I love Hawaii. It really has it all! A kid-free mid-winter getaway for my wife and I was the second trip in five years to this chilled destination and it won't be the last time we go either!

Staying at The Royal Hawaiian Resort, the iconic and historic Pink Palace on the shores of Waikiki Beach for seven nights was a trip we had both been looking forward to for the last six months.

We love our boys (Hamish 6-years, Austin 4-years and Leo 18-months) like crazy but we also love to travel and like many of you know a holiday with and without kids is a very different type of holiday!

We had no plan except to relax. We ate, we drank, we shopped, we swam, we walked and explored.

Our favourite day was a trip to North Shore and around Oahu in a hire car, stopping off along the way to explore Waimea Valley and Waimea Bay, lunch at Romy's Shrimp Hut in Kahuku and a scenic stop at Nu'uanu Pali Lookout overlooking Honolulu.

One of the things I love most about Hawaii is its blend of cultures. The chilled Hawaiian feel mixed with strong Japanese and American influences. This is evident especially in the shopping and dining.

We visited some of the bigger restaurants and bars (like The Cheesecake Factory and Maui Brewing Co.) but preferred to eat and drink in the more hidden, local gems and your choice of Japanese options were endless and a welcome break from the heavier American menus.

It was a holiday but we did squeeze in two hotel inspections - The Royal Hawaiian Resort (both the Mailani and Historic Wings) and The Kahala Hotel & Resort, which I had heard a lot about from colleagues. Both are impressive in their own ways and I'd highly recommend them but they clearly suit different travel needs, styles and itineraries.

Next time for Hawaii ... we'll take the kids (maybe) and we're keen to explore the outer islands for another contrasting experience! Until next time ... thanks Hawaii!

Hawaii - The Perfect Child-Free Getaway