As you may recall, we previously covered PM Hotel Group’s merger with Sightline Hospitality, which marked its entry into Hawaiʻi with three Waikīkī assets: Holiday Inn Express Waikīkī, Hyatt Place Waikīkī, and Queen Kapiʻolani Hotel. PM also lists two additional projects on the west side of Oʻahu as “coming soon,” signaling a broader push into the market.
Now, there’s been growing chatter locally that PM may be stepping aside at the Holiday Inn Express Waikīkī, with Springboard Hospitality potentially taking over management of what is often touted as the largest Holiday Inn Express in the world (~600 rooms). We haven’t seen a formal announcement yet, but it’s far from a well-kept secret.
When PM first entered the market, we questioned how a mainland operator would adapt to Hawaiʻi’s unique dynamics. If this shift plays out, management would move back toward a management company with deeper local roots.
When performance isn’t where it needs to be, changing the operator is often one of the first moves on the table for owners. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, the musical chairs continue.
As a reminder for those who don’t live and breathe hotels, a property typically has three key players: an owner, a brand, and a management company. In this case, ownership stays put, the brand remains Holiday Inn Express, and the only thing changing would be the management company, from PM to Springboard.
