Ideas for a Maui Valentine's Day

Every day is a romantic one when you live amidst the rich natural beauty of Maui. It is considered by many to be one of the most romantic places in the world, so why not soak it in? If you are visiting, new to the island or even a long time resident who is interested in finding out what's going on, here are a few tips on nice things you can do for Valentine's Day on Maui.

If you plan to be in Kihei area on Valentine's Day, you might be interested in a relaxing, romantic couple's massage. Massage Maui offers a Romance and Roses package. Couples are treated to hour and a half long rose and vanilla massages on the beach, followed by a treat of roses, strawberries and sparkling beverages. This activity does need to be booked in advance and to do so, you can call (808) 357-7317.

A visit to Maui's Tedeschi Winery at Ulupalakua Ranch is an excellent excursion for Valentine's Day. Stroll arm in arm on the perfectly tended grounds, marveling at the goliath height of 150 year old trees and attend one of the Winery's tours. Every tour is concluded with a delightful wine tasting. Each tour is roughly 30 minutes long, beginning either at 10:30am or 1:30pm.

For a fun Valentine's Day that will have a positive impact on our local community, the Flatbread Company in Paia will be having a special Valentine's Day benefit. If you and your sweetheart decide that delicious pizza and a charming, upbeat atmosphere is the kind of place where you'd like to dine, a portion of your purchase will support the Hali'imaile Community Garden. It is Hali'imaile Community Garden's goal to come together to grow organic food that will help Maui's self-sufficiency and allow people to get back to their "roots." Since Flatbread is extremely popular, it would be a good idea to take advantage of their call-in-seating. It's not exactly a reservation, but calling in will put your name down in the books in advance. To call in, dial (808) 579-8989.

If you'd prefer to pull out all the stops and experience Maui's finest dining, Mama's Fish House in Paia Town is an excellent choice. A Valentine's Day at Mama's is sure to provide a romantic atmosphere with the most exquisite food, drinks and deserts. Famed as one of Maui's dining treasures, Mama's Fish House is a dining location that is highly sought after. Reservations are required, and for the holiday of love, it would be best to do so as soon as possible. Mama's Fish House reservations can be made by calling, (808) 579-8488.

We hope we've given you some helpful ideas, and that you'll enjoy your Valentine's Day no matter how you decide to spend it. If owning a Maui home is a dream that you and your partner share, there are plenty of Maui mls listings to browse through here on our website. We'd be happy to assist you in your real estate search, and you'll find our contact information at the bottom of the page. Mahalo!

Maui Fourth Friday Celebration in Paia

We're nearly a month into the new year. Our North Shore winter waves have kicked up and Paia Town is ready to celebrate. January 27th is the Fourth Friday of the month, and it's no ordinary date on the calendar. It is Paia's turn to host a Town Party that is quickly becoming a fun, new tradition. On each of the first four Fridays in a chosen month, Wailuku, Lahaina, Makawao and Paia hold festivities displaying the wonderful qualities of that particular town. It is a point of pride for each individual community and plenty of fun for visitors and local Maui residents alike.

The Friday events follow a specific order. The First Friday Town Party of the month is located in Wailuku, the Second Friday is in Lahaina, the Third Friday is in Makawao and the Fourth Friday is in Paia.

Fourth Friday in Paia is from 6pm-9pm and will feature sales and discount items from surf shops, boutiques, salon and home furnishing stores, movie screenings at Puka Puka and Cafe Mambo restaurants, and live music at Charley's. Mana Foods will also be offering food samples and Paia's art galleries will have live artist demonstrations. In addition to discounted merchandise, the surf shops in Paia will display their hometown pride by having meet and greets with team riders.

Maui County created the Friday Town Parties in effort to enliven the island and boost activity in Maui's historic towns, and it is working wonders so far! The Maui County Office of Economic Development supports these events with marketing campaigns, permit issues and organizational consultation. Years ago, Maui's Front Street in Lahaina was host to one of the most popular Halloween street parties in the world and the many colored banners of surf competitions regularly decorated the cliff sides of our North Shore hotspot, Ho'okipa. When the nation's economy dropped into recession, these annual events began to disappear from Maui. As of 2011, Maui County made an active effort to revive these favorite activities and also introduce the Friday Town Parties. This is an ongoing movement to support our home communities and keep Maui fun.

For tips on where to park and information on other Friday Town Parties, visit www.mauifridays.com. In the meantime, if you're in the market for North Maui homes in Paia, or perhaps real estate in Haiku, we can assist you. We recommend you take a look at the beautiful Spreckelsville properties on the market now as well. You'll find our contact information at the bottom of the page if you need our assistance. Mahalo!

Good News for Maui and Hawaii Hotels

According to Hospitality Advisors LLC and Smith Travel Research, Hawaii hotel rates and occupancy are on the rise. If trends continue, our state's economy will benefit. During the first week of January, rates rose nearly 14 percent when compared to the same week last year, and there is no mystery as to why. For the same period, occupancy was 77.3 percent full, statewide. That's a 9.4 percent increase, year over year. The average hotel room price has also seen an increase, and was $238.10, 13.6 percent higher than 2011.

Maui saw the second highest increase in rates per island, with our hotel occupancy at 78.7 percent, 8.4 percent higher than the same time last year. Of Maui, Oahu, the Big Island, and Kauai, Maui had the highest overall hotel room rate, averaging at $302.34, higher than 2011 by 10.8 percent.

Oahu saw the highest increase in room rental cost and the highest percentage increase in occupancy when compared to the same period in 2011. Oahu's hotel rooms also had the highest overall increase in both rates and occupancy.

According to Hawaii's Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT), the 4th quarter of 2011 had also shown positive growth that has carried over into 2012. When making this analysis, the department figures in the development of the global and national economy, the success of Hawaii's tourism industry, conditions of Hawaii's labor market, and the growth of personal income and tax revenues. The DBEDT believes that the current forecast is more optimistic when compared to their previous forecast.

The combination of these elements are quite promising and point to better economic times to come, both for Maui and our state as a whole.

Looking for North Maui homes real estate? We recommend a look at Maui homes in Haiku and also homes in Spreckelsville. If you need assistance, you'll find our contact information at the bottom of the page. Mahalo, and happy hunting!

Maui Chinese New Year Festival

Kung Hee Fat Choy! It's almost Chinese New Year and Maui Mall is hosting a free celebration suited for the whole family. Every year is represented by a different animal, and this new year will mark the closing of the Year of the Rabbit and the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. 

Alaka'i Paleka, the Mistress of Ceremony, will ring in the event at 9:00am and the celebration will continue until 2:00pm. The exceptionally graceful form of martial arts known as Tai Chi will be demonstrated by Corey William, John Tam and Phil Sabado. Participants are welcome to the Keiki (child) Chinese Attire Contest, so little ones are encouraged to dress up for the occasion. If you have a young artist in the family, the festival will be having a Year of the Dragon Children's Art Contest as well as children's Chinese craft activities.

If you happen to be a connoisseur of fried rice, there will be a Chinese Cooking Contest with an emphasis on that classic dish. Feel free to enter your dish for a chance to declare your creation the best of the festival.

No Chinese New Year celebration would be complete without lion and dragon dancers, and as it happens, the Maui Chinese New Year festival will have three Lion Dance sessions! The Maui Martial Arts Society will present their Lion Dance and fireworks at 10:00am and again at 1:30pm. Wah Ngai Lion Dance has traveled from Oahu to present their energetic dance at 12:15pm. These richly ornate costumes and athletic performances are not to be missed.

A thank you goes to the sponsors who made this celebration possible, including Maui Chinese Cultural Society, Maui Chinese Club, Tri-Isle RC&D, First Hawaiian Bank, Connec, A&B Properties, Inc., LLC, the County of Maui and Maui Mall Association. 

The Maui Chinese New Year festival will be located at Maui Mall, 70 East Ka'ahumanu Avenue, Kahului. For details about entering the contests, call Yuki Lei at (808) 878-1888 or email YukiLei.Sugimura@gmail.com. We hope this is an event that you and your family will enjoy! 

If you are in the market, we can assist you with your Maui real estate search. While we do specialize in North Shore Maui real estate, we are knowledgeable about every part of the island. We can also assist you with Maui REO properties and short sales. You'll find our contact information at the bottom of the page if you need assistance. Mahalo!