In an effort to underscore the importance of meetings-and just how much business does get done in Hawaii -- Starwood invited a group of meetings press to tour all 11 of their properties across the islands of Oahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauai. Along the way, the group, which included Assistant Editor Alex Baumgardner, checked out new meetings initiatives and recently renovated spaces. This is just some of what he found:
On Oahu, the historic Royal Hawaiian, known as one of the originators of the Mai Tai, is now offering breakfast lunch or dinner on the beach as an option for groups looking to break out of the boardroom. As an added bonus, because the property owns its beachfront, drinks can be served steps from the ocean, making for unique receptions. The beach is adjacent to the Royal Hawaiian's Ocean Lawn, where 9,900 square feet of function space allows groups to expand their outdoor meetings across the back of the property.
The Royal Hawaiian is now allowing groups to set up meals on its privately owned beach.
The farm-to-fork (or hook-to-cook for the fresh local fish) movement is taken quite seriously at Maui's Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas. On-site gardens are used by the chef staff and guests looking to prepare their own dishes during their stay. In fact, more 60 percent of the produce used at select properties throughout the Starwood Hawaii family is now sourced locally.
Herb gardens are available to both the chef staff and guests of Maui's Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas who are interested in preparing their own dishes.
And, for those groups meeting on Maui over the holidays, the Westin Ka'anapali has built an outdoor skating rink, bringing a mainland tradition to the islands, while avoiding the cold temperatures. A soft, faux-ice surface is treated with sugar water to create a skate-able surface, and attendees can rent actual ice skates in what makes for either a terrific team building activity, or a simple bit of after-hours fun.
Ice skating, usually a mainland activity, has come to the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas. A special, faux-ice surface allows groups to participate this holiday activity while still enjoying the island's warm weather.
On Hawaii, the Big Island, the Sheraton Kona recently completed a renovation that added several unique offerings. At the property's oceanfront gym, groups with fitness-minded members can participate in "CrossFit with the GM," in which the hotel's general manager, Matthew Grauso, leads an early-morning CrossFit class. Every Thursday, the kitchen staff prepares food at the property's imu pit, which includes a traditional Hawaiian outdoor oven. The area is also available for groups. And finally, groups can take part in a tour of the Keauhou Bay on a kini kini sailing canoe, and learn about the area's history.
Kini kini sailing canoes provide tours of Kona's Keauhou Bay to groups staying at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa.
At the Sheraton Kauai Resort on Kauai, a renovation is expected to begin in the coming months, and will feature a refresh of its ballrooms. And, for a truly unique meeting experience, groups can take advantage of the oceanfront space at its RumFire restaurant. Completed in 2012, the restaurant can seat up to 240 people, features 180-degree ocean views from its floor-to-ceiling windows and can be configured to for special events.
Opened in 2012, the Sheraton Kauai Resort's RumFire Restaurant features the island's only oceanfront indoor meeting space.