In the Press
Over the years, we have been covered in many of the prominent national publications including, but not limited to:
Vogue
Travel + Leisure
Condé Nast Traveler
Coastal Living
ISLANDS
In Style
Sunset
Destination I Do
Departures
AFAR
Martha Stewart
Forbes
Hemispheres
InsideWeddings
Modern Luxury
HI Luxury
Luxury Travel Advisor
Marin
Men’s Health
LA Times
SF Chronicle
New York Times
7×7
Brides
Lonely Planet
Eater
Travel & Leisure – April 12, 2022
IT LIST 2022: OUR EDITORS’ PICKS OF THE BEST NEW HOTELS IN THE WORLD
Kaimana Beach Hotel and Beaverbrook Townhomes Featured
Despite the tumultuous travel landscape of the last few years, the hotel industry has remained resilient, and the pace of openings and renovations hasn’t slowed down. That’s why we here at T+L have spent the last year obsessively tracking debuts and major overhauls, consulting our trusted network of travel pros and globe-hopping writers, and crossed the world in search of the most memorable, game-changing hotels of the year for our annual It List.
Modern Luxury – Aspen, Late Summer 2021
ALOHA STATE OF MIND
For beach lovers and adventure seekers, the Private Label Collection of hotels in Oahu and Maui offers the best of both worlds.
From our top-floor balcony suite at the oceanfront Kaimana Beach Hotel, my husband and I are truly amazed. Not only does this historic Waikiki hotel by Private Label Collection (private-label-collection.com) sit directly on the sand of Kaimana Beach with jaw-dropping views of the Pacific Ocean, the Honolulu skyline and Diamond Head, but during our stay, all eyes are on the newborn Hawaiian monk seal and its mother, who chose this serene beach location to give birth.
Ama Magazine – Outrigger Canoe Club, March/April 2021
OCC MEMBER PROFILE: LOCALS ONLY
Designed by Detroit-based architecture firm Laucomer Associates, which had an office in Honolulu, it has long been a refuge from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, set on an historic slice of land. Its venerable hau tree, with its branches creating a green canopy, famously shaded a lounging Robert Louis Stevenson (he completed his novel The Master of Ballantrae while in the islands), when he was a guest at the modest, ramshackle San Souci Hotel that operated there from 1893 to 1895.
After a recent change in ownership, the hotel reopened as the Kaimana Beach Hotel on Dec. 22, heralding a new era for the Club’s iconic neighbor – with an all-local lteam, including two Club members, behind its rebirth.
Travel + Leisure, February 7, 2021
THIS HOTEL IN HAWAII JUST GOT A TROPICAL MAKEOVER THAT WAS MADE FOR INSTAGRAM
Kaimana Beach Hotel, located on Waikiki along the Gold Coast of Honolulu, is ready to welcome guests once again. And this time, guests to the 50-year-old hotel will get to experience the hotel with its new look thanks to a handful of Hawaiian creatives.
In February, the hotel unveiled its newly refreshed vibe thanks to Private Label Collection, a full-service luxury hospitality company founded by Honolulu native Jonathan McManus.
Pacific Edge Magazine, November 2017
Leaders in Hospitality: Jonathan McManus, Founder of Hotel Wailea
What was the vision for Hotel Wailea when you reinvented the property as a luxury boutique hotel?
The vision was to do a soft opening to observe “who, what and how.” We discovered younger, adventurous couples loved the independent nature of the hotel and the fact that it’s sincere in its sense of place versus selling a particular brand experience.
How have these dynamics affected Hawai’i’s tourism industry in recent years?
I think there has been a shift in what has made Hawai’i a cool destination for the younger demographic. We have observed a young, affluent clientele who heavily value open space and privacy when booking a hotel. These luxury-focused guests are very in-room, design focused and prefer a gracious style of service with zero pretense. They don’t cook much at home and thus have deep restaurant experiences in their daily lives. The culinary adventure is an extremely important component in travel today, and that’s what we do at Hotel Wailea really well as Hawai’i’s only member of Relais & Châteaux. In fact, [Hotel Wailea] was awarded the distinguised designation of #1 Hawaii Hotel by Condé Nast Traveler [Reader’s Choice Awards]. Our team loves blazing this new trail for independent hotels in Hawai’i.
Pacific Edge Magazine, February 2017
Designer Marion Philpotts-Miller discusses her designs at Hotel Wailea
It is a story of organic reinvention and about turning big ideas into bigger moves. We worked with the Hotel Wailea team to turn a tired property that used to be a private Japanese club into a romantic getaway worthy of becoming Relais & Chateaux’s first Hawai‘i location. It’s become internationally recognized for its fresh and vibrant atmosphere and is a true destination for couples from around the world. There’s your Valentine’s Day idea for your significant other.
HI Luxury Magazine, January 2017
Private Label Collection’s Jonathan McManus is “Mr. Hospitality”
For hotelier Jonathan McManus, getting his Hotel Wailea designated by Relais & Châteaux is just one more chapter in his multifaceted life.
Jonathan McManus is successful enough for people to assume that he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. after all, McManus is an owner at Hotel Wailea, the state’s only hotel and restaurant to carry the prestigious Relais & Châteaux designation – a vetting reserved for world’s best smaller, intimate properties. The property’s $20 million transformation from a Japanese-owned private club to a top Maui hotel has been lauded in publications from Vogue to Architectural Digest, Travel + Leisure, Esquire and the New York Times. It’s also been recognized by Condé Nast Traveler, which proclaimed it one of the world’s most romantic hotels.
Pacific Edge Magazine, December 2016
Leaders in Hospitality: Markus Schale, GM of Hotel Wailea
As a principal at Private Label Collection, you’re in the business of developing, branding, and marketing hotels to appeal to the luxury traveler. What are your strategies for reaching and capturing this specific segment of the market?
We are Hawai’i’s leading management company for luxury hotels that avoid a corporate cookie-cutter approach and capitalize on the creativity of our team. It is our core belief to develop compelling branding that is relevant to very specific segments of the market. Our team custom designs each strategy for each particular property and curates a specific guest experience story that resonates with the luxury market. At Hotel Wailea, we developed our story around couples. We don’t allow children on the property and designed all of our services around privacy for a romantic getaway.
What trends and industry dynamics have you observed over the course of your career in tourism and hospitality?
I sense that guests are looking for custom experiences and are tired of corporate brands. Ironically, the hotel business is coming almost full circle, as I see the core of our vision as taking care of each guest as best as we can–simple as that. Guests are looking to connect with staff on a deeper, personal level. I see a huge wave of demand for small and sophisticated hotels in Hawai’i over the next 10 years.
Hotel Business, May 2015
Private Label Collection team looks to grow portfolio
WAILEA, HI–Set up to manage Hotel Wailea here as a private entity and standalone property, Private Label Collection (PLC) is looking to come out from under the radar and become more visible in the lodging industry. Let by Principals Jonathan McManus and Markus Schale, the management company is concentrating on carving a niche within specific parameters.
“Our goal for growth is seeking partners who share the same viewpoint on location and sense of place, and being very diligent about finding the right situation vs. a dot on the map. It would be a collection of hotels that are more than likely micro-boutique in nature all the way to 150 keys,”said McManus, who oversees real estate and development for PLC.