Castle & Cooke Resorts and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts sign letter of intent to rebrand Lana'i Hotels
February 18 2004 - 3:51PM
PR Newswire (US)
Castle & Cooke Resorts and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts sign
letter of intent to rebrand Lana'i Hotels TORONTO, Feb. 18
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. (TSX
Symbol "FSH"; NYSE Symbol "FS") announced today that it has signed
a letter of agreement with Castle & Cooke Resorts, LLC, to
initiate the re-branding of the Manele Bay Hotel and The Lodge at
Koele, both on the Hawaiian island of Lana'i. When details are
finalized, the two properties are expected to join the
Toronto-based company's two award-winning properties in Hawaii:
Four Seasons Resort Maui and Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, on the
Big Island, during 2004 for the Hotel and 2005 for the Lodge. "We
are delighted to have the opportunity to broaden our portfolio of
luxury resorts in Hawai'i," said Isadore Sharp, chairman and CEO,
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. "Both the Manele Bay Hotel and The
Lodge at Koele have already earned an enviable reputation. A
planned refurbishment, combined with Four Seasons global brand
reach, will complement the properties' exceptional location and
enhance the overall guest experience." Surrounded by lavish
gardens, the 249-room Manele Bay property sits high above the white
sand beach of Hulopo'e Bay, overlooking the nearbyislands of Maui
and Kaho'olawe. Brilliant red lava cliffs and rock formations
provide a dramatic contrast to the blue-green waters of the sea
below. The Hotel's spacious accommodations complement the
property's natural setting, and meld with the island's
archaeological treasures. The award- winning Jack Nicklaus designed
Challenge at Manele golf course is set spectacularly adjacent to
the hotel and highlights a wide variety of recreational activities
available on the Island of Lana'i. The 102-room Lodge at Koele, at
an elevation of 1,600 feet, is reminiscent of a fine country
estate. The Lodge combines an upcountry Hawaiian setting with an
extensive collection of Pacific art, as well as series of exotic
gardens. Settled amongst decades-old towering Cook Island pines,
the Lodge features authentic rustic touches such as heavy timbers,
beamed ceilings, and natural stone fireplaces. Golf enthusiasts
find The Experience at Koele a golf experience like no other.
Designed by Greg Norman, this championship course is unique in
Hawai'i, offering an incredible combination of upland terrain,
inspired landscape architecture, and range of play challenges.
Commenting on the agreement, David H. Murdock the Owner, Chairman
and CEO of Castle and Cooke said, "I am delighted to enter into an
agreement with the world's most prestigious hotel group, a favorite
of mine as it is for many other discerning world travelers. My
vision for Lana'i has always been to offer the very best quality. I
am unwavering in that commitment as this agreement demonstrates. We
welcome the Four Seasons brand to Lana'i." "Now with four
exceptional properties to choose from, including Four Seasons' two
AAA Five Diamond resorts in Maui and the Big Island, luxury
travelers the world over will have even more reason to seek out the
serenity, natural beauty and recreational pastimes available in
Hawaii," added Sharp. "With our world-acclaimed Resort portfolio,
and the addition of new properties in Jackson Hole, Great Exuma and
Costa Rica and Whistler and Terre Blanche expected this year, Four
Seasons is perfectly positioned to offer guests the world over with
truly memorable leisure experiences." Castle & Cooke, Inc. and
its affiliated companies have operations in over 24 states. The
company's diversified businesses include the development and
ownership of real estate, leasing of transportation equipment,
manufacture of brick and building materials and ownership of public
warehouses. The company's real estate developments include master
planned communities such as Mililani Town on the island of Oahu,
Hawaii, Lake Sherwood in Thousand Oaks, California, Seven Oaks in
Bakersfield, California and Keene's Pointe in Orlando, Florida. The
company also owns 98% of the Island of Lana'i in Hawaii. For more
information please visit http://www.castlecooke.com/. With a
history spanning four decades and a portfolio that extends
worldwide, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is the world's leading
operator of luxury hotels, currently managing 61 properties in 29
countries. Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica opened on January 17,
2004 and the company continues to grow, with more than 20 projects
under construction or development in choice locations around the
world. In the first half of 2004, FourSeasons expects to open new
properties in Budapest, Provence, Whistler, B.C. and Hampshire,
England. In addition to being named to Fortune magazine's Top 100
Employers to Work For Four Seasons continues to have the most AAA
Five Diamond properties and Mobil Five Star awards in the industry.
The company is also consistently highly ranked in readers' surveys
in publications such as Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure,
Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report and the Zagat Survey. Information
on the company and its 43 years in the hospitality industry can be
assessed through the Four Seasons website at
http://www.fourseasons.com/. DATASOURCE: Four Seasons Hotels and
Resorts CONTACT: Elizabeth Pizzinato, Director, Corporate Public
Relations, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, (416) 449-1750, ;
Gerrit Cormany, President, Castle and Cooke Resorts, LLC, (808)
565-3816,
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