The letter:
Dear Owners and Guests,
As you may be aware, wildfires have caused widespread damage to the island of Maui, and, at this time, fires continue to burn and are not yet fully contained. Tragically, Maui County is currently reporting that these wildfires have claimed over 100 lives to-date, with only about 32% of the impacted areas having been searched. In a press conference on August 14, 2023, Hawaii Governor Josh Green stated that well over 2,200 structures have been destroyed with 86% of those being residential. Unfortunately, many of our associates have lost their homes, loved ones, and memories in the fires, and we have not yet been able to make contact with some of our associates to confirm their safety.
In addition to the impact on our associates, these wildfires have impacted the areas around
Hyatt Vacation Club at Kāʻanapali Beach, access to the resort, and local businesses (many of which are not operating providing limited access to such places as fuel stations, restaurants, and grocery stores). Currently access to the resort area is only permissible from 6am – 10pm, and it is not clear when full access will be permitted or if access could be limited further again. According to Maui County, currently only West Maui residents and emergency personnel are allowed access into West Maui, where Hyatt Vacation Club at Kāʻanapali Beach is located, from 10pm – 6am. Further, during a recent press conference Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke spoke directly to those on Maui saying, "this is not a safe place to be." A curfew has been enacted by the County of Maui in Lahaina town and its affected areas, as outlined in the Maui County Mayor’s Second Emergency Proclamation Relating to Wildfires, with Maui County’s Mayor recently noting in a press conference that the conditions in Lahaina town are very dangerous and hazardous. As of an Aug. 15 Maui County update, the Hawaii Department of Health is urging caution for those in the Lahaina area, as dangers are being reported as including ash that may contain toxic and cancer-causing chemicals, including asbestos, arsenic and lead. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that more than 250 FEMA personnel are on the ground supporting recovery efforts, and Maui County’s Mayor advised in a recent press conference that FEMA’s support includes at least 20 cadaver dogs to assist in the search for lost loved ones.
The Hawaii governor’s office is strongly discouraging nonessential travel to allow an effective emergency response. There are limited resources on Maui such as limited food and water supply concerns. At this time, 911 emergency service has not been fully restored in West Maui, as the infrastructure was severely damaged and there is limited, or no, cellular service and Wi-Fi/internet connectivity. With many associates unable to access the resort or work at all, and the lack of supplies or nearby food, there are concerns about the inability to provide service with such limited staffing and supplies. As a result, there is no, or extremely limited, ability for housekeeping service currently at the resort, and due to access and other impacts, there are significant challenges in our capability to provide or our inability to provide other basic resort support services, such as waste management, trash removal, and used linen removal and laundering. With such limited staffing, we are trying to, among other more pressing items, complete safety checks, restore the stability of the villas and more, which will take time. Additionally, the resort was without power for several days. While power has been restored, this might only be temporary, and power could go out at any time due to the current unstable infrastructure. Those on Maui are being advised to be mindful of electricity usage and limit non-essential usage of electricity.
At this time, we want you to be aware that, among other things, we anticipate that all pools and amenities on the property will continue to be closed while we assess and remediate, and food and beverage options will likely be extremely limited and provide only the basic necessities. There are limited external recreational options in West Maui currently as vendors have either completely shut down or have reallocated their support to the needs of the community.
Additionally, in the current environment, it is our understanding that visitors and other non-emergency personnel are not being well-received by the community during this extremely difficult time. Residents need their privacy respected as they deal with the overwhelming shock and anguish of suddenly losing their homes and loved ones, while at the same time trying to navigate the steps that they need to take to move forward and rebuild their lives.
Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time. Updates on the resort’s operating status will be provided on the
Resort Hub page.
If you would like to cancel, or reschedule, your upcoming reservation, we would be happy to assist. All cancellation fees have been waived through Sept. 30, 2023. Please contact our team as soon as possible to discuss your reservation.
