What's New

Thanks to many meetings and incentives and the rapidly growing popularity of the Hawaiian Islands, Oahu and Maui hotels have scored spectacular occupancy rates, in the 80 percent to 90 percent range, during the past two years. All the activity has drawn the interest of the big hotel corporations and generated an explosion of new hotel building — and, where there is no room to build, the razing, upgrading, and enlarging of properties, followed inevitably by rebranding. Outrigger Enterprises Group, long a local hotel company, started the trend by razing six of its tired properties in Waikiki and going upscale.

Waikiki Beach Walk, an eight-acre retail, entertainment, and hotel development, is taking shape. A dozen shops are open in the 93,000-square-foot complex, a lot of greenery is in place, and island musicians can already be heard among the palms. Also open is Hilton's new Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk. The remaining 30 restaurants and retailers were expected to be open by May.

Revitalization of Oahu's Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is scheduled for completion this summer. The renovation will add 31,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space (more than 100 shops and restaurants). There will also be free cultural classes and entertainment in a landscaped plaza, along with Waikiki's newest shows, nightclubs, and lounges. Hilo Hattie has already moved her flagship store to the revitalized center.

A new attraction has been added to the USS Arizona/Pearl Harbor Memorial. On the 65th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the new Pacific Aviation Museum opened in a World War II hangar that is complete with the scars of December 7, 1941. Hangar 79 holds restored vintage WWII aircraft, interactive displays, a theater, and a restaurant like the one where aviators grabbed a quick meal before their missions, or chalked up their hits afterward. Hangar 79 is dedicated to the Pacific battles of WWII, and Hangar 54, a future expansion, will focus on the Korean, Vietnam, and Cold wars.

The state has enacted a Smoke-Free-Hawaii law, but hotels can designate up to 20 percent of their rooms as “smoking rooms,” but may ban smoking in the hotel entirely, so planners can no longer assume a hotel will provide rooms for smokers.

Facility Updates

Oahu

• The WAIKIKI PRINCE KUHIO has completed a $55 million renovation to all of its 601 guest rooms, 17,000 square feet of meeting space, and public areas. Improvements to common areas have produced a new grand entrance with a cascading waterfall and native plants; a facelift in the lobby, a new restaurant, concierge desk, and lobby bar.

• The ALA MOANA HOTEL has completed a multimillion-dollar renovation that updated all 1,154 guest rooms and 67 suites. Additional amenities include a new lobby lounge, poolside restaurant called Moana Lani, and fitness center. More than 14,000 square feet of flexible function rooms can host 20 to 800 attendees.

• The Outrigger's EMBASSY SUITES?WAIKIKI BEACH WALK opened in January with 421 rooms and 1,965 square feet of meeting space. The hotel's two 22-story towers share a large pool and sundeck area as well as the restaurants and shops that are part of the Waikiki Beach Walk project. The hotel will be adjacent to the TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL, which is anticipated to open in 2009.

• TURTLE BAY RESORT has completed a $70 million renovation that included the construction of the 9,340-square-foot Kullima Ballroom; a revamping of Spa Launa; the opening of Ola, a beachside restaurant; and an overhaul of the resort's signature restaurant, 21 Degrees North.

• Starwood's June 1 rebranding of the SHERATON MOANA SURFRIDER to the Westin name will coincide with a completed renovation of its 793 guest rooms, a lobby facelift, addition of a spa in the Surfrider Tower, and a Westin Kids Club.

• ALA MOANA CENTER has opened 17 new stores including Jimmy Choo, Theory, Juicy Couture, and Miss Sixty. The Center's expansion is well under way, with a 200,000-square-foot Nordstrom department store slated to open in spring 2008.

• The 1,400-room SHERATON WAIKIKI is getting upgrades to its porte cochere, lobby, and check-in area. Starwood also is working on designs for a fantasy pool and open-air recreation center that will occupy the open space freed up between the Sheraton Waikiki and the ROYAL HAWAIIAN HOTEL as a result of other renovations.

Big Island of Hawaii

• On the Kohala Coast, the 540-room FAIRMONT ORCHID has renovated. In the Spa Without Walls, a new reception area furnished in bamboo and rattan emphasizes the outdoor setting as well as the resort's green policies. Guest rooms and suites received marble bathrooms and new carpeting, bedspreads, and artwork. Eighteen meeting rooms were refurbished, and an amenity essential to meeting groups — an airport shuttle service — has been implemented.

• HILTON WAIKOLOA VILLAGE is in the middle of a $61 million capital project scheduled to be finished in December. The Kohala and Ocean Tower pools are being refinished, and a buffet area is being added to the Palm Terrace restaurant. Of 1,240 guest rooms, 316 are receiving new carpeting, wallcoverings, and ceramic tile entryways. Plans for final renovations this year include the Orchid Cafe and the Dolphin Quest Village, which will feature an education portal and photo/video production center. With outdoor facilities included, meeting, pre-function, and exhibit space totals more than 235,000 square feet.

Kauai

• The OUTRIGGER WAIPOULI BEACH RESORT & SPA opened in December on Kauai's east coast. Its Aveda Lifestyle Salon and Spa will open this summer. The $200 million condo hotel has 153 two-bedroom suites and 37 one-bedroom suites. It includes a 4,000-square-foot spa and an 185,000-gallon saltwater fantasy pool complete with two waterslides.

• The Kauai Beach Hotel & Resort officially became the HILTON KAUAI BEACH RESORT after an $18 million renovation. The resort has 350 condominium hotel units, cascading waterfalls, four swimming pools, a spa, dining options, and 13,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, seating up to 500 guests.

• Anara Spa at the 602-room GRAND HYATT KAUAI RESORT and Spa is adding 20,000 square feet to its facilities. Five private thatched-roof huts are available for massages, and an after-hours entrance is handy for guests who want to work out any time of day. Meeting space indoors is 65,000 square feet.

Maui

• The RITZ-CARLTON KAPALUA will close July 2 for a $95 million renovation that will take about six months. When it reopens, it will have a children's pool, a young people's recreation area, and other amenities aimed at families. One wing, which now has 250 guest rooms, will be rebuilt as 166 suites, reducing room count to 466. The hotel has nine meeting rooms that accommodate from 12 to 1,500 people.

• The 463-room ROYAL LAHAINA RESORT completed a $30 million renovation in mid-February. The renovation is part of a $330 million redevelopment plan for the 27-acre property through 2010. In this phase, all 333 rooms in Lahaina Kai Tower were upgraded. There is 14,000 square feet of meeting space.

• The GRAND WAILEA RESORT in January agreed to a takeover offer from Morgan Stanley in a deal involving several luxury hotel properties. At press time, no changes to this popular meeting property had been announced. With 22 banquet, meeting, and boardrooms, the Grand Wailea Resort also has the largest ballroom on Maui, the 28,000-square-foot Haleakala Ballroom.

• The 800-room HYATT REGENCY MAUI RESORT AND SPA has completed work on the Spa Moana and Moana Athletic Club, a $1.3 million expansion. It has 11 meeting rooms with a total capacity of 1,500.

• On the south side of Maui, the 333-room RENAISSANCE WAILEA BEACH RESORT will close June 14 and be torn down to make way for a St. Regis resort property opening in two to three years.

• The 310-room MAUI PRINCE HOTEL was sold for $575 million. Although there is speculation about redevelopment to condos, the hotel and two 18-hole golf courses are expected to remain open for now. Indoor meeting rooms accommodate up to 500 guests. Six outdoor locations provide space for up to 600.

Lanai

• Castle & Cooke completed $100 million in renovations and enhancement of the two resorts on the exclusive island and in November rebranded them Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. At the FOUR SEASONS LODGE AT KOHELE, 102 guest rooms and suites were upgraded as well as the Great Hall, and work has begun on a spa and wellness center, which is anticipated to be ready in 2008. The Lodge's sister property, the 250-room FOUR SEASONS LANAI AT MANELE BAY, will be adding an additional $10 million in meeting space to the four ballrooms and five meeting rooms already available.

Ask the CVB

HAWAII VCB
(Meetings and Convention)
www.meethawaii.com
Total Hotel Tax: 11.416%

OAHU VISITORS BUREAU
(808) 524-0722
oahu@hvcb.org

KAUAI VISITORS BUREAU
(808) 245-3971
www.kauaidiscovery.com

MAUI CVB
(888) 918-8444
www.mauimeetings.net
www.visitmaui.com

BIG ISLAND CVB
(808) 961-5797
bigisland@hvcb.org

MOLOKAI VISITORS ASSOCIATION
(808) 553-3876
www.molokai-hawaii.com

LANAI VISITORS BUREAU
(888) 918-8444
www.visitlanai.net

Phantom Planner

• Even though Hawaii's hotel room rates keep rising, meeting planners can get a 50 percent price break on Hawai'i Convention Center space and a plethora of destination services if they book before the end of 2007.

• The Hawaii VCB and SMG Hawaii, which operates the Hawai'i Convention Center, have joined forces to launch BusinessAloha.com, a Web site dedicated to supplying meeting planners with the information and resources needed to bring a group to the Hawaiian Islands.

• Low-cost ATA Airlines will increase its flight capacity to Hawaii in June by adding daily flights between Oakland and the cities of Honolulu, Kona, and Lihue, and between Las Vegas and Maui.

• To “see” before you commit to a Hawaii resort, go to www.wizardpub.com/main/home.htm and click on your island under “Resort reviews.” Aerial photos show how big a hotel or condo complex is and how close it really is to the ocean or busy roads.

• Be ready for sticker shock in Hawaii, where just about everything costs more than on the mainland. Sunscreen, sunglasses, cameras and film, toothpaste, and all meeting supplies should be packed in checked luggage and brought with you or sent ahead.

Special Venues

• In the new EMBASSY SUITES ON THE WAIKIKI BEACH WALK, the YARD HOUSE is ideal for large parties because it's one of the few restaurants that can easily accommodate groups with varying preferences and degrees of dining sophistication. The menu (lunch or dinner) is American steaks and burgers, soups, and salads with a few Hawaiian fish specialties for those who are ready to try them. The Yard House spans nearly 12,000 square feet with a capacity of 350. The main feature is a center island with 130 beers on tap piped icy cold from a glassed-in keg room while you watch. Hours are 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. (808) 923-9273; www.yardhouse.com

• From Maui, arrange for your attendees to take in MOLOKAI, a much different, less developed island, with a cruise on the MOLOKAI PRINCESS and 18 holes of par-72 golf at KALUAKOI. It's a full day from 7:15 a.m. when the ship departs Lahaina Harbor for Molokai until it returns golfers to Maui for dinner, but a continental breakfast and picnic lunch are part of the deal. (866) 307-6524; www.molokaiferry.com

• The GATHERING OF THE KINGS at the FAIRMONT ORCHID on Mauna Lani Drive, on the Big Island, retells the story of the Polynesian settlement of the Pacific islands. Guests are served traditional dishes from Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, and Samoa in a Polynesian setting, and the richly costumed show features modern and traditional choreography. This is held every Saturday evening beginning at 6 p.m., with check-in between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Advance reservations are required. (808) 326-2162; www.islandbreezeluau.com/gotk/

• In an expanded version of surf and turf, the FOUR SEASONS RESORT MAUI is scheduled to open a new restaurant, DUO, this month. Prime cuts of beef, including Japanese Kobe, and fresh seafood will be served from an open kitchen. A private dining room in the gardens can seat 10 to 20 guests. (808) 874-8000; www.fourseasons.com/maui/dining/duo.html

• KEOKI'S PARADISE resembles a dockside boathouse in Poipu Beach on KAUAI. It features the day's fresh fish, but also steaks and ribs. It's a local favorite for its atmosphere, moderate prices, and good food. Open for lunch or dinner, the restaurant can accommodate groups of up to 50 people. (808) 742-7534; www.keokisparadise.com

• WHALE WATCH season extends from late November to mid-April. There are numerous whale-watching excursions throughout the state, many of which guarantee sightings and provide expert narration. Tracking a whale is an acquired skill, so look for an operator with experience. There are hundreds of tour operators, leaving from Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island, some private charters for groups, and others where your group is on board with others. For a good starting point on Oahu, WILD SIDE SPECIALTY TOURS leave from Waianae Boat Harbor, A-11. Tours include marine biologists on the crew and take groups away from the major tourist activity. From outside Waikiki, (808) 306-7273; www.sailhawaii.com

• HAWAIIAN WATERS ADVENTURE PARK on Oahu will open Island Adventure Park, the park's new high-end miniature golf facility, on Memorial Day weekend. The 18 challenging holes include nine that are ADA accessible and a putting green.

More Inter-Island Options

Hawaiian and Aloha airlines have not only transported visitors to and from the islands for decades, but have been the only real option for inter-island travel. Now there are more.

In June 2006, a new inter-island air carrier, GO!, began offering discounted flights between islands, sometimes as low as $29 one way. With its hub in Honolulu, Go! flies to Maui, Kauai, and both airports on the Big Island. www.iflygo.com

If you want to travel between islands by water, the HAWAII SUPERFERRY is scheduled to start service in July, with daily sailings between Honolulu and the islands of Kauai and Maui. The 349-foot ferry will carry 866 passengers and 282 cars, with a sailing time of about three hours to each island. A second ferry is due to start in 2009. Superferry ticket sales start in May. www.hawaiisuperferry.com

Groups headed for Lanai or Molokai, of course, get to these islands via Maui. The MOLOKAI FERRY offers 90-minute, one-way or roundtrip excursions between Maui and Molokai. The LAHAINA/LANAI PASSENGER SHUTTLE operates five roundtrips daily to and from Lahaina Harbor on Maui.