Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection in Hawaii has announced plans for a $180-million renovation in 2024, which will evolve its offering whilst preserving the heritage and timelessness that has attracted guests since Laurance S Rockefeller opened the resort in 1965.
The phased transformation, which will commence in Q2 2024 and be completed in early 2025, will encompass a redesign of the resort’s 252 guestrooms and suites, as well as four dining venues including the resortʻs signature restaurant Manta overlooking Kaunaʻoa Bay. The renovation will also feature a destination spa and infinity pool with 11 indoor and al fresco treatment rooms, full service salon and an enlarged fitness centre. New outdoor areas will comprise a chef’s garden providing fresh produce for the resort’s kitchens as well as a specialised botanical garden with indigenous and endemic plant species.
The interior design will be led by Dallas-based Looney & Associates with architectural design from Honolulu-based Architects Hawaii. Additionally, Mauna Kea Golf Course will undergo an extensive makeover under the direction of Robert Trent Jones Jr, making it the course the first ever to incorporate the visionary work of Robert Trent Jones Sr and both sons Reese and Bobby Jr.
“Our approach for this renovation is very intentional, we have thoughtfully redesigned spaces for new amenities to breathe fresh life into the resort while still honouring the original legacy and traditions that Laurance S Rockefeller put into place in the 1960s,” says Shigeki Yamane, President of Prince Resorts Hawaii. “We have a great responsibility to honour Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s significance to the history and cultural evolution of Hawaii, while at the same time fulfilling our promise to provide guests with the unforgettable vacation experience they expect.”
Craig Anderson, Mauna Kea Resort Vice President of Operations, comments: “We have multi-generational guests returning year after year since our resort opened in 1965, and thanks in part to our relationships with these legacy guests, we are embarking on this renovation committed to elevating our offerings while protecting and preserving the charm and distinctive beauty that makes Mauna Kea special. We look forward to creating memories with our guests for generations to come.”
Together with the resortʻs extensive repositioning, Mauna Keaʻs land and cultural preservation and sustainability initiatives are integral to enriching the guests’ experience and the local community. These efforts include partnering with Honoluluʻs Bishop Museum and other key local partners to refurbish a million-dollar art collection personally commissioned by Rockefeller, ensuring hundreds of pieces are preserved and displayed throughout the resortʻs public spaces. Further supporting the resortʻs renewable initiatives is the resort’s team of Cultural Ambassadors and a new cultural centre featuring programming tailored for education about Hawaiian culture and its deep-rooted history.
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was developed by American venture capitalist and conservationist, Laurance S Rockefeller. While swimming in the turquoise waters of Kaunaʻoa Bay with a clear view of the Mauna Kea summit, Rockefeller was inspired to build Hawaii’s first master-planned resort. His vision of a property that captured the spirit of aloha and conformed to the Kohala Coast came to fruition in 1965. Today, the historic property shares 1,839 acres of oceanfront with The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort.
