Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Opens Soft

MaunaKeaBlessing

The blessing ceremony for the reopening of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel celebrated a soft opening last week, marking the return of the Laurance Rockefeller-built beachfront hotel on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast following an extensive $150 million dollar restoration. The December 20 date was a soft opening to ease the hotel back into operations after two years of being closed. A formal grand opening will be celebrated in March 2009.

The hotel’s classic exterior architecture design remains the same as before, with the most dramatic changes taking place inside the guest rooms. In 2007, the American Institute of Architects recognized the hotel as one of the 150 best works of architecture nationwide. The total room and suite count has been reduced from 310 to 258 as a result of rooms being enlarged in the main building.

“We are really excited to be open again and a lot of hard work has gone into renovating and refreshing the property,” said Donn Takahashi, president of Prince Resorts Hawaii. “The soft opening serves as a final staff dress rehearsal and an opportunity to ensure that everything is working before we really go out there and celebrate.”

Visit www.maunakeapreview.com.