Is the Hawaiiana Hotel threatend?

Thanks to Filslash, I have seen the various tikis at the Hawaiiana and its neighboring properties, which abut an enormous tower under construction which is owned and developed by Donald Trump. I wonder if the Hawaiiana and the other places are doomed based on the land value and the fact the property could be generating so much more income. They do appear to be an anachronism as almost every other hotel is a tower.
Such would be a shame, but maybe the real joy is that they have lasted for so long.

This seems all the moreso based upon the consolidation of ownership of realty in large organizations.

It would be another huge blow if the Hawaiiana disappears. On the other hand I wonder how much longer it can last. Redevelopment pressure in Waikiki is intense and standing directly in the shadow of the trump tower development are several artifacts of old Waikiki I would prefer weren't lost. But when Chuck's steakhouse disappeared to make room for ol trumpy I felt for sure the future was written for Saratoga and Beach Walk roads. The Hawaiiana I believe is quite successful as a business, but the value of that real estate is beyond belief. Hope I'm wrong, but took lots of pictures of Hawaiiana and its tikis last time there. I'll probably end up photodocumenting the whole area all the way up to Kalakaua.

There will still be ocean views over the park, looking towards the Hilton Village, so it is an attractive property.

Is there any historic preservation in Waikiki? The evidence suggests otherwise, but maybe this last and best remaining might stir the local govenment?

It would be a terrible shame to lose this:

And this...

And this...

But mostly it would be a shame to lose people like this...

Like all things, it will be gone someday. But let's hope it's later rather than sooner.

I met the Front Desk person.
She really is a doll.

Ahh..sweet memories. That's where I spent my honeymoon. It would be terrible to see it torn down to make way for condos.

A favourite of ours too ... Fond, fond memories.

Is the Hawaiiana Hotel still in existence?

I know it was up for sale:

Friday, September 14, 2007
Hawaiiana Hotel parcel up for sale
Pacific Business News (Honolulu) - by Janis L. Magin Pacific Business News

The owner of a fee-simple piece of land under part of a small, budget hotel in Waikiki has put the lot up for sale, which puts into play another piece of real estate in an area that has been undergoing extensive redevelopment.

The 11,956-square-foot parcel beneath the Hawaiiana Hotel is on Saratoga Road, and holds two of the hotel's five buildings and a swimming pool. The asking price is $3.65 million.

It's in the middle of a block bounded by Kalakaua Avenue, Beach Walk, Kalia Road and Saratoga Road that is home to a shrinking number of budget hotels surrounded by redevelopment.

Trump International Hotel & Tower lies at the Kalia Road end, and the 2113 Kalakaua retail project is planned for the other end of the block. The parcels on the block are owned by 12 different entities.

It's also adjacent to land earmarked for First Round Pacific's two-story retail complex that will include the Hard Rock Cafe and little more than a block away from Outrigger Enterprises' $535 million Waikiki Beach Walk, which opened earlier this year.

Paul Bonanno, a broker with Net Leased Real Properties in San Diego, represents the landowner, the Nancy S. Walter Trust.

He said the small parcel, directly across the street from Fort DeRussy Park, has great potential.

"I think absolutely at some point it's going to be redeveloped," Bonanno said. "Whether that happens before or after the lease expires is up to the current tenant, and the current tenant is Hawaiiana Hotel."

But redevelopment is unlikely to happen soon.

Hawaiiana Hotel owner Jun Kang said he has no intention in the near future of moving or redeveloping the two-story, 93-room hotel, which opened in 1955. The hotel, whose other three buildings and another pool are on a separate parcel of leased land at 260 Beach Walk, has a lease on the property until 2028.

"We're going to be trying to develop a high rise in the future, but not that high," Kang said. "I want to just keep the same Hawaiiana style."

The same goes for his next-door hotel neighbor, The Breakers, which has been there since 1954, and for another small hotel along Saratoga Road, whose owner declined to comment.

Genshitsu Sen, the former grand master of the Urasenke tradition of tea who lives in Japan, owns the land beneath The Breakers as well as several other parcels that are leased to moped and car rental agencies. Sen, 84, is happy with things the way they are, said Ethel Nada, the hotel's manager.

Bonanno said more land on that block may change hands as generations change and new projects like the Trump tower inflate the value of adjoining land.

"With the value of the land there, I don't think the current rents being paid along that strip make sense compared to the equity that's there," Bonanno said. "With our dollar being down, it's bringing a lot of Pacific Rim capital into the area."

Jay Shidler, whose Shidler Group last year bought the ANA Building at the Diamond Head corner of Kalakaua and Beach Walk, also owns a small parcel of land with a partner on Saratoga Road, as well as a leasehold building on Kalakaua.

The problem with redeveloping an area like the Hawaiiana block is that it is difficult to assemble the parcels, a process that can take years, even decades. Developers have to either buy out long-term tenants or wait for their leases to expire.

If the redevelopment won't get, it the economy will.

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20091103_Waikiki_hotel_could_face_closure.html

Sad :(

A few of the pictures I took last time I was there.....

The Hawaiiana was a small patch of Aloha in the middle of the soul-less concrete tourist jungle that surrounds it. I mourn its closing and my heart goes out to those people who worked there for so many years and gave the place such charm.

Jeez, the Hawaiian Hut closes, Annette Nahinu passes away (but thankfully La Mariana lives on) and now this.

...but I am confused by the headline still saying it COULD face foreclosure? From what I can gather from the article, it is PAU, Kaputt, AUS, ...no!?

This is especially tragic after such a hope-inducing article was written two years earlier. The only good thing about this f&#%d economy was that it stalled over-development...

Oh crud... We'd booked there for 6 nights from December 30. Luckily and hopefully I've found this out 2 months out rather than a couple of weeks otherwise I'd be seriously freaking out about finding alternative accomodation. I guess I'll try the Breakers. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091103/BREAKING01/91103041/Hawaiiana+Hotel+operations+being+phased+out+this+week

So in 2007 the parcel was up for sale...but the lease lasts til 2028, and the hotel owner said then:

Hawaiiana Hotel owner Jun Kang said he has no intention in the near future of moving or redeveloping the two-story, 93-room hotel, which opened in 1955. The hotel, whose other three buildings and another pool are on a separate parcel of leased land at 260 Beach Walk, has a lease on the property until 2028.
"We're going to be trying to develop a high rise in the future, but not that high," Kang said. "I want to just keep the same Hawaiiana style."

This is some sad news. I always liked the small scale charm of this place. Here is a brochure from the past.

Great looking room.

DC

The Hawaiiana Hotel is surrounded by new develpments...and it VERY close to the new Trump Tower..can you imagine? But oddly, it seems to be safe from any changes in the near future...and to answer an earlier question....
No, there is no concern for historic preservation in any way, shape or form in Waikiki. Even when they were remodelling the Royal Hawaiian and I asked about it (they were very hush-hush...) I was told it would be "a resort for the 21st century....period." It's sad that in other cities where I've lived...namely Portland OR & Charleston, SC..there is VERY MUCH a sense ofg the importance of balancing the charm & beauty and artistry of the past, with future sensabilities. In Hawaii, they could give a crap. Which is not to say there haven't been some good developments..I think the new Royal Hawaiian Centre upgrade is absolutely beautiful, although too high end for this guy. But they'll tear down anything if they think it's "old" around here. No sense of preservation or charm at all...zero.

Good to hear. Love the Breakers as well, they are Aloha.

Unfortunately the Hawaiiana is closed and the jerk of an owner is not refunding full payment to a few families who have planned for a year to return from Canada and stay for a month. This person is not showing his Aloha. Cousin who works front desk is now out of work. Very sad.

On 2009-11-08 21:14, HinaHinawahine wrote:
Unfortunately the Hawaiiana is closed and the jerk of an owner is not refunding full payment to a few families who have planned for a year to return from Canada and stay for a month. This person is not showing his Aloha. Cousin who works front desk is now out of work. Very sad.

OMG!! Horrors! I am so sorry about your Cousin. I enjoyed the Aloha spirit of the front desk staff, the magnificent gardens and, of course the Tiki, when I stayed there about 4 years ago. I am sad.

Whatever happened to the Tikis @ the Hawaiiana?
Wow, Waikiki is losing its Tikiness, big time, with the closure of the Hidden Village (?) @ the Ala Moana, the Hawaiiana, and the restaurant along Beach Walk,

Im with you Christi, a sad state of affairs going on in Oahu .I also wonder who got all
the killer tikis there.I will be going there soon so I will look into this .
Why can't good things last forever?

I walked through the Hawaiiana last month when I was there. It didn't seem to be closed, there were people in the courtyard around the pool, and there were room doors open with, what seemed to be maid service going on.

I guess we have to look into this further.
OK...website is down, and I saw a news report on youtube that it has been being used as a college dorm for U of H students.

The tikis were there tho' , that's for sure....

Do you have your TIKIYAKI ORCHESTRA CD YET ?
http://www.tikiyakiorchestra.com

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2010-05-26 00:53 ]

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2012-08-20 13:52 ]

Good News!

Google shows the Tikis:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Hawaiiana+Hotel,+Waikiki,+Honolulu,+HI&sll=21.279187,-157.831359&sspn=0.001657,0.00284&ie=UTF8&hq=Hawaiiana+Hotel,&hnear=Waikiki,+Honolulu,+HI&ll=2

What is going on with this hotel?
Is it open, even as a dorm?

Apparently it is being used for student housing, although both University of Hawaii and Chaminade U are on the other side of the canal and the other side of H1.
Hopefully, I can take a peek next month.

[ Edited by: christiki295 2012-08-19 12:25 ]

It's definately a dorm. There's a small take out sushi place just inside the courtyard I went to a few weeks ago and it was clearly occupied by students who were milling about.

Aloha,

it's a ESL school (ie foreign students who come to study English in Hawaii) that houses it's students there.

Better than being demo'd I guess....it sure would be a great place forthe REAL Tikiyaki Polynesian Village Hotel tho. :)

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2012-08-20 13:51 ]

On 2012-08-20 00:53, Kaiwaza wrote:
It's definately a dorm. There's a small take out sushi place just inside the courtyard I went to a few weeks ago and it was clearly occupied by students who were milling about.

Hawaiiana Sushi. Byob. Sushi & Tiki sounds like a good combination to me.

Another postcard circa the 1970's from the Hawaiiana Hotel.

DC

Let me clear up some of the rumors on this stream, since I am currently living at the old Hawaiiana Hotel. It is in fact closed, and has been for a few years. It is owned and operated by a private company called Hawaii Student Housing which is neither an ESL school or used specially for UH students or Chaminade. Residents call it simply, Beachwalk, and any student registered at any school for any program can live here. We have residents of a variety of ages. I actually take online courses as a part time student from a school in Pennsylvania and yet live here. As long as a proof of enrollment is supplied then they will allow you to live here. The property was also split into two. The back part (Saratoga side) is a Korean Boarding school and it is totally separate from Beachwalk. The Sushi (still called Hawaiiana Cafe) is rated one of the best in Honolulu on Yelp and I actually just had some for dinner. We still also have many tikis around the property. As a resident for about eight months, Beachwalk (The Hawaiiana) has become a fabulous part of my life in Hawaii. Such a great layout and cozy feel has made our international student community into a true Ohana. Many people stop by the lobby and say they used to stay here and talk story and stroll around the property. Hope that clears things some up. Loved the old brochure!

*Laura@Beachwalk wrote:*Let me clear up some of the rumors on this stream
Way cool post, Laura, please make the most of your good fortunes while in Waikiki.

On 2014-03-15 12:26, msteeln wrote:

*Laura@Beachwalk wrote:*Let me clear up some of the rumors on this stream
Way cool post, Laura, please make the most of your good fortunes while in Waikiki.

Nice first post, Laura.
I hope you continue to contribute.
I am pleased to hear that the Tikis and the buildings remain.
I, too, stayed there as a hotel and loved it.
However, being so close to the shore, and to Lewers, I feared it would meet the wrecking ball.
Glad it has new ownership which is keeping it profitable and therefore around to enjoy.

I agree...great first post...welcome to TC and hope you will stay around. We love pictures too, so any you can post would be great.

Thanks to everyone for the great postcard and brochure posts...wonderful!!!