10/14/2004 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Turtle Bay's a Gorgeous Place
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9/26/2004 - The New York Times
What's Doing In; Honolulu
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9/1/2004 - AAA of Southern California - Westways Publication
The West's best spas tone the body and nourish the soul
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8/29/2004 - Honolulu Advertiser
Can locals compete?
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8/21/2004 - Honolulu Advertiser
Nature stars again in Waimea
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7/28/2004 - Honolulu Star Bulletin
Turtle Bay exec focuses on bringing in groups
Daniel J. Daughtry
>> New position: Director of conference and food and beverage services at the Turtle Bay Resort, which is managed by Texas-based Benchmark Hospitality International

>> Daughtry was previously director of food and beverage for the Pacific Islands Club Resort in Saipan, responsible for 130 staff, four restaurants and three lounges. He has also served as restaurant manager for the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Kona and in the food and beverage department of the Hyatt Regency Maui. He was born near Chicago and raised in Washington state.

Your title is unusual -- what's the job?

The position is a rather unique position. It's effectively two positions rolled into one. It's a director of catering and conference services rolled into food and beverage. Benchmark is really keyed in and geared on group business and activity. Right now there's a far greater preponderance of independent and wholesale business and group business.

The hotel is trying to change its market mix. It's also repositioning its products and services.

The main focus that everybody coming on board here has is to position the property to deliver a high-end product to its customer base, and I think as business changes and you see a larger percentage of group business here, I think the position would need to be broken down to separate directors. But at this time there's not a need. We're busy attracting the business and serving what we have and at the same time we're working on refining our product and services.

What are you refining?

It can be something as simple as using and getting a nice high-end menu cover for our restaurants. It can be as complex as adjusting the staff levels.

That's been the big one that's been tackled this past year. We've added 100 employees over the course of a year and a half, propertywide.

It had a lot to do with a couple things. Business volumes were already climbing. We needed more of our outlets operating.

Secondly, the quality of service that we expect from ourselves necessitates a certain number of employees to make sure we're not missing anything and guest expectations are exceeded. The framework is certainly here and it's certainly pushing it up a little bit, making sure that the basics are met.

How is the overall market for meetings doing in an era of reduced business travel after 9/11?

I think it's safe to say that it's not fully recovered from that incident. But certainly people are out there traveling, people are booking meetings. We want a bigger chunk of that pie.

As things continue, we can only envision that those conditions will improve even further. We are Benchmark. This is their first property in Hawai‘i. This property has not necessarily done as much group business as Benchmark has envisioned for the long term and it's going to be a

3/11/2004 - Honolulu Advertiser
LPGA's Delasin will sport Turtle Bay logo
When the LPGA season tees off today, Dorothy Delasin will be wearing the Turtle Bay Resort logo.

Delasin, who has four LPGA victories at age 23, signed a deal to promote the resort and its Palmer and Fazio golf courses with personal appearances, clothing and equipment.

Born in Lubbock, Texas, Delasin grew up in San Francisco. She won the California Women's Championship and U.S. Junior Girls Championship in 1996, and closed her amateur career by capturing the 1999 U.S. Women's Amateur.

Delasin's caddy is former University of Hawai'i-Hilo golfer Clint Begay, who also caddies for brother Notah on the PGA Tour.

"The opportunity to represent a world-class resort such as Turtle Bay is truly an honor," Delasin said. "I spend as much time as I can on the Hawaiian Islands and nothing compares to Turtle Bay."

Delasin was the LPGA's Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year in 2000. Her victory in the Giant Eagle Classic made her the youngest LPGA champion in 25 years. Two years later, Delasin became the youngest to cross the $1 million mark. She was named Athlete of the Year for the Philippines in 2000 and 2001.

Delasin ranked 22nd on the money list last year with six Top-10 finishes, including a sudden-death victory at the Mobile LPGA Tournament of Champions. She has never finished outside the Top 30 on the money list.

"Dorothy is a rising star on the LPGA. We are proud to be associated with her future on the tour," Turtle Bay Director of Golf Matthew Hall said. "We could not ask for a finer individual to help us promote Turtle Bay Resort."

2/1/2004 - Spirit of Aloha
The Places we Love: Return to Kawela
The sign was instructing me "How to Eat Shrimp," and it was as amusing as it was helpful:"1) Suck the shell and legs of the shrimp 2) Peel the shrimp 3) Grind the shrimp."

We were having an early lunch at Giovanni's White Shrimp Truck, a roadside lunch wagon on the outskirts of Kahuku Town. The wagon is no longer white, now covered by Jackson Pollock-like graffiti penned by appreciative customers from all over the island, across the country and around the world. It sits perpendicular to another truck that sells smoothies, and between them is a large tent furnished with half-a-dozen picnic tables.

The lunchwagon has just three dishes-hot and spicy shrimp, scampi and lemon-and-butter shrimp. I chuckled when I read the sign made out of cardboard and aluminum foil. However, I should have paid more attention to the posted menu, which warned of the potency of the spicy shrimp. "No refunds!" it warned. Giovanni's signs were also accurate. The dish was near molten, and I was soon in tears. I love the North Shore.

My wife, 18-month-old son and I were on a road trip, a summertime trek to northern O'ahu for the weekend. It was our first overnight outing as a family and my first weekend on the North Shore in more than a decade. Our final destination was the recently renovated Turtle Bay Resort, which I also hadn't visited in many years.

I also had another journey in mind. Sometime during the weekend, I was going to take the long walk to neighboring Kawela Bay, a secluded and nearly circular inlet where I spent many long weekends as a child. Thinking back, it wasn't a particularly exciting place. The calm waters of the bay weren't very clear. There wasn't a near-shore reef to explore or waves to ride. The fishing was good, not great. But for a kid from the Honolulu suburbs, circa 1973, it had magic.

Would Kawela be as beautiful as I remembered? Would it be filled with luxury homes? Was Kawela never really that pretty in the first place, just a rose-colored childhood dream? I was nervous and giddy with anticipation, as if on my way to be reunited with an old friend.

For this trip back in time, I had decided to take the "long" way to the North Shore, across the Pali Highway and around Windward O'ahu, the route my family and I took decades ago, instead of taking the more convenient H-2 Freeway, which cuts through the center of the island, getting to the North Shore in just a little longer than a trip to the mall, especially for residents in Central or West O'ahu.

We had left town early, hoping to make it to Turtle Bay before my son's noontime nap. We made surprisingly good time, weaving our way through jungly Waiahole and Waikane and gliding by quiet Kahana Bay, which was as sleepy and nearly uninhabited as I remembered it. We quickly passed through Ka'a'awa, Hau'ula and, before we knew it, we were in La'ie, drinking bottled water and stretching our legs in the Foodland parking lot. It was only 10:30 a.m.

1/29/2004 - honoluluadvertiser.com
Return of senior event to Turtle Bay big boost
By Bill Kwon

It's great to see the Turtle Bay Championship back on the 2005 Champions Tour schedule after taking a one-year break that had left the senior PGA golfers without a regular tour stop in Hawai'i for the first time since 1987.

The Turtle Bay resort and the PGA Tour announced a new four-year extension last week to keep the event on O'ahu's North Shore through 2008.

More significantly, starting in 2005, the Turtle Bay Championship on Jan. 28-30 at the Palmer Course will be the first full-field Champions Tour event of the year, following the week after the winners-only MasterCard Championship at Hualalai on the Big Island.

One person who has to be happy is Hale Irwin. The golfer has won all of the tournaments at Turtle Bay. He has won the seniors event in Hawai'i the past four years and five times overall, including Ka'anapali.

It will make it a mirror image of the back-to-back Mercedes Championships and Sony Open in Hawai'i coupling to start the PGA Tour season. As the Kapalua Resort, which hosts the Mercedes, likes to exclaim, "The PGA Tour Starts Here."

With the seniors now also playing here right after the Mercedes and Sony, the state can claim that the golf season truly starts here.

That's why the return of a regular senior tour event is such good news.

And all the more why the Turtle Bay Resort should be commended for stepping up as host of the event again. It underwrote the event when it moved in 2001 from Ka'anapali after a 14-year run, hosting it without the benefit of a title sponsor for three years.

The PGA Tour is still trying to help Turtle Bay in finding a title sponsor, but the resort owners decided to extend the contract despite the added costs.

"You've got to give Turtle Bay a lot of credit. What they are doing is so admirable," said Mark Rolfing, Kapalua resident and NBC-TV golf analyst who was in from the start when the state began talks with the PGA Tour for tournaments in Hawai'i.

"I think Turtle Bay has gone so far; more than anyone could financially. They basically had to underwrite the event without a title sponsor, which is almost impossible these days," Rolfing said.

Mercedes and Sony are paying big bucks for their PGA Tour events, no question. But at least they have prime time television coverage on ESPN, reaching a far wider audience than Turtle Bay does with its three days on the Golf Channel.

Still, John Dowd, Turtle Bay spokesman, feels that the change in schedule will help the event find a title sponsor.

"It's another announcement I'd like to make," he said.

Certainly, the new date will enhance the field, much as the Mercedes has helped the Sony Open, with more tournament winners hanging around another week to play in the first full-field event of the season.

It will be a better time for TV audiences as well, since the telecasts won't

1/27/2004 - PGATour.com
Turtle Bay agrees on four-year extension
NORTH SHORE, OAHU, Hawai‘i -- Turtle Bay Resort and the PGA TOUR's Champions Tour are happy to announce a four-year extension of the agreement, through 2008, that has seen the Turtle Bay Championship held annually on the North Shore of Oahu. In addition, the date of the event will be moved to January 24-30, 2005 and will annually become the first full-field Champions Tour event of the year.

"Moving the date of the Turtle Bay Championship will have a very positive effect on this event," said Champions Tour president Rick George. "Similar to the PGA TOUR's Mercedes Championship/Sony Open model, this new scheduling scenario will do several good things for the Turtle Bay event. We anticipate the field will be stronger, television viewership up and the tournament will gain more media focus. The PGA TOUR/Champions Tour's "Aloha Season" will also be positively impacted given the closer alignment of both Tour's Hawai‘i events falling during this time frame. We thank Turtle Bay for their continued commitment and support of the Champions Tour."

Turtle Bay Resort's Tournament Chairman, John M. Dowd comments; "We should see a significant increase in the quality of our field. Players are already talking about the two weeks that will start the 2005 season in Hawai‘i. Both our players and our sponsors will be able to enjoy the $60,000,000 in upgrades that we have accomplished with our golf courses, hotel and under construction resort condominiums. The television appeal and ratings of the event should increase as most of mainland USA is in the depths of winter. Now, stunning, warm images from Turtle Bay Resort will present an image of true Hawai‘i at a great time of year to travel."

Turtle Bay Resort's Director of Golf and Secretary of the Aloha Section PGA, Matthew Hall adds, "This date change aligns the Turtle Bay Championship more closely with the other events of the state of Hawai‘i's Aloha Season's partnership with the PGA TOUR. We anticipate that many of the previous year's winners will take the short flight over to Oahu to enjoy an additional week of competitive golf, significant purses and the Aloha spirit of the North Shore. The four straight weeks of broadcast tournament golf in Hawai‘i will more firmly establish these beautiful islands as a premier world golf destination."

The 880-acre Turtle Bay Resort is located on the North Shore of Oahu, home to some of the world's most exciting and legendary surfing spots. Turtle Bay Resort has almost five miles of beachfront that includes the beauty of Kawela Bay, Bay View Beach Lawn and, of course, Turtle Bay. Recently the resort has completed a $60,000,000 renovation on all of the accommodations including a 401-room hotel and 42 luxury Beach Cottages. Currently there are 57 high-end luxury resort condominiums under construction. Only 45 minutes from the high pulse and energy of Honolulu, Turtle Bay Resort guests enjoy the natural tranquility of the North Shore lifestyle and s

1/1/2004 - GuidetoGolf.com
Turtle Bay Resort Golf Club
World Class Golf
Turtle Bay Resort covers an area of 880 acres located on the North Shore of Oahu, home to some of the world's most exciting and legendary surfing spots. Here you will find five miles of beachfront including the beauty of Kawela Bay, Bay View Beach Lawn and Turtle Bay. In Oahu, Turtle Bay is the only resort with 36 holes of championship golf, which includes the Fazio and Palmer courses. The George Fazio Course is a resort style course that offers generous fairways, deep bunkers and undulating greens. The Arnold Palmer course is consistently rated as one of the best courses in Hawai‘i. The front nine reminds golfers of a true Scottish links course, while the back nine meanders through a tropical forest and a wetlands bird sanctuary.

In January of 2005, the annual Turtle Bay Championship will become the first full field Champion Tour's season. The 2003 Turtle Bay Championship featured a record-breaking win for 4 times in a row champion Hale Irwin. On Sunday, Hale narrowly defeated Tom Kite on the Palmer Course's famous 18th hole. Pro Am reservations are available for the week of January 24-30th, 2005. Come play with the Pros on Turtle Bay's Palmer Course.

There is also a Golf Academy that features personal instruction, golf schools, group, and clinics in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. With a full staff of instructors, the Turtle Bay Golf Academy can cater a custom golf school for you or group, which could include a video analysis, on-course instruction, or a trip to the resort's spa for a massage treatment. Contact the golf shop for more details.

Managed by Benchmark Hospitality and only 45 minutes away from the high pulse and energy of Honolulu, guests enjoy the natural tranquility of the North Shore lifestyle and spectacular ocean views from one of our 401 rooms, or 42 luxury beach cottages. In addition to world-class golf, Turtle Bay Resort is also rich in other recreation and resort amenities, an exquisite new spa, two lushly landscaped Oceanside pools, riding stables with ocean and trail riding, a tennis center, 12 miles of ocean-front hiking trails and a full-service conference center.

For reservations or more information, visit www.turtlebayresort.com or call 1-800-203-3650.

12/1/2004 - The Preferred Way
Hawaiian Synergies
Spa Luana, at the newly renovated Turtle Bay Resort, on O'ahu's North Shore, takes full advantage of one of the most spectacular settings in Hawai‘i.
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12/1/2004 - Town & Country
A Home for the Holidays
Hosting friends in great villas around the world has taught decorator Michael S. Smith how to give a rental a personal touch.
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12/1/2004 - Aloha Hawai‘i
Surrounded by coves, mountains, and waves, lies Oahu's Legendary Hideaway - Turtle Bay Resort
Nestled way out in the "Country", as we like to call the North Shore here in Hawai‘i. Is a breathtaking resort, far from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki.
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12/1/2004 - Meetings West
Turtle Bay Resort
Discover True Hawai‘i at Turtle Bay Resort, the only true full-service resort on the legendary North Shore of Oahu.
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11/7/2004 - Honolulu Advertiser
Poke Festival Moves to Turtle Bay Resort
Different Island. Different venue. But the level of enthusiasm remains the same for the amicable Same Choy...
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11/4/2004 - Honolulu Advertiser
Poke Fest comes to a close today at Turtle Bay
Sam Choy's Poke Festival comes to a grand finale today at Turtle Bay Resort.
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10/1/2004 - Westways
The Healing Touch
In ancient Hawai'i, kahuna (spiritual leaders) knew the value of every fruit, flower, leaf, root, stem, seed, bark, shrub and twig.
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10/1/2004 - Delta Sky
The Other O'ahu - Putting Paradise on Your Wavelength
A brilliant rainbow arcs across the sky above Honolulu as our plane touches down.
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10/17/2003 - TravelWeekly.com
Turtle Bay's $60M renovation lures island locals
By Katherine Nichols

KAHUKU -- Turtle Bay, on Oahu's North Shore, may be a well-kept secret with visitors, but the secret is out among Hawai‘i residents. Like others who live on this island, my family and I were lured to Turtle Bay on a recent weekend by the notion of sampling both the untamed beauty of the country and the only full-service luxury resort in the area.

I particularly wanted to see Turtle Bay Resort because it had recently completed a $60 million renovation that gave it a new spa, spruced up the restaurants, updated the technology and repositioned the hotel in the marketplace.

Though content with our spacious oceanview room in the 403-unit main building, we couldn't help feeling envious of the guests we saw romping on the oceanfront lawn in front of their beach cottages.

The cottages, elegantly decorated with king poster beds and teak chairs, are located steps from the sand. The 42 cottages are considered the crown jewels of the resort; each received $150,000 worth of attention during the upgrade.

"We are going after a more discerning traveler, people looking for a neighbor-island experience without having to fly on another plane," said Abid Butt, managing director of the Turtle Bay Resort.

The benefit of Oahu's North Shore is that it's removed from the city yet only 45 minutes from a thriving nightlife.

"We almost use Waikiki as an amenity to the hotel," Butt said.

Another amenity is nearby Haleiwa town, a surfer's paradise filled with boutiques and cafes.

The completion of a new ballroom in the next few months will provide 28,000 square feet of meetings space with accommodations for up to 800 attendees. Wireless connectivity is available throughout the resort, and all guest rooms have a data port separate from the phone line.

But to my family, meetings space was less important than our outdoor surroundings.

Riding a horse along a deserted white-sand beach, I held onto my floppy hat as a salty breeze threatened to steal it. Gentle waves lapped against the horse's hooves as my husband and I rode from the beach toward the 12 miles of trails that weave through the 880-acre property.

We hiked the trails and swam in the bay, spotting several curious sea turtles during our excursion.

Summertime means minimal surf on the North Shore. As a result, our surf lesson through the new Hans Hedemann Surf School (www.hhsurf.com) on- property was canceled. But we checked out a couple of boards anyway and actually caught several waves.

My son and I are experienced surfers, but my 9-year-old daughter is not. So I rented a 12-foot soft board and paddled into diminutive waves while she stood up in front of me. Her successful rides left her beaming for the rest of the day.

Two of Oahu's best golf courses are located at Turtle Bay. Preferred rates and tee times are available t

10/13/2003 - HonoluluAdvertiser.com
Hale Irwin wins Turtle Bay Championship
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

KAHUKU — Hale Irwin has found golf heaven on earth, and history.

Irwin's remarkable run through the senior tour ripped through the Turtle Bay Championship yesterday, along with 20-mph winds and rain squalls. He held off Tom Kite to win this tournament a record fourth consecutive year and fifth time overall, yet another Champions Tour first.

Irwin, 58, has proven he can win anytime, anywhere in the Islands. He captured this event twice on Maui, when it was the Ka'anapali Classic. After he won in 2000, it moved to O'ahu's North Shore and he's taken it all three times since.

"Turtle Bay is one of our better venues," Irwin said. "It has an assortment of shots. Even if there are other courses that have the same general physical characteristics, they don't have the trades to deal with. I think that separates players a lot of times. If you're playing well and hitting the ball solidly then you can make some advances.

"Fortunately I've been able to play well here. I'm comfortable playing in the wind, comfortable here in Hawai'i. I've had too much success to say different. I'm very glad. If the other players would let me mail it in next year I'd still come."

Irwin has also won a Hawaiian Open, MasterCard Championship and three unofficial Senior Skins here since 1981. After yesterday's $225,000 check, he has collected more than $3.5 million in Hawai'i.

Yesterday, Irwin chased down Kite, the second-round leader, with three birdies in his first four holes. Two of the best ball-strikers in golf history traded the lead for the rest of the drizzly day.

Graham Marsh (65) tied the tournament record and Bruce Summerhays (66) eagled the last hole to tie for third at 211, but from the fourth hole on the final day at the Palmer Course it was about Irwin and Kite.

Irwin won by closing with a 5-under-par 67, his 16th round in the 60s in 24 starts in this tournament.

"The biggest difference today was the rain yesterday," Irwin said. "It softened up the greens just enough that those downwind shots weren't as impossible to hold the greens. With the wind down and that little bit of rain we had last night ...ÊWe had a 65 out there today. That could not have been shot yesterday, no way."

He seized the advantage for good with his sixth birdie of the day — an 18-foot putt at the 17th — to go 8-under. Moments later, the 16th hole got in the way of a very fast 40-foot putt by Kite, swallowing it for a birdie to put him 7-under.

Irwin played the final hole (539-yard par-5) conservatively, laying up with his second shot, hitting his third safely over the water hazard and onto the green, and two-putting for par to finish at 208.

That forced Kite to go for the green from 260 yards out with his second shot. With the fairway wet from the rain, Kite needed to hit his 3-wood 240 yards to carry the wate

10/10/2003 - Honolulu Advertiser
Elegance and Martinis at 21 Degrees North
By Matthew Gray
Advertiser Restaurant Critic

The North Shore is a fine getaway for town folks — quiet beaches, places to explore, a chance to play tourist. Hale'iwa offers several shopping opportunities, part Malibu hip, part funky Hawaiiana. It's a great place to visit before heading over to the Turtle Bay Resort for dinner at 21 Degrees North, its newly renamed and renovated fine-dining restaurant. Formerly called the Cove, this lovely hexagonal dining room steps down into a multitiered circle, its plush carpet accented with rich koa paneling, steps and banisters. Tall perimeter windows offer ocean and pool-area views. The atmosphere is elegant, relaxing and welcoming, almost lodge-like. The stage is set.

When seated, you are given both a wine list and a martini menu featuring — you guessed it — 21 different martinis ($7 each). If, like me, you are a purist and believe there to be one, and only one, martini — gin and a whisper of dry vermouth — you'll be surprised by the myriad concoctions on this list, most made with vodka.

Take, for instance, the French martini (flavored with pineapple juice and Chambord raspberry liqueur), the lemon-drop martini (citrus-flavored vodka, lemon juice and Cointreau), or the mochatini, amped-up with finely ground coffee beans and creme de cacao.

The cuisine is described as contemporary island cuisine with a French accent. Meal service begins with an amuse bouche, a creative taste from the kitchen meant to stimulate one's appetite.

On my first visit, a mound of brunoise-cut (tiny diced cubes) glazed carrots with a candied walnut was brought out. I clearly tasted maple and wasabi, a smart pairing of sweet and sharp flavors. I later learned that dark rum also was a flavoring component of this dish. My second visit saw a smidgen of kalua pig atop a fried wonton wrapper, with a subtle tomato salsa.

Puree of cauliflower ($10) is a gentle and creamy soup, served with cured apple, with a decidedly coconut-milk finish. The chilled red and yellow gazpacho ($9) is a popular soup choice, cool and refreshing tartness accented with a basil, crab, and pickled-onion salad.

An appetizer such as the tataki of 'ahi ($13) is quite a feat of construction. The 'ahi is placed atop pieces of crostini, which have been spread with mushroom and olive tapenade. Alongside are rigatoni filled with a sun-dried-tomato goat cheese, with charred ratatouille at the base of the plate. It's a fun dish to eat, more whimsical than wow, but worthwhile nonetheless.

Pan-seared scallops ($13) were sea-sweet and served over what is called "fresh corn polenta" on the menu, and drizzled with earthy truffle-shiitake vinaigrette. The polenta is quite satisfying, but much closer to creamed corn than to polenta, so be advised.

Entrees primarily lean to the sea, with just one choice each of beef, lamb and duck. The pan-seared Pacific sea bass ($32) is place

10/5/2003 - Seattle Times
Surfers love the wild waves of Oahu's North Shore
By Gary A. Warner
The Orange County Register

Summer on the North Shore of Oahu. Yachts bobbing in Waimea Bay. Kids splashing in the shallows of Sunset Beach. The Pacific living up to its placid name.

But winter comes the monster. Spiraling storms near the Arctic Circle throw off epic swells that roar unimpeded thousands of miles across the Pacific to slam onto North Shore's famous beaches.

Liquid mountains drive all but the bravest or most foolish from the water.

Hundreds line the shore to watch a handful of surfers test the steel in their soul, paddling out on extra-long boards called "rhinochasers" or simply "guns" to challenge waves that can top 30 feet.

It's surfing's version of drag racing, all speed and survival. A controlled fall down the face of a watery slope with hopes of slashing to the side at the last minute before tons of water close out the exit.

I've never surfed anything, from ankle slappers to the big boomers of the North Shore. But for more than a decade, I've traveled off and on to the North Shore as a surfing voyeur, watching many master the monster, and not a few get chewed up in its wet maw.

To get to the North Shore, you drive west out of Honolulu, past Pearl Harbor and up over the hill to Schofield Barracks, until the four-lane highway becomes a two-lane road as it drops through the pineapple fields south of Haleiwa.

The urban traffic gives way to an oddball collection of vehicles heading to the beaches. Suburban Honolulu surfers in battered old Toyota pickups with boards in the back. Locals in rusty heaps or new SUVs. Tourists in shiny Windstars and PT Cruisers up from Waikiki on day trips. Muddy camouflage-painted U.S. Army trucks on the way to any one of the dozens of military stations. The ubiquitous long, white stretch limousines popular with tourists on circle-island tours.

The road north forks at Haleiwa. To the uninitiated, it looks like an almost unbroken oceanfront from Kaena Point in the west to Kahuku Point in the east. But to the surf world, the North Shore is a series of breaks and beaches, each with its own quirks and nickname.

Turn left at Haleiwa and you hit Avalanche, Hammer Heads, Pyramids, Changes, Fujis, Glass Doors, Roger's Rights, Silva's Channels, Beach Park, Day Star, Army Beach and Quarrys.

But nearly everyone turns to the right and the epic wave beaches of the east end of the North Shore: Puaena Point, Himalayas, Laniakea, Jocko's, Chun's Reef, Left-Overs, Log Cabins, Pupukea, Rocky Point, Kammie Land, Backyards and Velzyland.

Above all are three beaches among the most famous in the world.

Farthest west of the top three is Waimea Bay, an oceanic cul-de-sac rimmed by hills with a church set on a high point overlooking the beach. Some of the biggest waves in the world slam home here. One end features a rock outcropping where, during calme

9/4/2003 - The Brancatelli File @ JoeSentMe.com
Forty Two Cottages by the Sea
The long, strange saga of the Turtle Bay Resort on the rustic North Shore of Oahu seems to be taking one of its positive turns. Developed by Las Vegas visionary Del Webb in 1972 when he thought gambling was coming to Hawai‘i--Webb made a bad bet on that one--the 880-acre property had fallen on hard times in recent years. The cash-strapped Japanese owners let the property go to seed, Hilton pulled out as the management company and this blessed spot just an hour from Honolulu and Waikiki seemed headed for oblivion.

But a new owner and a new management company stepped in several years ago and they have invested about $50 million so far with surprisingly good results. The main hotel, with 375 large rooms, all with ocean views, has been tastefully, if simply, renovated. The meeting space is being upgraded and expanded in an attempt to build Turtle Bay into the mid-Pacific's primary conference facility. A spa and exercise facility are being developed. The two 18-hole golf courses, ten tennis courts and riding facilities are all in good shape, too.

But what sets Turtle Bay apart are the 42 spacious, private beach cottages plopped right on a broad lawn fronting a pristine, white-sand beach. Each cottage has been extraordinarily well renovated with Brazilian walnut floors, poster beds, lavish bathrooms and comfy furnishings. Some cottages have two double beds, others have king beds with wet bars. The service is still a bit shaky, but it's always friendly. And there isn't anything quite like these cottages anywhere in Hawai‘i. Rack rates start at $550 a night (including breakfast), but are often available for as little as $400. And there are several compelling packages that bundle unlimited golf and tennis with a cottage stay.

One other thing: Turtle Bay has 12 miles of trails and seaside paths. You can--and I have--walk, bicycle or ride for miles along the beach without seeing another soul. It makes you forget all about the travails of a life on the road.

8/27/2003 - Honolulu Advertiser
Turtle Bay gets Renovation Panache
Got a chance a few weeks ago to visit Turtle Bay Resort, being rediscovered by kama'aina now that it has been renovated (rooms done in plantation-meets-Tommy-Bahama style) and the food program revamped by executive chef Andrew Manion-Copley, formerly at the Lodge at Koele on Lana'i. Was most impressed by his 21 Degrees North signature restaurant, where the Asian-inspired dishes were handled with a particularly light and sophisticated hand. (The bar also does 21 different martinis, but don't try then all in one night.)

The popular Sunday Brunch continues in the Sunset Room. Check it out; a number of kama'aina specials are offered through the year, including some that give partial dining credit with room reservations. Information: www.turtlebayresort.com. Reservations: 293-8811.

8/21/2003 - Honolulu Advertiser
Turtle Bay Championship Raises $80,000 for Charity
Last year's Turtle Bay Championship raised $80,000 for 21 O'ahu community service agencies. The money was distributed last week by Friends of Hawai'i Charities.

The total is twice as much as last year. The Champions Tour, along with the PGA and Nationwide tours, generated $72.4 million at 2002 events.

Friends of Hawai'i was formed in 1998 to "provide funding for health education-oriented projects directed toward women, children and youth." Among the groups that received money were Aloha Ke Akua High School, Hawai'i Fi-Do Service Dogs, Ko'olauloa Educational Alliance Corp., North Shore Lifeguard Association, Save the Sea Turtles International and Victory Ohana Prison Fellowship. The third Turtle Bay Championship will be Oct. 10 to 12 at the Palmer Course. Defending champion, Hale Irwin and Craig Stadler, who has won on both Champions and PGA tours this year, have committed.

For tournament and volunteer information, call 545-1588.

8/17/2003 - The Weekly Eater
Come on in, the latitude’s fine Twenty One Degrees North
Educators sometimes have trouble getting their lessons across because they tend to talk about abstracts rather than any sort of reality that people can relate to.

You can talk about how simply people lived 200 years ago, but it's not something kids with cell phones and a throw-away wardrobe can imagine, until you show them a 19th century frock in a museum, made extra sturdy so it could be worn year after year. Or the power goes out in New York and people suddenly experience the pre-nightlife era and the wisdom of mixed-use neighborhoods.

A single visit to Twenty One Degrees North at Turtle Bay Resort succeeded in drilling into me the basics of longitude and latitude, something that 12 years of public education failed to do. For those similarly challenged, latitude run in circles parallel to the equator, ending in points at the North (90 degrees north) and South (-90 degrees south) poles. At 21 degrees north, Hawai‘i is 69 degrees away from the North Pole.

The joys of living in this latitude is the sun factor that makes a profusion of fruit trees, herbs and other produce shared by the restaurant possible. And you won't even have to pass a test to partake of this bounty. All you need is time and a full tank of gas. Make the most of the day by spending some time in Haleiwa before the restaurant opens at 6.

Once at Turtle Bay, you can find the restaurant by skirting the pool and outdoor bar area. Or you can wander through the hotel lobby, which will lead you to a retro "jungle" path, complete with wooden bridge, dim lighting, a mini waterfall and wall of foliage. The jungle ends at the restaurant, which is done up in stark brown and white. The real ambience comes from Turtle Bay's natural beauty, with partial views of waves tumbling to shore. My view included the resort's Jacuzzi, though why anyone would want to simmer with strangers is beyond me.

MEALS BEGIN with an amuse bouche, a mini appetizer to amuse the palate, such as a carrot-ginger bisque with a splash of Jack Daniels.

Light eaters would find dining on appetizers appealing. Few can resist the Dancing Shrimp Salad ($11), the crustaceans sitting tall atop a salad of micro greens, papaya and crisp jicama, with Kahuku corn vinaigrette.

The Pot of Shellfish is a steal for $10 with its dozen pieces including mussels, clams, shrimp and scallops sitting in a delicate coconut-carrot nage sprinkled with crisped green onions. It's like bouillabaisse, Hawaiian-style.

Kona Lobster Salad ($13) didn't fare as well, with the chilled lobster left a bit dry from its refrigerator stint. Its accompanying relish of mango, onions, pickled daikon and cucumbers was fairly refreshing, but I wished sweeter mangoes had been available to spare me from a handful of tough, sour little cubes. With mango season short, I guess I can't be too picky. Surely a substitute will be found soon.

Those who like to travel light may als

7/1/2003 - Travel & Leisure
Haleiwa Ranked #32 of the "55 Things to Do Now"
By Ann Wycoff

Worlds away from Waikiki, Haleiwa is a laid-back town on Oahu's bucolic North Shore. Snorkelers and sun-seekers gravitate toward Waimea Bay, where cliff divers hurl themselves into the turquoise waters; neophyte surfers learn to "hang ten" on Alii Beach's placid waves. Board rentals and lessons can be arranged at Surf & Sea (62-595 Kamehameha Hwy.; 808/637-9887).

GETTING THERE

Haleiwa is 28 miles north of Honolulu International Airport.

WHERE TO STAY

The surfside Sunset Homes (66-030 Kamehameha Hwy.; 808/637-2400; www.sunsethomes.net) rents beach cottages and airy three- and four-bedroom houses. The renovated cottages at Turtle Bay Resort (57-091 Kamehameha Hwy.; 800/203-3650; www.turtlebayresort.com; doubles from $525) have private lanais overlooking the sea, as well as personal butlers.

WHERE TO EAT

Hit Matsumoto's (66-087 Kamehameha Hwy.; 808/637-4827) for the quintessential Hawaiian treat: shaved ice in tropical flavors. Haleiwa Joes (66-011 Kamehameha Hwy.; 808/637-8005; dinner for two $50) is the place for seared ahi tuna.

DON'T MISS

The kite surfers at Mokuleia Beach Park, where adrenaline junkies perform aerial acrobatics.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 800-203-3650

6/15/2003 - The Honolulu Advertiser
Lei Lei's Greets Guest with Warm Aloha
The Honolulu Advertiser, June 15, 2003 By Simplicio Paragas, Dining Out Editor

He’s known more as Uncle Mike than he is chef Mike, and that’s among his staff and regular diners at Lei Lei’s (57-049 Kuilima Dr., 293-2662) at the Turtle Bay Resort.

Opened last September, Lei Lei’s is the brainchild of Mike Neubert and Ian Buscher, two guys who are putting the fun back into owning and operating a restaurant. Overlooking the first hole of the resort’s George Fazio course, Lei Lei’s captures an unpretentious neighborhood feel. It’s laid back, it’s casual and the service is friendly and polished.

It’s also familiar. Guests may experience a certain amount of déjà-vu when they dine here. At least a dozen faces — including waitresses Lauren Onizuka and Diane O’Rourke — were formerly with Pinky’s in Kailua or the old Chart House in Haiku, where Buscher was the one-time general manager for eight years. Neubert also has connections to Chart House, having served as its regional food and beverage manager.

“Between the both of us,” Buscher said, “we have more than 30 years of Chart House experience.” This explains the menu, which is Chart House-like, especially when it comes to the prime rib. “We’ve been with the Chart House for so long that it’s been bred into us,” Buscher said. “So, you’ll definitely see some of the same dishes.” The slow-roasted prime rib here — of which Buscher says they never run out — is exceptional and comes in three different sizes: a 10-ounce cut ($19.95), a 14-ounce portion ($23.95) and a belt-loosening, mouthwatering, bone-in, 28-ounce cut ($26.95), which was enough for two additional meals. And, it was just as good both times.

My companion ordered the crab-stuffed salmon ($22.95) — one of their signature items, according to Neubert — which was also filled with bits of artichoke hearts and enhanced with a dill beurre blanc sauce that tastefully complemented the flavor of the salmon. She, too, had enough for another meal the next day. Portions are generous at Lei Lei’s. It’s something that both Buscher and Neubert believe in providing their guests.

“Our food is substance over decor,” Neubert said. “It’s solid, straightforward, meat-and-potato-type dishes. It’s comfort food.” In addition to prime rib cuts and crab-stuffed salmon, Lei Lei’s also offers such other entrees as seafood scampi ($18.95), coconut crunchy shrimp ($19.95), double-cut pork loin chop (20.95), herb-crusted chicken ($17.95) and baby back ribs ($14.95 for a half rack, $20.95 for a full slab).

Appetizer selections are heavy on the seafood side. You’ll definitely want to try the individual oyster shots ($2 each). For dessert, try the “soup” — a bowl of rich ice cream topped with melt-in-your-mouth, “medium rare” cookies. Yummy!

“We want everyone to leave happy and well fed,” Neubert said. “That’s the goal.” It’s also a goal that’s shared by Turtle Bay’s director of sales

6/1/2003 - Jaxfax.com
Paradise on Oahu's North Shore: The Turtle Bay Resort
By Doug Cook, Jax Fax Travel Magazine

As the publisher of a travel magazine, friends often ask me for my advice on vacation spots. In the past, when asked about Hawai‘i, my advice has always been the following: plan on 10 days, fly into Oahu, stay two nights in a hotel on Waikiki, see Pearl Harbor and then move on to one of the other islands for the balance of their stay. That was until last fall when I decided to take a quick post-ASTA congress trip to Oahu's North Shore for a few nights at the Turtle Bay Resort. Now, although I still believe the other islands have a lot to offer, I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending that an entire Hawai‘i vacation be spent just on Oahu.

Just a short 45-minute drive from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu and Waikiki, the North Shore is a world apart. Renowned for its surfing beaches, this surfside community walks to a different beat. Here life revolves around the daily surf report and the locals have a naturally laid back attitude and friendly demeanor. The drive here from Honolulu is beautiful and diverse. En route are miles of pineapple plantations, green mountains and of course the North Shore itself with its famous beaches such as Sunset Beach and the Banzai Pipeline.

Turtle Bay Resort

For those looking for dryer vacation pursuits, the Turtle Bay Resort offers a wide range of activities. Turtle Bay Resort has recently completed more than 12 miles of trails and seaside pathways on its 880-acres and five miles of beachfront. Rekindling the spirit of exploration and discovery, the resort provides a four-page Trail & Ocean Guide, featuring a full-color foldout map that charts the color-coded trails and coastline while outlining some of the spectacular sights and settings of this exclusive property.

Turtle Bay is the only resort on Oahu with 36 holes of championship golf: the Fazio and Palmer courses. Annually, the Palmer course plays host to the Turtle Bay Championship, a premier stop on the SENIOR PGA TOUR. Greens fees for hotel guests are $110 on the Fazio course and $115 on the Palmer course.

Location, Location, Location

As mentioned above, it is hard to imagine a better resort location. The rocky bluff on which the main hotel sits effectively divides the property both physically and functionally. The northern side of the hotel features Bay View Beach Lawn (also known as Bayview Beach), a reef protected cove with a sandy beach. This area is perfect for the tamer water sports like swimming and snorkeling. The southern side of the point features the resorts namesake Turtle Bay-a long curving cove with a rocky beach and pounding surf, which can reach 20 feet in winter months. Located along this stretch of beach are the 42 new beach cottages, all with private lanais and just a stone throw for the ocean. Also located on this side of the hotel is the pool area, which features two fresh-water pools (one which is great for kids wi

6/1/2003 - Hawai‘i Westways, Lifestyle & Travel for the Island
A Walk on the Mild Side
Turtle Bay Resort's coastal trails lead to contentment

Hawai‘i Westways, Lifestyle & Travel for the Islands AAA Hawai‘i, June/July 2003 Story by Alex Salkever

I never get sick. At least, I never got sick until a nasty cold laid me low the third week of February. After seven days and what seemed like endless nights in bed, my chest and head cleared, and I knew what I needed to do to complete my recovery. I needed to get away from the phone, e-mail, and Internet. And I needed to replace my office digs with a scenic trail next to the ocean. It was a perfect day to take a hike at Turtle Bay.

Back in the 1970s, before neighbor island travel became so commonplace, Turtle Bay Resort, on the North Shore, was a favorite getaway for O'ahu residents. But the resort fell into disrepair during the 1980s and '90s due to low occupancy and ownership woes. Now under new ownership and fresh from a $50 million renovation, Turtle Bay is returning to health.

As part of its rehab, the resort has turned former golf cart paths, maintenance roads, and bridle paths into 12 miles of trails for hiking, jogging, mountain biking, and horseback riding. The pathways line the coast across three brilliant blue bays, and they're ideal for moderate exercise.

The two primary trails are marked green and blue. The Green Trail heads west toward Hale'iwa; the Blue Trail meanders east toward Lä'ie and Kahuku. I headed down the Green Trail, an easy three-mile jaunt looping along the rim of Turtle Bay and onto the tranquil crescent of neighboring Kawela Bay. I started at the tennis courts, walked past the stables, and picked up the path that runs underneath a stand of young ironwoods.

A trio of horseback riders sauntered past me on that first stretch of coastline, which is set on a promontory on Turtle Bay's far eastern side. I mentally downshifted to North Shore time and let the world flow around me. The rustling of the trees grew louder and the wind drew flowing patterns across the water. I sighed.

Walking along the shady path, I watched some surfers in the distance trying to take off on mushy waves. The trail bed was all evergreen needles and firm sandy soil, a soft track to walk on. (The resort touts that famous marathoner Joan Benoit Samuelson has run on and approved the trails.) To my right, tide pools glistened in the sun, and there was no one on the beach. Amazing. In the woods to my left, the song of a shama thrush rang out. My wife, Lisa, loves shama thrush songs, and as I walked, I thought about how nice it would be for the two of us to take this hike sometime and maybe pack a picnic lunch for the midway point.

At the bay's far western end, the trail swung north out onto Protection Point, a small grassy peninsula named for the cement bunker left over from World War II. I paused to sit on the grass and soak up the vista. On my right lay the white surf of Turtle Bay; to my left, pristine Kawel