COURTESY PRINCE RESORTS HAWAII
Damaged in last year's Big Island earthquake, the Mauna Kea resort will add retail shops and a spa and fitness center as part of its repairs and renovation.
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Mauna Kea gets $150M renovation
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Mauna Kea Golf Course, which sustained damages during earthquakes on the Big Island last year, is slated to reopen next December after completing $150 million in repairs and renovations.
Safety considerations forced the resort to close Dec. 1, 2006 for an extended period of time. The closure provided an opportunity for owner Prince Hawaii Resorts to undertake a comprehensive renovation of the property, said Donn Takahashi, the president of Prince Resorts Hawaii, which owns the hotel.
"Our goal is to re-establish Mauna Kea as a sophisticated and intimate luxury hotel offering contemporary accommodations and amenities of the highest caliber along with our signature tradition of excellent service, Takahashi said.
Improvements are meant to reposition the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel as the flagship property for the Prince Resorts Hawaii hotels, Takahashi said.
Architect John Hara & Associates of Honolulu and Barry Design Associates of Los Angeles will head the multimillion dollar refurbishment, which will focus primarily on updating hotel interiors, guest rooms, lobby, restaurants and common areas. The hotel's room inventory will be reduced from 310 to 258, as rooms in the main building are expanded to make accommodations more spacious for guests. The hotel improvement campaign also will add new retail shops and other amenities, including a spa and fitness center.
Restoration is already under way at the Mauna Kea Golf Course, which closed in May 2007. Renowned designer Rees Jones is directing the sweeping tee-to-green restoration at the course, which is slated to reopen next November.
Employees furloughed as a result of the hotel and golf course closings will be offered re-employment, the hotel company said.