Tovin Lapan
The design team has been hard at work since fall 2017, and preparations are underway for the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows to go into a restorative hibernation.
The property was acquired by DiamondHead Land last year, and the company announced in May that the Mauna Lani would operate under Auberge Resorts Collection. Now, the 32-acre oceanfront property will close in October before reopening in late 2019 following a $100 million renovation.
Everything from the pools and public spaces to the rooms and restaurant will be redone at Mauna Lani, which sits on Hawaii Island's Kohala Coast. The property will go from a total of 360 rooms to 320 in order to add a wider variety of accommodations. The project will double the number of suites from 18 to 36, and the Mauna Lani's existing five luxury bungalows will be refreshed, as well.
"By today's standards we felt it was a small number of suites, and we also wanted to have some larger suites to make it resonate with the modern luxury traveler," said Craig Reid, CEO of Auberge Resorts Collection. "There are also a lot of multigenerational travelers these days with large families taking vacation together, and now we'll have the accomodations for those big families."
A central atrium with gardens and koi ponds is being redone to serve as more of a nexus or "heart" of the property, said Kemper Hyers, Auberge Resorts collection's chief creative officer. The area will include oversized cabanas, a new spa and gym and new retail spaces, and will connect to two dining options. That area will lead to an entirely redesigned family pool, and a new adults lounge and pool with infinity edge featuring private cabanas and views of the coastal ponds and ocean.
The interior design work is being led by Meyer Davis and will include complete room makeovers.
"Stylistically, it will be a brighter, more refined version of the Hawaiian feeling," Hyers said. "There will still be lots of hardwood and natural fabrics and textures. We are also adding a new lighting package to the main area that will make that building stunning."
The expansive grounds are also being revitalized, with the introduction of native plants and grasses and new landscaping to create both large events areas and more intimate, quiet corners.
After the year-long renovation, the property will be positioned as a luxury destination, a perch it previously held, Reid said.
"In a sense we want to recapture the original audience," he said. "We want to reintroduce it into its rightful spot as a leading luxury property in Hawaii. But it will be an Auberge style of luxury. It's a lot less formal, a lot more approachable. We call it barefoot luxury. We believe the Hawaiian Islands are underserved in luxury, and underserved in hotels that have distinct personality and modernity in how they deliver their luxury experience."
Signature oceanside restaurant Canoehouse will keep its name but will receive a complete design refresh. Meanwhile, a second restaurant, the current Bay Terrace, will be completely redone and renamed, offering more casual fare as well bar service all day, and will be connected to a market section with grab-and-go snacks and other items.
The property includes two golf courses and an existing fitness club and spa with tennis courts and a lap pool. The renovations will add a new, more intimate spa and fitness center to the center of the hotel area. Down by the beach, they will also introduce a new area for coordinating water activities and will offer rotating food and beverage choices such as invited food trucks.
While there are not many details yet on resort programming and specifics of the Auberge Adventures program at Mauna Lani, Reid said they are focused on highlighting the choice location on a strip of beach with both sandy areas and traditional Hawaiian fish ponds.
"We have beautiful access to the water here, and the Hawaiian royalty came here to play hundreds of years ago," Reid said. "We want to make that available to guests, and it is as much about the pleasure as it is learning and respecting the ocean. We have a turtle hatchery and natural ponds on the grounds and will incorporate those features."