PO‘IPU — Rooted in Hawai‘i, and flavored with the cultural vignettes of various Pacific cultures, the Hyatt resort at Po‘ipu formally became known as the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa in rededication ceremonies, Monday. Following a multimillion dollar renovation
PO‘IPU — Rooted in Hawai‘i, and flavored with the cultural vignettes of various Pacific cultures, the Hyatt resort at Po‘ipu formally became known as the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa in rededication ceremonies, Monday.
Following a multimillion dollar renovation of its guestrooms and suites, meeting space and public areas, Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort and Spa was converted to the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa. The name change represents an upgrade in brand that aligns the property with other exclusive Grand Hyatts around the world.
Grand Hyatt hotels worldwide are grand in scale, service, attention, and are known for their elegance and sophistication, providing guests with signature programs, extraordinary restaurants, bars, unparalleled spa experiences, and state-of-the-art business and banquet facilities.
Ed Rabin, President of the Hyatt Corporation, said there are 23 Grand Hyatt hotels around the world that international travelers recognize as a leading hotel industry brand.
To further bring the Po‘ipu property to the Grand Hyatt status, Rabin announced that groundbreaking will take place in the near future for the Anara Spa.
Rabin made the announcements along with the owners of the resort, Kawailoa Development, a subsidiary of Japan-based Takenaka Corporation.
The groundbreaking will mark the beginning of a multi-million dollar expansion that will add an additional 20,000 square feet of open-air elegance and new specialized spa services.
The enhanced Anara Spa is highlighted by five private hale or thatched roof huts with connecting pathways, surrounded by waterfalls and greenery for massage treatments in a protected, tropical outdoor setting. The expansion will focus on the soothing and healing properties of nature against a backdrop of tropical flora and fauna and water features. Each hale, approximately 260 square feet, features its own private shower and bath. Two deluxe hale — each one, a spacious 320 square feet — will be devoted to couples’ massage treatments, which has become a nation-wide trend in spas throughout the world. An open-air meditative lounge adds to the ambiance.
A clay grotto utilizing Kaua‘i’s red dirt clay will provide a clay wrap treatment that prepares the Anara Spa client for a stress-reducing experience. The client can apply the clay to his or her body, then relax at a special seating area that releases a gentle flow of steam through specially constructed vents. The clay mixture will saturate the body to loosen pores and cleanse and invigorate the skin. The clay wrap is followed by a soothing open air shower just a few steps away from the grotto.
The existing fitness center adjacent to the Anara Spa lap pool will be expanded by 900 square feet to allow for additional cardio equipment. An after-hours entrance to the fitness area will offer guests 24-hour access.
A separate exercise and personal training area will be located in a new movement pavilion — an indoor/outdoor hale which allows the option for natural ventilation for yoga.
“Since Anara opened in 1991, we have always looked for ways to improve and enhance the spa experience by adding new services and by physically upgrading the facility. This project addresses the specific requests of our clients who have expressed a need for an upscale, private spa treatment area that provides full-service, all-day treatments. After a relaxing massage, the client can take a relaxing soak in his own private bath adjacent to the private hale,” said Robin Jumper, Director of Anara Spa.
Rabin said the expansion will result in a total of 45,000 square feet of space devoted to Anara Spa, making it the largest spa on Kaua‘i, and the second largest in the state of Hawai‘i.
Anara Spa is distinguished by its consistent placement on recommended lists of best spas by readers of such magazines as “Conde Nast Traveler” and “Travel and Leisure.” Anara was one of the first spas in the United States to originate indigenous products for treatment therapy.
Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, the original architects for the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i, have been engaged as the architects and interior designers for the spa expansion project.
“As we continue to clearly define the various Hyatt brands, our property on Kaua‘i reflects all the elements of a Grand Hyatt hotel based on its luxurious setting, excellent service and dining, its award-winner Anara Spa, and its celebrated golf course,” said Rabin.
The resort’s luxury setting is enhanced by the 210-acre Po‘ipu Bay Golf Course that surrounds the property. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the 18-hole course with both mountain and ocean views, is ranked No. 14 in the June, 2005 issue of Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 100 Golf Resorts in the U.S.
“As renovation and expansion continue,” Rabin continued, “the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa will prove to be a facility similar in scope and services to our Grand Hyatt properties around the world.”
Doug Sears, General Manager for the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa, said the new status will necessitate a fresh emphasis on employee training to ensure precision and perfection in customer service.
“Above all,” Sears said, “I believe that superior service is what makes a Grand Hyatt worthy of its name. We are known for extensive training now, and we will place even more importance on protocol and perfection to create a sense of ownership in the new product and service.”
As part of the rededication and renaming of the Po‘ipu resort, Takenaka Corporation announced the distribution of three grants to Kaua‘i organizations as their celebrating the occasion. Beneficiaries included the Kaua‘i Community College, Wilcox Health, and the Kaua‘i group of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. Each organization received $100,000.
There are 213 hotels and resorts (over 90,000 rooms) in 43 countries around the world, operating under the Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt, and Park Hyatt brands.
Currently, there are an additional 28 Hyatt hotels and resorts under development, including 10 new hotels in China.
Hyatt Corporation and Hyatt International Corporation are subsidiaries of Chicago-based Global Hyatt Corporation.
