hockeyinsider

This is something I wish more tropical hotels had:

msp3

If you look at the property's own website (dressed up in the Westin theme, but not Starwood site itself) in Japanese, there is a "Hapuna Beach Club". It's basically a lounge all but in name, and you can buy up to for $90/night for 2 ($45 for 3rd person). I asked in both English and Japanese, they confirmed Plats do not have access. Is this typical? I thought Plats were let into lounges like at the Westin Moana Surfrider?

BarryL

Yikes, let's hope this changes after 8/1

msp3

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Plats *lose* lounge access at resorts after August 1? If I had to guess they must be waiting until then to open it up more so...

hockeyinsider

I was told in email by the hotel that the "lounge" is now for owners of the on-site units.

Legacy SPG hotels, including resorts, with lounges that offered access before August 1 will continue to offer access after August 1.

TerryK

Sounds great. Source?

BarryL

From Wiki

A12. Will SPG Platinum members still have lounge access at Sheraton/Le Meridien/Westin Resorts properties that have a lounge?Suppose the key word here is "today" in other words big fat NO.

deltaloyalist354

Taking the fam on vacation here in early October. Any SPG Plat's been since the rebrand? Booked two ocean view premium rooms.

Curious what type of Plat benefits they are offering now, the hotel was a bit loose on the details when I called. Looks like some folks have gotten golf / spa / dining discounts?

hockeyinsider

I will be there next week.

deltaloyalist354

What's the verdict?

hockeyinsider

They said December, but I imagine it could be longer. The hotel claims it is out of their power, but they are the ones who sold the building. The construction should have been done when the entire hotel was under renovation.

I can put up with a little noise, but they actually put three SPG platinums next to the construction while colleagues of mine with zero status were given rooms at the complete opposite end of the hotel as far from the noise as possible. You want to be on the Mauna Kea volcano side of the hotel to avoid the noise. I also don't like front desks that lie to elites about upgrades.

This would be a phenomenal property if construction was complete and some attention was paid to the details. For example, there is no turndown service. At the same time, they offer complimentary shoe shine service. Really? Who gets their shoes shined at a resort in Hawaii? You'd think turndown service would be a better offering. There are no fresh berries on the buffet, which is otherwise very good. They keep the legacy SPG standard of Starbucks coffee in the room even though this is Kona and almost every legacy SPG or legacy Marriott property in Hawaii has Kona or Kona blend coffee, despite national or international hotel brand standards.nAnd despite the hotel owners (Prince) being Japanese, they don't have the wonderful Toto toilets. Instead, they have installed a (presumably) cheaper Brondell contraption.

AZ Travels the World

The property has opened and a stay report has been posted, which is now the property master thread. It can be found here:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starwood-starwood-preferred-guest/1925440-hapuna-beach-westin-resort-waimea-big-island-hawaii-master-thread.html

-AZ
Moderator