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TheBuzz

BY ERIKA ENGLE

A new retreat within a retreat
for Halekulani’s high-spenders

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One-time national fitness champion Tony Young has a stressful job. If he doesn't show it, it could be because part of his job is interviewing massage therapists, a process that includes hands-on demonstrations.

Young is preparing for the April opening of SpaHalekulani, hiring staff, lining up product and paying attention to detail as the hotel gears up for its 20th anniversary next year.

"I'm truly here because it's Halekulani," said Young, formerly of Mandara Spa at Hilton Hawaiian Village, but who many may remember as a fitness instructor at the Honolulu Club. Clients from back in the day may have lost touch with Young when he took his career to the mainland, where he opened Refresh, a San Francisco day spa.

The concept for SpaHalekulani came from spa designer Sylvia Sepielli, who incorporated healing traditions of Hawaii, the South Pacific and Asia. Known for using indigenous elements, she has been involved in creating spas at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, the Grand Wailea Resort and the Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort in Hawaii, and The Oaks at Ojai Health Spa in California.

Prices for packages are befitting a Halekulani guest's wallet, from $390 for the Elegant Passage to $640 for the Heavenly Journey.

Philpotts & Associates Inc. is the interior designer for the spa, which will include seven treatment suites, including a bridal suite and a tandem suite.

The spa was to be a joint project with Malama Salon & Spa, but after Malama encountered financial difficulties Halekulani decided to own and run the spa itself.

Eye on KGMB-9

Consultant Kim Montour was named interim executive in charge of the newsroom at KGMB-TV on Friday. It is the second Honolulu TV station where she has borne the title. KGMB and KHON are owned by Indiana-based Emmis Communications Corp.; Montour led the KHON newsroom between the tenures of Jim McCoy and Dan Dennison, who took over as news director last month.

News Director Bob Loy has been reassigned, according to Hawaii market senior vice president Rick Blangiardi. Loy will handle special projects and key assignments, Blangiardi said. The search for a new news director is underway.

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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com