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Luxury Resorts Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Luxury Resorts Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Luxury Resorts
| Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa |
| Written by Catherine Bridges Tarleton |
| April 01, 2008 |
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The Brave New Marriott - "Contemporary soul with the spirit of luxury"  Cross the sun-blazed entry to the cool new Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, and it hits you right in the face. Something’s missing. Something besides the full size koa canoe that sailed the lobby for years. What’s missing is cliché. Instead, after a three-year, $50 million renovation, the open-air lobby is swept clean. Now, tall pillars, white walls, tile and stone the color of sand, and straight, clean lines lead all eyes makai. A railing on the far side seems to guard guests from flying off across the ocean, so strong is the view’s magnetic pull.  Absent are any kitschy floral fabrics and old-fashioned trademarks of yesterday’s Hawaiian hospitality. Instead, black-brown and off-white furniture, punctuated by lime, coral, orange and blue, surround the sunlit central garden. “The problem with all of that stuff, Hawaiiana,” says interior designer Robert Barry, “it’s very artificial, and when you start stripping some of that away the bones are pretty good.”In its business positioning statement, the resort characterizes itself as a place of “contemporary soul with the spirit of luxury.” Translated into design, it becomes a study in intense color, dramatic lighting, and bold geometric patterns, pulled together with an overall theme of water. “We created a really simple background that emphasizes the view,” says Barry. “When you walk in, the first thing you see is the ocean. The whole emphasis is about the water.” The water theme flows throughout the hotel, from panoramic view of pool to pool, to pond to Pacific, to details like the rippling glass tile on the front desk. One perfect turquoise wave curls along the back wall of the slick circular bar at Hawaii Calls Restaurant, and vintage surfer photographs (one includes a buff Hawaii State Senate Minority Leader Fred Hemmings) by Jeff Devine and Leroy Grannis splash color in unexpected places.  “The one word I hear most often is ‘surprised,’” says director of sales Peter Thoene. “People come in and are very surprised by the feel and look and sense.” The element of surprise works, as it plays around the Marriott, putting a different spin on the traditional Hawaii resort. “It’s not just a time change,” says Thoene. “We’re talking about a whole different attitude here.” The 555-room Marriott is experiencing its fifth incarnation since opening in 1981 as the Sheraton Royal Waikoloa (locals still call it the Sheraton). Historically, its location by the natural beach along Ala Kahakai (the King’s Trail) was a series of private fishponds for the ali’i, managed by an ‘ohana down through the generations. Says Thoene, “It was one guy’s job to adjust a series of ‘ōhi`a poles to admit different size fish.” (House platforms and other structures have been restored by the Bishop Museum.) In more recent times, the property has been adopted by Royal Resorts, Outrigger and Marriott, along the way finding its niche among other Kohala Coast resorts. In 2004, it was purchased by the Blackstone Group, which a year later acquired all 2,800 Hilton Hotels for $20 billion, according to Forbes (senior chairman and co-founder Peter G. Peterson is a former secretary of commerce under Richard Nixon, but that’s another story). The hotel continues to be managed by Marriott Hotels & Resorts. Barry says of the Blackstone Group, “They like to push the design – very interested in the quality of design. But they don’t ‘meddle’ with you, so to speak. You give the presentation and you go.”  The award-winning Los Angeles-based firm, Barry Design Associates, has made its mark on great hotels in the US, Europe and Asia, including the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui, and Four Seasons properties in Carlsbad, Newport Beach and Beverly Hills, California. The group speaks eight languages, has a diverse bank of talent and experience, and a knack for knowing the “human elements” in a particular design for a particular place, with its own history and personality.Island fashion designer Sig Zane and family loved the Marriott’s new style on a recent stay. “Upon first entering the guestroom, we were delighted to see the space,” he proclaimed. “Nalani and I felt at peace immediately. We were comforted by the use of the room, creating an atmosphere of relaxation and silence. The feeling of ‘zen’ and ‘feng shui’ come to mind,” says Zane. Robert Barry was quite pleased with the way his initial vision became reality. “One of the things I am very happy with was the conversion of the guestroom itself – without spending a lot of money,” says Barry. “The rooms themselves are small; the bathroom module is narrow. Before, it was a three-foot-wide L-shape with a sitdown vanity. By removing that and putting in a translucent panel which serves as a headboard for the bed, we created a completely new effect.” The softly-lit “shoji door” separates bed and bath, and adds character and art. In addition to guestroom, restaurant and public space makeovers, the new Mandara Spa is a hushed, elegant haven that manager Barbara Bates describes as “one-third Bali, one-third European, and one-third local.”Initial design challenges from structural features were overcome to produce a hidden sanctuary, with thoughtful art placements and creative touches in every niche. The two-level, 5,750 square foot facility has single and couples treatment rooms and a special bridal party suite. The renovation also includes the brand-new 12,000 square foot Naupaka Ballroom with separate entrance off the main driveway, a secluded reception garden, and room for 1,300 inside. “With the new ballroom we are able to attract a more sophisticated clientele,” says Barry.  For that VIP clientele, 23 redesigned suites offer distinctive, almost masculine luxury, with dark woods and strong earth tones, a 52-inch flat screen TV with Bose surround sound in the living area, 42-inch TV in the bedroom, wet bar, formal dining area and big, cushy couches to crash on. There are also feminine details like infused fragrance sticks and full size Mandara Spa products in the bath, a wish-keeper on the credenza and yes, a front doorbell. “Mainland folks say it’s a very contemporary, very residential feeling,” says Thoene. “Then you look out the window and, wow, you’re surrounded by Hawaii.” Being surrounded by Hawaii is a fact the brave new Marriott has not forgotten as it passes down the long traditions of hospitality and Aloha to future generations. “You can do a hotel in Hawaii and make it feel like Hawaii without introducing a lot of phony Hawaiiana, making it corny,” says Barry. “Hawaii doesn’t have indigenous big building architecture. It has a simplicity: gentle breezes, the most temperate climate in the world. You don’t need to create artificial interiors to make it attractive.” If that’s a cliché, it is one based on truth. Oh, and the canoe is coming back. For reservations and information, please contact: Waikoloa Beach Marriott www.WaikoloaMarriott.com 808-886-6789 Toll-free: 877-359-3696 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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