Looking to Get Away? Head to the Beach - Fairmont has Plenty!

Slap on the shades and sunscreen, grab a towel and get ready for a beach vacation with a difference.

• Guests at The Fairmont Royal Pavilion don’t have to worry while enjoying the surf, sun and sand - the Beach Butlers have surfaced in Barbados, poised to cater to seaside whims. From dawn until dusk, they oversee one of the most idyllic white powder beaches of the West Coast of Barbados, providing complimentary services to guests such as the much needed beach essentials including ice lollies, sun care products, towels, and mineral water. Easily recognizable by their “uniforms” of colorful island shirts and straw bowler hats, the team offers full concierge service from the privacy of your beach lounge chair. The Beach Butlers also take guests on early morning jaunts to Bathsheba, a beach town on the Atlantic coast and home to the island’s most gorgeous sunrises. The pre-dawn trek is worth the early alarm call, as guests enjoy a champagne picnic along with the sun.

• From Beach Butlers to Beach Boys, Fairmont has guests’ needs “covered”…with tattoos, in this case! The Fairmont Orchid’s Beach Boysshare Hawaii’s fascinating cultural past with guests. This group of men and women tell the tales of old Hawaii through activities such as outrigger canoe paddling, net throwing demonstrations, hala (pandanus) and niu (coconut) leaf weaving and more. Beach Boys are also known to decorate a guest upon request with wild, tribal Hawaiian tattoos (Kakau) or more traditional styles such as a “honu” (turtle) or “manu” (bird), all while lounging on the beach. The artwork need only last as long as your vacation…the tattoos are made with non-permanent pens.

• If one needs a change of pace from beach lounging, The Fairmont Orchid and The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui feature activities to educate visitors about Hawaiian culture, including outrigger canoe programs. Guests at The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui can enjoy the Hawaiian Canoe Experience, learning the basics of paddling and the history of the canoe and its importance to Hawaiian heritage, while mastering the traditional native chants used while navigating the ocean. This unique perspective into Hawaiian culture is the only complimentary program of its kind on Maui. The Fairmont Orchidalso offerspaddling programs and for the more adventurous, the Shoreline Fishing Excursion. Find out what fish were reserved for royalty (under penalty of death), why bananas are taboo on local fishing boats, and other compelling local lore.

• The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, Miami features a wealth of activities to choose from, including two Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed championship golf courses, two tennis clubs, a 25,000 square-foot spa and fitness center, and a 117-slip marina for deep-sea fishing and charter yachts. Just a short shuttle ride away, guests can enjoy The Fairmont Turnberry Isle’s private Ocean Club on the Atlantic with a beautiful beach, pool and cabanas. Watersports such as windsurfing and Hobie-cat sailing are all available, with private lessons for the novice.

• Guests can take the plunge and learn how to scuba dive at The Fairmont Hamilton Princess.  Bermuda’s historic landmark hotel, perched on the harbor, offers scuba diving lessons with PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), the most widely recognized and respected diving certification in the world.   The course consists of five academic sessions and five pool sessions, followed by four open water ocean dives and can be completed in as little as three days. Once you find your sea legs, enjoy the Wreck Dive package at sister property, The Fairmont Southampton.  Swim with a safari of vibrant fish while exploring the underwater world of pirate ships and lost treasures with this five-night getaway.  Once a sailor’s curse, today Bermuda is a diver’s blessing and offers some of the best wreck diving in the Western Hemisphere. 

• Soak up the Arizona sun at the Five-Diamond Fairmont Scottsdale Princess; the beach may not be nearby, butwith four swimming pools, families can select a new poolside view each day.  Not to be missed is Sonoran Splash, an on-site water recreation area with two waterslides. Returning this summer to The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is the signature weekend Dive-In Movies. On Friday and Saturday evenings the action starts when the sun goes down and the large screen goes up at the South Pool allowing guests to watch movies poolside or in the water. Round water tubes and colorful floats are provided for guests of all ages to kick back, relax and enjoy the exciting family classics. Evening barbecues and theater snacks are also available poolside at Cabana Café.