Mayor gives Fairmont Orchid GM award Mayor gives Fairmont Orchid GM award ADVERTISING Christof Luedi, the regional vice president and general manager of The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, is the recipient of the 2013 Mayor of Hawaii County’s “Spirit of Aloha”
Mayor gives Fairmont Orchid GM award
Christof Luedi, the regional vice president and general manager of The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, is the recipient of the 2013 Mayor of Hawaii County’s “Spirit of Aloha” award.
The award is presented annually to a person who embodies the true meaning of Aloha and spirit of the Islands. In presenting the award to Luedi, Mayor Billy Kenoi said, “Chris is someone who is of here, not from here. He celebrates the values we are proud to call Hawaiian: haahaa (humility), paahana (diligence), kela (excellence), lealea (playfulness), alakai (leadership) and kulia i ka nuu (achievement).”
Born and raised in the Swiss Alps, Luedi first set foot onto the Hawaiian Islands in January of 2001, when Fairmont acquired its first Hawaiian resort, The Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui. He has more than 25 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry across the United States. He is also an avid waterman with a passion for outrigger canoe paddling. In 2003, Luedi, together with local Maui community leader Kimokeo Kapahulehua, envisioned traveling the entire Hawaiian archipelago in a traditional six-person Hawaiian outrigger canoe, beginning on Hawaii Island. This dream became a reality in July of 2008 when the paddlers completed their final leg, which marked the completion of a six-year, 1,650-mile archipelago journey. Their journey was chronicled in the award-winning documentary Family of the Waa, which was shown at The Big Island Film Festival in 2012.
– NEW BUSINESSES –
Luxury real estate brokerage opens Kona headquarters
LUVA Real Estate has opened its doors in West Hawaii.
With a focus on concierge service for luxury vacation retreats and residential real estate, LUVA also has an innovative business model capitalizing on technology training for its agents and social media.
“We are launching LUVA Real Estate just as Hawaii posted the fourth-highest home price appreciation in the nation with prices increasing by nearly 15 percent year over year,” co-founder Rick Goldstein said. “Furthermore, visitor arrivals are expected to increase in 2015 and 2016. Personal income is now expected to increase 5 percent in 2013. This is all great news for the Hawaii real estate and luxury vacation rental market, and certainly one of the reasons we decided to launch LUVA this year.”
LUVA Real Estate offers full service sales, luxury vacation rentals and property management services and opened its sales headquarters office in Kailua-Kona in the Pines Plaza Business Center. LUVA controls unique luxury vacation homes on the Big Island, Maui and other desirable travel destinations.
For more information, LUVARealEstate.com.
New coffee shop opens in village
Kona Farm Direct’s Coffee Shop is now open at 75-5663 Palani Road, Suite K, Kailua-Kona, under Splasher’s across from King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel. Owned by Kraig and Leslie Lee, Kraig Lee has been in the coffee industry for more than 20 years: as an award-winning grower and wholesaler, and now offering fine coffees from top, local award-winning Hawaii farms in the new store.
Kraig said, “I always had a dream to open a coffee store featuring award-winning coffees.”
His long-term relationships with top local growers allow Kona Farm Direct to offer five recent first-place award-winning coffees both by the cup and bag.
Kona Farm Direct extracts the exceptional flavors of these award-winning coffees using the “pour over” brewing method: Individual servings of freshly ground beans are placed in filtered raised ridged ‘drippers’ above cups. Water is heated to an ideal temperature between 195 and 205 degrees and is hand poured in a slow circular motion over the grounds in 3 steps allowing the coffee to produce optimal flavor.
In addition to cups of coffee, Kona Farm Direct offers macadamia nut treats and a variety of other goodies; hot and cold chocolate drinks and smoothies are a hit with the kids. In the gift shop, visitors will find chocolate-covered coffee peaberries and whole-bean coffees.
– MILESTONES –
Body Glove celebrating 60 years
Body Glove International is celebrating its 60th anniversary in Kailua-Kona. The company is a surf and dive industry pioneer and creator of the first commercially viable wetsuit.
The family-owned and operated business in Kailua-Kona will be sharing its history via a kick-off party at 5 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Royal Kona Resort’s main lobby/bar area. The event will be open to the public, as well as have live music and free Body Glove giveaways, courtesy of its Hawaiian partners, Body Glove Cruises and Tiki Shark Inc.
The celebration will continue from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Wyland Kona Oceanfront Gallery on Alii Drive. This event is also open to the public.
For more information, go to bodyglove.com.
