Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection, Hawaiʻi Islandʻs most iconic and historic resort, announces a $180-million renovation in 2024 that will
signal the evolution of its offerings for today’s sophisticated travelers – while preserving its remarkable heritage and timelessness that has captivated guests since Laurance S. Rockefeller opened the resort in 1965.
A phased transformation, which will commence in Q2 2024 and be completed in early 2025, will encompass a stunning redesign of the resort’s 252 guest rooms and suites, four dining venues including the resortʻs signature restaurant Manta that offers unobstructed views of Kaunaʻoa Bay. The renovation will also feature an extensive destination spa and infinity pool experience with 11 indoor and al fresco treatment rooms, full service salon, and an enlarged, state-of-the art fitness center. New garden areas will include a chef’s garden providing fresh produce for the resort’s kitchens as well as a specialized botanical garden and with indigenous and endemic plant species. The interior design will be led by Dallas-based Looney & Associates with architectural design from Honolulu-based AHL, or Architects Hawaii Ltd. Additionally, Mauna Kea Golf Course will undergo an extensive makeover under the direction of Robert Trent Jones Jr., making this course the first ever to incorporate the visionary work of Robert Trent Jones Sr. and both sons Reese and Bobby Jr., creating a unique golf experience curated by three of the sport’s pioneers.
“Our approach for this renovation is very intentional, we have thoughtfully redesigned spaces for new amenities to breathe fresh life into the resort while still honoring the original legacy and traditions that Laurance S. Rockefeller put into place in the ‘60s,” said Shigeki Yamane, President of Prince Resorts Hawaii. “We have a great responsibility to honor Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s significance to the history and cultural evolution of Hawai’i, while at the same time fulfilling our promise to provide guests with the unforgettable vacation experience they expect.”
Honoring the iconic resortʻs significance and timeless beauty is a unique undertaking with its historical legacy. “We have multi-generational guests returning year after year since our resort opened in 1965, and thanks in part to our relationships with these legacy guests, we are embarking on this renovation commited to elevating our offerings while protecting and preserving the charm and disctinctive beauty that makes Mauna Kea Beach Hotel special,” said Craig Anderson, Mauna Kea Resort Vice President of Operations. “ We look forward to creating Mauna Kea Memories with our guests for generations to come.”
Together with the resortʻs extensive repositioning, Mauna Kea Beach Hotelʻs land and cultural preservation and sustainability initiatives are integral to enriching the guests’ experience and the local community. These efforts include partnering with Honoluluʻs Bishop Museum and other key local partners to refurbish a million-dollar art collection personally commissioned by Rockefeller and ensuring the prized collection comprised of hundreds of pieces are preserved and thoughtfully displayed throughout the resortʻs unrestricted public spaces. Further supporting the resortʻs renewable initiatives is the resort’s team of Cultural Ambassadors and a new cultural center featuring programming uniquely tailored for autheticity and education about Hawaiian culture and its deep-rooted history here.
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was developed by American venture capitalist and conservationist, Laurance S. Rockefeller. While swimming in the turquoise waters of Kaunaʻoa Bay with a clear view of the Mauna Kea summit, Rockefeller was inspired to build the Island of Hawaiiʻis very first master-planned resort. His vision of a property that captured the spirit of aloha and conformed to the beautiful Kohala Coast came to fruition when the resort opened in 1965. Today, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel continues its timeless tradition of sharing aloha, welcoming guests to renew and reconnect in an oceanfront setting of understated elegance. Situated on the sunny Kohala Coast, the resort is also home to a museum-worthy collection of Asian and Pacific art; the island’s first-ever golf course, the award-winning Mauna Kea Golf Course designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., award-winning Seaside Tennis Center featuring 9 oceanfront tennis courts and eight pickleball courts. The historic property shares 1,839 acres of oceanfront property with The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, and together comprise Rockefeller’s early vision of his Hawaiʻi Island portfolio, known today as Mauna Kea Resort.
