Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii

I have been at the resort the past few days. On the plus side it is a beautiful area with a nice view, ocean access and (for this time of year) plenty of beachfront and oceanfront lounge seating. Where it falls short is the service quality and enthusiasm, especially at the price point. The main issue is a lack of food and drink options. Throughout the day there is a long wait for drinks and food to be delivered to lounge areas — largely because the wait staff is hard to find and then the (very few) bartenders are servicing too many people. There are just a couple of places to walk up and get food (a taco truck and a deli) but there are long lines there, too. In the evening there is a good, but VERY expensive seafood restaurant on the property (which a family can’t eat at every day) and then one Asian fusion restaurant. Even in the morning they inexplicably have coffee out only before 7AM. Long story short, it’s beginning to get frustrating trying to track down and then wait for food and drink that should be abundant (for purchase, as this is not all inclusive) at this price point. Beyond that, service has not been particularly friendly and welcoming. No welcome drink when you arrive. Little attention given to you while you’re here. It all feels like everyone is going through the motions.

The hotel grounds were very nice. The room itself and hallways etc. were a little rundown. Our bathroom was very dirty. We spoke with the front desk who told us that management would call that day to discuss. They also said they would deep clean that day while we’re out. Neither of these promises were kept. She told us the hotel was old and it was to be expected. We love old hotels but they still need to be clean, especially when paying the amount we paid. The hotel is quiet and relaxing. Definitely an older crowd and not the place to go if you want nightlife. We personally enjoyed the quiet.

I would like to begin this review by highlighting Samson aka Sam at the pool. Never had I experienced someone be so kind, hospitable and welcoming to my family. In fact, some of the other families we met on this trip were also talking about how special he is and that he personally made little gestures to provide incredible service and attention to them as well. Kristian at the lobby lounge also stood out for his incredible service and made us feel special. We would watch the sunset from there almost every night and he was by far the best server we had the entire trip. The property is stunning, the bay is perfect for kids to paddleboard and snorkel. The breakfast buffet is a little lacking and I wish the browns convenient store had more food options and was open later but besides these minor issues this hotel is a special place. Thank you for everything Fairmont and until next time, mahalo.

Amazing hotel and great spa with clean and friendly staff who will take care of you from the moment you step in the hotel till the last minutes of your stay. Special thanks to Kealoha at the spa who will make your spa experience memorable and comfortable. She also answered all the questions I had and explained the treatment as she went. 100% recommend!

The Fairmont Orchid did not disappoint in delivering “the Fairmont Way “. As I have grown to expect from Fairmont hotels, a level of service, kindness, and professionalism, were all evident from the Valet staff to the front desk to housekeeping, the restaurant staff, and in particular the pool staff. I truly don’t know how Fairmont does it but they make you feel like family. The employees seem genuinely happy to be at work and make you feel that “Ohana” feeling… it’s truly a wonderful thing. Where I feel the hotel gets a small question/ding is on the quality of the food. Except for the bar/poolside food the rest of it was relatively average. For the quality of the hotel and the price point i feel you have every right to expect exceptional.. Had it not been for the gold lounge (which was wonderful in every way, including breakfast and a great staff) we felt the other restaurants were a bit below average. The service makes up for a lot, but I’m surprised based on my experience at other Fairmont's that the food was not better. We did book an oceanfront suite which was spectacular and the spa experience as well as the cabana rental on the ocean was very special. There’s a lot right about this hotel and I would certainly encourage anybody to go however, I also would encourage the hotel to look at the food quality and see how they might be able to do better.