Page 5 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - June 7, 2023

Things Are Looking Up For Hotel Industry Veteran
JUNE 7, 2023
HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK 5
FROM PAGE 4
Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa is set to open early next year in the SKY Ala Moana building on Ka- pi‘olani Boulevard, across from Ala Moana Shopping Center.
rooms have amazing ocean views all the way up to the 39th floor.”
“Not only are we opening or re- imagining so many of our assets that we have in Hawai‘i ... we also have formed a partnership with a company called TableOne,” Sanders says. “It’s really led by (celebrity chef) Michael Mina and his group and they will be opening five new restaurants for us in our hotels.”
“(This project) is super unique because it will be our first condo hotel,” Sand- ers says. “It’s going to be a five-star luxury product in everything from the size of the room to the quality of the construction.
There will also be two new restaurants in the lobby, two pools, a fitness center, indoor and outdoor onsen (Japa- nese-style soaking tubs), saunas and a steam room.
Final details are being ironed out but Sanders says guests can expect everything from Japanese cuisine to dishes inspired by the Mediterranean and Southern California.
of Tokyo,” Sanders says. “(This will be) his first restaurant outside of Ja- pan at our ‘Alohilani Resort Waikīkī Beach.”
“The hotel itself will not start until the 15th floor, so when you arrive, you’ ll come into the lobby to check in and then go straight to the 15th floor where the first rooms are. And all of the
“There are very few ho- tels outside of Waikīkī and I think people are just forced to go to Waikīkī because that’s what’s available,” Sanders says. “Because of its location, (Renaissance Honolulu) will definitely tap into Hawai‘i Convention Center business, and it will help to start to alleviate traf- fic congestion in Waikīkī.”
A rendering of the Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa, which
is set to open early next year. IMAGE COURTESY RENAISSANCE HONOLULU HOTEL & SPA
blocks away from the High- gate-managed Pagoda Ho- tel, which Sanders says is also getting a contemporary refresh — but will remain true to its kama‘aina-friend- ly roots.
Mina won the Michelin star for his eponymous restaurant in San Francis- co. That eatery closed in 2021, but Mina operates more than 40 other restaurants around the world.
Initial reports indicated La Bettola would open in SKY Waikīkī — but Sanders confirms Ochiai will join another chef from Japan at ‘Alohi- lani — Iron Chef Masaharu Morim- oto, whose signature Morimoto Asia Waikīkī and more casual Momosan by Morimoto are at the resort as well.
“And we are super excited to an- nounce that on June 1 we will open La Bettola, which is an Italian con- cept from chef (Tsutomu) Ochiai out
MOL‘AOHKUA‘I
JUNE 2 JUNE 9 JUNE 3 JUNE 10
O‘AHU
2nd Annual Kings Gala, Kaunakakai – Hiro’s ‘Ohana Grill, 5pm – 9pm King Kamehameha Statue Lei Draping, Ali‘io-lani Hale, 2:30pm – 5pm
HAWAI‘I
HAWAI‘I
King Kamehameha Statue Lei Draping, Hilo, 5pm
The Royal Order of Kamehameha ‘Ekahi Heiau ‘O Ma-malahoa Royal
Hawaii.Gov
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am
JUNE 9 JUNE 10
Kapi‘olani Park, 9am – 1pm
King Kamehameha Statue Lei Draping, Ali‘iolani Hale, 2:30pm – 5pm
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KING KAMEHAMEHA DAY 2023 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
King Kamehameha Ho‘olaule‘a, Molokai Community Health Center, 5:30 - 9pm 106th King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade, ‘Iolani Palace to
King Kamehameha Celebration Ho‘olaule‘a, Queen Kapi‘olani Park, 11am – 5pm 106th King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade, ‘Iolani Palace to
Kapi‘olani Park 9am – 1pm
JUNE 10
JUNE 11 JUNE 10 HILO JUNE 11
JUNE 11 JUNE 11
,
King Kamehameha Celebration Ho‘olaule‘a, Queen Kapi‘olani Park, 11am – 5pm
HILO
King Kamehameha Statue Lei Draping, Hilo, 5pm
procession from Moku Ola to the Kamehameha Statue in Downtown Hilo The Royal Order of Kamehameha ‘Ekahi Heiau ‘O Ma-malahoa Royal 9am at Kamehameha Statue
procession from Moku Ola to the Kamehameha Statue in Downtown Hilo
9am at Kamehameha Statue
Kohala King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade, 9am
For more information KamehamehaDay.
begins at sunrise, Royal procession, Ha-lau performances, receiving lei at 7am King Kamehameha Celebration Ho‘olaule‘a, Kohala, 11am
King Kamehameha Celebration Ho‘olaule‘a, Kohala, 11am
KOHALA
Kohala King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade, 9am
King Kamehameha Statue Lei Draping, Kohala, 8am. Morning protocol
KOHALA
ing, Kohala, 8am. Morning protocol
King Kamehameha Statue Lei Drap
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begins at sunrise, Royal procession, Halau performances, receiving lei at 7am
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Support provided by Hawai‘i Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment Program
Renaissance is just a few
Back in Waikīkī, Sanders says, the Waikīkī Pearl on Na- hua Street and the Ambassa- dor Waikīkī, near the intersec- tion of Kūhiō and Kalākaua avenues, are undergoing sep- arate renovations valued at $40 million and $75 million, respectively.
“We’ll re-emerge as one of the coolest lifestyle hotels in the market. We’re super excited about that,” Sanders says, adding that the prop- erties will have completely new personalities and names that tie into the surrounding community.
& Bungalows continues. Sanders says guests can also expect a new lobby restau- rant, and upgraded pools and beach bar by year’s end.
The Pearl is slated to re- open next year; while Ambas- sador reopens in September.
Meanwhile, on Maui, ren- ovation of the bungalows at Royal Lahaina Resort
Also on Maui, Makai Sunset Inn in Lahaina, which is closed for a full renovation, will re-open at the end of June, and in Oc- tober will be re-branded as Lei Lei House.
Renovations at the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows on Maui continue. The new look is scheduled to be completed by the year’s end. PHOTO COURTESY ROYAL LAHAINA RESORT & BUNGALOWS
TSUTOMU OCHIAI