Kauai named most romantic island in U.S.
Readers of Travel + Leisure magazine have named Kauai the most romantic island in the United States.
However, the Garden Island is ranked at No. 4 in the world, topped by Bora Bora, French Polynesia, at No. 1; Capri, Italy, at No. 2; and Santorini, Greece, at No. 3.
Maui is ranked No. 7 among the top 10, topped by Boracay, Philippines, at No. 5 and the Maldives at No. 6. Rounding out the top 10 are No. 8, Moorea, French Polynesia; No. 9, Vieques, Puerto Rico; and No. 10, Bali, Indonesia.
Lanai and Hawaii island were ranked Nos. 12 and 19, respectively, among the rest of the top 25 romantic islands.
A slideshow depicting the list can be viewed online at is.gd/TLRomIslesFeb2013.
Meanwhile, the Travel + Leisure 2013 World’s Best Awards survey is now open for voting online at tlworldsbest.roiresearch.com through April 1.
10 isle resorts listed among world’s best
The Four Seasons Resort Lana‘i, the Lodge at Koele is the top Hawaii luxury resort among the U.S. News & World Report 2013 Best Hotels rankings. It is No. 2 overall, behind Amangani in Jackson, Wyo., and is among 10 Hawaii resorts on the overall list of 164 best hotels.
The other Hawaii resorts on the list, shown by national ranking, are the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (7); Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (13); Ko‘a Kea Hotel & Resort on Kauai (72); St. Regis Princeville on Kauai (92); Four Seasons Resort Lana‘i at Manele Bay (112); Halekulani (114); Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, on Maui (118); The Kahala Hotel & Resort (119); and Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk (150).
The list was compiled using methodology that includes the collective opinions of travel experts and guests.
Love Culture to open store in Waikiki
Food is making room for fashion in Waikiki.
Women’s clothing retailer Love Culture plans to open in the lower level of Waikiki Shopping Plaza, which was previously occupied by a food court.
Equipment from prior restaurant tenants, which included Subway, Arby’s, Grylt, Kiwami Ramen and Bon Bon Internet Cafe, is scheduled for auction today at 10 a.m. on site by auctioneer Joe Teipel.
The new retail tenant will occupy about 20,000 square feet. An anticipated opening day was not available Tuesday.
Love Culture was established in 2007 in Los Angeles selling affordable fashions, and has expanded with 70 stores in 26 states. The company projects opening 100 more stores in the next three years.
Waikiki Shopping Plaza is a five-story retail and office complex fronting Kalakaua Avenue between Seaside and Royal Hawaiian avenues. The plaza developed a 30,000-square-foot addition in 2011, and has retail tenants that include Armani Exchange, Sephora and Victoria’s Secret. Remaining restaurant tenants include Tanaka of Tokyo, Pearl’s Korean BBQ and Marie’s Organic Cafe.
Mobi PCS activates new site in Palolo
Hawaii-based Mobi PCS has activated a new cell site in upper Palolo that will increase its wireless coverage in the area.
The site provides enhanced street and in-building coverage at Jarrett Middle School, Palolo Valley District Park, Palolo Elementary School and Palolo Chinese Home as well as the surrounding residential areas, the company said in a news release. Mobi’s statewide network provides service to both the company’s CDMA voice and Hele Wireless Broadband customers.
ON THE MOVE
Bank of Hawaii has announced the following:
» Ann I. Choo to vice president and recovery department manager from assistant vice president and collection unit manager of the consumer collections department. She joined the bank in 1995 as a loan recovery specialist.
» Lisa H. Nakama to vice president and segment finance officer from assistant vice president and segment finance officer in the management reporting department. She joined the bank in 2000 as a credit analyst trainee.
» Craig K. Togami as vice president and market planning and research manager. He was previously vice president of client service at QMark Research.
