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Halekulani enlists the
expertise of fashion queen Vera
Wang for a new luxury room
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The Halekulani and fashion designer Vera Wang, the queen of bridal couture, are creating a suite at the high-end resort to add sparkle to Hawaii's image as a romance destination.
Wang, who is best known for creating wedding gowns for the likes of Mariah Carey and Sharon Stone, will create a one-of-a-kind 2,135-square-foot luxury suite and a lifestyle boutique at the five-star Halekulani. Wang determined the entirety of the suite, from the furniture and fabrics to her signature china and unique flower arrangements.
"Forging a relationship with the world-renowned designer Vera Wang illustrates our continuing commitment to maintain our leadership in the luxury hospitality industry, as well as to provide an unprecedented experience for our guests," said Peter Shaindlin, chief operating officer of Halekulani Corp.
The suite is expected to open Dec. 1 as a destination for special occasions, including weddings, honeymoons and anniversaries, he said. It will rent for $4,000 a night.
The marriage between two luxury icons could help shore up Hawaii's status as a top spot for romance, especially among visitors from the eastern United states who make up Wang's core market, said state tourism liaison Marsha Wienert.
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"That high-end consumer is very conscious of brands, so being able to put Hawaii and Vera Wang in the same sentence can only be a positive force," Wienert said.
Visitor weddings are up nearly 14 percent this year and comprise more than a third of all nuptials in the state, Wienert said.
Hawaii, with approximately 20,000 visitor weddings performed annually, ranks as the No. 2 destination for out-of-town weddings behind Las Vegas, which hosts about 100,000 a year. The U.S. Virgin Islands, Jamaica and the Bahamas are also major competitors in this market.
"The destination wedding market is just growing in leaps and bounds," Shaindlin said. "It's on fire, and it's just as strong from Japan as it is from the mainland. It was a very opportune time for us to do this."
The attention could also help Oahu's high-end luxury properties, which are seeing substantial recovery in occupancy and room rates after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the Asian SARS scare, said Joy Toy, president of Hospitality Advisors LLC.
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"The Halekulani is really an icon among luxury travelers, and Vera Wang is also internationally well known," Toy said. "It's going to be a very attractive, high-profile partnership that could potentially bring a halo benefit to other higher-end properties."
Creative thinking, like the pairing between Halekulani and Wang, has kept the hotel at the forefront of luxury properties, Shaindlin said.
"Very, very good is not acceptable at Halekulani," Shaindlin said. "We determine what would thrill the guests, and then we do it. It's not rocket science."
The Vera Wang suite will feature a dining room with specially designed china and crystal, a living room, lounge with 50-inch plasma TV, bedroom and 642-square-foot lanai. Guests who stay in the suite will also have exclusive use of a private pool cabana, filled with a variety of special amenities and serviced by a special pool butler. The 550-square-foot lifestyle boutique, opening in early 2005, will feature Wang-designed home accessories, furnishings and a jewelry collection showcased in the suite.
"Having traveled all over the world, staying at the most exclusive hotels, resorts and spas, I have a very clear vision of what the ultimate luxury suite should be, both from a design as well as an experiential perspective," Wang said.
There will be plenty of demand to fill the suite, said Shaindlin. "We have already started to refuse bookings."
