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Forbes
6 days ago
- Forbes
Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows: The Beating Heart Of Kāʻanapali Beach
After sweeping upgrades, Maui's renovated Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows is stepping confidently into a new era, in which classic Hawaiian hospitality meets modern-casual luxury. Originally built in 1962 along gorgeous Kā'anapali Beach, the recently revitalized property is aligned with traditional Hawaiian cultural values — a destination that honors its rich historical narrative while looking ahead with innovative, sustainable, and immersive guest experiences. The Branches is the Royal Lahaina's new gathering place for music and community events. Kim Westerman The community of Kā'anapali Beach has pulled together with its Lahaina neighbors to rebuild, literally and metaphorically, after the catastrophic fires of 2023. While The Royal didn't suffer physical damage from the fire, all properties closed to visitors during the early months of recovery. It re-opened in November 2024 with an amplified commitment to the people, the land, and its many visitors. I visited the Royal Lahaina in May, just after the property-wide renovations were completed and The Branches, the resort's new outdoor gathering place for locals and visitors, with local musicians and casual snacks and drinks, opened to all. As someone who has considered Maui a spiritual home since I first visited in 2000, I was moved to tears by the experience of duende (in the poet Lorca's sense of that feeling). It was a grounding, healing, joyful evening, and it was evident that even first-time visitors gathered among old-timers under the century-old ficus tree, could access the power of the place. My bungalow looked out on the lawn and the ocean just beyond. With the sliding glass door open, I could hear the drama of the Pacific whenever my heart desired. Rainbow over The Royal Lahaina Resort. Kim Westerman The other room experience at The Royal Lahaina is in the 12-story Lahaina Kai tower up above the sway of palm trees with unimpeded views of Molokaʻi and Lāna'i in the near distance. Service, Service, Service Service is noteworthy for its authenticity and sincere helpfulness. Many employees have worked at The Royal for decades and are happy to 'talk story' if guests are interested. Food and beverage manager Ford Ushijima is an Oʻahu native who's been with The Royal for nearly 20 years and is a property anchor and one form its historical memory takes. Chef Vanessa Castillo's shrimp and "taro grits." Kim Westerman Lahaina Noon, the property's main restaurant (poolside) (named after the solar phenomenon in which the sun passes directly overhead at solar noon, causing vertical objects to cast no visible shadow) serves traditional American food alongside excellent renditions of Hawaiian classics by chef de cuisine Vanessa Castillo, whose garlic shrimp and 'taro grits' is a veritable breakfast revelation (and I recipe I continue to attempt recreating at home). Pineapple Moon is the adjacent open-air bar. Alana Spa, Myths of Maui Lūʻau & Hawaiian Cultural Center Alana Spa was still undergoing renovation when I was there, but I had a nonetheless brilliant deep tissue massage by Cambria Russell, who restored me to my pre-jet lag somatic state of bliss. Opening a coconut at the Myths of Maui Lūʻau. Kim Westerman Don't miss the Myths of Maui Lūʻau, the island's longest-running show, with a solid buffet of traditional foods and performances that carry the audience through the history of Polynesia (with fire dancers!) with high audience engagement. Makalapua "Maka" Kanuha, director of culture at the Royal Lahaina Resort. Kim Westerman And at some point in your stay, you must stop into the Hawaiian Cultural Center to talk with Makalapua "Maka" Kanuha, director of culture at the resort. How to Help Maui's Recovery When you visit Maui, the westside in particular, it's important to understand the island's recent trauma and to do something to actively contribute to its healing. Royal Lahaina works with Treecovery, a non-profit that allows guests to help plant trees that will be transplanted on the sites of homes being rebuilt after the fires. Planting trees for Maui's newly rebuilt homes after the 2023 Lahaina fires. Kim Westerman Guests can participate in seedling cultivation and learn how this work contributes to long-term reforestation. A New Chapter for an Iconic Maui Hotel The Royal Lahaina has long been a beloved Kā'anapali destination. With its property-wide renovations and the opening of The Branches, it's a great time to revisit — or get to know — this pristine beach and groove into The Royal way of inhabiting the island.
Trade Arabia
18-05-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
ITB China 2025 unveils new Travel Innovation Hub
The Travel Innovation Hub, a new platform at ITB China 2025, will showcase the intelligent and sustainable integration of technology into the travel industry. The hub consists of three pillars: the Travel Innovation Showcase, the Travel Tech Forum, and the Travel Innovators Pitch. It features major tech players such as Group, Fliggy, Tongcheng Travel, Meituan, Petal Ads, Heytrip International, Mize, Guangdong Qiyouji, CONVERGENT, Expedia Group, Travco, and others. The initiative marks a significant step forward in the digital transformation of the global travel ecosystem, reflecting how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing are transforming travel experiences. Emerging technologies such as immersive virtual tourism, location-based virtual reality (LBVR), AI-driven assistants, contactless services, and smart hospitality systems are redefining how travel is created, delivered, and consumed. Vincent Wen, Director of Huawei Consumer Cloud Service Business Growth Dept, stated that this year marks their second appearance at ITB China. Petal Ads, an intelligent marketing platform powered by the HarmonyOS ecosystem, is poised to deliver one-stop cultural tourism solutions for more industry partners. The Travel Innovation Hub is built around three core components designed to foster innovation, promote meaningful collaboration, and accelerate the future of travel. The Travel Innovation Showcase showcases AI-powered breakthroughs from leading online travel platforms, such as Group's personalised travel ecosystem driven by AI, Fliggy's multi-model AI itinerary assistant, Tongcheng Travel's unique business model integrating eSports with cultural tourism, and Expedia Group's customisable travel experiences powered by its robust APIs and service capabilities. The Travel Tech Forum explores the transformative potential of technology across tourism through expert-led dialogues, with panels discussing "A two-way Journey of digital travel and extended reality" and "What new sparks will be ignited when AI meets tourism services?" The ESG Tech section, co-organised with Petal Ads, presents a panel titled "Sustainable Travel: A New Paradigm for Tourism from a Global Perspective." The Travel Innovators Pitch is a high-energy platform where eight handpicked tech companies present their groundbreaking products and solutions to investors, tourism leaders, and media. The event also includes the Travel Tech Tour, a series of roadshows co-organised by ITB China and media partner 36Kr, aimed at bridging the gap between the technology and tourism industries. -TradeArabia News Service
