HOTELS & RESORTS OF HALEKULANI
ELIMINATES THE FAT…TRANS-FAT, THAT IS
Acclaimed luxury hotel brand’s properties free of partially-hydrogenated oils
cater to healthier guest lifestyle choices

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HONOLULU – August 2005. Hotels & Resorts of Halekulani, featuring the precedent-setting Halekulani, just named one of the world’s top 25 hotels by Travel + Leisure, is proving once again to be a travel and hospitality industry pioneer. Now, the esteemed resort is completely trans-fat free, having eliminated these harmful oils from every food item at the property, including its signature in-house chocolates. Addressing the growing trend of health-awareness, this latest initiative illustrates Halekulani’s continuing commitment to its guests and patrons.

Yoga. Pilates. Low-Sodium. Fat-free. More and more, people are becoming aware of what they eat, and how they treat their bodies, leads to healthy living. By eliminating trans-fats, Halekulani is better able to match its guests’ changing way of life, including wellness. “This is the way so many people live at home, and so we want to be able to offer them the greatest possible comfort in terms of continuity in lifestyle experience,” says Peter Shaindlin, chief operating officer of Halekulani Corporation, parent company to the Halekulani and Waikiki Parc Hotel. “If, for example, someone conscious about their diet comes to a hotel it is reasonable for them to expect this as a lifestyle standard.” The new program also reflects the spirit of the acclaimed SpaHalekulani in terms of overall wellness goals and standards for all Halekulani guests.

Partially hydrogenated oils, commonly known as trans-fats, raise cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL), which is also known as “bad” cholesterol. Sabine Glissmann, director of food and beverage at Halekulani explains that trans-fats are mostly used to extend the shelf-life of processed and packaged foods. “Over many years, ingestion of trans-fats can lead to heart-disease, hypertension and other illnesses.

Eliminating trans-fats also gave Halekulani a chance to partner with individual vendors and suppliers, who were able to provide suitably healthy alternatives.  In certain cases, no substitute was available on the market, so Glissmann said the hotel began preparing items such as coconut syrup, sweet potato chips and the filling for Halekulani’s signature chocolates in house.  “Every new menu item was taste-tested, ensuring food met Halekulani’s strict standards of taste, freshness and quality,” Glissmann adds.

#  #  #

About Halekulani
Consistently ranked among the world’s best hotels, Halekulani is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World and Okura Hotels & Resorts, two exclusive organizations pursuing service excellence and standards of the highest quality. Travel + Leisure ranked Halekulani as one of the top 20 hotels in the world in 2006, while the Vera Wang Suite at Halekulani was named one of the 50 most romantic destinations in the world. Also in 2006, the three year-old SpaHalekulani was named a “Leading Spa of the World” and the #2 best resort spa in North America by Conde Nast Traveler. In addition, Halekulani’s fine dining restaurant La Mer is Hawaii’s only AAA-Five Diamond Restaurant, holding this esteemed rating for 17-consecutive years, as well as being voted #8 of “America’s Top 100 Hotel Restaurants” by Zagat in 2006. The Leading Hotels of the World, ltd. has bestowed Halekulani with its annual Quality Award, making the Waikiki resort the only Leading Hotel to achieve this prestigious honor in either the United States or Canada.

Halekulani is managed by the Hotels and Resorts of Halekulani, a brand management division of the Honolulu-based Halekulani Corporation, which also manages Waikiki Parc Hotel.  For reservations and information contact your travel planner or the hotel at (800) 367-2343 or (808) 923-2311.  Reservations can also be made through Halekulani’s website at www.halekulani.com.