Coconuts Beach Club/ P.O. Box 3684 /Apia ,Western Samoa/ Fax: (685) 20071 or 22538/May 1992
Dear Friends,
Talofa! Greetings from Paradise! We have been promising (or is it threatening) to get out a newsletter for the last few months, and here it is! I knew it was a bit "late" (is there really any such thing as "time" or a "calendar" in Paradise?), but I now see that it has been one year since we last put out an issue of the "News". And you thought we had dropped you from our mailing list.....no such thing! By the way, we were thrilled with the response from our last newsletter. We love to hear from you, so please keep the letters and cards coming our way. For those of you who have been receiving these silly newsletters since we started writing them in 1984, you know that this is just the latest progress report in our never ending search for Paradise. Well, we think that Paradise is now a reality (and we've even enclosed a brochure to prove it!) . . . . . not just for the three of us, but for you too.
REALLY BIG NEWS ABOUT OUR HOTEL: When we last wrote about our Hotel, "Fale Masina" (Samoan for "house of the moon"), we were projecting an opening date in August of last year. Alas, along the way we got sidetracked and spent a lot of time swimming, snorkeling, learning the "siva" (Samoan dancing......Mika and Sieni have gotten very good, but Afa needs a lot more work) and, in general having a good time. Well, around October of last year we really got serious and, on Friday, Feb. 14th I am very happy to say that we opened the Hotel to our first visitors, a fun group of Americans sent here by Teresa Hawthorne of Hawaiian Sunspots Travel, and all has been well since then.
Fale Masina has proved to be a great success. The Robert Ross design is really quite unique. By using an abundance of "pomuli" (poles from a local hardwood tree) the Hotel looks like it has "grown" right out of the lush tropical plants and trees that surround it. Every one of the eight rooms at COCONUTS is very private and very special, with a balcony that is 24 feet long and chaise lounges to take advantage of the stunning ocean views. Uniquely styled bathrooms feature aqua marine ceramic tiles, and dramatic two person bathing pools in a "greenhouse" environment, complete with ocean views from the bathing pool (sip some French Champagne while sitting in your own private tub, overlooking a beautiful stretch of white sand beach and a turquoise lagoon)!! All rooms are furnished with elegant, equipale pigskin furniture, accented with vibrantly colored cushions. COCONUTS' ocean view rooms are unique to Western Samoa, and to the entire South Pacific. With jungle and tree top entrances, private "bathing pools", "greenhouse" bathrooms, huge balconies, panoramic ocean views and beautiful, locally carved wood, COCONUTS offers the maximum of comfort in an untouched, pristine jungle and beach setting. As you can tell, we think it's terrific and I could go on and on, but the best thing is for you to come and visit us and see it for yourself, first hand! We think that you will agree that everything you ever fantasized about the South Seas has come true right here in Western Samoa!
"Sieni's 3-STOOL-BAR" ........it's a long story, better shared with you over a few drinks at the bar, however, as you can see from the photo, there are quite a few more than 3 places to sit at the bar and it continues to be a favorite watering hole for locals and visitors alike. A travel writer from Australia was kind enough to describe it as "one of the worlds great cocktail bars". The American Bistro Restaurant, now in it's second year of operation, has maintained it's standard of excellence, bringing rave reviews from the most discriminating of travelers. Mika's Cajun Sashimi has become a legend, ever since a travel writer for Polynesian Airlines' in-flight magazine fell in love with it and told the world about it!
So, dear friends and potential "Coco Nuts", you can now start to plot your escape (there's new air service direct to Samoa from L.A., via Hawaiian Air and Air New Zealand) from the real world. Dream about the beauty of a sunset over the South Pacific Ocean (Afa took the sunset photo in the brochure from one of the "Three Stools" in the bar), the thrill of seeing friendly and exotic fish while snorkeling in our beautiful lagoon, the magic of dining and dancing under a million stars in a sky so clear that you can see forever, exquisite food and wine, sharing kava (the local mouth numbing drink) with some of our Samoan friends here in Maninoa village, meeting the local Members of Coconuts Beach Club and more, and more, and us, of course!
There's so much to write about that we could easily go on for at least another page. But we must close this now and go to "work". Mika just came and said that some local fishermen from Siumu, the village right next to us, have come in with a catch of lobster, crab and fresh Yellow Fin Tuna (great for the Cajun Sashimi) and he wants the "negotiating team" to help him put a deal together. It's tough work, but we are well qualified ......... besides, somebody has to do it! Please know that we look forward to showing you our real world. Write, fax or call us (if you can't reach us at the fax/phone at the beach, 20071, then try the numbers in town, 22538 for fax and 20012 for phone) and let us know how you are, and when you want to share our dream. We are all well, Natie is here right now, but living very happily in Honolulu most of the time. We promise to write again, very soon, and let you know "what's happening" in Paradise!
"'Til then . . . . Soifua, and Manuia Le Aso, from
Barry "Afa" Rose & Jennifer "Sieni" Rose & Michael "Mika" Pirics
