ON HAWAI‘I’S BIG ISLAND, GROUPS MEET ON VOLCANIC OVERLOOKS, IN LUSH GARDENS AND OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD VENUES

11/01/2007

Here’s the hot list of where to plan “thrifty, nifty” meetings on Hawai‘i’s Big Island

Hawai‘i’s Big Island (Nov. 1, 2007) — Meetings in Hawai‘i can exceed the imagination without exceeding the budget. Hawai‘i Island’s distinct settings make for inspiring meetings of all sizes, on the rim of an active volcanic crater, in the heart of a rainforest or the next best thing to a galaxy far, far away, yet within reach of most budgets.

The University of Hawai‘i at Hilo’s remarkable “virtual” Conference Center matches your meeting to its perfect location, with access to the island’s best venues and limitless resources. U.H. Hilo’s Hawaiian EDventure blends comprehensive meeting and logistical services with one of the most singular experiential learning programs in the world. Bridging the gap between business and leisure, EDventures takes groups beyond four walls, into Hawai‘i’s living classroom, where participants can dig in to Hawaiian culinary arts, turn on to music and dance or engage the brain with fascinating programs in geology, astronomy, marine science, botany and much more. For more information contact Judith Fox-Goldstein at (808) 974-7555, foxgolds@hawaii.edu or visit www.uhhconferencecenter.com

Boldly meet as you’ve never met before in out-of-this-world venues at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo. Fuel a group program with breakfast in the ‘Imiloa Café – a new addition with sweeping views of native Hawaiian gardens, historic Hilo and the Pacific. Then take it to the next dimension with a dynamic conference in the Moanahōkū (“Ocean of Stars”) Hall. Afterwards, attendees explore hundreds of interactive science and Hawaiian culture exhibits and the breathtaking planetarium. Contact Amy Bugado at (808) 969-9701, reservations@imiloahawaii.org, www.imiloahawaii.org.

For East side accommodations and meeting places, check out the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel on historic Banyan Drive. With 286 guestrooms, and a 4,410-square-foot conference room overlooking tranquil Hilo Bay, this may be one of the Big Island’s best kept secrets, especially for scientific and education groups planning volcano treks and after-dark excursions. Contact Donna Wheeler (808) 524-9206, groups@castleresorts.com, www.castleresorts.com.

In Kailua-Kona on the west side, conference attendees who’d like to bring family along have an alternative to sharing hotel rooms with the kids. Kona Reef and Kona Bali Kai condominiums conveniently located to the larger convention facilities, offer one-bedroom units to two- bedroom suites with kitchens and the comforts of home, close to beaches and activities but set apart from the business crowd. Contact Donna Wheeler (808) 524-9206, groups@castleresorts.com, www.castleresorts.com.

Or, consider the value of a luxury villa at Mauna Lani Point or town home at the Islands at Mauna Lani, with Classic Resorts on the Kohala Coast – each with private pool, outdoor kitchen and entertainment pavilions for the after-meeting “pau hana” cocktail. For reservations call (800) 642-6284, email info@classicresorts, or www.classicresorts.com

On the south end of the sunny Kona Coast, Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort has a hidden treasure, the “Secret Garden,” a traditional and culturally significant location. An intimate outdoor space, embraced by greenery and tropical flowers, surrounded by the sound of surf, this may be the ideal spot to launch an exclusive new product or generate creative ideas, with smaller select groups. Contact Anabelle Smith (808) 324-2509, anabelle.smith@outrigger.com, www.outrigger.com.

A not-so-secret garden is Hawai‘i Tropical Botanical Garden, a 40-acre wonderland with over 2,000 plant species a few miles north of Hilo. For meetings of about 70 attendees, HTBG’s oceanfront site with panoramic views of Onomea Bay (“the best place”) and legendary Twin Rocks brings business back to basics, embraced by nature. Contact Kate Logan (808) 964-5233, www.hawaiigarden.com or email htbg@ilhawaii.net.

Beachside brainstorming sessions at Kona Village Resort offers the inspiration of endless ocean at your feet. Full “Barefoot Meeting” setups at Kahuwai Beach let your group sip coffee at the table, draw their diagrams in the sand, and take a snorkel break in the afternoon. Contact Sara Nealy (808) 325-5555, www.KonaVillage.com, sara@konavillage.com.

For meetings that erupt with energy and steam with success, ignite your crowd at Volcano House’s Ka ‘Ohelo Dining Room, overlooking the craggy countenance of Kīlauea and Halema‘uma‘u craters. Since 1846, Kīlauea’s once-molten lava caldera has enticed visitors like Mark Twain, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Queen Lili‘uokalani to Hawai‘i’s oldest continually operated hotel. Ka ‘Ohelo is available for meetings of up to 200 after 3 p.m., and afterwards Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park provides 333,000 acres of awe and an active eruption to fire up any group imagination. Contact Frances Hamabata at (808) 959-6011, frances@hottours.com , www.volcanohousehotel.com

Hawai‘i’s Big Island isn’t exclusively reserved for big-budget conferences. Plenty of thrifty, nifty meeting options offer your smaller program a collection of un-conventional spaces in interesting places island-wide. To get started, visit http://meet.bigisland.org

NOTE: BIVB recognizes the use of diacritical markings, i.e., glottal stop (‘), macron (ā), in place names of Hawai‘i, such as Kīlauea. However, BIVB respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.