Located on the Kohala Coast, Mauna Lani Spa continues to be recognized as one of the world’s top rated spas. In addition to Conde Nast Traveler’s No. 1 ranking, Travel + Leisure ranked the Mauna Lani Spa No. 3 in Hawaii and the readers of Spa magazine voted the resort’s spa “one of their favorite spas” in their November 2007 “Readers’ Choice” awards issue.
O’Brien completes specialist course
A.S.K. about Travel owner Betty O’Brien has passed the Australia specialist course offered by Tourism Australia and is now termed an “Aussie Specialist.”
Tourism Australia is a statutory authority of the Australian government, which provides Australia as a tourism destination internationally and domestically and delivers research and forecasts for the country. “Aussie Specialists” are dedicated to selling and promoting Australia. They have undertaken training in all of the states and territories of the country.
O’Brien has also completed Australia specialization courses with Virtuoso, an internationally known travel group. She has traveled to Australia many times and has firsthand knowledge of the country and its people.
A.S.K. about Travel (325-1651) is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Mediation center hosting training in May
West Hawaii Mediation Center is accepting trainees for the May basic mediation training. The two-day training will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 22 and 23 at St. James Episcopal Church in Waimea.
The training consists of 16 hours of comprehensive classroom training. The fee is $50, which includes lunch and refreshments both days. Upon completion of the training, participants interested in becoming volunteer mediators with the center can take an additional apprenticeship component.
The participants will acquire skills in communication, negotiation and problem solving. Mediation, an alternative dispute resolution process, recognizes that many times an impartial third party can help by facilitating cooperation and sincere, open communication between people involved in a dispute. Mediation provides a voluntary process that empowers people to take responsibility for the resolution of their dispute instead of simply turning to litigation, which can often be time-consuming and expensive.
For more information or to sign-up for the training, call West Hawaii Mediation Center at 885-5525 or 326-2666. Call to reserve a spot by May 16.
American Savings launches new service
American Savings Bank has launched “ASB Free Checking,” the most comprehensive checking account available in Hawaii. ASB Free Checking is the only checking account in the state offering no minimum balance requirements, no monthly maintenance fees, free ID theft recovery service, free gold debit card with travel rewards, free online bill payment, no-annual-fee overdraft protection and free first set of checks.
ASB Free Checking represents another milestone for American Savings Bank in introducing new and innovative products to the Hawaii market. American Savings Bank was on the forefront in introducing ATMs, bank-by-phone service, Department of Hawaiian Homeland conventional mortgage loans and in-store locations in Hawaii. More recently, American Savings Bank changed the paradigm of Hawaii retail banking by offering consumers the most extensive banking hours in the state and creating the market’s smartest home equity loan.
Mauna Lani Spa garners accolade
Mauna Lani Spa at Mauna Lani Resort was voted the No. 1 spa in Hawaii in the April issue of Conde Nast Traveler magazine. In addition to being named No. 1 in Hawaii, the resort’s uniquely Hawaiian spa retreat was named No. 3 in North America and the Caribbean.
Located on the Kohala Coast, Mauna Lani Spa continues to be recognized as one of the world’s top rated spas. In addition to Conde Nast Traveler’s No. 1 ranking, Travel + Leisure ranked the Mauna Lani Spa No. 3 in Hawaii and the readers of Spa magazine voted the resort’s spa “one of their favorite spas” in their November 2007 “Readers’ Choice” awards issue.