New Hawaii Dolphin Attraction

(April 3, 2008 - DTN) -- Hilton Hotels has added the new Dolphin Quest Village unit at the Hilton Waikoloa Village in Hawaii. The three-building unit (designed to be “green” structures) will feature an “Encounter Club” and a learning center to enhance guests’ experiences with the hotel’s Dolphin Quest Learning Lagoon.

The new seaside villa is designed to enhance and personalize guests’ encounters with the hotel’s 11 resident Atlantic bottlenose dolphins at the Dolphin Quest Learning Lagoon. Additionally, the structure better facilitates Dolphin Quest group functions, evening programs and special events. The structure features three buildings with cedar and lava rock veneer façade, thatched roofs and accordion-style shuttered windows, all connected by breezeways and weathered wooden decks. Within the buildings are the Encounter Club guest lounge area with a multi-species, interactive touch pool and a 200-gallon aquarium featuring native Hawaiian species; the Learning Center, which facilitates classroom programs for visiting schools and special groups; a guest check-in center and changing area with showers; photo viewing stations; and a retail shop featuring gifts designed by Hawaii artists, as well as recycled products and Dolphin Quest logo items.

Dolphin Quest Village is the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified building to be constructed by the Hilton Waikoloa Village and Dolphin Quest. LEED is the U.S. Green Building Council’s nationally accepted green building rating system for evaluating sustainable design and construction. Energy demand is reduced through natural ventilation, the use of daylight to reduce electrical dependency, water conserving fixtures in restrooms and showers and other means. Dolphin Quest Village is estimated to consume 30 percent less water and use 20 percent less electricity than a comparable, conventionally designed building. This year is Dolphin Quest’s 20th anniversary, and the attraction is celebrating with special dolphin shows presented on the 20th of each month.

While we applaud the marine educational aspect of this type of attraction, we are always concerned about the means by which dolphins are procured. And with any dolphin facility, it is wise to find out if the dolphin facilities conform to the latest standards of sensitive care for typically-wild animals held in captivity.

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