Destination | Oahu/Kauai, Hawaii

2008-10-02T11:23:57Z

Let’s face it—rewards make hard work worth the effort. Mention that you’re going to Hawaii, and people become immediately interested, as if you’ve earned a particular privilege. They usually recall their last trip to the islands and begin rambling off all the places you should visit when you’re there. That’s because a trip to Hawaii is always memorable—an appealing variation in culture and climate that yields fantastic adventure—comparable to a coveted reward.

Hawaii is an ideal setting for relaxation and rejuvenation, but it also does meetings with great success. The Hawaii VCB knows that the beauty of the island practically sells itself. “We do a big incentive market here,” says Mike Murray, CMP, CMM, CASE, vice president of sales & marketing. Yet, he says, “Hawaii does a great job accommodating families.” People are able to recharge when they’re not in their meetings. And with the heavy focus on spousal and kids programs, meeting-goers are able to participate in company activities yet incorporate a vacation on the side. You can travel here without a passport but still feel the remoteness of being in a different country.

Hawaii’s diversity adds to its appeal. The VCB is promoting a partnership with Hawaii-based industry leaders specializing in fields such as business, technology, finance, law and medical research who have agreed to be a part of the state’s speakers bureau—an attractive resource bound to enrich to your meeting agenda. Murray anticipates that the availability of speakers will boost Hawaii’s attractiveness as a destination with unique meeting assets.

The islands of Oahu and Kauai represent two distinct faces of the state: metropolitan bustle and serene island allure—separated only by a 30-minute inter-island flight. Give your meetings the flexibility of being more than just a conference with a pretty background as you explore the potential of these two islands.

OAHU

Oahu, the most populated of the eight islands, offers more than 34,000 rooms in 222 properties. It’s also home to the striking strip of shoreline, where high-rise meets beach, known as Waikiki. However, Oahu is about more than just the face of Waikiki. Behind the bustling shopping façade, the island has plenty to offer groups. Around the eastern tip toward the northeastern side of the Koolau Mountains, you’ll find a great span of highway hugging the coast and a well-known volcanic crater for group hiking. For crowds that aren’t into cardio activity, travel east past Waikiki and discover the active naval base and rich history at Pearl Harbor.

Meetings Venues

For ample meeting space, turn to the Hawaii Convention Center. The sun-filled atrium welcomes attendees from their first step inside the center to the 200,000-square-foot exhibit hall. Receptions work well on a 2.5-acre rooftop garden terrace, and the building is equipped with 400 computers for classroom training. Its location in Waikiki offers easy access to shops, hotels and Honolulu International Airport.

If action is what you’re looking for, Oahu’s main hotspot is postcard-perfect Waikiki. A series of major hotels supplement the convention center’s space, all within a 10-minute drive. For meeting space galore, explore the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa for your next event. The 22-acre waterfront campus provides more than 150,000 sq. ft. of function space, including the state’s largest ballroom (27,053 sq. ft.). The Sheraton Waikiki has recently finished guest room (1,695) upgrades. Generous space within its 26,400-square-foot ballroom (with a 22-foot ceiling) is tech-ready and sizable enough for large exhibitions. Farther east, and practically on the beach, the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa has more than 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Attendees who’ve got shopping fever will find relief in the hotel’s 60 on-site retail stores, not to mention the updated retail experience on the new Waikiki Beach Walk. If the notion arises, groups can look into the surf-lesson packages offered in the lobby. Find your room with a view at the Waikiki Beach Marriott.

Architectural angles frame the coastline while clusters of patient surfers paddle in the blue waters below. From your 24-story balcony, you’ll see the guest pool, where the Marriott’s sunny Moana Terrace offers 20,000 sq. ft. of function space. Treat your top-tier executives to luxury at the Halekulani, located farther west near the Fort de Russy Beach Park.

The resort, which opened in 1917, operates its own print, flower and chocolate shops—making it easy to create welcome baskets for special attendees. “We always joke around that ‘we’re the Halekulani and we never say no,’” says Joy Tomita, sales manager. “We’re known for our service.” Halekulani, dedicated to individual attention, offers private check-in for groups in a separate reception area.

Extraordinary Spaces

The Battleship Missouri isn’t just a memorial to those who served in WWII; nor is the ship just a 887-foot vessel made of 45,000 tons of solid steel docked in Oahu’s Pearl Harbor. Throughout the year, the “Mighty Mo” transforms into a dynamic, 1940s-themed function space for more than 800. Using the adjacent pier, groups of 1,000 or more have congregated for dinner and dancing to the lively classics of Glenn Miller. From the stern’s spacious fantail to the cozy setting of the Captain’s Cabin, there’s ample room for various settings—classroom style, reception or intimate dinner. Be sure to arrange for off-site catering and A/V equipment from the crew’s preferred-vendor list. Despite tight security procedures, the memorial has a busy event calendar. Also, “Being able to take 1,000 attendees puts us on a different list,” says Vickie Kim Lancaster, vice president of special programs for the USS Missouri Memorial Association.

Wendy Ottinger, vice president of sales & marketing for the Trade-Winds Management Group, brought a group of 400 to the memorial for an awards gala last year. Ottinger says this event received the highest marks of any other theme party in the company’s history. “You have to incorporate all that America is into an event at the Missouri, not just for the attendees, but for all who surround her, both above and below sea level,” Ottinger says. “It was a spectacular event—not a dry eye in the place when the group opened with ‘Proud to be an American.’”

For a hands-on experience of a different type, a community of sea creatures and animal trainers awaits you at Sea Life Park on the opposite shore to the northeast. “Our entire park can be utilized for exclusive events like roaming cocktail and pupu parties,” says Sara Beth Newell, the westbound sales manager for Sea Life Park. “Guests can visit our exhibits, watch shows and enjoy the beautiful scenic views of the Pacific Ocean and Rabbit Island.” Newell says the park is a common destination for groups because of its location on Oahu. “It gets guests out of busy Waikiki,” Newell says.

Activities

Groups interested in hiking should visit Diamond Head State Monument. Located at the end of Waikiki on the southwest end, the volcanic crater was used as a military lookout in the early 1900s. The trail begins on the crater floor, where 1.75 miles of twisting trail reach the top. Be prepared to pass through dark tunnels, where old remnants of military presence still sit. Bring a flashlight.

Continuing northward around the island, take a drive to the Polynesian Cultural Center, where many cultures of the South Pacific are represented, just an hour from Waikiki. The center’s various outdoor and indoor venues are available for gatherings. An IMAX theater, fire-knife shows and authentic luaus are part of a long list of entertainment at the center.

For an effortless tour of Waikiki, prevent sore feet by gliding around on a battery-operated Segway. A 20-minute lesson will get you moving along the sidewalks of Waikiki. These popular personal transporters can even go into hotels, into elevators and up hills. “You don’t have to look for the cab or deal with parking issues,” says Alan Rice, owner of Segway of Hawaii. “For companies, we customize our Segways with signs.” Groups can brand themselves and advertise as they roll along.

KAUAI

Kauai has incentive written all over it. It’s easy to market to a group of competitive sales people who want to bask on the beach for a few days or find themselves ziplining past waterfalls in a lush forest. Flash that reward before your group and witness the perseverance of hard work. Because Kauai is the oldest island in the chain, its 90 miles of coastline offer the most beaches—beaches that must remain accessible to the public according to state law. For this reason, waterfront hotels and resorts share the beaches with the locals, giving you a true sense of place at every private resort.

The Kauai Visitors Bureau ensures that planners have assistance finding the right property for their meetings, but first and foremost, they work as an extension of the Hawaii VCB. “It’s about the destination first,” says Edie Hafdahl, CMP, CTC, director of sales & marketing for the Kauai Visitors Bureau. “The flexibility and diversity that we have is just amazing.”

Meetings Venues

Because there is no specific conference or convention center on the island, hotels take center stage as meetings venues. Groups looking for a location that’s central to swimming, shops and other venues will find it in the town of Lihue, home of the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club. Marriott’s convenient proximity from the airport makes it a prime spot for groups to set up camp.

Alma Ruiz, conference developer for Novellus Systems in Texas, recently brought a group of 300 to the property for an international technology conference. “The Kauai Marriott was a good fit for the amount of attendees and meeting space requirements. We had also held two other programs at this property, so we felt confident the Marriott staff would provide a high level of service,” Ruiz says. “Being so close to the Lihue Airport, we were able to move employees to the hotel in less than 15 minutes.”

The Kauai Marriott, with 356 guest rooms, features the island’s largest ballroom, the Kauai Ballroom, at 16,552 sq. ft. Meeting rooms here are connected by a central garden terrace and three outside courts—perfect for prefunction mixers or Hawaiian buffets. Snack on fresh pineapple and watch the 1 p.m. feeding frenzy of black and orange koi. If you bring your family, rest assured that their activity will pose no distraction to your day’s work agenda—the pool area is completely separated by the lobby and retails shops.

Outside Lihue, take the relaxing drive down Maluhia Road, under a canopy of trees that drip with large dewy foliage; you’ll arrive at a place that feels as if it’s the end of the earth. Azure shorelines and waving palm trees line the road until finally you reach the Sheraton Kauai Resort, with 395 guest rooms and 10,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space. The property, which handles groups of 150 very well, is dissected by the quiet, final road ending at the nearby Poipu Bay Golf Course.

If it’s golf you want, Kauai has plenty to offer. Two world-class courses greet groups along the two-mile drive from the main highway to the Princeville Resort on Kauai’s north shore. Consider a gathering on the beach (approximately 20,000 sq. ft.), where guests witness dramatic sunsets over the ocean.

After a complete renovation beginning next year, the resort will become a St. Regis (see News). Also undergoing major upgrades, particularly to the spas, are the Hilton Kauai Beach Resort, which also boasts a wide open function space by water’s edge, and the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, which has a 14,268-square-foot grand ballroom and a variety of garden sites for sunny receptions.

Unique Meeting Venues

The Kilohana Plantation has improved its ability to entertain groups since the construction of train track stretching over the property. With most of the three miles of track completed this past February, passengers (up to 140) can leave the old mansion behind and chug past the garden, through the damp, shaded forest and tall sugarcane stalks, to the various orchards (banana, cherry, payapa, star fruit, sweet white pineapple; the list goes on). “We’ve been experimenting with different crops,” says Pepe Trask, the plantation’s general manager and, incidentally, the man who laid most of the track. Much of the harvest later appears on the menu at Gaylord’s Restaurant, on-site.

The train stops at the back of the property so groups can feed the animals, or “pets,” as Trask calls them. Goats and squealing wild pigs notice your arrival, as tiny pink piglets scramble to get out of the way. Curious goats vacuum the bread right out of your hands from behind the fence. Plans are under way to build a 1.5-mile hiking trail system, starting at this point on the property. Groups will be able to descend into the Kahuna Nui Valley and experience the true quietness of Kauai, just before returning to the plantation’s main venue, Luau Kalamaku (up to 1,000 capacity), where bubbling ukelele music and a crackling emu pit become center stage to the authentic luau. Smaller groups will find the estate’s mansion a cozy option for intimate cocktail and dinner parties.

Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens has a large variety of space, including lagoons, seaside lawns and hardwood forests where groups retreat. The gardens, a place for horticultural education and forest conservation, are available for meetings year-round. They can accommodate up to 200.

Activities on the Garden Isle

Spend a day on the water, exploring the hidden Na Pali coast on the northwest side of Kauai. Capt. Andy’s Sailing Adventures’ team devotes full and half days to corporate events. “I started as a deckhand 25 years ago; I truly understand the corporate incentive market,” says Andrew Evans, owner of Captain Andy’s. “We can handle up to 250 people per day.” Evans and his crew take groups out to snorkel, explore sea caves and have lunch. Dolphins, sea turtles and whales are a common sight during the half-day journey.

Or reward your group with an afternoon of mountain tubing—floating along the flumes of an old irrigation system through open canals and tropical forests—with Kauai Backcountry Adventures. See the island from a different view. Watch for rainbows.

OAHU	ROOMS/MEETING SPACE	WHAT’S DISTINCTIVE
Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa hiltonhawaiianvillage.com	2,904 rms/150,000 sq. ft.	Seven-minute walk to the convention center. A/V company on-site, three complete conference centers and largest capacity ballroom in the state of Hawaii.
Hilton Prince Kuhio waikikiprincekuhio.hilton.com	601 rms/13,080 sq. ft.	Completing a $55-million renovation. New 24-hour restaurant this year. One block from the beach.
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa waikiki.hyatt.com	1,230 rms/20,000+ sq. ft.	Six places to dine, 60 retail shops, right across the street from Waikiki Beach. Home to local favorite Monkey Bar.
JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spajwmarriottihilani.com	387 rms/70,000+ sq. ft.	Site of the new Pavilion, an outdoor function space offering more than 30,000 sq. ft. Elegant dining at Ihilani’s signature restaurant, Azul. Unrivaled spa and golf experiences.
Royal Hawaiianstarwoodhotels.com/hawaii	528 rms/78,000 sq. ft.	Historical luxury hotel. Coconut grove for outdoor receptions. Lively luaus and an oceanfront bar. Private setting, yet close to Waikiki’s shopping and nightlife.
Sheraton Waikiki starwoodhotels.com/hawaii	1,695 rms/65,300 sq. ft.	Between phases to renovate the public area. High-speed Internet, business center, ballroom with 22.5-foot ceiling. Year-round special children’s programs.
Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spamarriottwaikiki.com	1,310 rms/55,000 sq. ft.	Centrally located in Waikiki; two spacious open-air terraces for receptions; high-speed Internet access in all function rooms.
Kauai
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa grandhyattkauai.com	602 rms/65,000 sq. ft. indoors	Currently renovating a deluxe spa. Multilevel river pool allows private sunning. Adjacent to Poipu Bay Golf Course.
Hilton Kauai Beach Resort kauaibeachresort.hilton.com	350 rms/11,971 sq. ft.	Outdoor meeting space by the shore; pool with sandy beach; new Serenity beds; airline ticket check-in.
Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club marriott.com/lihhi	356 rms/27,758 sq. ft.	Three outdoor courts adjacent to meeting space; Aupaka Terrace with 24-hour Wi-Fi; largest ballroom on the island.
Princeville Resort starwoodhotels.com/hawaii	252 rms/36,672 sq. ft.	Complete renovation to begin March 2008; hotel will become a St. Regis. First golf community ever built in Hawaii; 45 minutes from Lihue Airport.
Sheraton Kauai Resort sheraton-kauai.com	394 rms/25,446 sq. ft.	Three ballrooms and beachfront reception area on Poipu Beach. Complimentary yoga classes on the beach, three days per week.
Sheraton Waikiki starwoodhotels.com/hawaii	1,695 rms/65,300 sq. ft.	Between phases to renovate the public area. High-speed Internet, business center, ballroom with 22.5-foot ceiling. Year-round special children’s programs.

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Destination | Oahu/Kauai, Hawaii