Sometimes we have guests fresh from the mainland in tow. But often we'll go just for a date. It was a night here together several years ago that made us decide we wanted to come back and live here some day.
We sit on the lawn under the graceful old kiawe tree (that's Hawaiian for mesquite)with surfers just offshore, feeling the warm trade winds and watching the sunset colors wash over Diamond Head across the bay.
Here we feel nostalgic, and hopeful for the future, all at the same time.
The Halekulani has elegant grounds and a world class oceanfront location. But the hotel is truly famous for its hospitality. It's their tradition to greet guests as if they were returning family members. The hostesses, waiters, and even the band members go out of their way to make you feel right at home.
They also make a mean umbrella drink:
But mostly we come for the music. Every week, on a rotating basis, small group ensembles play oldtime and traditional Hawaiian songs. I never get tired of those steel guitar licks that seem to end every song.
And then there's Kanoe Miller. She's a former Miss Hawaii, and a fixture at the Halekulani's House Without A Key since 1983. Several times throughout the evening she performs beautiful hula with the ensemble:
Her graceful manner embodies the warm spirit of aloha:
And here she is doing traditional hula with the group Pa'ahana backing her up:
This is one place we are truly going to miss!
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