Mauna Kea Resort’s Two Iconic Resort Properties Named To Travel + Leisure 500 List In 2022

Mauna Kea Resort—the iconic destination on the Island of Hawaii comprised of the historic Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort—has been named one of the Travel + Leisure 500 Best Resorts in the World in 2022. The prestigious annual list, compiled from Travel + Leisure’s 2021 World’s Best Awards readers’ survey results, celebrates the top hotels and resorts in the world that are redefining hospitality and service for travelers.

“We are thrilled to be named as not one, but two of this year’s top 500 hotels and resorts in the world by Travel + Leisure and its readers,” said Craig Anderson, Vice President of Operations at Mauna Kea Resort. “This distinction is a tribute to our talented team, who consistently go above and beyond to provide best-in-class service, cultural programming reflecting the island’s rich history, award-winning culinary experiences, and an always welcoming spirit of Aloha. We are excited to continue to build upon our storied legacy and commitment to celebrating everything our beautiful Kohala Coast has to offer.”

Welcoming guests to the idyllic and rugged Kohala Coastline for more than 50 years, Mauna Kea Resort boasts a “stay at one, play at all” mantra, which allows guests of both resorts and their luxury residences to enjoy amenities at both properties during their stay, from outrigger canoeing and nighttime Manta snorkels to a world-class oceanfront dining and luxury spas. Kids can spend their day at the Keiki Club while parents enjoy golf or a rejuvenating spa treatment, then end the day with the show-stopping Mauna Kea Luau. This year, Mauna Kea Resort is also introducing new programming and sustainability initiatives to offer guests immersive cultural experiences, mindful travel offerings, elevated spa and dining, and more:

• World-Class Wine Events: Mauna Kea Resort has a rich history with Opus Wine, as the genesis of the varietal dates to 1970, when Robert Mondavi of Napa Valley and Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Bordeaux’s Chataeu Mouton Rothschild first met at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. As the two purveyors of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, they dreamed of merging old and new into one grand opus, resulting in an iconic winery and product out of Napa Valley. Paying homage to the resort’s history in the development of the Opus One wine, Mauna Kea Resort is hosting a series of “Icons of Wine” weekends and winemaker series featuring nearly a dozen wineries, intimate events, and decadent wine dinners.
• Sustainability at Mauna Kea Resort: With a deep commitment to regenerative travel and leaving the Kohala Coast better than it was found, Mauna Kea Resort has partnered with The Hawai’i Island Conservation Fund to restore coral reefs and protect the 7,000+ life forms that call Hawai’i’s reefs home, assist with reforestation efforts to offset climate change and rebuild native species populations, and encourage the historic Hawaiian practice of celestial navigation and open ocean voyaging. Additional sustainability efforts include extensive sustainability analysis at both Mauna Kea and Hapuna Golf Courses to improve management practices designed to reduce both water consumption and reduce downward run-off of fertilizer into the ocean; the Bee Mauna Kea initiative, on-property apiaries at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort that encourage local honeybee populations; and the use of wild boar across its menus to help mitigate boar overpopulation on the island.
• The Spirit of Aloha: Mauna Kea Resort is equally committed to sharing a relaxing resort experience in tandem with cultural activities and educational experiences for a holistic, immersive Hawaiian Island getaway. The resort’s Aloha Ambassador Healani Kimitete Ah-Mow is a Hawaiian native and has dedicated her career to sharing time-honored traditions from her Hawaiian culture with locals and guests. From lei making classes and hula lessons to her transformative E Ala E sunrise ceremony (in which resort guests are guided through a Hawaiian chant that reinforces your relationship with the earth and the sea, starting the day on a positive note), the mission is to deepen the luxury resort experience with memorable cultural moments that will remain with guests well beyond their stay.
• Summer Booking: With summer travel fast-approaching, Mauna Kea Resort now offers two exclusive booking offers, including the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Free Night Promotion, which includes a complimentary sixth night for all five-night reservations through December 17, 2022 (blackout dates apply); and The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort Experience Package, inclusive of 25% off best available rates for six-night bookings, 25% off golf and beach rentals, 15% savings at Westin Hapuna’s award-wining, signature dining venue Meridia, and more.

Mauna Kea Resort’s sister property, Prince Waikiki, under Prince Resorts Hawaii, LLC, was also named to this year’s prestigious list. The T+L 500 2022 list will be featured in Travel + Leisure’s May edition and online at www.travelandleisure.com/tl500-2022.

About Mauna Kea Resort

Mauna Kea Resort is an 1,800-acre oceanfront resort on the Kohala Coast of the Island of Hawaii. It encompasses the legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, developed by Laurance S. Rockefeller in 1965; the contemporary Westin Hapuna Beach Resort; and the luxurious villas and private vacation rentals, Mauna Kea Residences. Mauna Kea Resort also includes Mauna Kea Golf Course, Hapuna Golf Course, and the Seaside Tennis Club.

About Prince Resorts Hawai’i

Prince Resorts Hawai’i Inc. is a subsidiary of Seibu Holdings Inc. It operates three luxury hotels and golf courses on two of the Hawaiian Islands: The Prince Waikiki and Hawai’i Prince Golf Club on the island of O‘ahu, and on the island of Hawai‘i, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort and Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Golf Course at the Mauna Kea Resort on the Kohala Coast. Prince Resorts Hawai’i is unique in offering all-oceanfront locations along with championship golf courses, gracious island hospitality and award-winning cuisine. Most recently in 2021, Prince Waikiki, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, and The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort were named three of the top hotels in Hawai’i in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, as well as three of the top 500 Hotels in Travel and Leisure’s 2022 “500 Best” Awards. For more information or reservations, call 1-866-PRINCE6 (866-774-6236), or visit PrinceResortsHawaii.com.