(GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) — No, this is not a restaurant review for lobster and steak at an upscale oceanfront “Surf ‘n’ Turf” eatery. Equus Hotel and Marina Tower, www.equushotel.com family-owned Waikiki Hotels, put a completely different spin on the phrase Surf and Turf.
Located on the north end of Waikiki, the quintessential Hawaiian surfside vacation corridor, the Equus Hotel and Marina Tower provide a unique blend of suave, upscale boutique hotel and extended stay opportunities with the family’s 20 acres of beachfront turf at their Hawaii Polo Club and event center on Oahu’s North Shore.
The Dailey family has become third generation experts at Hawaiian hospitality and all things polo-related. “I grew up in a hotel, in a town and country life,” reminisced hotelier, Mike Dailey, “ferrying back and forth between the inn, or training and playing at the polo grounds.”
For such a family, providing guests the opportunity for polo play, training or match watching experiences, horseback rides through the pounding surf, or weddings at the water’s edge at their North Shore polo grounds, seems just natural. All manner of “town and country” and equestrian packages are available to polo and horse enthusiasts for their own custom “Surf and Turf” vacation.
Decorated with vintage Hawaiian paniolo cowboy photographs and horse-themed furnishings amid Chinese antiques sourced directly from China, Mike Dailey proudly describes their beautifully renovated, equestrian-themed properties as “Ralph Lauren meets the Tropics.” For polo lovers, these two adjacent hotel properties offer the opportunity to hobnob with the polo elite, as most teams visiting Hawaii for matches stay at the Equus and Marina Tower.
The hotels, which also sponsor a Hawaiian team, are scheduled to host two teams from Shanghai in May, when Chinese players come to train in Hawaii. Only recently revived, polo play in China was extensive over a century ago, due to the British Empire influence.
As the polo season progresses through Labor Day, the Equus will also host teams from New Zealand in June, Mexico in July and from India in August. The historic grounds, often called the most beautiful in the world, have seen the likes of famous polo players as Prince Charles, Ginger Baker and the Sultan of Brunei.
Their pencil high-rise, Marina Tower, provides a perfect extended stay venue with 40 stories of spectacular ocean and city views, for small weddings, reunions and business meetings. With a maximum of four suites per floor, the studio apartments provide an intimate experience for groups, and are conveniently configured with kitchenettes for cost saving meals. “Many of our business travelers stay several weeks in our extended stay accommodations,” said Dailey.
Located on the western side of Waikiki, the sister hotels offer a great location for doing business, minimizing the delays of Waikiki traffic congestion further east. Situated within walking distance of the Convention Center and Oahu’s largest shopping venue, the Ala Moana Center which is next door, the hotels also provide easy access to Honolulu’s business district and the University of Hawaii.
Unique weddings and events for 50 to thousands of guests can be designed with the town and country theme at the polo facility, including the clubhouse and tented areas. “We’re one of the few venues that can handle both ends of that spectrum.” Incredible wedding photos and memories are regularly created there, with the beach at guests’ feet, the sound of the surf, and the dramatic backdrop of Mt. Ka’ala , Oahu’s highest peak.
The Dailey family is proud many of their guests return year after year, becoming nearly part of their ohana, the Hawaiian word for family. They come for the convenient “Sophisticated side of Waikiki” location, the stellar personalized service as well as the great value. A guest who has returned to the Equus for fifteen years, said it best, “I never feel like just another tourist out of many, I feel like family.”