Stunning natural beauty, world-class service, and myriad accommodations combine to make Maui a must-see destination. One of the most popular attractions in Upcountry Maui is Haleakalā, which covers the soaring summit area of a volcanic mountain. Striking sunrises and panoramic landscapes await.
The historic town of Lahaina not only offers great shopping, dining, and entertainment but is an amazing vantage point from which visitors can watch whales breach off the coast. Maui's famous beaches include Kaanapali Beach, home to a nightly sunset cliff-diving ceremony.
The island's tropical climate and the diversity of its culture have helped earn Maui "Best Island in the World" by Condé Nast Traveler for more than 20 years.
Maui is an ideal backdrop for spectacular events. One planner arranged an exclusive film screening for a corporate client immediately following the star-studded Maui Film Festival at Wailea, with three courses and two full-service clubhouses in the heart of Maui's luxurious Wailea Resort. They took full advantage of the film festival's "Celestial Cinema," a spectacular outdoor theater set up each year at the Wailea Golf Club's 12-acre driving range, complete with a giant screen and professional sound and projection systems.
Other meeting planners have used the golf driving range's natural amphitheater shape, private location, and easy access from Wailea's well-heeled resorts to stage sunset picnics, complete with gourmet dinner baskets, wine, and a private concert by such acts as the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Barenaked Ladies, and Seal.
Four Seasons Reopens
On the nearby island of Lanai, following a comprehensive transformation, Four Seasons Resort Lanai reopened on Feb. 1. There is a renovated conference center and new terrace area that can accommodate conferences or events for up to 500 people, offering space both indoors and out.
An interesting side note is that all the employees were retained on the payroll during the closure period, doing stints at other Four Seasons properties or working on preservation or community projects on Lanai.
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa has debuted the recently completed Lahaina Ballroom, with nearly 5,000 square feet of function space divisible into four breakout rooms. The new ballroom follows refreshments to the resort's open-air Swan Court restaurant, Drums of the Pacific Lu'au and Sunset Terrace, Grotto Bar, 21 Ocean Suites, seven Deluxe Ocean Suites, three Premiere Suites, and the addition of four new pool areas available for guest use at the next-door Hyatt Residence Club, all part of a resort-wide transformation.
Travaasa Hana, the legendary resort at the end of the famed Road to Hana has completed a $12 million guest room-restoration project that included all 70 bungalows and suites. Its new restaurant, The Preserve Kitchen + Bar is set amid rolling hills and palm trees overlooking tranquil Hana Bay.
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This article appears in the February 2016 issue of Successful Meetings.