New Honolulu hotel sees 'promising occupancy trends' - Pacific Business News
The Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa welcomed its first guests at the end of February. The Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa, the newest hotel in Honolulu, welcomed its first guests in February. The hotel is part of the $505 million twin-tower, mixed use Sky Ala Moana, which is JL Capital's first major development in Honolulu. The 39-story hotel tower features 187 rooms and suites, along with 112 residences. Hotel management, investment and development company Highgate manages the hotel. Marriott International was selected in 2021 to brand the hotel portion of the project as The Renaissance Honolulu hotel. Hotel amenities include hand-crafted wooden furnishings and locally sourced artwork, a fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, a yoga studio and outdoor strength training experience.
Published : 4 weeks ago by Stephanie Salmons in Business
Honolulu's newest hotel, the Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa, welcomed its first guests at the end of February.
“Since opening our doors a few weeks ago, we’ve already hit numerous milestones and secured top ratings with our domestic and international partners, reaffirming our commitment to excellence," General Manager Matthew Grauso recently told Pacific Business News in an emailed statement. "We’re witnessing promising occupancy trends on an individual level, along with strong interest from groups. As we prepare for our grand opening, our focus remains on delivering a five-star experience and personalized hospitality to every guest and resident.”
The hotel is part of the $505 million twin-tower, mixed use Sky Ala Moana — Honolulu-based real estate and private equity firm JL Capital’s first major development in Honolulu. Hotel management, investment and development company Highgate manages the hotel.
Situated near Ala Moana Center, the world's largest open-air mall, the 39-story hotel tower features 187 rooms and suites, along with 112 residences.
Marriott International was selected in 2021 to brand the hotel portion of the project as The Renaissance Honolulu Hotel, PBN previously reported.
“We are proud to introduce Renaissance Hotels to the island of Oahu with the opening of Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa," Jennifer Connell, vice president and global brand lead, Renaissance Hotels, said in a statement at the time of the opening. “In a city buzzing with new and exciting retail, restaurants and more, this is a property and a brand that will not only match the energy and vibrancy of the destination but also support its continued growth by shining a light on the businesses and people that make this neighborhood – and the island overall – such a special place.”
According to an announcement sent at the time of the hotel's Feb. 28 blessing ceremony, as one of Renaissance Hotels' featured services, an on-property "navigator" serves as a neighborhood ambassador that can connect guests with "local experts as well as help them discover the best things to savor, shop and see across the island."
Among other features, rooms have hand-crafted wooden furnishings and locally sourced artwork, according to the announcement, while the hotel's eighth-floor Sky Deck offers a number of wellness amenities, including a full-service spa, meditation gardens, a fully equipped fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, a yoga studio and an outdoor strength training experience.
Additionally, the hotel offers traditional Japanese ofuro indoor and outdoor soaking tubs, Himalayan salt saunas, steam rooms and cold plunge baths, a 25-meter lap pool, two hot tubs and a heated saltwater swimming pool, along with shaded cabanas and barbecue pavilions, among other offerings, the announcement noted.
The hotel is set to open its mediterranean restaurant, Mara, for dinner Wednesday, PBN previously reported. The 6,700-square-foot restaurant offers private dining, a wine room and alfresco terrace seating, representatives of TableOne Hospitality previously said.
Tim Lee, CEO of JL Capital, told PBN at the blessing ceremony that there were challenges during the development of Sky Ala Moana — including the Covid-19 pandemic.
"When there's a big event like that, you have challenges with financing, but we overcame it. ... We went through a lot, but we're happy we got here. We've got an amazing team, we've got amazing partners with Highgate and Marriott."
It feels "fantastic" to cross the finish line with the project, he said. Residents began moving into Sky Ala Moana in October.