A reflagging of the Turtle Bay resort on Hawaii's north shore to the Ritz-Carlton flag hasn't dramatically changed the property's vibe or casual-but-elegant design.
Similarly, the concept of VVIP treatment isn't new. In hotels that offer the perk of a club level or executive floor, guests staying in certain designated rooms and suites get access to amenities like an exclusive lounge with snacks, drinks and a dedicated concierge.
But the combination of Turtle Bay, Ritz-Carlton and the concierge concept has resulted in something new at the resort: The Club.
As Doug Chang, the general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Oahu Turtle Bay, put it, the Ritz-Carlton Club has been part of the "ethos" of the brand for decades and has evolved over time, in some cases into a hotel within a hotel. But when Ritz-Carlton was looking for an onsite location for a Club at Turtle Bay, it realized that adding the feature to a particular wing or floor wasn't practical. So, it made use of a former restaurant space on the ground floor. In this configuration, the Club doesn't just offer an enclave for top travelers to relax or snack, it does so in surroundings that make the most of Turtle Bay's peninsula perch on Kawalo Bay.
The indoor section of the Club offers a buffet area in the back for food and drinks, and plenty of seating closer to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin
"I will arguably say it is one of the most idyllic locations of a club," Chang said. "And many of our clubs are in on the top floor of a hotel and have great views of cities or have great views of skylines. This one, you really feel that connection to the ocean."
It's hard to describe the magic of Kawalo Bay at sunset, when guests gather by the pool bar to watch the sun dip low and surfers ride in on lazy waves. If they're lucky they'll have snagged a table. Club guests, meanwhile, have almost no competition for the view. They can order a drink from the bar, grab an appetizer and congregate on the lanai, where banquette seating runs the length of the wall. Club occupancy is capped at 100 people per night.
The room itself is shaped like a giant hexagon, with a long counter at the back for presentations of food; beneath the displays are grab-and-go refrigerators for soda, water, fruit drinks, beer and canned cocktails. At the end of the counter is a coffee station and, in the evenings, a staffed, full-service bar. Down a short flight of steps are couches and chairs, and in good weather (which is most of the time) the room is perpetually open to the lanai, where there's more seating, including two rocking chairs.
The outdoor space is framed by gently waving greenery and opens onto the resort's pool area on one side and spectacular Kawalo Bay on the other.
Practically living at the Club
We were able to try the Club concept during a hosted, two-day stay at the Ritz-Carlton Oahu Turtle Bay in August. My younger daughter and I dropped in at the Club right after check-in. The entrance is tucked in an unassuming place by the spa and gym, and to reach it one must pass through the resort's display of environmental and cultural traditions of Hawaiians on the north shore. In this part of the hotel a waterfall gently cascades down the wall and the floors are wood planked.
Access was granted via our room key wristbands, and once inside a friendly concierge asked for our names and welcomed us warmly. The room is spacious enough that even when it's busy, it seems serene, with soaring ceiling and giant windows and decorated in warm woods. Books on surfing are piled on the end tables, as befitting the north shore's status as a surf mecca.
My daughter went straight for the bags of Skinny Pop; since it was between meals, the Club offers snacks like dried fruit and nuts, chips, fruit and a few other surprises, plus the canned drinks and coffee.
But when we came back, the evening meal had appeared. On the buffet line was a bountiful charcuterie board, salads and individual plates of items like gyoza, brisket and macaroni salad. We were tired of formal restaurant meals, so we made a little feast of the Club offerings, and I washed mine down with a glass of chilled rose.
In front of us, the evening colors changed from blue to pink and orange, then navy and finally inky black; a perfect evening at Turtle Bay.
A small food station for kids was updated daily: One night there was mac-and-cheese balls; another night was chicken fingers and fries. My older daughter rhapsodized about the "fantastic" chocolate chip cookies. "Ten out of 10," she said. A dessert station appears from 8 to 10 p.m.
We were back at the Club early the next morning for breakfast, which Chang said was the busiest time of day. There were mochi pancakes at one end of the counter, a made-to-order omelet station at the other and eggs Benedict in the middle (I love a hotel where even eggs Benny at a buffet station still come out runny and perfect). A help-yourself mimosa station enabled guests to make their drinks to their preferred proportions.
At lunch, my favorite food by far was spam musubi.
Now, you might be getting the impression that my family practically lived at the Club while we were at Turtle Bay, and you may be right.
I liked to drop in on my way to and from supervising my kid at the pools (there's a gate that leads from the Club directly down to the pool area), and she also appreciated the Club's chess set and a dedicated keiki corner with books and crayons. For those who aren't on the go, the indoor-outdoor atmosphere makes it a perfect place to sack out with a book.
From the lanai, I also was able to watch my older daughter's surf lesson at the Jamie O'Brien Surf Experience, which took place right at the edge of Kawalo Bay. The concierge came out to watch with me while people at the pool bar cheered her on.
A quick note about the concierges, who were always on hand to greet guests and help with scheduling or to answer questions. Chang said a handful of concierges are dedicated to the Club, but others bounce between the Club and the concierge desk in the lobby. "We want that team to feel seamless," he said. "You could go into the lobby, you could go into the Club; they can assist and feel confident in both of those areas."
Who gets Club access?
Chang said three room categories within the hotel include the Club experience, including some suites and bungalows. But if capacity isn't maxed out, guests might have the option to buy in to the Club at check-in. Prices are variable, but Chang said it starts at $390 per couple during the low season.
A couple who made use of the Club for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks the way we did would find that it pays for itself, but my hunch is that Club denizens aren't necessarily counting its value in that way. (Plus, all things being equal, I wouldn't trade the Club dinner -- good as it was -- for a meal at the adjacent Alaia restaurant.)
But if you add in the chill environment, views, concierge access, breakfast mimosa bar and the knowledge that you have somewhere quiet to sit to watch the sun and the surfers, I'd consider it money extremely well spent.