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The oceanfront property doesn’t stop there, however. As the third
Westin Vacation Club resort on Maui and one of 21 villa resorts offering
vacation ownership through Vistana™ Signature Experiences — most
under the Westin and Sheraton brands — The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas
has sought to define well-being on its own terms, by delving deeply into
authentic cultural traditions that have sustained this island for centuries.
From its design and locally sourced cuisine to its purpose-built cultural
center with a staff of advisors, the inspired resort immerses owners and
guests in a genuine experience of Hawaiiana.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” says Chris Rabang, general man-
ager of the resort. “Right from the get-go, we invited a group of cultural
advisors who are active in the community to be a part of everything —
the naming of the property, the way it is laid out, the design elements
we incorporated, the indigenous plants we chose, even having a cultural
center as a prominent feature on the property rather than an afterthought.
That really shows the company’s commitment to culture.”
The resort debuted the first 190 one-, two-, and three-bedroom
villas in mid-April with a traditional Hawaiian blessing ceremony, which
included the untying of a maile lei (often called the lei of royalty), symbolic
in Hawaii of opening a space. The remaining 200 units will open by the
end of 2017.
Authentic by Design
The lobby of The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas sets the stage for an expe-
rience with all the contemporary trappings of a luxury vacation, yet fully
grounded in the history and rich traditions of the island’s ancestors. The
piko, a swirl design on the floor of the lobby, symbolizes an umbilical cord
that connects Hawaiians to their lineage.
Modern-day Hawaiians are proud to keep their ancestors’ traditions
and practices alive through stories and education. The hīna‘i, a traditional
Hawaiian fishing basket, is another prominent design element in the
lobby, symbolizing the desire to collect and share a “basket of stories”
about the old ways. It also appears in the villas to inspire guests to create
their own basket of stories while on vacation at Westin Nanea.
“We really are tied to this place,” says Rabang, who was raised on
Maui. “About 90 percent of our hourly staff were either born or raised
here, and are great representations of the spirit of aloha.” Employees
who are skilled in hula dancing, singing, weaving coconut fronds, and the
Hawaiian language take part in daily activities ranging from lei-making
classes to oli, Hawaiian welcome chants.
“Hula, ukulele lessons, lei making — it was expected that we
have those,” Rabang admits. “But here, there’s a special lei you can
make out of feathers. There’s an opportunity to learn about that that
you can’t really get anywhere else.” The Pu‘uhonua o Nanea Cultural
Center, at the heart of the resort, has educational videos and a gallery
with stories about local history, language, art, crafts, music, and dance.
Knowledgeable advisors staff the cultural center, sharing their mana‘o
(learning) with owners and guests.
Sharing a Sense of Place
“It really gives you a sense of place and how important this area has been,”
Rabang says. “While we have a designated cultural center, our entire
property is like a cultural center.” Cultural advisors also offer guided tours
of the property.
To complement this, The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas partnered with
its sister resort, The Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, to offer guests
an off-property excursion. Owners and guests can walk the Ala Hele
Mo‘Olelo o Lahaina (Lahaina Historic Trail) with one of the resort’s cultural
advisors as a guide. “Lahaina used to be the capital of the Kingdom of
Hawaii, and the tour covers 10 of the most significant sites tied to our
ancestors,” says Rabang.
The resort’s signature restaurant, Mauka Makai is another authen-
tic experience. Hawaiian for “toward the mountains, toward the sea,”
the restaurant celebrates the ancient fishing and farming culture of the
ahupua‘a, the traditional division of lands bounded by the mountains and
the sea. Blending Hawaiian customs with modern culinary techniques,
the farm-to-table cuisine incorporates indigenous plants and vegetables
grown on-site and locally.
“We have aHawaii-born executive chef who has a very strong commit-
ment and partnerships with local farmers and fishermen,” Rabang says.
“He’s been successful in creating a ‘20-mile menu’ that includes Lanai and
Molokai, and the mountains of Maui. His goal is to try to get everything on
the menu — produce, fish, beef — from within this 20-mile radius, which
further shows his commitment to support of the local businesses.”
RESORT PROFILE
36
THE WESTIN NANEA
OCEAN VILLAS
25
For more than a decade, Westin Hotels &
Resorts built a strong brand on its com-
mitment to the Six Pillars of Well-Being:
Sleep Well, Eat Well, Move Well, Feel Well,
Work Well, and Play Well. On the surface,
The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas, which
sprawls across 16 acres (6.5 hectares) of
North Kaanapali Beach on the Hawaiian
island of Maui, falls right in line with the
wellness philosophy. After all, nanea is the
Hawaiian word for leisure and tranquility,
both essential to well-being.
CENTERING ON MAUI’S
CULTURAL HERITAGE
BY JOYCE HADLEY COPELAND
OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2017 VACATION INDUSTRY REVIEW