Hotel insiders are quietly warning about looming debt troubles in Oʻahu and Maui, as pandemic-era refinancings meet today’s higher rates and softer demand, signaling potential distress, quiet sales, and ownership shakeups ahead.
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Beach Front Waikīkī
Only nine hotels in Waikīkī sit truly on the sand; from Hilton Hawaiian Village to Kaimana Beach Hotel, the list reveals a mix of fee simple and leasehold ownership that shapes some of the most valuable shoreline real estate in Hawaiʻi.
Crown Jewel, Sold. Legacy, TBD.
Kamehameha Schools shocked the market by selling the 10.3 acres beneath the Royal Hawaiian Hotel to Japan’s Daisho Co. for $510M, an unprecedented shift in Waikīkī land ownership with deep cultural, financial, and historic implications.
Whatever Happened to the Mandarin Oriental Honolulu?
Mandarin Oriental Honolulu has gone silent since 2023, no updates, little visible progress, and plenty of questions. If anyone knows what’s happening with the long-promised project, we’re all ears.
World Class Golf Course, Waterpark, Is a Hotel Next?
A rare 5.5-acre, fee-simple, resort-zoned parcel at Wai Kai in Hoakalei just hit the market for $25M—lagoon-front, fully entitled, and shovel-ready for a 225–250 key hotel.
Forget Armond, We’ve Got Konrad
Konrad Gstrein returns to Four Seasons Resort Maui as regional VP and GM, rejoining the property where he began in 2001, minus the White Lotus–level drama, but with plenty of real-world RevPAR to drive.
Pakalōlō Panic: Will Japan Ghost Us Over Ganja?
Hawaiʻi’s push for legal cannabis has some worried Japan will stay away, but despite loud concerns from retailers and tour operators, past examples like California and Colorado suggest Japanese visitors aren’t likely to “ghost” the Islands over ganja.
The Crowded Field of Hotel Management Companies
PM Hotel Group is expanding in Hawaiʻi, appointing Rodahl Leong-Lyons as Area DOSM and growing its portfolio with Queen Kapiʻolani, HIE Waikīkī, Hyatt Place, and new Oʻahu projects on the way.
From Orange Chicken to Extended Stay (sorry, I couldn’t help myself)
The former PBN building on Kalākaua is slated to become a Residence Inn by Marriott, backed by Panda Express founders, with a $53.5M renovation planned, but no construction underway yet.
Historic Kauaʻi Hotel Lists for $26M
Kauaʻi’s oldest hotel, the 48-room Kauaʻi Inn, has hit the market for $26M, offering rare condo-mapped units, redevelopment potential, and a prime 2.75-acre Niumalu location.
