Before my parents sent us off on the trip, my mom told me that I need to learn to relax. Well, there is no better place to do that than on the sunny shores of Hawaii.

The Modern Honolulu was a gentle introduction to Hawaii. Alex and I woke up early each day to enjoy Waikiki before all the other tourists woke up. Everything in sight adorned a fresh coat of aqua. I fell in love with the pristine waters of the Hawaiian coast.

If it’s possible to love the scent of a hotel, then my search for the Modern’s lobby scent affirms it. We spent too many hours at the sunrise pool, and when we grew tired of that, we strolled over to the sunset pool. With each day that passed, I grew more eager to get out of the hotel and discover Honolulu. Alex, echoing my mother’s sentiment, kept reminding me to slow down. We have 3 weeks to spend on the beautiful islands of Hawaii, and we are just getting started.