|
Enjoy a Cup of Kona "Coffee of Your Dreams” at Holualoa Inn on the Big Island of Hawaii Archived
Article By
George Medovoy, Editor It’s the “cup of my dreams” – rich, flavorful Kona coffee at the Holualoa Inn, which makes its home on a coffee plantation up here on the western slope of Hualalai volcano.
(Breakfast at the inn included coffee, juice and native fruit) Coffee never tasted so rich, and to think, my wife and I can repeat this little miracle each morning at breakfast! Conditions are ideal for growing great coffee beans 1,400 feet above the Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii: there’s rich volcanic soil and a tropical climate with just the right amount of sunshine and rain. The sign for the inn comes into view as we pull into Holualoa, all three blocks of it, on the Mamalahoa Highway. In the early 1900’s, this was a bustling commercial sugar cane center, but all that remains now are historic storefronts with art galleries, studios and tourist shops in a sleepy little village. Tucked Away in 30 Acres We find the inn tucked away on a 30-acre estate of tropical fruit plants and 3,000 Arabica coffee trees. Two large rooms, a mind-calming lanai with a distinctly Japanese feel and a comfortable living room, greet the visitor. We’re careful to take off our shoes – it’s an old Hawaiian custom that protects the polished wood floors. Outside, near the garden hot tub, we see the remains of a “long sled run,” the literal meaning of Holualoa and a relic of the ancient Hawaiian test of manhood that involved sliding down long slopes on wooden sleds. Well, we’ll take a slower pace, thank you, in our tasteful Plumeria Suite, near a swimming pool edged by fig trees and lipstick palms, plus a dramatic view of the distant Kona coast. “You can give your body and soul permission to turn off and relax,” says owner Cassandra Hazen of the Zen-like inn. “It’s almost like rejuvenating.” The next morning the curtain went up on some of that “rejuvenating,” the sort that means discovering tastes you’ve never experienced before with former chef Chad Douglas’s breakfast. We join eight other guests, including a group of friends from Philadelphia and a couple from Tokyo just married on the Big Island, at a long table elegantly decorated for our repast. Breakfast began with exquisite tropical fruits all grown on the property and artfully arranged like a painting: strawberry papaya, pineapple, mango, fresh rambutan, and kiwi. This was followed by three delicate crepes filled with an assortment of apple spice preserves, orange peach ginger preserves, and fresh sliced papaya served over home fries with caramelized potatoes and fresh garden herbs. As Much Kona Coffee as We Want And, of course, as much Kona coffee as we want! The inn features Espresso, which has the least amount of caffeine; Dark, roasted at 472 degrees to develop a rich and hearty flavor (my favorite); and Medium, with subtle flavors and the most amount of caffeine. On a walk of the inn, you may discover the "Labyrinth,” winding paths mowed into a large swath of grass, where you can just let your mind drift. After lounging by the pool, my wife and I decide to walk to the village, where the art galleries and shops are complemented by the funky Holualoa Ukulele Gallery, which sells locally-made ukuleles and gives lessons.
(One of the art galleries along Holualoa's main street, which is part of the Mamalahoa Highway) In November, the village sponsors an annual “Coffee and Art Stroll,” showcasing Kona coffee farmers who share samples of coffee at shops and galleries. After our first day here, we’re starting to see what Hazen means when she says Hawaii has “different vibrations” you can tap into. The inn, the village, the Kona coffee and the remarkable breakfasts are one more reminder, to quote Hazen again, that “it’s a beautiful day in paradise.” For more information about the Holualoa Inn or for reservations, call (800) 392-1812, or visit www.HolualoaInn.com. For more information about Big Island travel, call (800) 648-2441 or visit www.bigisland.org.
| ||
 |
