The Sheraton Keauhou Beach Resort & Spa is changing its look. Beginning next month, the oceanside favorite on Hawaii’s Big Island will renovate 340 of its 521 guestrooms, to be completed by September 2010, followed by the rest of its units at a later date. The upgraded accommodations will receive a fresh coat of paint, 37-inch flat-screen televisions and new carpeting.
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The Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa is renovating its guestrooms. // © 2010 Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa |
After a recent stay at the property in March, I can’t wait to see what the updated rooms will look like once completed. As much as I enjoyed my stay at the hotel, I agreed that the renovations will be a welcome addition to an already outstanding Kona Coast property. I even got a quick glimpse of what the new guest accommodations will look like during an on-property tour and, in my opinion, the overall effect was really lovely. With white paint covering the beige walls, elegant sage-green carpeting and new duvet covers, the refreshed rooms will possess a more contemporary look while, at the same time, drawing upon old-Hawaii plantation-era designs.
Clients will be happy to note that the 14-week renovation process will not disrupt guests who are staying at the resort throughout the summer. The Sheraton Keauhou is committed to only doing work on floors and/or wings where guests will not be staying.
In addition to upgrading its guestrooms, the property plans to replace its pool table area with a brand-new Link@Sheraton center, to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2010, just in time for the holidays. The Link@Sheraton facility — an amenity that is being implemented in all Sheraton properties worldwide — provides guests with easy access to computers, printers and high-speed Internet, giving them the ability to stay connected with friends and family back home while on vacation.
I first saw the new Link@Sheraton feature at the Keauhou’s sister property, the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, and I’m certain that it will become a popular gathering spot for guests, just as it was at the Maui property. Even better, Keauhou’s new Link@Sheraton will be conveniently located right next to the resort’s popular all-day dining stop, the Keauhou Bay Coffee Company, which serves an array of fresh fruits, pastries, sandwiches, coffee and tea.
The guestroom renovations and the addition of the Link@Sheraton are part of a larger, international move toward updating the Sheraton brand by parent company, Starwood Worldwide Hotels and Resorts. Last year, Sheraton completed a three-year global brand overhaul that encompassed an investment of more than $4 billion in new hotels, renovations and signature brand initiatives in North America and another $2 billion in new hotels overseas.
And while the renovated guestrooms and the new Link@Sheraton will become a major draw for guests arriving through the rest of 2010, the hotel still offers a variety of amenities and experiences that will suit travelers of all interests. I’d especially recommend that guests book a Hawaiian lomi lomi massage in an oceanfront lanai treatment room at the property’s Hoola Spa. The spa’s open-air lanais allow guests to listen to the soft sounds of crashing waves during their treatments, resulting in a truly relaxing experience.
The Sheraton Keauhou’s expansive outdoor pool area, which encompasses some 14,100 square feet, is definitely a big hit with families, thanks to the 900-square-foot sandy-bottomed children’s pool and the 200-foot-long lava tube waterslide — a wonderful way for clients to make quite a splash.
Web Exclusive
Click here to read about the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa’s new Link@Sheraton lounge.
The Details
Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa
866-716-8109
www.sheratonkeauhou.com
Rates: From $159 per night for a mountain view room to $219 for an oceanfront room.
Commission: 10 percent
