The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua Announces Plans for a $95 Million Transformation

World-renowned for its outstanding location and services, the AAA Five-Diamond Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua on Maui is proud to announce a detailed renovation project of the entire hotel, which will further enhance the celebrated resort and maintain its reputation as one of Hawaii's top destinations.

The $95 million renovation will feature new amenities, enhanced food and beverage outlets, upgrades and expansion to The Spa, additional activities for children and teenagers, 363 renovated guestrooms and 107 one and two-bedroom full-ownership Residential Suites, which will also be available to hotel guests. The project is anticipated to begin on July 2 and the majority of the work will be completed by the Holiday Season 2007.

Celebrated for his expertise in Hawaiian culture and design, noted Philpotts & Associates Interior Designer Jon Staub's vision for the re-design will infuse Ritz-Carlton elegance with contemporary furnishings with a native Hawaiian sense of place. The interior design concept will incorporate the area's vibrant colors of the lush mountains, natural rainforests and ocean. Beautiful woods and rich earthy tones of deep green, brown and cream hues will mix seamlessly with elegant furnishings to create warm, serene and relaxing living spaces.

Inspired by the natural beauty of the islands, the hotel will use indigenous materials in the design such as coconut and sea shell accents with rich wood grains, area rug designs with patterns of Hawaiian tattoo motifs with plumeria, and Hawaiian print artwork framed with koa wood, showcasing culturally iconic patterns and traditional crafts. Steeped in traditional Hawaiian culture, kitchens in each Residential Suite unit will feature a handsome gathering "Calabash" table, named after the traditional wooden bowls for storing poi, where families can come together and forge new traditions and memories.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua continually strives to be culturally sensitive to the Hawaiian culture. It proudly maintains the Honokahua Preservation Site, which lies adjacent to the hotel. The Honokahua Site is recognized as a "wahi pana" (sacred site) and continues to serve as a place where Native Hawaiians can gather to conduct ceremony and protocol. A variety of cultural programs and activities, led by Hawaiian Cultural Advisor Clifford Nae'ole, are available for all guests, uniting them with Hawaiian practitioners, kapuna (elders) and kama'aina (local community members).

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua is an AAA Five-Diamond oceanfront property located on 50 acres of Maui's lush northwest shore. The plantation-style hotel is part of the 23,000 acre master-planned Kapalua resort on Maui, home to the season-opening, champions only, PGA TOUR event, the Mercedes-Benz Championship. The resort is renowned for its world-class golf courses, an award-winning tennis facility, white sandy beaches including America's Best Beach, and a myriad of restaurants and shops. For more information visit www.kapalua.com or call (800) KAPALUA.

For information or reservations at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, please call (800) 262-8440, the hotel directly at (808) 669-6200, a travel professional, or visit The Ritz-Carlton Web site at www.ritzcarlton.com.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. of Chevy Chase, MD (USA) currently operates 62 hotels in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Among the 33 new hotels currently under development are sites in Dublin, Tokyo, Lake Tahoe and the Bahamas. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice won the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes outstanding customer service from the U.S. Department of Commerce. For reservations or other inquiries, call toll-free (800) 241-3333, a travel professional or view the website at www.ritzcarlton.com.

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