ALLERGY FRIENDLY BEAUTIFUL MAUI
Tip: Flight from LA to Maui - take an early shuttle to avoid blockages at the airport. Monday is the busiest day.
We enjoyed a GF bacon and eggs at Ruby Diner at LAX - not fantastic but hit the spot for our five hour flight to Maui.
I felt confident that everything for the flight was sorted - contacted Delta Airlines numerous times by email about dietary requirements and even rang and spoke to Jerry who as luck would have it had FM himself!!! Jackpot - or so I thought. Assured everything was duly noted and the food is not a problem.
REALITY - No allergy food at all was available on the flight and even then it was not provided - it had to be paid for???
The only allergy food is provided on international flights - after the hundreds of emails - could they have not simply said - "we cannot accomodate you???"
The hostess says that this happens alot - people are promised food that is never delivered.
It is even written on the boarding pass we were given - special meals??
The only things coeliacs can look forward to on the long flight is a 12g bag of peanuts and a complimentary softdrink.
Sorry nut allergies - you have to starve! Just terrible.
Pick up your act - Delta Airlines.
Tip: Be prepared and pack your own food.
But all those problems are forgotten after we step off the plane in beautiful Maui.
You feel the warm breeze and a wave of relaxation rushes through you.
We opted for the self drive option as Maui is an easy place to navigate around and having a car is so much easier.
Sticking to the budget we went to the rental counter to collect our dinky toyota corolla but to our surprise we were upgraded to a 2012 Dodge Challenger complete with sat nav.
Seems every rental car on Maui is a convertible or a challenger?
All you could see in the rental lot was current model convertible mustangs, cameros and challengers.
My husband was in heaven - just what he always wanted a muscle car.
Ladies - if you want to let your husband have a mid life crisis without the expense - go to Maui and hire any of the cars.
Every waking moment he was itching to take the car somewhere.
Tip: On the way from airport only 5 minutes on the road - you absolutely must visit - ALIVE AND WELL NATURAL HEALTH EMPORIUM -340 HANA HIGHWAY , KAHULUI, MAUI - PHONE (806) 8774950
You will need the address as the sat nav did not recognise the name.
This store is equipped with the best cafe, everything is coeliac friendly - EVERYTHING, even many dairy free items like a cheeseless cheesecake!
Even a hot food servery, plenty of sushi, dips, sandwiches, rolls and lovely desserts all made on natural ingredients.
The chef is coeliac so everything is GF and vegan and even some soy free.
Everything is clearly labelled with ingredients and made on site.
We had GF chicken and egg salad sandwich - fantastic.
For dessert a raspberry crunch slice - dairy and gluten free.
Stock up on supplies before heading to the hotel.
I could have camped outside the store for a week - it truly got me excited.
Tip: Visit store on way back to airport to stock up on airline food.
Welcome to the WESTIN MAUI RESORT AND SPA
Absolutely the most beautiful hotel in Maui.
Close to everything you could need on a holiday - restaurants, beach, shops, entertainment.
The foyer is the only place I have ever seen flamingoes in the flesh.
The foyer is framed by a huge banyon tree and surrounding the pool is large exotic birds.
We went prepared. with the series of emails to the resort to see if they could cater for my daughters allergies.
They are very organised and leave allergy cards for you at receiption when you book in.
The cards are printed for you so you give them to the server to alert the kitchen to your dietary requirements.
EXAMPLE:
Guest : John Smith Check out: 7/10/12
Please present this card to your restaurant server.
CHILD DIETARY ALERT
ENTIRELY GLUTEN AND LACTOSE FREE
Server: Please notify Chef on Duty when the gust presents this card. Ask chef if he can speak to the guests about food preparation. This card stays with the order at all times to flag the culinary staff.
Please return this card to the guest when their food is presented.
Breakfast Buffet: consists of Bacon, eggs, miso soup, salads, cold meats, grilled fish and omlette station
We could try the bacon and eggs, but we handed our dietary card to the server and shortly after a stack of GF pancakes and GF toast arrived.
They weren't the nicest tasting, as they were too fat and quite doughy, but child enjoyed them just the same.
The family had to restrain me as I said I could go and show the chef my simple GF yummy pancake recipe - 3 eggs, tub of yoghurt and 1/2 cup of GF flour.
I asked for all of you about cross contamination and the staff assured me they make everything in a different part of the kitchen with different equipment.
At the omlette station he wipes out pans with a cloth but assures me no gluten in any of his ingredients.
However, if you allergic to tomato or onion juices etc - this is not the place for you.
None of the menus are marked with gluten free and it is up to the customer to ask - disappointing.
However, the cash registers for registering and paying for meals is equipped to record no wheat, no dairy, no soy, no nuts, no gluten on the meal dockets?
As allergy sufferers we don't ask for elaborate foods just simple like - a gf sandwich or roll or fries cooked in a separate fryer or a nice plain chicken salad?
Of course, now it was time for a drive to the supermarket for some gf snacks to save a bit of money. There was no aisles set aside for health products or allergy foods. It was up to the customer to read all the packets and who wants to do that on their holidays.
So opt for fresh food and you cannot go wrong.
The resort sells shaved ice which is a bit hit with the kids.
But my colour allergy friends you will have to have plain shaved ice.
Everyday the resort gives you a surprise from notes under your door to collect your free box of chocolates to the next collecting a free tote bag and the following day a free portrait photo of your holiday.
We enjoyed a fantastic beachside massage $80 and were surprised to learn the use of the day spa was ours for the day at no charge !!! BARGAIN.
Steam room, sauna, jaccuzi, everything you could want to pamper yourself from hairdryers to shampoo, perfumes, robes, slippers, hair curlers, straighteners, guest lounge with food.
The hotel is located right next door to the Whalers Village - a shopping and dining precinct complete with nightly free entertainment.
Our first evening meal we ventured to a great beachside restaurant called the HULA GRILL - fantastic.
So popular, you have to make a booking to get a great seat right near the beach.
And brace yourself - AN ALLERGY MENU - you read right. GET EXCITED...
Extensive menus of GLUTEN FREE, SOY FREE, NUT FREE, DAIRY FREE.
BRAVO - DIANE.
It is outstanding to see a restaurant satisfy the needs of their customers.
See - some establishments do listen !!
Meal was perfect - Macadamia crusted fish with ginger vegetables.
The only small suggestion is that they make a small menu for little Hulas.
They were outstanding in offering grilled fish or chicken with french fries cooked in a separate fryer for our child. She loved every minute.
Highly recommend this as the best waterfront dining on Maui.
Great cocktails and fast, knowledgeable, friendly service and staff.
Highly recommend.
If you are looking for dessert - then your in for a treat - YOGHURTLAND.
Situated in the Whalers Village, it serves dairy free and gluten free frozen yoghurt.
90% of the choices are gluten free, one was dairy free and gluten free - lemonade frozen yoghurt. Daughter enjoyed it. Pay by the weight of filled cup.
However, be warned my fructose intolerant friends, my daughter soon paid a price for the high fructose corn syrup component of the soft serve.
In the states, high fructose corn syrup is in just about everything.
You can mill around the shops as there is late night shopping and free nightly entertainment on stage. Don't be too scared by the Louis Vuitton and Rolex stores, there is bargains to be had if you look.
People may take some comfort in the fact that a doctor is in the hotel from Monday to Friday and on the weekends, the doctor pops down the road to another hotel closeby.
I know I had the pleasure of visiting him - make sure you have travel insurance.
I had a gastro bug, which I think came from drinking the water from a cooler in the lobby as the rest of my family did not have any and they were fine?
We always stuck to the bottled water and never had a problem?
The hotel does have a small gift shop stocking grocery items - however again nothing gluten free except a few rice crackers.
The staff said they have been asked often for gluten free items from guests.
Explore the island
Take the Hana Highway or visit the Iona Needle.
Then you must experience the Louao at the hotel
Fantastic entertainment and great food.
With some preplanning the kitchen made us our own meals and drinks were included.
The wheat eating member of our family was surprised when he was confronted with mountains of food all to himself. Highly recommend.
Overall, for a great, relaxing family experience.
I highly recommend the Westin Maui Resort and Spa.
And when I say relaxing - my fellow allergy sufferers know that not worrying about what and where to find for a next meal and not feeling sick is relaxing in itself.
Tip: Remember food supplies for flight home.
Happy allergy holidays my friends.....
...till our next adventure
