SYLVIA SEPIELLI TO OPERATE MAUNA LANI'S NEW HAWAIIAN-INSPIRED SPA

KOHALA COAST, Big Island of Hawaii (July 9, 2001) - Mauna Lani Resort's new Hawaiian-inspired indoor/outdoor spa debuted July 1, 2001 under the direction of Sylvia Planning And design (SPAd). Considered one of Hawaii's most unique, Mauna Lani Spa features an outdoor lava rock sauna, lapa'au (healing) garden, relaxation pavilion, and fragrant herb garden. Mauna Lani's is the first spa in the U.S. to be designed and operated by SPAd.

Mauna Lani, recognized for offering a unique 'sense of place' with its ancient Hawaiian fishponds, petroglyph fields and Hawaiian preservation sites, selected Sepielli to design the spa because of her ability to incorporate a sense of place into each of her designs. As a result, Mauna Lani Spa reflects the Resort's lifework to preserve the cultural and spiritual environment of Hawaii.

The concept of 'Fire & Ice,' dynamic attributes of the Big Island, merged to create Mauna Lani Spa. The elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water influence the treatments, while the design and architecture reflect the feel of Old Hawaii. Indigenous plants and materials were used in both the landscape and architecture, which resembles a Hawaiian village with thatched hale (huts), surrounded by tropical plantings, a fragrance garden, and the unique lapa'au garden with plants once cultivated by Hawaiians for use as food, medicine, light, shampoo, and hair and body oil.

As spa operator and consultant, Sepielli manages the design and development of the spa program and oversees the operations of Mauna Lani Spa. A well-known and respected spa designer, Sepielli's years of diverse experience in the spa and fitness industry in the Pacific Rim and mainland U.S. have provided her with unique qualifications in regionalizing development programs.

Among Sepielli's most notable clients in the U.S. are The Chopra Center for Well-Being in La Jolla, California; Mii amo at Enchantment in Sedona, Arizona; Spa Ojai at Ojai Valley Inn, Ojai, California; and Spa Grande at The Grand Wailea on Maui, Hawaii. And while she has developed and currently operates Pangkor Laut and Tanjong Jara spas in Asia, Mauna Lani will be the first U.S. property that SPAd will operate.

Mauna Lani Resort and its affiliated companies are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Tokyu Corporation of Japan. The Resort is ideally located on the Big Island's Kohala Coast, 25 minutes north of the Kona International Airport. It features the award-winning Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, nestled oceanfront and surrounded by acres of preserved, ancient Hawaiian fishponds. Amenities include two 18-hole championship golf courses, tennis courts, and Mauna Lani Spa. Widely recognized as a pacesetter in historic preservation and stewardship of the land, Mauna Lani beckons visitors with its unparalleled spirit of place.

Mauna Lani is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (preferredhotels.com), a global brand of 110 of the world's finest and most distinctive independently owned luxury hotels and resorts. Live images of Mauna Lani can be seen at www.maunalani.com. For reservations or information, visit the Web site, consult your travel professional, or call Mauna Lani direct at
1-800-367-2323 or (808) 885-6622 in Hawaii.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

At Mauna Lani:
Sandie Patton
808-885-6677

Sheila Donnelly & Associates:
Diana Moody
310-838-9220
[email protected]