The 40-acre Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort opened its doors in 1991 on Maui with a total of 844 rooms — 737 guest rooms, 57 suites and 50 villas. Guests can choose from eight dining options, book treatments at the renowned Kilolani Spa or enjoy an expanse of pools with interactive water features located on the property. There are 28 gathering spaces for guests at the Grand Wailea, plus a fitness center with multiple classes offered daily.
The resort recently completed a mutli-phase design refresh with numerous projects taking place around the property. Nordic PCL Construction Inc. was the general contractor chosen to complete upgrades to guest rooms, in-house Italian restaurant Olivine and beachfront seafood restaurant and steakhouse Humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a (Humuhumu).
HUMUHUMU GETS A NEW ‘TANK’
In partnership with interior designer Tihany Design and architecture firm G70, the Grand Wailea commissioned an extensive renovation of Humuhumu that included new lighting, state-of-the-art AV system, structural upgrades, the installation of a living aquarium bar and other updates inspired by Hawaiian culture.
Construction began in June 2023 and was completed in six months. Electrical contractors D. Suehiro Electric Inc. was tasked with preserving the restaurant’s original aesthetic, which called for conduits to be run through existing structural columns.
“This decision was particularly challenging because most of the structural columns were wrapped within the restaurant’s signature ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua tree trunks,” says Nordic PCL President Glen Kanishige. “To overcome this, the team meticulously mitered channels in each trunk, installed the necessary cabling and then covered and stained the wood patches to match the original tree columns.”
While covering Humuhumu’s new conduits required great ingenuity, procuring electrical fixtures for the restaurant within the project’s six-month timeline was another notable challenge, according to D. Suehiro Project Manager Jobelle Kamealoha.
Perhaps the biggest update is the bartop, constructed as a circular living aquarium that doubles as a service area. Built in Tempe, Ariz., it was shipped to Maui with the assistance of Nordic’s Arizona office. Production fell behind schedule, however, which could have potentially delayed Humuhumu’s reopening. Nordic relied on “extensive coordination and constant communication” to get the installation done on schedule, Kaneshige says.
“The client even refers to the bar structure as a ‘Swiss watch’ due to its critical precision, highlighting the aquarium bar as the centerpiece and backbone of the renovation,” he adds.
Pictured above is one of Grand Wailea’s newly renovated guest rooms. Upgrading 692 rooms across six wings of the resort was the biggest project during the multi-phase refresh. PHOTO COURTESY NORDIC PCL CONSTRUCTION INC.
Grand Wailea guests can enjoy a direct view of the Pacific Ocean from a full-sized soaking tub in some of the recently upgraded rooms. PHOTO COURTESY NORDIC PCL CONSTRUCTION INC.
GUEST ROOM RENOVATIONS
The largest project within Grand Wailea’s multi-phase refresh was the renovation of 692 guest rooms across six wings of the resort. Work included complete demolition and rebuilding of existing bathrooms and converting what had been the resort’s Kids’ Club and multiple office spaces into additional guest suites. In addition, 32 non-traditional suites, some of which were presidential suites in the resort’s Napua Tower, were rebuilt.
Despite the intimidating scope of work presented by the room renovations, Nordic PCL and mechanical contractor Dorvin D. Leis Co. Inc. were able to finish six wings of the resort in just over 12 months. The construction team had to coordinate the shutdown of certain areas while others remained open for guests, placing tight time and space constraints on product procurement and construction.
“There were multiple contracts at once, so each section had to be done fast,” says Dorvin D. Leis Mechanical Project Manager Kimberly McMaster.
The biggest feat was managing a constant flow of materials while not obstructing normal resort operations. Between 10 to 15 workers were stationed at resort loading docks at all times to unload fixtures and transport them to suites through employee-only areas. Despite working under tight deadlines while maintaining a low profile, this did not discourage the team, as they completed renovations using expert communication and coordination.
“The project team met all the critical milestone requirements, which included, but were not limited to areas, the quantity of rooms for planned occupancy, finish expectations, and critical work in common areas and guest experiences,” says Kaneshige. “Great projects are built by great teams that hold each other accountable.
“Each stakeholder, without much discussion, owned and was responsible for course-correcting any challenges they had created.”
The upgraded guest rooms also include free-standing tubs, ADA-friendly bathroom appliances, custom plumbing fixtures and custom shutters for each suite.
OLIVINE GETS A REFRESH, TOO
Although Olivine’s renovations weren’t as extensive as other projects underway, the updates made were quite significant, resulting in a major layout change and revitalization of the restaurant’s decor and equipment.
Designed by G70, Tihany Design and Notkin, construction at Olivine began in January 2023 and finished six months later. Parts of the original restaurant were demolished to make room for a new raised concrete floor and bar to go with updated lighting.
Additional landscaping, mechanical, plumbing and electrical work connected to other parts of the resort was also completed during Olivine’s renovations.
“The main challenge with the Olivine project involved managing existing conditions,” says Kaneshige. “The team identified challenges with mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire alarm systems early and worked with the agency having jurisdiction and collaborating designers to plan and execute solutions that would support the timely opening of Olivine.”
Despite the challenges, Olivine reopened to Grand Wailea guests on schedule, complete with a custom wine refrigerator that diners can view directly from the restaurant’s main seating area.
