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The Blending of Hotels and Art |
by Brian Berusch
 It goes without saying: Visitors to Hawai‘i are eager to learn more about the authentic aspects of Hawaiian culture. A few hotels have recently caught on to the fact that melding local artists and traditional cuisine makes for an experience that cannot be paralleled anywhere in the world.
Two such hotels, The Fairmont Kea Lani and The Paia Inn, are each taking a different approach to introducing guests and patrons to the crafts of local artisans.
Wailea’s Fairmont Kea Lani transformed their under-utilized lobby area in to the Luana Lounge (“Luana” in Hawaiian translates to “To be at leisure”), and features the work of a single artist during each season. The painter or sculptor whose work is featured unveils his or her show at the beginning of each season and discusses art with guests. Maui artist Ed Lane features his work until June.
The lounge also launched a menu that profi les the cuisines offered throughout the resort. Luana Lounge’s decor nods to the heavens, under which musicians play nightly. Cabana-style couches encourage people to relax and soak in the scene. Fairmont Kea Lani’s Ko- Restaurant is one example of the cuisine found at Luana Lounge. Ko-’s theme is the blending of cultures that worked on Maui’s sugarcane plantations and the food they inspired. Fresh ahi sashimi is spiced and seared on hot lava rocks, served with an orange ginger miso sauce; or try coconut-curry Haleakala lamb chops grilled with a mango-mint salsa.
A relative newcomer on Maui is the Paia Inn, located in the hippie-turnedartist enclave of Paia on the North Shore. Unlike other resorts that reside either on the beach or in town, Paia Inn enjoys the best of both worlds: The rear of the inn backs up to a whirlwind of bustling art galleries and eateries, while the secluded “beach house” spills directly on to the sands of Paia Bay.
North Shore waters are not only known for their epic surf, they are legendary for inspiring world-renown artists. Israeli-born painter and sculptor Avi Kiriaty shows his original works both in the gallery that occupies a storefront location underneath the inn, as well as throughout the hotel. His whimsical, colorful images capture moments of island life found throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
And while the Paia Inn doesn’t offer food and beverage service (unless you count a well-stocked wine refrigerator located in the lobby, which guests are encouraged to sample), the offerings in town are diverse. Flatbread Company boasts a brick oven that bakes pristine pizzas topped with the freshest, locally harvested produce; Paia Fish Market plates up no less than six varieties of dayboat catch; Charley’s Restaurant serves up huge breakfasts, tasty burgers and ice cold brews. All of these can easily be brought to the tranquil, communal courtyard at the Paia Inn, enjoyed with a bottle of wine and the sounds of trade winds lifting off Paia Bay.
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