| Today's Travel News |
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| · Friday, June 25, 2004 · |
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Swallows Return to Capistrano, But Rocks Come Back to Waikoloa
Why do you suppose the Waikoloa Beach Marriott on Hawaii's Big Island has received nearly a ton of Hawaiian lava rocks sent in by mail, UPS and FedEx from the U.S., Canada and even Europe? Could it be bad luck carried back home in rocks taken by souvenir-seeking visitors? Maybe. If you believe a yarn created by a tour bus driver nearly 50 years ago. He claimed if you take a rock from Hawaii, you might take bad luck home with you. And ex-visitors give credence to this myth by sending back their "souvenirs" and describing the bad luck that came home with it. Some islanders say it's the work of the volcano goddess Madam Pele. Others claim it's bad mana (energy) imparted to an object wrongfully removed from the aina (land). Others just shake their heads at the powerful coincidence. Regardless of which theory is true, as a service to visitors seeking relief from their misfortune, the Waikoloa Beach Marriott has set aside a special area on the resort's grounds for the collection of repatriated rocks. The "protecting crescent," called Hoaka Ho'omalu in Hawaiian, is a beautiful garden of native plants around a natural outcropping of volcanic rock. Here, on the first Wednesday of every month, a quiet ceremony is performed by the kupuna, or cultural elders of the Waikoloa Beach Marriott. They ask permission to return the lava to the Hoaka Ho'omalu, thereby making it "pono", which in this case, means to make things right or correct. Following the ceremony, the resort's cultural staff writes a letter to each sender, saying the lava rocks have been respectfully returned to the land, a reflection of the resort's sensitivity to Hawaiian history and culture, and commitment to guest service.
 The pool at Returning Rocks Marriott.
It's an appropriate place to return the rocks, since the Waikoloa Beach Marriott is surrounded by 17 acres of dramatic lava fields, as well as flowering gardens and a palm-fringed beach formerly the playground of Hawaiian royalty. Add a smiling staff that appreciates the meaning of aloha, an open-air restaurant serving Pacific rim cuisine, 36 holes of championship golf, tennis, water sports and the Hawaiian Rainforest Spa and you've got a Hawaiian paradise. The rocks ought to be happy to be home. The Marriott has a Leisure Rate of $195 double occupancy for a garden view room. Stay five nights or more and take advantage of a "Hot Lava, Cool Resort" promotion, which provides a free automobile pass good for seven days' entry into Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the Big Island's premier attraction, which actually has an erupting volcano that spews molten lava into the sea. Just don't take any rocks home with you. For information, check into www.WaikoloaBeachMarriott.com.
- Rich Steck & Judi Janofsky 
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· destinations Traditional flags and fireworks headline Independence Day celebrations that will delight crowds across North Dakota this year. For More... · tours/cruises Experience culturally-rich Beijing, picturesque Guilin and the flair and sophistication of Shanghai on Ritz Tours' 14-day China Scenic program, with rates starting at $1,999 per person, double occupancy, for travel through December 2004. For More... · accommodations The Spa at Sonesta Beach Resort Key Biscayne, Florida, opened its Men's Body Shop and offers a variety of packages. For More... From July 1 to August 10, the award-winning Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, on the unspoiled Caribbean island of Nevis, is offering an amazing deal. For More... Head to Bolongo Bay Beach Club in St. Thomas and plan a girls' reunion or a bachelorette party in the sun thanks to the resort's new five-night Girls Just Want to Have Fun packages featuring a host of amenities designed to enhance a girls' get-together in paradise. For More... Goldeneye, The Caves and Jake's are offering "More Than a Crush" romantic packages with special add-ons such as his and hers sunset massages and private cave dinners, with packages starting from $1,495 for two. For More... · briefly Results from Phoenix Marketing International's recently released Hotel SCORESTM study discovered some surprising results for some of the hospitality industry's biggest name frequent guest programs.
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| Produced by Judi Janofsky, Rich Steck and the Golf Press Association |