pokee

Anyone seen or heard anything about the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection, which is a new hotel 7 miles from this hotel? It's starting to pop up on my searches for Marriott hotels near the Kona airport during my timeframe in March 2015. I'd LOVE to use my points here ($425 nightly rate OR 35,000 points), but it looks like their room occupancy is only 2 (even though they have rooms with two double beds), and I can't find ANY info on this hotel online. I am tempted to book it anyway just to hold the space, because it's almost sold out. Can anyone confirm? I'd need to buy some points before the end of the year so I need to confirm before Dec. 31st. Thanks!

Patrick Bateman

Looks like it was a Prince resort.

http://www.princeresortshawaii.com/m...otel/index.php

pokee

Yeah, I figured it might be that Prince hotel. That's a NICE beach!

It appears as though room occupancy is for 3 (and by looking at the Prince website, they were specific in outlining 3 adults or 2 adults and 1 child) - and we have 2 adults, 2 kids. Too bad - this would be a great place to spend points!

Horace

Call the hotel. There's no reason for why an American hotel should not allow two children and their parents in a room with two double beds.

On top of that, the hotel offers: "Stay for Breakfast rate, includes breakfast for 2 adults and children 12 and under" (not just one child).

dgreen12

Stayed there once --- it's a nice facility. Go for it.

Horace

The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel seems to have appeared quietly on Marriott.com as a future Autograph Collection property -- without any press release so far. I have to believe that there will be publicity boasting of this major coup when the time is right. After all, this is a significant boost to the Autograph Collection brand because the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is a renowned property.

For example, here's a snippet from a recent article, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Receives Spot on Gold List:
The hotel has website about its 50th anniversary: Timeless Mauna Kea | 50th Anniversary

As a Category 7 property, this should be very popular with Marriott Rewards members. I'm already wondering if we should change our 2015 vacation plans.

This will be the second Prince Hotel to join the Autograph Collection. The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo is already the The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo, Autograph Collection. I wonder if more Price properties will follow?

I am thrilled to see the Autograph Collection expanding with top properties like this.

pokee

True - but a lot of times max occupancy has to do with fire regulations, especially in older buildings like this. The room size is about 600 sq feet, and that's rather large, so it cannot be size. The Prince resort is very specific about the max room occupancy on their reservations page. The weird thing is I see reviews where couples say they stayed with their 'kids' (plural) so I maybe they have rooms that have a larger occupancy limit?

Whatever the case, I am still not sure I want to stay here with my family. The Waikoloa beach resort still seems to be better suited to our family (it's established, has more pools, and convenience to shops).

It still seems like fabulous place to spend points. I may roll the dice and book a night or two just to see it!

CMK10

That's great news, it's an absolutely excellent property and the location is also excellent. As said upthread, a perfect beach and also great golf for those who play.

Horace

That's why I would recommend phoning the resort to ask. It's odd that a hotel with a children's club and room-and-breakfast rates catering to families would not allow two parents and two children in a large room with two double beds.

The Mauna Lani was built in 1965 by Laurance Rockefeller on the best beach on the Big Island to be one of the world's best resorts. The Marriott Waikoloa Beach Resort was built in 1981 as a mid-price Outrigger hotel. The Mauna Kea is 49 years old; the Waikoloa Beach is 33 years old. Of course, both have been renovated (with significant expansion at the Mauna Kea over the years).

Of course, the resorts' histories don't mean that one is now better or worse than the other as a family resort.

VickiSoCal

I certainly wouldn't say it is not "established"

Horace

Here's a letter about joining the Autograph Collection from Phyllis Branco, Hotel Manager, in the Mauna Kea Resort's E-Newsletter:
However, there is still not a press release about it at the Marriott News Center.

SkiAdcock

My guess is it will appear in the Marriott News Center on January 14, 2015, when it officially joins Autograph Collection.

Cheers.

Lefleur

I have stayed at the MK many, many times (>20) over the past few decades (in fact, I may be staying here right now ). This was news to me. Wow.

My family has been coming here, on an almost annual basis or even more frequently in some years, since the 1970s. It is a very special place, steeped in tradition. There are many extended, multi-generational families who return yearly (usually around Xmas) and many staff who have been here for decades too (and know their guests very well!). There is also a housing development (development isn't the right word, but you catch my drift) built around the Mk where there are million-dollar homes dating back to this period as well.

The Rockefellers built the MK back in 1965, when Laurence was also building Little Dix Bay. It is classic mid-centry modern. It won many AIA awards when it was built and even was named to AIA's top 150 buildings of the 20th century list. There was (/is) a beautiful collection of Asian art held here as well - Laurence installed his ~1000+ pieces of Asian and Buddhist art (sculptures, statues, etc - known as "the Rockefeller Collection") around the hotel and its grounds and much of it remains. To get a taste, check out: http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Mauna-.../dp/0866381228

As a child, this 7th century Buddhist statue at the top of the stairs was my favorite: http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationP...ii_Hawaii.html

The hotel has changed hands several times over the years and gone through some rough periods. It closed in 1994 for renovation (it had never been seriously renovated prior to that, so the rooms were very much like their 1965 state) and Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel (next door) was opened as an alternative during this time period. The hotel also suffered during the 2006 earthquake and closed for 2 years to restore what was a near collapse of the beach-front wing.

This is what I will say about the MK (and apologies if this sounds stuffy or snobbish or something): This was a place that, until the late 1990s, didn't have televisions in the rooms and had restaurants where suit-and-tie were required and children were not allowed (anyone remember the Batik Room?). There is/was (?) an old-fashioned elegance/sensibility about the place. It has changed a lot over the past decade +, and is a lot more "family friendly" (etc), but fundamentally this has never been (and, from my perspective, hopefully will never be) akin to the Waikaloa's of the world. I hope Marriott affiliation doesn't change that.

cfischer

I was just wondering about this hotel when looking for big island options September 2015. Sounds like a place to consider.

schriste

Interesting. I have a 6 night stay coming up in two weeks which will put the changeover in the middle of my stay.