great photos from the plane, including out the front window landing. But then I like flying, and small planes. If they have any reservations about it, a car from Nadi takes a little longer – but you do get to see the country and I think is a little cheaper, and does offer more options for departure/arrival time. I’m sure they like to keep boat trips from Davui to Pacific Harbor to a minimum so if multiple people arrive on the same day, the plane is a charter. We enjoyed it as I said. On the way back, we were on a United plane – luckily had economy plus so leg room was tolerable there too. Upgrades on the united plane was crazy expensive despite plenty of room. US air lines – Oh well.
Have I left anything off? I could probably go on for a lot longer...
Thanks again for a wonderful vacation.
J. & A. Lunzer
Hermosa Beach, CA
Hi Melissa.
The trip turned out fantastic and all of our attendees had a great time. The hotel was very nice and the ocean-front rooms a hit, especially since we could watch the whales from our window. The highlight had to be the whale watching excursion. We managed to get right up on a pod and a large one jumped right next to the boat. Wow!.
Anyway, thanks again to Lori and we really appreciate your diligence and assistance.
Aloha,
W. Compton
Lakeland, FL
If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort/service or any other vacation planning, click here
I just cannot tell you how wonderful our experience in Maui was…it was by far our most favorite vacation!! Working with Holly was an awesome experience…she helped us through the entire planning process as well as seeing it through by meeting us at the airport!! She was remarkable!! I don’t know if she shared with you that my husband has a massive stroke 4 weeks prior to us leaving, it was devastating…we didn’t even know if he would make it through the stroke…his neurologist only gave him a 30% chance of surviving it…but the Lord pulled him through and he is a walking miracle…I tell you this because Holly called us several times over the next few weeks following his stroke just to check on him and to see how we were all doing. That was so thoughtful and she was steadfastly there when we were trying to decide if we were going to be able to make the trip or not.
In the end, Scott was cleared by his neurologist to go on the trip with some stipulations which meant that at the last possible minute we had to rearrange some of the excursions…Scott could not snorkel or do the zip-lining adventure and we had to add him onto the van tour…Holly made all of that happen seamlessly…we could not have done all of that without her!! McCoy travel has some awesome people working for them and she is one of your shining stars!!Speaking of where we stayed…the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort…it was absolutely exquisite!! Not only was our villa positioned so that we had a wonderful view of the ocean, but the resort itself was magnificent!! It was quiet and beautiful and the service was second to none…we have traveled extensively and never stayed at a place that was soooo accommodating to our every want and need!!
I think that my favorite excursion was the Van tour and the trip to Pearl Harbor, but the kids really liked the zip-lining adventure. The Luau and the Spirit of Lahaina was great also…we got to experience a beautiful sunset on the boat and see numerous whales breaching which just highlighted the whole adventure!! I could just go on and on and on, but I have patients waiting so for now I will go.
I will be using you guys in the future and recommending your travel agency to everyone that I talk to about this trip. I know our next trip for hopefully sometime next year will be a cruise, so if you have any suggestions that would be great. I think that this one will be for Scott and I and my parents…but who knows who all we may add in…just like this trip!! J
Thanks for everything,
L. Grimes & Family
Enid, OK
Dear Melissa,
I am finally responding to your kind letter asking about our recent trip to the Big Island of Hawaii.
First, I want to sing praises to Hiapo. He was absolutely the best. He was patient and oh so accommodating to my non stop requests and, if truth be told, my whining. He made some magic happen and our whole experience was top notch. We loved our rooms with their beautiful views, the magnificent breakfast each morning and the whole Hawaiian experience.
My dream was to spend time with my son and daughter-in-law in a special place for us to make wonderful memories. I rarely get to see my son and my time with him was so memorable and far beyond my imagination.
I should add that I was worried about how I would organize everything at the resort. How pleased I was to find how well Hiapo organized everything for me, from the rooms, car rental, check in, breakfast and the paddle boat and snorkel rentals. We loved and appreciated it all. I'll be paying for this vacation for a few years to come but the memories will last a lire time,
Favorite experiences? Can't begin to name one. But the view I had from my room overlooking the bay and dolphin pools was exquisite. We really enjoyed watching the runner light the torches along the resort paths each night from out balconies. Oddly enough, playing with and feeding the fish at the boat dock outside the breakfast restaurant is a really fond memory.
I can't imagine a more wonderful vacation and I know Michael and Amy feel the same.
Mahalo,
D. Tener & Family
Silverdale, Washington
If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here
Hello Holly,
I have meant to send you this email since our return…we had a blast!! We did not want to leave!! All the excursions that you booked for us were perfect. We had perfect seats at the Luau, a wonderful sunset on the Dinner Cruise with great entertainment, and the Van Tour was one of our favorites…great guide…he even stopped at a couple places not on the itinerary for us!! I do think that the Kids had great fun snorkeling and zip-lining. The day of our departure we went to Lahaina and booked one of those blue water whale watching tours for the 6 of us…mom and dad did not go…and that was tons of fun also.
The most spectacular thing was where we stayed the Fairmont Kea Lani was absolutely beautiful and the service there was impeccable…second to none!! Everyone was so helpful and nice!! Scott and I walked hand in hand into the Ocean the morning we were leaving and that was one of the most touching memories that I will ever have considering that I almost lost my best friend before we left!!
I will write more later…just want to say THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! We will be using you and McCoy Travel for future trips for SURE!!!
Aloha,
L. Grimes
Enid, OK
Hello Melissa & Robin!
We had a wonderful trip. Rosie's had everything arranged (multiple taxis etc) just right. They were helpful indeed. We recommend highly Blue Lagoon Cruises - the crew is fantastic and they REALLY go the extra mile to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable.
The Anchorage (where we only stayed 1 night) was also pleasant. I needed an internet connection desperately (to send an overdue work item) and the Desk Clerk did everything he could to help me out.
He ended up letting me hook my laptop to the Hotel-desk-connection for almost an hour! No charge. Just smiles. I was sooooo relieved to get that done, and to start my real vacation.
Air Pacific was fine. I bought an upgrade to fly Business on the way back (Nadi to LAX). Wow - was it ever
worth it. The only thing we were not pleased with were the internet usage charges and meals at one of our stop-overs.
All in all - a great time, and I would DEFINITELY use McCoy travel in the future.
Vinaka!
B. & S. Guza
San Diego, CA
If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here
Hi Lori,
Got back from Fiji last Sunday, the place is amazing! You were right, Qamea was the perfect place, splitting the week between the beachfront bure and premium villa was perfect, and the food was great. The premium villa was wonderful (having the meals brought to the villa was so luxurious). We had a bright sunny day for the wedding, in fact the day of the wedding was the only day without rain in Qamea while we were there. The Sofitel was the definitely the best place to stay in Denarau. I have sent you a link for our photo album online. Please feel free to share the photos with other couples we are thinking of getting married in fiji so as they can have a better idea as to what its like and how qamea is a great spot. I would also highly recommend the Sofitel for staying in Denarau and the Novotel as a stopover hotel in Nadi. Our stay was definitely luxury in paradise!!
Thank you again for assistance in our perfect paradise weddingmoon!!
Sincerely,
L. & D. Healy
Dublin, Ireland
If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort/service or any other vacation planning, click here
Dear Melissa,
Thank you for your inquiry! I really appreciate all that Hiapo did to ensure that our travels went smoothly. From providing the most reasonable rates on our somewhat complicated travel plans, to assisting us with securing a day room on our long layover in Seoul, Hiapo was helpful, efficient, and reliable.
We enjoyed our travels through China and India, and are grateful for the competent assistance we received from Hiapo and McCoy Travel.
Thank you again for your help, and we hope to be in touch in the future.
Mahalo,
K. Frost
Makawao, Hawaii
If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here
Aloha Melissa & Michael,
Our Trip was great – 2 nights at the Ihilani in Oahu and then the rest of the time in Maui.
Loved the snorkel trip and it worked great because it was like being on a Whale watch tour as well. The Luau was great – everyone enjoyed it. Beach at Kaanapali was fantastic and the Westin is a great hotel – it was packed but to be expected given school vacation week.
The first night at the Ihilani was Valentines day and we did not think to make a dinner reservation in advance and everything was booked. We expressed our concern to the hotel manager and they actually set us up with a room service menu that was fantastic – expensive but fantastic. They comped us a few appetizers and really did a great job. – This confirms my experience with great service from the Marriott.
Mokulele Airlines was great on the trip to Maui. Found out on the way that they do not have a bag agreement with American so it was best to fly back via Hawaiian so the bags could get checked straight through.
However, when I logged in on Friday I was able to get boarding passes for my American flights but not for Hawaiian Air and the line at the airport was the worst I have seen in a long time. It took well over an hour and 15 minutes to check in and I thought we were going to miss our flight- they could not explain why I could not print the boarding passes in advance.
All worked out in the end & we'll be in touch with you for our next trip!
Bottom line Hawaii is paradise after a long New England winter.
J. Hughes
Stow, MA
If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort/service or any other vacation planning, click here
Ia Orana McCoy Travel!
Vicki and I are back from our 10 day sojourn in South Pacific paradise, and I must say, Sue Michailidis planned our trip flawlessly. A day in Tahiti was sufficient as Vicki and I had just enough time to take a bus into Papeete and see its major sites. Of course, to be quite honest - for anyone reading this review - Papeete, in my opinion, wasn’t too dissimilar to a typical port of call with any major cruise line. I remember Cozumel looking very similar. So, in that regard, it wasn’t quite as exotic as I’d expected. But again, it’s the capital of Tahiti, so one must expect the appeal to tourism. Being only 8-10 miles from the town center, we stayed at the Intercontinental Resort, which had a terrific view of Moorea – our next stop.
Moorea, I think, was the friendliest of the three islands we'd visited. We stayed at the Pearl Resort - only a five minute walk from a grocery and a five minute drive from the idyllic Cook’s Bay. To anyone considering the French Polynesia as a future destination, I’d highly recommend renting a car or scooter. The island is less than fifty miles around, so the drive, with no stops, is a measly two hours. Of course, for the curious tourist, you’ll probably want to stop at Cook’s Bay, Jus De Fruits, the Lookout, Temae Beach, and perhaps some various Marae (ancient temples), which might push your trip back to six to eight hours. Of all the culinary stops we visited (La Mahogany and Te Honu Iti being two of the more distinguished places) our favorite was Rudy’s, where the shrimp curry was worth the price you pay (everything in the French Polynesia is expensive, so it’s nice to get food that tastes expensive. In reality, Rudy’s is no more expensive than the various other restaurants on the island). For lunch, we walked to Chez Luciano for some pizza. It was a reasonable priced meal, and the chef was quite entertaining as he would screech like a cat on occasion. One restaurant we didn’t try was Alfredo’s; our concierge advised against it, claiming that she’d received quite a bit of negative feedback about it, so Vicki and I took her word on it. Why shell out the money for bad food, right? And at Te honu Iti, I got to feed the stingrays, so I'd also recommend at least one trip there. One downside to all the good restaurants is that they are quickly dwindling. I had a 2007 printout of the Lonely Planet, and many of the restaurants listed are no longer in business.
Upon leaving Moorea, Vicki and I didn’t think it could get any better. The Moorea Pearl Resort had upgraded us, free of charge, to a premium overwater bungalow, so neither of us could have imagined any room for improvement; but, as Sue had so meticulously incorporated, Bora Bora would be all that and more; thus, she made it our last stop. Once again, the Pearl Resort upgraded us to a premium overwater bungalow, only this time, the view was nearly inconceivable. We were in bungalow 44, which was a direct view of the main island and its two peaks, an uninhibited view yielding the vast expanse of turquoise water and deep blue skies. I nearly fainted (if fainting weren’t so “dainty,” I might have!). Being that the resort was on a private motu, I was quite pleased that Sue had suggested the half board meal plan, which included breakfast and the three course dinners. We did, however, go into town to try the pre-eminent Bloody Mary’s; although, neither of us was as impressed as we’d hoped to be. The setting, of course, is original with sandy floors and coconut tables and stools – and even the food was good – but to describe it as a nearly god-like destination is a bit over the top in my opinion.
For the honeymooners out there, I’d suggest a private and professional photoshoot. Since it’s only the two of you, it’s often difficult getting pictures with both of you in them. Talk to your resort’s excursion desk to get the details. Vicki and I spent around 22000 pacific francs for forty pictures, and we were extremely pleased with them.
In short, it may be trying times economically, and although I was a little skittish shelling out the money for it, I’m glad I did. It’s not often a middle-class guy like me could say a vacation of that price was truly worth the money, but in this case – and this is just between you and me – I might have paid more.
Thanks again for the superb trip, or as they say in Tahiti, “Maururuu!”
Best wishes,
P. Adams
Madison, AL
Aloha Melissa,
Our trip was great! Once again Sue Michailidis did a wonderful job! Our flight went well. The weather in Kauai was nice with an occasional shower. The Grand Hyatt was awesome and beautiful! The staff was outstanding and the free breakfasts turned out to be a great bargain.
We went on a great sunset cruise Friday. A luau for my 50th birthday on Sunday. A kayak trip Tuesday and a Zodiak raft to the Napali coast on Thursday. Thanks to Tish Carreira for scheduling this all.
The rest of the time we spent snorkeling with Chris from the Captain Andy's hut at the hotel and we became good friends with him. One last note: the pool at the Hyatt is one of the best Ive seen. It took us the whole vacation to discover them all.
Mahalo,
J. & J. Borg
Pennington, NJ
If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort/service or any other vacation planning, click here
Hello Melissa & Robin,
Matamanoa was awesome, we loved every minute of it, and the staff they were awesome and Rosies did an awesome job. Thanks for your part in our vacation.
Vinaka!
B. & B. Christie
Grand Prarie, AL
If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here
Posts
All Comments
