KAHULUI, HI--(Marketwire - Jul 17, 2012) - The Kahului Airport area of Maui was abuzz with the sounds of partying Thursday evening as the new 138-room Courtyard Maui Kahului Airport hotel celebrated its grand opening Hawaiian style. It is the first Courtyard property on the Valley Isle and the fourth in Courtyard's Hawaii portfolio.
More than a hundred dignitaries enjoyed a traditional Hawaiian blessing followed by an outdoor party featuring colorful Japanese taiko drummers, hip-swaying Hawaiian music and dazzling hula performances by Kumu Hula Makaala and Halau Hula Wehena o Ke Ao and the world-renowned Tihati dancers. Island inspired cuisine featuring locally grown products added to the festivities in the tiki-torch lit lawn area adjacent to the hotel. Among the notable guests were Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa and his wife Ann, hotel developer and builder Bob Olson, members of the Maui County Council and leading Hawaii tourism officials. As part of Marriott's Spirit to Serve, a corporate program designed to foster goodwill in the community, Courtyard by Marriott Maui Kahului Airport and R.D. Olson Development did a check presentation for $5,000 to the Maui Food Bank.
Speaking at the affair, Mayor Arakawa thanked General Manager Kaleo Kenui for his hospitality, and added, "We congratulate Courtyard by Marriott Maui Kahului Airport and R.D. Olson on your grand opening. We are confident this hotel will be successful."
Chris Tatum, Area Vice President, Hawaii, Marriott International, acknowledged Mayor Arakawa and his administration for their help in moving the project forward and thanked many others who had a hand in bringing the new property to life. "Mahalo for being here tonight to join us in celebrating the comfort this new Courtyard hotel brings to Maui. With its location here in Kahului and close proximity to Wailuku, Paia, and Upcountry Maui, it's going to be a big hit with business and vacation travelers."
Owned and built by R.D. Olson Development, of Irvine, California, the four-story hotel near Wailuku is located less than a mile from Kahului Airport (OGG) and provides a complimentary airport shuttle service.
It is the first Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Hawaii to feature the "refreshing business" lobby that provides services and amenities that allow guests a variety of choices, creating a healthy balance between work and play.
The new hotel offers 138 rooms including four extended stay suites. Guest rooms feature complimentary WiFi and broadband Internet access. The hotel also offers a business center and 1,663 square feet of Maui meeting space, including a boardroom. To wind down, guests can enjoy healthy menu options for breakfast and light evening fare, including snacks, cocktails, wine and beer at The Bistro Restaurant. The outdoor swimming pool, whirlpool and 24-hour accessible fitness center, fully equipped with modern cardio and strength equipment, are ideal to help guests refresh and re-energize. The hotel also features a lounge and bar, gazebo, guest laundry, surfboard storage building, and The Market for snacks and refreshment open 24/7.
A user-friendly lobby space replaces the traditional check-in counter with welcome podiums to allow for more personal and private interactions when guests are checking in. A signature element of the new lobby is the exclusive Courtyard interactive GoBoard™, a 57-inch LCD touch screen packed with local information, maps, weather and news, business and sports headlines. The lobby business center allows guests to check email and print important documents, while semi-enclosed Media Pods featuring individually controlled flat-panel TVs offer guests a place to work, meet, or relax.
When running at full capacity, the hotel is expected to provide upwards of 50 jobs.
In celebration of the opening, Courtyard Maui Kahului Airport is offering travelers a special introductory rate of USD $179/night. This Maui hotel deal is good through October 31, 2012 and subject to availability. Restrictions may apply. For reservations, call toll-free from the U.S. and Canada 877-852-1880.
Other Marriott brands on Maui include The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua; The Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences at Kapalua Bay; Marriott's Maui Ocean Club at Kaanapali (formerly the Maui Marriott Resort); and the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. Marriott's first hotel in the Hawaiian Islands was the Maui Marriott at Kaanapali that opened in 1981. Today, Marriott has 14 hotel and timeshare properties in the Hawaiian Islands.
For more information about the Courtyard Maui Kahului Airport, visit http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/hnmmk-courtyard-maui-kahului-airport/.
About Courtyard by Marriott
Courtyard by Marriott offers a refreshing environment that helps guests stay connected, productive and balanced. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests' needs for choice and control. With more than 910 locations in 38 countries, Courtyard by Marriott hotels participate in the award-winning Marriott Rewards frequent traveler program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information, go to www.courtyard.com.
About R.D Olson Development
Robert Olson founded R.D. Olson Development in 1998, which has since gained standing as a leading hotel developer. The company recently opened the Oceanside Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott in San Juan Capistrano. By the end of 2012, R.D. Olson Development will have opened three hotels -- San Juan Capistrano Residence Inn by Marriott; Kahului, Maui Courtyard by Marriott; and the Goleta Courtyard by Marriott, within Santa Barbara County. Other notable projects developed by R.D. Olson Development include the $70 million Marriott Renaissance ClubSport in Aliso Viejo -- a combined 174-room full-service Marriott Renaissance Hotel brand and 70,000-square-foot world-class fitness center; a five-story 166-room Residence Inn by Marriott in Burbank that caters to the entertainment industry; and an eight-story 174-room Residence Inn by Marriott in Irvine near the intersection of Main and Jamboree.
Contact Information:
Media Contacts:
McNeil Wilson Communications
808-531-0244
Bernie Caalim
Noreen Kam
