Mariana Lounge: A pit stop for tourists

Kan Pacific Saipan Ltd. continues to diversify its business ventures in the CNMI with its latest offering to the increasing tourism market, the Mariana Lounge—sort of a pit stop for arriving and departing passengers before they check in to their hotel rooms.

The midway facility for airports and hotels opens at 6pm today. Mariana Lounge is located at the former China House Restaurant along Beach Road beside National Office Supply.

Tourists who arrive between midnight to 3am could check in directly to their hotel room, but would still be billed for the full day; the same goes to those who would be checking out at 12 noon but their flight is scheduled in the early morning of the following day.

That’s why you could see these tourists—those who want to check in at 3pm or check out at 12 noon so they would no longer be billed for one full day—hanging around hotel lobbies for hours waiting for their transportation to the airport for their scheduled departure.

Mariana Resort & Spa general manager Gloria Cavanagh said they have been toying with the idea of opening an airport-lounge business in the last couple of years, but it only materialized last year after Kan Pacific president Yoshihiro Kitami’s return to Saipan after visiting their office in Seoul, South Korea.

She added that Kitami, while in Korea, met with our office staff and some tour agents there to get some feedback on the idea of opening the Mariana Lounge on Saipan.

“When he returned he said that it is now the right time for the project. So we started renovating the building and we have to speed up the construction since he wanted to open the Lounge quickly. That’s why we have to push through with the April 14 ribbon cutting ceremony and opening the following day,” said Cavanagh.

Most of the materials they used to spruce up the facility came from off-island, while their maintenance staff also had their contribution by making some of the furniture. Tourists could just relax in several of the reclining chairs and have their feet worked on by masseuse or get a full-body massage.

It also caters to visitors who came to Saipan for a business trip where they could still get in touch with their clients or officials from their head office because of the free Wi-Fi as they enjoy the view of the Saipan lagoon. It also has flat screen television sets and a children’s room for toddlers to play.

Tourists could also order food and drinks while spending their last few hours on the island.

Lounge’s birth

Cavanagh said they came up with the idea because of the growing number of the free independent traveler market in the CNMI. “It all stated because we have all these flights that are coming in between midnight to 5am and 85 percent of those flights arrive between those hours.”

“The way a hotel works is when you come in and check it at 3pm, you are still going to be charged for the day before. The same goes for those who are about to leave but their flight is in the early morning. They could wait and relax at the Lounge instead of being charged for one day at the hotel.”

She added that’s one of the reasons why hotel lobbies are crowded with tourists waiting either to check in or check out on the required times in order to save money. “This is one of the ways we thought of the Lounge.”

“It would help alleviate the need for a waiting area instead of staying in hotel lobby’s. It would decongest a crowded hotel lobby with tourists and their luggage,” said Cavanagh.

“We’re going to remain open since we’re going to have customers coming in the following day—early morning. We have a special partnership with Jin Air since they had already switched their flights to early morning. We also have direct customers who booked online while some are arranged by tour agents.”

Other amenities

She clarified the Lounge is not a hotel but like an airport waiting area for passengers who are waiting to board their flight. “We made it into a luxurious airport lounge with 92 seats and for a small fee [visitors] could stay for 12 hours. There are no beds but all chairs and we used good materials for the facility and for the furniture.”

“We made sure it is an inviting and relaxing place for our visitors. When they are here, they could just relax, take a shower, watch TV, and we offer free Wi-Fi so you could update your social media pages,” said Cavanagh.

They also offer optional tours for visitors who want to visit other places on the island or for those who want one last look on some of the sites before they leave. “There’s no problem if they have luggage, we could keep them while they are away. And we also provide transportation going to the airport.”