NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release May 2012

Transcription

1 NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release May 2012 Media Contact: Marsha Wienert Regional Director of Public Relations Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii (808) Russell Pang Senior Vice President Communications Pacific Telephone: (808) FAMILY FUN BEGINS AT STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS HAWAII HONOLULU, HAWAII - Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Hawaii, with its four brands Sheraton, Westin, Luxury Collection and St. Regis and eleven resorts on the four islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii, the Big Island, offers family fun and excitement for your keiki (kids) and a suitcase full of unforgettable experiences for all members of the family. OAHU Oahu, the heart of Hawaii, blends timeless beauty with modern luxuries. Build sandcastles or learn to paddleboard (the latest craze in water sports) with the celebrated beach boys of world-famous Waikiki Beach, sample shave ice after a hike up Diamond Head Crater or take a ride to the legendary North Shore to watch surfers and explore Oahu s incomparable surf town, Haleiwa. You ll have fun experiencing all the action and adventure on Oahu. Sheraton Waikiki offers an array of activities that will delight all families. Learn to dance hula with renowned Kumu (teacher) Hula Eileen Kawai. Guests will emulate the graceful movements of the auwana (modern) style of hula and experience the unique dance of these Islands. Create a token of paradise by making a puka shell bracelet and necklace keepsake. Traditionally, the wearing of puka shells was thought to ensure a peaceful and safe voyage for those traveling over the sea. Families will delight in learning to play sweet melodies on the ukulele, an iconic instrument that provides a unique sound to Island-inspired music. Ukulele lessons are led daily by professional musicians at Ukulele PuaPua at the Sheraton Waikiki. Ride a wave and learn to surf with Hawaiian surf legend Tony Moniz. Legends of Surf offers surf lessons daily, for people of all ages and surfing abilities, in the gentle surf of Waikiki. Spend family time at the Sheraton Waikiki s Link@Sheraton where there is a host of fun-filled activities for your family. From billiards to ping pong, traditional board games to high-tech fun with Wii and Kinect games, families are sure to spend quality time together at the Sheraton Waikiki. For more information, please visit The Helumoa Playground is the center of activity for guests at the Sheraton Waikiki and The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort. The playground is the perfect spot for family activities such as water slide races, hula lessons, lei-making, storytelling and stargazing. It features two fresh-water swimming pools, a 15-foot-high by 70-foot-long water slide, two large whirlpools with sweeping views of Waikiki Beach, an interactive fountain area for kids, fun and creative food and beverages, 10 cabanas, chaise water sunning benches, and a pool hut where guests may borrow towels and purchase inflatable flotation devices and pool toys for the keiki.

2 Page 2 The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, offers an extensive list of family-friendly activities including introduction to surfing with Waikiki s renowned beach boys, hula and Tahitian dance lessons, Hawaiian quilting lessons, storytelling about Waikiki and the resort while sitting around a fire pit, hotel historical tour, flower lei-making and more. Families are also invited to experience Honu by the Sea, the resort s new live musical written by Jonathan Enos about a young local boy who saves his marine friends living in Waikiki s pristine ocean. The evening s program begins with fun-filled family interactive games and an oceanfront picnic with freshly grilled goodies by the resort s chef. The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, pays homage to Helumoa, the legendary playground of Hawaiian royalty where the resort now stands, with a modern interpretation of the traditional Hawaiian feast called Aha Aina, a Royal Celebration. Waikiki s only oceanfront dinner and show captures the spirit of old Hawaii with time-honored activities such as kapa-making (cloth made of pounded bark), poipounding and na lawaia (tending of fishing tools). The Helumoa story unfolds a dramatic performance in hula and song, relating the ancient islanders rich history and culture through a timeline of this historic site, culminating in contemporary Hawaiian music and dance. Please visit for more information. Gracing the former estate of Hawaii s last princess, the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani is set in the heart of Waikiki, offering a balance of budget-friendly accommodations with rich cultural experiences. Families are invited to enjoy Big Kahuna Beach Service amenities including a pool, beach towel service, private lounge chairs on Waikiki Beach, fresh tropical fruits and other refreshments, and complimentary bottled water. Learn more about Hawaii as you experience an array of activities suited for the entire family. All guests are invited and encouraged to take part in our cultural activities. The Sheraton Princess Kaiulani s cultural programs include pineapple carving, Hawaiian lei-making, ukulele lessons, Hawaiian quilting and more. Please visit for more information. Families are invited to participate in activities and events at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa including surfing, nightly live entertainment, hula lessons under the majestic Banyan Tree, fresh flower and feather lei-making lessons and more. Moms and daughters will delight in the experience of afternoon tea on the Moana Sufrider s shaded beachfront veranda. The entire family will enjoy the perfect respite from the afternoon sun in the comfort of the hotel s cozy lounge chairs, cooled by Hawaii s gentle ocean breezes. Please visit for more information. MAUI Find your own reasons to love Maui. Head to the summit of Haleakala (the house of the rising sun) National Park and take in the awe-inspiring magic of the sunrise. Snorkel the breathtaking underwater sanctuary for marine life at Molokini, a partially sunken volcanic crater 2.5 miles off the coast of Maui. Visit the Maui Ocean Center and get a glimpse of Maui s undersea world. Stroll the seaside streets of Lahaina and marvel at the historic Banyan Tree that spans a 200-foot area and shades almost two-thirds of an acre. Family memories will be made as you experience the magic of Maui.

3 Page 3 At the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa s Adventure Club, each day brings new family activities. Meet the Director of Fun for a Hawaii Marine Life Talk to learn about the abundant fish, turtles, and coral guests may encounter while snorkeling around Black Rock. Or join our Aloha Ambassadors for a variety of cultural activities. They will share the ancient art of hula in a lesson that is fun for all ages. By the end of the lesson you will be able to perform a basic hula for your friends and family back home. Lei-making is a perfect activity for the whole family. Create fresh flower lei using beautiful purple orchid blossoms and keep the lei as a souvenir. Listen to the stories of ancient Hawaii, learn how to play the ukulele and how to speak Hawaiian during Hawaiian Arts and Crafts. Then, as the sun sets over Black Rock, experience the magic of Maui with our one-of-a-kind Torch Lighting and Cliff Dive Ceremony. For beach activities at the Sheraton Maui, visit the Black Rock Water Sports kiosk to register for snorkel, snuba (snorkel and scuba) and scuba lessons or cabana rental. Experience the music, dance and history of Polynesia at the Ka anapali Sunset Luau on the Ocean Lawn of the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. The Luau includes an all-you-can-eat Hawaiian buffet, unlimited drinks and traditional entertainment. In Hawaii, ohana means family. At the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, families may opt to stay in the Ohana Suites. A total of 20 newly renovated suites are available; each boasts 665 square feet of accommodations, featuring two double beds, a deluxe pull-down wall bed (the kids will love it!), and a spacious bathroom with double sinks and separate shower and tub. Ohana Suites feature a wet bar and microwave oven. Each of the restaurants at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa offers menus that will make your children smile. Start the morning with breakfast at Black Rock Terrace, lunch at either of our poolside bars and enjoy dinner at Black Rock Steak & Seafood. For more information, please visit The Westin Maui Resort & Spa on famed Ka anapali Beach invites families to embrace wellness in travel with Westin s elements of well-being designed to help them be at their best. From splashing fun at the resort s 87,000-square-foot aquatic playground featuring five outdoor pools, two water slides and a swim-through grotto hidden by cascading waterfalls to stand-up paddle lesson and star-gazing, these are but a few of the varied activities families can enjoy at this tropical paradise. Children ages 5 to 12 years old can participate in the Westin Kids Club s day and evening camp fun offering hula dancing, lei-making, koi fish feeding, seashell frame making, a photo adventure tour and even night safari with flamingos and swans. Water volleyball, basketball and Rip It & Relax It package with a surf lesson and 50-minute massage at the resort s Heavenly Spa by Westin are a few of the aquatic fun activities available for active teenagers while parents relax at the adults only pool tucked away amidst the lush-landscaped gardens overlooking the warm Pacific. The resort also offers cabana chairs and beach umbrellas with chairs for a family fun day. Mere steps away from the beach, it is the ideal setting for snorkeling and watersport activities such as parasailing, snorkeling and sunset catamaran cruises as well as whale watching (seasonal). Meet third generation fire-knife dance performer Tavita Taueetia! In addition to offering weekly coconut husking demonstrations, Tavita also enthralls guests at the resort s highly popular Wailele Polynesian Luau with Maui s only extreme fire-knife dance finale at the dinner show. Visit to learn more about the Hawaiian culture and activities offered for all ages.

4 Page 4 Set alongside North Ka anapali Beach, The Westin Ka anapali Ocean Resort Villas is the ideal family retreat as it offers spacious studio and one-bedroom villas with the conveniences of a home flat screen HD TV, DVD player, BOSE AM/FM wave stereo, fully-furnished kitchen, washer/dryer and high-speed Internet access. Each day begins with exhilarating fun, whether it is a morning yoga session, hula dance or kayaking in the warm Pacific mere steps away. The sprawling surroundings of the AAA Four Diamond resort offers families a daily Play.Pause.Repeat program with activities such as Hoe Waa outrigger canoe paddling, storytelling by a cultural practitioner at Pailolo s glowing fire pit, weekly botanical tour, Hawaiian language class, ukulele lesson and coconut leaf weaving. There are outdoor pools including a dedicated children s pool with a pirate ship at the Westin Kids Club. The adventures that accompany these activities are unforgettable! Resort cultural advisor and activities manager Makalapua Kanuha has planned a series of cultural festivities for families to enjoy including May Day Celebrations and the Fourth of July Hawaiian Flower Shower with 50,000 fresh flower orchids showering guests from a helicopter above. Held weekly at the resort s ocean lawn, the Aloha Friday Craft Fair with over thirty local crafters is a treasure find though families can also take advantage of the resort s complimentary shuttle service to Whalers Village and historic Lahaina town. Other resort offerings not to be missed include mother-daughter side-by-side manicure and pedicure as well as teen massages and facials at the award-winning Spa Helani, a Heavenly Spa by Westin. In addition to three restaurants and bars on-site, families can also enjoy a home-style meal in their villa or a casual fun outing at the poolside barbeque grills with online grocery shopping services as well as two grocery stores with deli markets located within the resort. Visit for more information. KAUAI Discover the Island of Kauai. From the cliffs of the Napali Coast to the vast chasms of Waimea Canyon, 50 miles of white sand beaches stretch from Poipu to Hanalei Bay. The serene environment of Kauai is ideal for keiki (children) of all ages, and this island offers a variety of fun activities for the whole family. Experience the excitement of a zip-line tour, kayak on the Wailua River and take a short hike to Secret Falls, tour a historic rice mill and taro farm. There is something for everyone in the family on Kauai. The St. Regis Princeville Resort s Young Voyagers Club includes an array of fun-filled activities from discovering the nature and wildlife of Kauai to learning about Hawaii s cultural traditions. For those curious about the ocean, Coral Reef Ecology invites children to discover the colorful fish and animals that make the coral reef their home while the Seed to Sea program helps children learn about native and indigenous plants that are used in ocean activities from navigation to fishing. The Kumulipo Connection program lets children explore the ancient Hawaiian creation story which explains how the plants, like those found in the resort s native gardens, are linked to the marine life found beneath the water s surface. The Young Voyagers Club director is a fully certified marine biologist, teacher and expert guide who specialize in educating children and parents alike about Hawaii s beaches and oceans. The St. Regis Princeville Resort s weekly family activities include tide pool explorations, beachside campfires with chocolate s mores and Hanalei stargazing.

5 Page 5 The St. Regis signature Butler Service can also arrange custom experiences for families residing in a St. Regis Princeville suite. Allow a personal butler to coordinate a hiking adventure with a local geologist or a beachside art lesson on Hanalei Bay. For more information, contact the St. Regis Princeville Resort at At The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas families can have fun and return home with renewed lasting memories of an enjoyable family adventure. Daily activities are sure to engage every member of your family. Have fun feeding the koi (multi-colored Japanese carp) at the Koi Fish Feeding Frenzy every morning; paint a Coconut Surfboard Postcard and surf it to your sure-to-be-jealous friends in the mail; learn the art of weaving and make your own lauhala (pandanus-leaf) bracelet, or learn about Kaua i, its aquatic creatures, surfing and more. To support Kauai Grown efforts stop by the Farmers Market, where local farmers showcase fresh fruits and vegetables from their garden every Monday. For parents who would like a moment to themselves, we offer Parents Night Out indulge in a relaxing, renewing, romantic dinner while we entertain your children with fun-filled activities. Or for a complimentary casual family outing, enjoy Movie Night on the main lawn every Wednesday at sundown. Delight in a movie under the stars in the great outdoors. The Westin Kids Club at The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas strives to create a safe, exciting and unique Kauai experience for our smallest guests, ages 5 to 12. The club provides the children with new experiences each day, such as getting a Westin workout on a nature walk and seeing Hawaiian plants and animals, arts and crafts, designing and creating their own souvenir T-shirt using traditional Lauae fern stamping, or choice of traditional shell, fresh orchid and ti-leaf lei-making. The Westin Kid s Club Discovery Room is a licensed childcare facility. For more information, please visit Family fun begins at the newest playground on Poipu Beach, the Sheraton Kauai Resort, where a recently completed $16 million revitalization transforms the guest experience into an unforgettable visit. Each play day starts at the Ocean Pool, with poolside activities such as morning yoga, lei-making and hula lessons, as well as snorkel/surf and scuba lessons in the pool. Just steps away is spectacular Poipu Beach, where families can bask in the Hawaiian sun or dive into all of the ocean activities and amenities offered by the beach and pool service staff. In the summer, the beach is the ideal spot for surfers and body boarders, or for just playing in the waves and cooling off. In the winter, calmer conditions are perfect for standup paddle boarding, snorkeling and collecting shells. Those who master the waves and are able to stand up on the board have bragging rights for the entire year when they get back home. The marine wildlife at Poipu is plentiful. Families will enjoy seeing the resort s most frequent return guest, Kimo, an endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal, who stops to rest and sunbathe regularly on the beach. From December through April beachside humpback whale watching is a favorite activity or you can make arrangements to go on a whale watch excursion at the concierge desk. Families needing some shade and mid-day treats can relax in a bungalow featuring flat-screen TV and seating for six, while enjoying refreshing tropical beverages and signature Island favorites from Lava s on Poipu Beach, Sheraton Kauai Resort s open-air restaurant and beach bar, located next to the pool and just steps away from the sand. For those who can t pull themselves from the comforts of the Ocean Pool, Lava s offers unique poolside cuisine alongside Hawaiian favorites like the Mai Tai and Ahi Poke.

6 Page 6 As the playground transitions into night, gather the family around fire pits to watch the sunset. Cap an adventure-filled day with an Island-inspired meal at RumFire Poipu Beach, Kauai s newest hot spot whose 180 degrees of spectacular, unobstructed views of the Pacific flood the 240-seat restaurant. Keiki will build up an appetite as they watch their food being prepared in the show kitchen. Enjoy sweet island sounds by local musicians. For more information visit: HAWAII, THE BIG ISLAND Hawaii, the Big Island, is the youngest of the Hawaiian Islands and being the youngest in the family has its advantages. Families can create memorable moments: hiking at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to one of the world s most active volcanoes (the Park celebrates its 100 th anniversary in 2012); swimming with manta rays; stargazing atop Mauna Kea; discovering ancient petroglyphs carved into the rocks at sites throughout the island; or exploring tide pools and catching a glimpse of Hawaii Island s rich marine life. You ll discover it all on Hawaii, the Big Island. Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa on Hawaii, the Big Island has big fun for children, teens and adults. Guests of Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa are treated to a waterslide and multi-level system of pools that easily rank among the best and biggest in Hawaii. The upper, lower and children s sandybottomed pool area mean guests of any age find their special place to relax, nap, splash, squeal and enjoy the warm tropical sun and balmy breezes of Hawaii. Graceful Manta Rays can often be seen after sunset from the viewing area at Manta Ray Bar & Grill at Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa. Complimentary manta talks provide families an introduction to the famous Keauhou Manta Rays. The resort s Alakai Ho oluana (Director of Cultural Activities) guides guests through Keauhou s rich history with complimentary Cultural Preserve and Historical Tours of the area while daily activities such as hula lessons, lei-making and coconut shell jewelry making help add to Sheraton Keauhou Bay s community sense of place. Island attractions including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, nearby Kona Coffee Farms, and scenic Historic Kailua Village make this resort s convenient location ideal for island exploration. A teens-only activity center called Club Le ale a ( fun ) at Sheraton Keauhou is hard for teens to resist with Xbox and Wii games. As Sheraton Keauhou Bay completes a $16 million resort renewal mid-summer 2012, guests will be welcomed to rooms that are fully refreshed with new paint, carpet, soft goods and flat-screen televisions, dining that takes full advantage of oceanfront views, visual arts in-room and public areas created by Hawaii Island designer Sig Zane, and expanded cultural activity programming so that everyone departs with a personal connection to and appreciation for this special place at Keauhou Bay. For more information, visit Create unforgettable experiences for your family at our action-packed hotels and resorts featuring Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii s Love Your Family Package. For more information, please visit or call (866)

7 Page 7 About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii With 11 properties across the diverse Hawaiian Islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii offers the best hotel destinations to celebrate romance, reconnect with family, focus on business or launch an adventure. Located on or just footsteps away from the Islands best beaches, Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Hawaii is a collection of iconic and historic hotels and resorts properties with expansive and breathtaking backdrops, innovative guest programming and luxurious amenities representing internationally renowned hotel brands from Sheraton, Westin, Luxury Collection and St. Regis. For more information about Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Hawaii, please call (866) or visit Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,025 properties in 100 countries and territories with 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high-quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit # # #