Resorts & Retreats Awards 2021

www.lux-review.com Page 31 Page 30 www.lux-review.com LUX 2021 Resorts and Retreats Awards LUX 2021 Resorts and Retreats Awards Founded in 1990 by Dariel and Michael Holibar, Darmic has been creating a relaxing, safe, and fun environment for families of all sizes for over thirty years. They offer a multitude of spacious suites that will stun and impress its many guests. The Waikiki Banyan is a large resort style property that is one block away from the warm sands of Waikiki Beach. Each of its suites offers a fully equipped kitchen, separate bedroom and a private lanai (balcony) so that guests can enjoy the views from anywhere in the building. As each apartment is self-contained, guests can explore, see or do as much as they want in Hawaii with the knowledge they will be returning to their home away from home where they have space to relax and unwind. On site facilities include a large recreation deck on the 6th floor where you will find a swimming pool, hot tubs, childrens playground, tennis/pickleball court, basketball hoop and a large BBQ and seating area. In the lobby there is the Banyan Breeze coffee shop as well as a mini mart. Suite bonus features include high-speed internet, a plentiful supply of luxury linens, quality amenities, contactless check-in and check-out, as well as complimentary parking on site. Darmic does not charge any booking fees and it has nightly, weekly, and monthly rates available to all. The Holibar family have been involved with Hawaii since 1988. In 2014 Dariel and Michael’s eldest daughter Jamie took the reins of the company and with the rest of the This collection of self-catering guest houses is a home away from home. On the enchanting Walkersons Estate just outside of Dullstroom, the Upwood Guesthouse Collection is an assortment of accommodation for guests looking for somewhere extra special to make memories. The South African Tourism Council deemed Upwood as a five-star getaway for its guests. Its mission is to tailor an environment of rest and relaxation to go along with the atmosphere of peace and serenity of the estate itself. With three different homes, of varying styles, its guests can enjoy their stay with style. It offers daily cleaning, free Wi-Fi, and butler services. Upwood is completely COVID-19 compliant, making sure to adhere to guidelines so that its guests can be as safe as possible throughout their stay. Everything is kept clean and contamination free. The Upwood House is the first house of the collection. It is fully serviced, modern yet tranquil, much like the estate. This makes it ideal for a holiday away from any busy city. The kitchen is fully equipped for eight people, with four bedrooms containing ensuite bathrooms, luxury linen, and comfy furniture throughout the property. The garage has the capacity for two cars and a laundry system. Aside from that, the lounge and dining room have their own fireplaces and exceptional decoration. Quality was not just spent on the Upwood House, it is the same for Hillcrest and Whiskey Creek. However, Hillcrest consists of three ensuite rooms and a loft bedroom Jun21707 Jun21695 Darmic Waikiki Banyan Best Family-Owned Vacation Rental Accommodation – Hawaii Upwood Guesthouse Collection Best Luxury Guest House Collection - Mpumalanga family backing her, she has led Darmic Waikiki Banyan to further heights with innovative ideas to complement the long family history as well as emphasise the personal service Darmic provides. Jamie is an integral part of the day to day operations, along with the teams in both New Zealand and Hawaii. They are excited to advise they will be bringing more new services and features to guests in 2021 and beyond. Darmic has received the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence every year from 2016 to 2019, culminating in the Travelers Choice Award 2020. Now it has won Best Family-Owned Vacation Rental Accommodation 2021. It has done this by providing its guests with excellent service from staff and unrivalled quality of each of its accommodations that are available for rental. It will continue to be a haven for relaxation and renewal for people from all around the globe. But wait, there’s more! Darmic is proud to have teamed up with an ex pat New Zealander who manages condos in two other properties. Rosina, Maimiti and family offer two rentals at the Ilikai Hotel and one at the island Colony. The Ilikai is a renowned resort on the oceanfront next to Waikiki Beach. There are no busy streets to cross in order to reach the shoreline and it is very close to Ala Moana Shopping Center. The two-bedroom, two- bathroom suite has been refreshed and updated with a modified, modern twist. It overlooks the resort pool and has views over the marina to the ocean. The one-bedroom one bathroom suite looks out over the shimmering city lights. Island Colony is a paradise for those looking for the busy life of the district. This studio property has extended glass doors which open up to a large lanai (balcony) that invites guests to take a load off and unwind. The views are magnificent from the balcony and guests can see both the ocean and the mountains from the condo. With a large variety of suite categories and views, there is a choice for everyone and Waikiki will come to life around its visitors. Darmic invites you to Hawaii for some good old fashioned Kiwi hospitality in Paradise! Contact: Jamie Carter Company: Darmic Waikiki Banyan Web Address: www.darmic.com for children. The kitchen is fully kitted out for ten people and one of the bedrooms even contains two study nooks. Lastly, Whiskey Creek has a magnificent view of the mountains and trout dams. As the patio overlooks the estate, it is furnished with a braai and a pizza oven for a quiet night or an interesting evening hosting outdoors. Its kitchen is equipped for eight people and it contains four ensuite bedrooms. The elegance of each guest house makes them entirely unique, and their pristine conditions keep guests coming back for more. These properties are based on a gorgeous piece of land that has access to many interesting places for travel and tourism. As the estate is two and a half hours from Johannesburg and Pretoria, its guests don’t have to travel far for access to a city, or drive for too long to find a deeper taste of a capital of South Africa. There are plenty of historical places for travellers to explore. The cities nearby are huge and full of life, as well as packed with local amenities, with both fun and educational activities to keep the whole family busy. Not only can you see prehistoric cave paintings and bustling cities, but you can see wildlife that will leave you in awe. The Kruger National Park is roughly the same distance away, but in the opposite direction to Johannesburg and Pretoria. This National Park contains significant numbers of all of the big five game species and is one of the best places to see elephants as they are preserved here, away from poaching and hunting. Whether you’re looking for busy, culturally rich cities, or historical sites, art, and beautiful wildlife, Upwood is just a short while away from splendid and overwhelming views and experiences. As well as offering easy access to all of these exciting activities and facilities, Upwood offers lush, mystifying, and astonishing encounters with the natural world. Company: Upwood Guesthouse Collection Web Address: https://www.upwood.co.za/ Located on the beautiful Hawaiian island of Oahu, Darmic is a New Zealand family-owned business that provides its guests with a home away from home that they can truly be inspired by. Its spacious and individually designed properties leave guests wanting more. We look at what it does and how it has won this award as a family. Mpumalanga literally means “place of the rising sun”. It is a province that forms a very important part of South Africa’s heritage such as San rock paintings, Ndebele wall paintings, an old mining town, Pilgrim’s Rest, and more. We take a look at Upwood Guesthouse Collection to see what it offers and how it has won this prestigious award.