Entries tagged 'news'
Hawaii Bag Job: Both go! and Hawaiian Slap Surcharges on Second Bag
Like the rest of the airline industry, Hawaii's remaining interisland carriers have decided to charge for second bags (at least they aren't charging for first bags). go! started with a $25 charge and Hawaiian followed with a $17 charge. I...
New Hawaii Foodie Website: Share Your Table, Looking Good
"Share Your Table is a splashy Web 2.0-ish site with slide shows, videos, recipes, and columns from Joan Namkoong and Wanda Adams, two of the big names in Hawaii food writing. It's clear they spent a good amount of money...
Honolulu Crime Stats Down -- Less Danger in Paradise
Nice to read that crime in Hawaii declined last year for the fourth year running. I hope this holds up to the economic stresses now coming into play in Hawaii due to airline closures, cruise ship departures, and other sundry...
All go! Passengers -- Make Alternative Plans, CFO Steps Down
And more somber news. The interim CFO of Mesa Airlines stepped down yesterday. Mesa is the parent of go!, the interisland carrier that helped drive Aloha out of business with low, low fares. There have been many questions about Mesa's...
Rental Cars on Superferry -- Total Rip Off?
So I jumped the gun on proclaiming joy at word that you can put rental cars on the Superferry. Turns out, according to the Unofficial Superferry Blog, the rental car companies have imposed a one-way drop-off fee of $400. Which...
Rental Cars on the Super Ferry A-OK: Interisland Driving Era Begins
Just as I'd hoped, the new Superferry (which in light of airline costs is starting to look better and better) is now allowing rental cars to travel between islands on the boat. This is a huge boon that will not...
Trouble in Paradise: Bad Economy = Postponed Hawaii Vacation
Lots of bad signs ....
Hate Crimes in Hawaii? Big Island Case Underway
I've often blogged about violence in Hawaii and my suspicions that a lot of violent or threatening acts are swept under the rug here. So it's good to see the authorities finally recognizing the true nature of the beast. This...
Interisland Air Fares: Up, Up and Away!
We knew it was coming. After Aloha shuttered and with go! apparently on the rocks, you can't blame Hawaiian Air for raising prices on interisland travel. Considerably. We noticed prices had gone up before this announcement but this seems to...
Aloha Air Cargo Shuts Down: One Big Loser -- Farmers and High-End Restaurants
Shocking news out today. Aloha Air, which had recently shuttered its passenger operations, on April 29 closed down its profitable air cargo operations after no buyer would bite (no surprise -- the Airline Pilots Association had threatened to strike). Aloha...
Kailua Traffic Hell: Hawaii's Own Big Dig on the Windward Side
Kailua is often touted as the ultimate scenic day-trip from Waikiki, a lovely beach town with stunning endless sands, no (well, one) high rises, lots of bike paths, windsurfing, bird sanctuaries -- you get the picture. Too bad that Kailua...
Highest Gas Prices in the Country: Welcome to Maui!
The Valley Isle has the dubious distinction of the highest gas prices in the country and the first place regularly eclipsing the $4 mark. Kauai is following right there behind them. Gas in Hawaii has always been pricey and its...
Hawaii Airfares Skyrocketing: Arrivals Down 14% YOY Last Month
Here's to hoping that the recent spike in ticket prices to and from Hawaii brought about after two of the major carriers, Aloha and ATA, crashed and burned, is a temporary phenom. SmarterTravel peers into its crystal ball and finds...
More Hawaii Travel Hell -- Another Airline on the Rocks?: No go!?
First Aloha Airlines goes belly up, leaving travelers in a lurch and decimating the interisland market. Now it looks as if go!, the upstart that shut down Aloha with low, low fares and a nasty fare war, could be circling...
From Hawaii Tourism Authority: "HAWAII EXPECTED TO HAVE AMPLE LIFT DESPITE AIRLINE SHUTDOWNS"
What they don't mention in the release, however, is price. It's not what you think you should pay to fly to Hawaii. It's what the market will bear. Methinks that bankruptcies of carriers can mean one of two things. Either...
Hawaii Air Travel Hell: ATA Shuts Down, Too -- Good Luck!
I'd hate to be a travel agent with a large Hawaii client list today. As if the Aloha Airlines shutdown didn't cause enough chaos, the ATA closure comes right on its heels -- and was equally abrupt. Heck, the airline...
Aloha Airlines Fallout: Higher Prices, Worthless Tickets
Lotsa fallout from the sudden closure of Aloha Airlines. Experts are saying interisland airfares will likely rise. No doubt, considering that roughly 25-30% of the carrying capacity inventory has been ripped off the market. I managed to book a trip...
Aloha Air Shutting Down March 31: Massive Disruption for Hawaii Travelers
The Hawaii Tourism Authority just sent out a release offering assistance to travelers holding Aloha Airlines tickets on transpacific or interisland flights. The struggling airline is shutting those flights down this Monday. HTA lists a bunch of places for travelers...
Molokai Ranch to Close: No Place to Stay on the Friendly Isle in Hawaii
After losing money for several decades, the Molokai Ranch announced it would close, laying off 120 workers and effectively boosting the Friendly Isle's unemployment rate to 12%. The Ranch was one of the largest employers on the island. It also...
"Waikiki is Scary": Terrified Residents Plead with Hawaii Cops to Make Resort Mecca Safer
Waikiki is called crowded, wonderful, and all sorts of other adjectives. Lately, it's being called a new word by residents who live there -- dangerous. A rise of high-profile, seemingly random low-grade violence has roiled the community enough to cause...
Hawaii Prices Going Up, Up, Up: Record 33% Fuel Surcharge on Shipping to Hawaii
Matson, one of the two primary shipping lines servicing the Hawaiian Islands, announced that it would soon boost its fuel surcharge on island container shipping to a whopping 33.75%. That's on top of the regular shipping costs, some of which...
Cassis Closed Last Saturday: Big Bummer
Holy cow, that was fast. Cassis, the (slightly) more casual restaurant in Downtown Honolulu owned and masterminded by Chef Mavro (the James Beard Award Winner) has shuttered after less than a year. And I didn't even get to eat there!...
NCL Pulls Second Boat from Hawaii, Leaving Single Boat and Giant Sucking Sound of Cruise Ship Vacuum
So Hawaiirama blogger / contributor and most excellent Hawaii-based travel agent Bruce Fisher was right. A while back he posted a story on his blog about NCL pulling all of its boats out of Hawaii. NCL said no, we retracted...
Maui Haleakala Bike Tours: Barred Forever?
After a spate of serious accidents and casualties on downhill bike rides run by activity companies taking tourists down the steep and serpentine road from the Haleakala Summit, the National Park Service banned the popular rides last year. Now, after...
Hawaiirama's New Sprout
My friend Carnet and his team at Sprout Builder have made building rich widgets incredibly easy. Here's a quick and dirty Hawaiirama newsfeed widget with an excellent graphic from PK at House of Pretty. Put this widget wherever you want...
Royal Garden Goes Timeshare: A Pox Removed from Waikiki
Time was, the Royal Garden Hotel in Waikiki was a happening place. The marble lobby aped elegance and the upstairs rooms were quite fine. The lush pool was a showpiece and Cascada Restaurant, helmed by Chef Sayada, put out supremely...
Hawaii Governor Sez Buy Turtle Bay, Stop Da Condos
Hawaii's Governor Lindal Lingle floated a proposal today for the state to purchase Turtle Bay on Oahu's windy, wave-swept North Shore. She claimed that Hawaii has a "once in a lifetime chance" (according to PBN) to preserve the rural lifestyle...
NCL Hawaii Cruises: Not Cancelled, Just Crowded
UPDATE: I spoke to NCL and Hawaii cruises are NOT CANCELLED so Bruce's report was apparently wrong. However, you STILL will have trouble booking a passage in 2008 b/c according to NCL they are almost completely booked. So book now...
NCL Says All Hawaii Cruises Suspended: Whoa! Is It True?
A mahalo to Hawaiirama contributor Bruce for telling me about the breaking drama regarding Norwegian Cruise Lines and the rumors / news that it would be suspending all Hawaii cruise operations. I did a quick Web search on the topic...
Vera Wang Shop to Shutter: Bummer
Pacific Business News reports that the really nifty Vera Wang brand shop , one of the signature shops at the posh Halekulani is going to shutter after the designer shut down here signature jewelry line, which as one of the...
Waikiki Date Rape Incidents: Watch Your Mai Tai, Ladies
Honolulu Advertiser reported a week or so ago about a mysterious spate of date rate incidents at a still unnamed Waikiki bar (cops say they can't say location b/c of ongoing investigation -- this sounds nutty to me and others)....
Hawaii Tourism Visitor Numbers Down, Satisfaction Up
Doh. According to Pacific Business News' coverage of the annual Hawaii state government survey, more visitors to Hawaii from the Mainland U.S. rated Alohaland as an "excellent destination." That doesn't surprise me as I've long suspected Hawaii is at a...
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Pity the poor traveler who plunked down cold hard ones to vacate in Hawaii last week. Man, they got soaked in more ways than one. Mother Nature did not cooperate as we had gale force winds, flash floods, torrential rains,...
The End of the Interisland Fare Wars: Aloha and Hawaiian Raise'Em
Upstart go! airlines has been keeping the two incumbents, Aloha and Hawaiian Air, on their toes with unsustainably low-priced tickets for interisland travel (as in, sometimes less than $20). This has been hurting Aloha and Hawaiian, which have much higher...
Honolulu Seeks to Ban "Superbad" for Fake McLovin Hawaii ID
You just can't make this kind of stuff up. The City and County of Honolulu cracks down on "Superbad" release that contains horrifically awful fake Hawaii ID. Ripped from the shelves of WalMart, no less. No fun allowed in paradise....
Maui Development Will Boast Private Jet Service: Bonfire of Vanities to Follow
Adding to the "Maui is becoming the new Aspen" theme (which is both and good and bad, depending on your income level), a new resort on the royally crowded Kaanapali Coast is hoping to snag buyers of super-luxe vacation properties...
Will the Hawaii Superferry Kill Humpback Whales?
Here's why the environmentalist opponents of the Hawaii Superferry say it's a nautical nightmare. This is one side's POV so take it in that light....
Superferry to Sail, Protesters Will Rail -- Da Plane?
I've been remiss in blogging about the ongoing Saga of the Superferry. A lickety-split Hawaii State Legislature session churned out a law specifically designed to answer a court injunction won by ferry opponents that had convinced a Hawaii State Court...
Sometimes Life is Not a Beach: Intimidation at Honolua Goes to Trial
This Maui News article put me back on my heels. Apparently a family of local toughs was shaking down visitors and even local residents for "donations" in order to access a public beach path. Carrying bodyboards and a video camera...
Hawaii Restaurant Roundup
Long overdue but here it is. HawaiiDiner tells us why Honolulu Magazine readers (the folks who vote on the Hale Aina Restaurant Awards) are boring, clueless or both. I tend to agree with her assessment that they mostly missed the...
Vacation Rental Brouhaha: Oahu to Vacation Renters --Be Vewy, Vewy Careful.
Honolulu Advertiser running a story on the latest in Hawaii's county governments' attempts to frighten away tourists (precisely when the visitor numbers are fallling) -- apparently city investigators have been mounting sting operations on vacation rental operators by posing as...
Cheapo Fares on Hawaiian -- Book by 11/27
Hawaiian Air flying from Phoenix to Hawaii for $278. That's pretty dang rockbottom. Wide travel window, from Nov. 26, 2007 – Mar. 14, 2008. Book before Nov. 27. Cheap wings, friends....
Edible Hawaiian Island Illegible Online -- Major Bummer
I was really looking forward to the first edition of Hawaii's new food magazine, Edible Hawaiian Islands. The line-up looked intriguing. I love food and Hawaii (as you know) so I was really amped to get some mega-coverage of a...
Another "Lost" DUI: Good Thing the Show Is Ending
What is it about Oahu that encourages actors to drink and drive? Particularly actors from the cast of "Lost"? First it was former cast members Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros, busted for DUI in 2005. Then, last week Daniel Dae...
Oahu to Get A Disney Resort
Alas, it won't be a full-fledged Polynesia-themed Magic Kingdom but Walt Disney unveiled plans for a new resort on Oahu's West Side in the up and coming Ko Olina Resort district. Disney has apparently purchased 21 acres of oceanfront property...
The Last Ride Down: Haleakala Bike Rides Banned
Kill me once, kill me twice, kill me thrice -- shut it all down. Haleakala National Park on Maui announced it would suspend the popular and apparently dangerous downhill bike tours after a 65-year old woman lost control of her...
Hawaii Death Ride: Haleakala Claims Another Cyclist
Local drivers and Maui residents have long complained about the bike tours sending hundreds of thousands of newbie cyclists down the serpentine road descending Haleakala Volcano, Maui's 10,000 dormant volcano. The tours clogged up traffic with endless trails of slow-moving...
Hawaii Superferry -- $350 Million Boat Company Sinking Fast
The CEO of the beleaguered Hawaii Superferry told the State of Hawaii that the Courts needed to quickly decide whether the ferry would run or the company would shutter operations for good and flee to kinder shores. This could be...
More Superferry Fracas Info: Can Sail to Kauai, Will be Blocked by Surfers
The lastest twist in the Byzantine saga of the much maligned Hawaii Superferry, a Kauai judge decided that the big boat could operate out of Nawiliwili Harbor while the company, the state, and a passle of lawyer-backed protesters work out...
Hawaii Travel Prices Starting to Creep Up: Kayak.com
Summer travel for 2008 is starting to look pretty pricey so don't book early -- they should drop. Otherwise, Hawaii fares out of SFO to Honolulu tracked by travel supersite Kayak.com seem pretty cheap. Still a good time to go...
Maui B&B and Vacation Rental Freeze: No Place to Stay on North Shore, Upcountry
Upate on the Maui County B&B and vacation rental crackdown. Most of the rentals and B&Bs operating on the three islands in Maui County (Maui, Molokai, Lanai) have shut down under threat of $1,000 per day fines. No word on...
Hawaii Volcano: Kailauea Eruption -- Spectacular Aerial Show
After a hiatus of several months due to shifting lava flows resulting from seismic activity, Madame Pele has resumed her red hot show. Word out of the Big Island is that lava viewing from helicopters is the best seen in...
Hawaii Food News: The Other Kilauea Farmer's Market, Cassis, Nobu
Here's the latest tidbits. Over at Planet Kauai, Charley Foster is doing an admirable job of eating his way around the Garden Isle. He opines on the Kilauea Farmer's Market -- no, t he store, not the weekly event --...
Hawaii Superferry Superfiasco: Kauai Shutdown, Customers Stranded, Boat Service's Fate Uncertain
It's a pretty sad saga at this point. The Hawaii Superferry was a ballyhooed solution to expensive and inconvenient interisland travel in Hawaii. Bring your car seats and your bikes and boards! No need to pay ridiculous fares to fly...
NEWS FLASH -- SUPERFERRY SHUTDOWN
That didn't take very long. A Maui court ordered the Hawaii Superferry to cease voyages in and out of Kahului at least until Wednesday when the court will hear arguments on whether the big boat can continue plying Hawaii waters...
Hawaii Celebrities: Sean Penn Buys North Shore Lot
As if Hawaii didn't have enough celebs. Then again, we can understand why Penn would love the North Shore enough to buy. It's is wild enough to still feel real, edgy enough to be a bit primal, yet quiet enough...
Superferry Standoff -- Hundreds of Surfers Pull a Tiananmen to Stop the Big Boat
As if the Hawaii Superferry didn't have enough problems with environmental permits pending, rough cross-channel rides, high fares and stiff fuel surcharges. Now the surfers are going after the big boat. Hundreds of them paddled into Nawiliwili Harbor on Kauai...
Hawaii Hurricane Update: Flossie Blows By Big Island
So it looks like the Big Island dodged a bullet. Flossie has been downgraded to tropical storm status. She did not make a landing and actually slowed down considerably as she hit colder waters and passed South of the Big...
Latest Kayak Buzz to Hawaii: SFO Fares Under $300 !
Here's the latest Kayak Buzz alert from San Francisco to Honolulu. Fares below $300 for much of the next few months, quite cheap. Now if only the hurricanes will cooperate....
Hawaii Hurricane Update: Oahu -- 85 And Sunny
So Flossie appears to be slowing down even more. We had a spate of what looked like stormy weather on Oahu this morning but since then the skies have cleared. We do have big gusts of wind. The storm has...
Hawaii Hurricane Update: Flossie Backs Off, A Little
The latest forecast, at 11 am Hawaii time, has Flossie still passing just South of the Big Island but it should sling plenty of rain, wind and waves towards the Hilo / Windward shores. I would assume the whole island...
Hawaii Hurricane Update: Flossie Latest
The National Weather Service Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu just posted an update on Flossie. She appears to be losing a little bit of momentum as sustained winds have dropped down to 125 mph. The storm is supposed to...
Hawaii Hurricane Update: Flossie Gets Bigger, Closer
So the latest in from the National Weather Service and the Pacific Hurricane Center have Flossie passing only 100 miles South of the Big Island. She's currently a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140 mph, moving north-northwest at...
Hawaii Hurricane Alert!: Here Comes Flossie
Those who don't live in the islands probably have not been tracking the progress of Hurricane Flossie as she plows across the Pacific towards Hawaii. The forecasters say she likely will pass south of the Big Island sometime late next...
Hawaii Travel Network Rip-Off: Back from the Dead?
Have not idea on the veracity of this one but a commenter on Hawaii had this to say about the founder of Hawaii Travel Network, Michael Bennie. "Be aware that Michael Bennie is still around!! He has a new travel...
Kayak Buzz: NYC Fares to Hawaii Looking Pretty Cheap
So I'm lagging -- this Kayak Buzz Alert is about a week old. But airfare from New York City to Hawaii rarely dips below $600. Here it looks like fares are going to be pretty reasonable for quite a...
Maui Travel Tip: More Vacation Rental Chaos, Check Your Permit Folks!
Earlier this month Maui County authorities announced a crackdown with hefty fines on vacation rental owners who were letting their properties out without county approval. This caused most vacation rentals and the majority of B&Bs to stop taking visitors and...
Kayak Fare Buzz: Good Fares from SFO to HNL
Looks like the usual holiday fare spike will be negligible. And if you want to fly to Hawaii for Labor Day, flights are below $300 according to my weekly Buzz report from Kayak.com. Check it out. These fares from from...
Superferry Arrival on Maui Delayed by Tropical Depression Cosme
Rough seas and winds resulting from the passage of Tropical Depression Cosme near the Big Island were cited as the reason for postponing the maiden arrival of the new 340-foot Hawaii Superferry in Kahului on a passage from Honolulu. Fellow...
Hawaii Beaches: A Classic Example of Google Whacking
So how did this link to a site put out by Guerba travel garner the top rank for a Google search for the term Hawaii beaches? No pictures. Scanty and lame information. They can't even spell the names of the...
ClubHawaii.net Launches: Another Hawaii Travel Site :)
Not quite sure what to make of ClubHawaii.com. The hook is four travel writers and 300 insiders suggest itineraries. ClubHawaii screens the info and assists paying customers -- that's right, they want you to pay money for their insights. Me,...
Maui Vacation Rentals: Big Crackdown in Maui County
Around Hawaii a dispute has been bubbling between vacation rental owners and their neighbors in residential neighborhoods. The rentals create noise, traffic and crowds, according to the opponents. On Maui, which has perhaps the greatest percentage of rentals in the...
Kapalua Brouhaha Take Two: Maui Land & Pineapple Responds
Earlier this week I wrote this post about an article in Hawaii Business Magazine outlining public opposition to a proposal to build out luxury homes at Lipoa Point. The post drew a quick reply from Maui Land & Pineapple, the...
Hawaii Travel: Hawaiian Airlines Call Centers in Holding Pattern, 45 Minute Waits
The Honolulu Advertiser is reporting that Hawaiian Airlines passengers have been waiting 45 minutes or so to get to a live phone rep. The airline cited an unforeseen spike in call demand. A recent move to outsource a call center...
High Tension In Kapalua, Maui: No Aloha in No Ka Oi Land
The idyllic Northwest corner of Maui is home to the super-rich resort Mecca of Kapalua. There are several beautiful beaches, some of the country's best golf courses, a Ritz-Carlton, and a new super-upscale timeshare on the way. Plus the local...
Hawaii Hotels: Avoid Renovation Gotcha
That Hawaii hotel deal which seems to good to be true? Often times, it really is. There's a whole lotta renovations going on right now but you may not figure that out until you arrive in the islands. Shame on...
Octosquid Found off Big Island: What the Heck is That?
In an item completely unrelated to tourism, travel or fun things to do, a wacky new critter that scientists are dubbing and "octosquid" was trapped in uptake filters at a deep-water energy plant project of Keahole Point on the Kona...
Hawaii Volcano Update: HAVO Rangers Reopen Chain of Craters Road
After a spate of small temblors and some lava flow shifts that left vulcanologists chasing the orange stuff and generally scratching their heads as to what would happen next, the good folks at HAVO have reopened the solitary traffic artery...
Quakes Close Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hundreds of small temblors set Kilauea Volcano all aquiver and scared the National Park Service enough to shutter Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to visitors. Rangers evacuated a handful of campers and turned away dozens of carloads of tourists. What will...
Hawaii Travel Network Rip-Off Update: Bad to Worse
I've been getting a steady stream of comments from unlucky folks who got ripped off by Hawaii Travel Network, a reseller of travel packages and attraction tickets (luaus and whatnot) that suddenly went AWOL without paying its bills, leaving hundreds...
Hawaii Travel: Superferry = Supergridlock?
As the Hawaii Superferry moves towards its service inception later this year, the opponents of this new mode of inter-island transportation keep on sniping. A number of Maui groups arranged an impromptu test of the Superferry's claims that decamping over...
The New, New Waikiki: A Quick Roundup
Waikiki has been getting a lot of travel section and magazine press of late. A slew of hotels have rebranded, revamped, and renovated. A new, massive and quite attractive airy mall has opened, the Waikiki Beach Walk. The ugliest tourist...
Big Changes on Kauai -- Koloa/Poipu Getting 4,500 New Homes: Can You Say Gridlock?
I've always loved going to Poipu / Koloa on Kauai. There are a lot of condos and a smattering of big hotels and it felt a bit crowded but the place managed to retain its small town charm. The...
Hawaii Travel: All Out Interisland Airfare War - Insanely Cheap $9 O/W Tix
So I've periodically blogged about the ongoing fare war between upstart interisland carrier go! and incumbents Aloha and Hawaiian. The war just got a it more bloodier this week as go! dropped the one-way price of an interisland ticket running...
Hawaii Travel Kayak Buzz Update: NYC to Hawaii Looks Cheap This Winter
The latest in my Kayak Buzz observations. And sorry for crappy visuals. I need to get tables set up but haven't had time. Note that rt tix from NYC area airports to Honolulu appear to be headed for the $600...
Hawaii Beaches: Brouhaha at Hamoa Bay?
Maui Time Weekly (which is a really fun publication) reports that the Hotel Hana Maui, a venerable queen of the Hawaii hotel scene and the only high-end resort in the isolated, lush Hana district, is refusing to let people...
Hawaii Interisland Airfare Wars Draw More Blood
Both Aloha Air, which has gone in and out of bankruptcy, and upstarts go! announced in the past few days financial results. Both cited interisland travel in Hawaii as a reason for increased red ink. This bodes poorly for...
Hawaii's Top Radio Host Tells State Senator He Doesn't Trust White People: Can You Say Don Imus?
He didn't use those words exactly but Oahu's top radio drive-time host (Larry Price, who is part of the Perry & Price Duo on KSSK) essentially told the President of the Hawaii State Senate Gary Hooser that he didn't trust...
Hawaii Hotels: Princeville to Get Major Renovation, Reflagging
The view from the lobby at the Princeville Resort is perhaps one of the most iconic in Hawaii, with the broad crescent of Hanalei Bay unfurling and waterfall-flecked Mount Waialeale in the distance. The rooms, on the other hand, have,...
Hawaii Restaurants: Nobu Hype Building
Nobu Matsuhisa is in Honolulu, whipping his crew into shape for a May 28 opening of his latest outpost at the Waikiki Parc Hotel. Local media is all lathered up about the event -- which kind of cements my suspicion...
More Random Violence Against Tourists: How Safe is It Really?
Here's an article about the indictment for manslaughter of a former Hawaii high school football star in the unprovoked beating death of a visitor who had been accepted to the University of Hawaii's Law School. Granted, this beating happened in...
United Airlines Takes Minority Stake in Aloha: Has Interisland Market Hit Rock Bottom?
Word broke yesterday that United Arilines had purchased a minority stake of Aloha Airlines, one of two major home-grown carriers. Aloha and Hawaiian dominate the interisland air travel market, although upstart entrant (and Mesa Airlines subsidiary) go! has forced nasty...
Hawaii Real Estate: Vacation Condos Going Up, Up, Up!
Well, that was a pretty short breather. After several months of stagnant or slightly falling prices, in April Oahu real estate resumed a somewhat torrid pace with prices for condos and single family homes rising 10% and 8%, respectively, as...
Hawaii Hotel Deals: Ridiculously Cheap
I've been blogging a lot about how soft travel to Hawaii makes this an insanely great time to visit. Well, witness this room/air deal from Pleasant Hawaiian Holiday, a massive wholesalers and packager. The deal is $435 for rt/airfare from...
Hawaii Hotels: Hilton Reports Weakness in Hawaii Revenues -- Another Sign That Hawaii is Definitely On Sale
I've blogged before about weakening occupancy levels in the Hawaiian Islands and how that would likely mean better deals on rooms. Yesterday Hilton Hotels posted quarterly earnings that were below expectations due, in large part, to weakness in its Hawaii...
Hawaiirama Foodie Roundup
I'll start off the foodie roundup with a mention of Wailua Wheat, a lilikoi-citrus scented wheat bear put out by Kona Brewing Company. This is the company's second limited-release custom brew, following on the heels of its stellar chocolate and...
Hawaii Foodie Alert : Bottom-Fishing Ban Approved for 5 Months. No Mo' Opakapaka, Folks
I blogged a while back about the impact of the impending ban on bottom-fishing techniques used to scoop up a handful of succulent local varieites such as opakapaka and onaga. This presents a problem for Hawaii eateries with signature dishes...
Maui Restaurants: Vino on Maui Closing in June -- Expect High Prices for Maui High-End Rooms
D.K. Kodama's saucy wine bar / Italian rustic foodie joint on the Valley Isle will shutter in June as the Kapalua Resort undergoes massive renovations to Kapalua Village Golf Course, the Ritz-Carlton (closing for six months), and the Kapalua Bay...
Hawaii Foods: Buy That Honey! Hawaii Bees Going Fast!
A nasty little bug, the Varroa mite, has decimated bee stocks on the U.S. Mainland. Due to its isolation, Hawaii had remained free of the mite and Hawaiian bee hives had continued to produce amazing honey treats. Now the mite...
Aloha, Barry! Barry Diller, That Is
ResortQuest Hawaii, a mid-to-low end hotel chain popular with families, will become part of the Barry Diller empire, according to this PBN article. This continue along the path of Hawaii acquisitions for Expedia / IAC. Expedia bought Activity World in...
Hawaii Hotels: Smokers Steer Clear of Outrigger, ResortQuest
The agents over at Travel Hawaii, which is becoming a quasi-travel news agency focused on Hawaii, put together some good info on the smoking ban that has pretty much banned smoking in hotel rooms and public places. They put together...
Hawaii Foodie Roundup: Weekly, Hungry, Eat!
Yet another fabulous edition of our statewide foodie roundup featuring all things edible and readable in Hawaii. A hefty and tasty salad bar in Kailua, Oahu. Maui Tacos' Tex-Mex-Hi coming to you soon. Kaimuki Town takes it down with "Downtown",...
Don Ho: Mob Ties Overlooked?
Fellow blogger Ian Lind is the only person I've seen willing to write about Don Ho's alleged close ties to a number of Mainland and Hawaii organized crime figures. If he walks like Sinatra and acts like Sinatra, etc. My...
Hawaii Travel: Prices on Oahu Vacation Rentals Going Up?
This Star-Bulletin article details a new effort by the City and County of Honolulu to shut down illegal vacation rentals. According to some counts, 2,000 rentals do not have the proper permits and face fines of $1,000 per day. The...
Hawaii Visitor Satisfaction Recovers
Pacific Business News is reporting that the latest Hawaii visitors survey showed a strong improvement and reversal of the previous decline. The reason for the decline? Apparently weeks on end of heavy rain and a massive dam break on Kauai....
Traffic Disaster: Waimea Bay Road Closure A Bit More Than Temporary
Anyone who has driven around Waimea Bay couldn't have helped but notice the massive chain-link fence with thick metal rings setting the eastern cliff off from the road. But manmade measures apparently cannot hold back the gods. A rockslide...
Holy Coconuts! More Competition in the Hawaii Newsoblogosphere!
My (patient and gracious) fellow blogger Ian Lind did a post today that pointed to Hawaiirama (which explained the slight traffic surge today -- thanks Ian) and also pointed me to a new hyperlocal news service called Outside.in. I checked...
Hawaii Rip-Off Alert: Top-10-Hawaii / Hawaii Travel Network Skips Town, Stiffs Everyone
Pacific Business News in Honolulu has a piece detailing the woes of a top-Google ranked listing, Top-10-Hawaii.com / Hawaii Travel Network. This was a popular online travel site and referral network that sold all sorts of stuff -- cruises on...
$2.3 Billion Airport Refurb at Honolulu: A Very Expensive People Mover
In its Sunday edition, the Honolulu Advertiser has a big breakdown of the ongoing to $2.3 million refurbishment of the Honolulu International Airport. The refurb is much needed. The airport is well known for subpar infrastructure. It uses 1970s-era shuttle...
Big Island Most Dangerous Place to Drive in Hawaii
Following on the heels of a tropical cocktail post (irony intended), a more sobering note. Ten of the state's 11 most dangerous intersections are on the Big Island. Which is particularly frightening as more than any other major island the...
Hawaiirama Foodie Roundup
Restaurant Epic, the lastest downtown bistro, shutters only a few weeks after opening to retool poorly-received menu. Honolulu Weekly gets fat at the Yard House, a new edition to the Waikiki Beach Walk with 130-odd beers on tap. Maui Time...
Breaking News: On Fatal Cruise, Boat's Mast Had Snapped Twice Before
So the Honolulu Advertiser is reporting today that the Kiele V's mast had snapped twice in the past. That implies some sort of design problem with the vessel, as its fairly unusual to see mast snapping that often. The US...
Hawaiirama Weekend Linkorama
Travel & Leisure Golf plays through Hawaii's most exclusive and reclusive golf clubs. Honolulu Weekly rounds up really wierd and wonderful beers on tap around town. Mesa Air continues its outrageously low interisland one-way fares of $19. That whistling sound...
Bed & Breakfast Brouhaha -- Kauai Chimes In
The Kauai County Council is considering a bill that would effectively freeze the growth of unlicensed B&Bs and vacation rentals on the Garden Isle. Maui and Oahu both have similar measures in place and there have been some crackdowns. Essentially,...
Cruise Ship Crisis: Will the Big Boats Sink in Hawaii?
A few weeks ago Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) announced poor quarterly results and blamed Hawaii operations for much of the red ink. The head of NCL and Hawaii swore up and down that the company was here to stay. Clearly,...
Hawaiirama Weekend Linkorama
This weekend's links, so I can sleep. Hapahale covers Gourmet Cooking Hawaii, a really cool way to cook paradise. Hana Hou brings an engrossing article on the efforts to save seeds of endangered indigenous Hawaii plants (with fine pics by...
Serenity in Paradise -- The Dalai Lama Does Maui
I normally try to keep this blog Hawaii-focused, emphasizing local arts, music, and food. But when the Dalai Lama comes to the islands, its kinda a big thing. The Tibetan Spiritual Leader will be on the Valley Isle on April...
Breaking News -- Another Copter Crash on Kauai
Star-Bulletin reporting. That makes six in the past four years. One dead, four injured. This was a 20 year-old helicopter with a six-year-old air worthiness certification from the FAA. With all these crashes, could it be possible that flying birds...
Racial Tensions in Hawaii: Haole Go Home
My fellow blogger Ian Lind pointed to a USA Today story which tackles a topic that the media in the islands is afraid to touch, namely, the sometimes violent racial discrimination against Caucasians in Hawaii. The article was sparked by...
Breaking News - Kauai Copter Crash: The Most Dangerous Place for Whilrybirds on Earth
Three dead tourists plus the pilot. No obvious causes. No obvious signs of malfunction or trouble before takeoff. Just a radio distress call, a precipitous decent, and a crumpled whirlybird on a grassy field near the runway of the...
Honolulu Festival Roundup -- Do What We Tell You To Do!
The annual Honolulu Festival kicks off this Friday with events in Ala Moana and Waikiki. Despite the ridiculously cheesy tagline/mission statement of the fest -- "....the premier cultural event, promoting understanding, economic cooperation and ethnic harmony between the people of...
Visitor Industry Clouds Darken -- Which Means Great Hotel Deals!
On the heels of the recent Hawaii Visitors Bureau survey results showing visitors growing disenchanted with Hawaii comes news that January visitor numbers were well below those from the same period in 2006. Couple this with the news from Norwegian...
Hawaii on the Skids? Visitor Satisfaction Plummets In 2006
Each year the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau asks thousands of tourists who came to Hawaii how they liked it. For most of the past decade, they have liked it plenty fine. In the 2005 survey, visitor satisfaction started to...
Hawaiirama Shoparama Roundup: Paradise Por, Favor
Bonnie Friedman, the publicist for Maui's Ocean Vodka sent me note with the news that this fancy liquor made from organic grains and pure, chemical free water drawn from the deep oceans of the Big Island is now for sale...
Surprise! You've Got Beachfront Property!
The Honolulu Advertiser ran a sobering piece outlining the likely impacts of global warming on Waikiki and its surrounding environs. The downside? Big chunks of the resort area could be subject to serious flooding and all the potential resulting damage....
Volcano Radio: Red Hot Podcast, Island Flavor
I've been remiss in multiple ways. First, sorry for the long hiatus. I was travelling and in New York City. My fingers have thawed out and its time to resume. Second, I've been remiss in not mentioning my friend Stewart...
Hawaii Trauma: Third-World Healthcare in the Islands, Docs Say Don't Crash Your Car in Kona
What happens if you break your leg on the Big Island on a weekend? Chances are you, get airlifted to Honolulu. Ditto for many other serious but, in most cases, not lifethreatening problems. The Outer Islands have long struggled to...
Barack Obama Hawaii Vacation Tour -- Coming Soon!
In Hawaii, Obama Mania is hitting a fevered pitch as the local favorite -- he spent a number of years on Oahu and attended high school at Punahou -- starts his sprint for the White House. At Hawaiirama, I aim...
Hawaii Tourism On the Skids? Good News for Visitors!
Sure looks like its slowing down, at the very least. Japanese tourism is cratering, down nearly 10% last year. In the last week of January, Hawaii hotel occupancy fell below 70%. Word is out that Hawaii hotels are already slashing...
Hawaii Restaurant News Flash: Chef Mavro Kicks It Up A Notch
Well, I guess it had to happen. After successfully running his posh, pint-sized eatery in Moiliili for a number of years, James Beard Award Winner Chef George Mavrothalassitis finally took the big step up and announced today that he'll soon...
Starwood Planning Major Waikiki Redo: More Traffic, Better Waikiki?
First Outrigger pushed through its massive Beach Walk Project, now nearly finished, in western Waikiki. Now Starwood is planning a similar sized renovation and rejuvenation of its four major Waikiki properties, the Sheraton Moana Surfrider, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, the Sheraton...
Restaurant Closure Alerts: Yanni's, C&C Pasta
A long-running Italian casual fave in Kaimuki appears to have shuttered. C&C Pasta brought me many a good meals over the years. Am not sure what owner Carla is up to as another Italian restaurant is opening in the space....
"Maui Fever" Pile On: Get A Grip, People
Not that this has ANYTHING to do with things to do in Hawaii but...There's been a huge uproar in the islands over a new MTV "reality" show based in Ka'anapali on Maui. The cast of the show is all white....
Ritz-Carlton Kapalua Goes Partial Condo
Forgive the posting absence. Family matters. Now, back to work. Word is out that the Ritz Carlton Kapalua on Maui is closing this summer for a massive renovation (close to $100 million) that will convert a significant percentage of the...
Sunset Beach Land Grab Forestalled: Hooray!
For a long time a number of developers have threatened to turn the gorgeous bluffs overlooking Sunset Beach and much of the North Shore of Oahu into gated gentleman farmer communities, accompanied by the requisite super-upscale mini-malls for the latte...
Homeless in Hawaii: So Many, So Many
Yet another national publication puts out a grim article on the Hawaii homeless problem. It's the visitor industry's skeleton in the closet. Low wages fuel profits for the indusry. Low wages are killing the poor. No pono, no peace. Meanwhile,...
Happy New Year from Hawaiirama! Pay Up!
How could Hawaii possibly become even more expensive? You can thank the state and local governements for that. Effective January 1, 2007, Hawaii's state gas tax goes back up by 11 cents per gallon, reversing a previous reduction put in...
New Blogsighting: Keep It Off My Wave
Shout out to the good folks at Keep it Off My Wave, a new Hawaii blog that I am reading and was kind enough to link to Hawaiirama (although we didn't make the cut for their Blog of the Week...
The Devil Stole Prada: $1 Million Haute Couture Heist in Honolulu
We've heard that the Xmas sales on luxury goods will be insane but this is the best discount on pricey Prada gear we've ever seen....
Priceline.com Lists 5 Hawaii Spots Among Top '07 New Years Party Destinations -- Including Kahului?
The site that Shatner shills released on Dec. 26 its list of hot destinations for travelers going to party like its 2007. Five Hawaii spots make the list, although a number of them are pretty wierd choices. Most notably, that...
Cheapest Time to Visit Hawaii Is May '07 - Sez Cheap Tickets
Well, they ought to know. Cheap Tickets is all about cheap travel. Cheap Tickets was founded in Hawaii. And if the Cheap Ticket's 2007 Value Travel Forecast Cheapometer predicts hotels in Hawaii will be at their cheapest in May, you...
Oahu -- The Most Dangerous Island (For "Lost" Cast Members, that is)
Call it the curse of the "Lost". During seasonal filming on Oahu, the cast has endured a home invasion, speeding tickets, stalkers, DUI busts. Now Evangeline Lilly's rented home in Kailua burns to the ground! The Honolulu Advertiser has a...
Two Hikers Die on Kauai, Plummet from Steep Trail
Two hikers from California perished on the island of Kauai today after they plunged hundreds of feet from a steep and at places treacherous trail leading to the base of Opaekaa Falls. This tall waterfall is a popular tourist attraction...
Hawaii On A Boat for 11 Days Straight, Sez NCL
Norwegian Cruise Lines, the megacruise line that runs two boats around the Hawaiian Islands, intends to start running 10 and 11-night Hawaii cruises come September 2007. If you want to really get a chance to enjoy Hawaii, this is reasonable....
At the Risk of Ticking Off a Lot of People....Beat Someone Up in Hawaii and Get Out of Jail Free
Violence is something that people don't like to talk about as being present in Hawaii. For the most part, Hawaii is a safe place. However, there are some really troubling signs. According to the most recent FBI violent crime survey,...
Why Hawaiirama Isn't in Google News
Apparently press releases posted on About.com's Hawaii channel or even press-releases sent out over the PR Wire constitue real news but Hawaiirama does not. This is third rejection I've gotten from Google News in response for a request for inclusion....
Off the Rock: Kayak Airfare Snapshot from Honolulu to World
I picked off the Top 15 most-searched destinations from Honolulu to the rest of the world according to Kayak.com. While your mileage may vary depending on travel dates, it appears to be a pretty good time to get off the...
Turtle Bay Controversy: Guv Says No!
In an interesting twist, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle in her second innaugural address came out squarely against major development at Turtle Bay and surrounding beaches. This fit in with her argument that should Hawaii continue to rely on land development...
Freak Waikiki Sailboat Accident Kills One, Critically Injures Another
You've probably already read about the accident, which happened on Dec. 2, if you arrived at this post. If not, quick recap.The catamaran Na Hoku II was sailing off Waikiki in fairly heavy winds with dozens of tourists aboard for...
Hawaiirama Weekend Linkorama
Return of the weekend linkfest because even Hawaiirama needs to res. Alex Salkever (of Hawaiirama fame) tells you how to Xmas on da Big IslandT&L Family Alex Salkever (yet again) tells you where to eat at Newark Airport before you...
Hawaii Hotels: First Hotel to Hire Foreign Workers
The Honolulu Advertiser has a good article covering the first instance of a Hawaii upscale hotel hiring foreigh workers. The Fairmont Orchid, on the Big Island, hired these workers to ease an acute labor shortage. They have 100 staff positions...
For the Kama'aina Traveler: Cheap Fares Off Da Rock
If you live in Hawaii, you know that feeling. Traffic jams all over Oahu? Too many office parties and neighborhood parades? Time to get out. One thing I love about Kayak is it makes it SO easy to look for...
Hawaii Airfares on the Down Low
Here's a graphic from Kayak.com tracking airfares from San Francisco to Honolulu over the past few months. As you can see, all this talk of higher airfares across the country seems to be a bit overdone, at least with regard...
New Quake: No Big Deal, Only 5.0
The Big Island got hit with an aftershock around 9 am this morning, Thanksgiving Day. We felt it over on Oahu but it was pretty much a little blip. From what I am hearing, there are no reports of additional...
Hawaii: Car Break-In Capital?
I try to explain, often, to visitors coming to Hawaii that, yes, the signs you see at the all the public points of interest warning you not to leave valuables in your car really are for real. They will steal...
NYT Travel Mag Does Oahu
Props to my good friend Lesa Griffith, who is also a lifestyle editor at the Honolulu Advertiser, for this solid piece in NYT Travel Mag covering Oahu. A good read for anyone coming to Oahu soon. One caveat --...
Earthquake Update: Road to Hana to Reopen Dec. 1
According to the Maui County officials, a temporary replacement for the Paihi Bridge should be open by December 1, in time to allow Xmas season visitors to the Valley Isle to finish their Road to Hana journey with a dip...
Hawaiirama Weekend Linkorama
A trip around the Weborama with Hawaii tidbits. Sherman's Travel goes Pure Maui: Gran Wailea a budget hotel at $350 per night?(warning: PDF)Aloha, Dirt Cheap: RT from West Coast at $220 to HNLZagat's 2007 Travel Survey: Four Seasons Hualalai Best...
Hawaii Condos: The Donald Does Waikiki Quite Nicely
UPDATE: THE ENTIRE TRUMP TOWER PROJECT SOLD OUT IN A DAY. THAT'S RIGHT, ONE DAY. THIS IS NUTS! The Donald is apparently a perfect fit for Waikiki. So far, according to this article in the Honolulu Advertiser, Trump's planned 462-unit...
Hawaii Hotels: Avoid Renovation Gotcha
More than once I've bagged a hotel steal online and arrived at the property to check in -- and realized that extensive, noisy and dirty renovations were underway. Hotels go out of their way to minimize these events, booking rooms...
Hawaii Earthquake Relief Fund Widget Goes Live!
So my friend Carnet Williams over at ChipIn and his crew have been busy guys. They are launching a nifty new technology that's kinda like a PayPal DonateNow button on steriods. It's a widget so anyone can cut and...
Hawaiirama Weekend Linkorama
Cheap Hawaii: Glad Travel rolls out Hawaii booking site for cheapskates, rooms, $100 and under Cool Kona: BusinessWeek names Big Island one of 18 new places to retire. Never mind the earthquakes ;). Mudslide Done: Pali Tunnel back to normal,...
Weather Update: Flash Flooding, Kauai Could be Bad
Rain gauges all over Kauai are recording huge downpours and the Hanalei River and other rivers and streams will likely overflow their banks, if they are not already doing so. Definitely check with your hotel / travel agent before you...
It Rained for 40 Days.....
It seems as if Mother Nature has a conspiracy against Hawaii tourists. Within the past year, Oahu and Kauai suffered massive sewage spills resulting from 40 days of torrential rains, an earthquake caused closures of national parks, beaches and trails...
Your Own Private Hawaiian Island -- A Cool $5 Mil
Since Captain Cook first landed at Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island, everyone has wanted a piece of Hawaii. The Brits, French, Russians and Americans dueled for it during the 19th century. The Missionary ruling elite figured out a way...
Surf Watch: Going Up, Up, Up
High surf advisory in effect for most of the state. With fairly light trades blowing, could be some good tow-in weather on Maui, Kauai and Oahu. Ask at surf shops for best spot to go watch -- there are...
Hawaii Travel News: Weekend Links
Here's a roundup of interesting links. Hawaii Hotels Running Over 80% Full: Pacific Business News Kailua, Hawaii among Top 10 2007 Destinations for Trip Advisor: But Oahu or Big Island? Which Kailua? Four Seasons Hualalai one of two hotels in...
More Earthquake Aftermath: Little Makena Closed
The state Deparment of Land and Natural Resources has closed Little Beach in the Makena district of Maui, Maui News reports., after a landslide hit the beach area. Cinder cones that form the hill between Little and Big Beaches are...
Hawaii Hotel News: Jean-Michel says "Oui"! Jacques' Widow says "Non!" to Big Island mega-project
The claws have come out again in a long-simmering family dispute over the Cousteau name, this time over a massive 1,500 unit condominium eco-project proposed by Jean-Michel Cousteau for the lush but lonely Punaluu District of the Big Island. Jean-Michel's...
Earthquake Update: Road to Hana Hammered
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin is reporting that Maui County has shut a two-lane bridge just past Hana town but before the Seven Sacred Pools in Haleakala National Park, which is part of the park's the Kipahulu District. The county estimates...
Earthquake Update: ER Comm Breakdown?
We're still all sorting out what went wrong with Oahu's emergency response during the quake and it appears there was plenty (even though the quake did no real damage on Oahu). On that day, someone in my family was ill...
Maui Slides to #2 in Conde Nast "Most Popular Islands" Poll
The Valley Isle, the perennial holder of the top spot in CNT's annual reader poll for top islands, was displaced by the Maldives. Of course, being second best in the world is hardly something to complain about or be ashamed...
Earthquake Update: Mostly Back to Normal, Trail Closures
Almost all the hotels impacted are completely back to normal now. The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows reopened its top floor and now all its room are back in business. I am not certain about the ocean wing of...
Earthquake Update: Saving Your Hawaiian Vacation!
Just spoke to Sharon Sakai of the Kohala Coast Resort Association. She said that the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows had reopened its 4th and 5th floors, leaving only its top floor closed. The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel has...
Earthquake Update
Day two after the big quake. Some news filtering out. The bathroom debacle at the Honolulu International Airport, where electrically powered sewer-pumps failed, leaving stranded travelers without facilities for hours and hours, is causing major outcry. Not to self. Scout...
Quake Update: Hotels are All Open, Running But...
Kawaihae Boat Harbor, the primary freight harbor for the Kona Coast of the Big Island, suffered significant damage to its piers, according to West Hawaii Today. That could impact supplies flowing into the Big Island, although it would be possible...
It's Official: HVCB Says The Earthquake Barely Happened
Update: So this post got me a call from David Wilson, head of McNeil Wilson and the top spinmeister for HVCB. Apparently, the damage to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was so minimal that county inspectors already passed the structure...
More Info On Earthquake Damage
This from Sharon Sakai at Kohala Coast Resort Association. More later. "...every hotel property is open for business (Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, The Fairmont Orchid, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, Hilton Waikoloa Village, Waikoloa Beach...
More Information Coming: Hawaii Earthquake
The office of Governor Linda Lingle will be releasing more information later this afternoon. I'm hoping for a list from someone. What I'm hearing is that damage on Big Island is perhaps more serious than people initially let one. A...
Big Island Earthquake Update: Part 3
Here's a tenative list of damaged hotels. Some may prove to be very minor but definitely check before you check in. One other consideration. One of the two hospitals in West Hawaii has suffered some fairly serious damage. I'll keep...
Earthquake Update
I've been trying to reach the Big Island Visitor Bureau and the Kona Kohala Coast Resort Assocation to get updates on the hotels. Have not been able to get calls through. Apparently, all flights are on schedule. But am starting...
Big Island Earthquake Update
Most of you have probably read about the quake that hit Hawaii yesterday. It was relatively minor for most of the islands but has had some serious impact on the Big Island and on the Kona (western) side of the...
News Flash: Turtle Bay Expansion Gets OK
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin is reporting that a massive new resort development at Turtle Bay has gotten tentative approval from the City & County of Honolulu. This is going to be an extremely contentious issue as a vocal faction opposes the...
NEWS FLASH -- Hotel Strike Averted for Hilton/Sheraton in Waikiki
Just got a note from Cade Watanabe of UniteHere Local 5. The union just reached a tentative settlement with management over contentious contract for hotel workers at some of the biggest hotels in Waikiki (the four Sheratons and the Hilton...
Strike Update: Four Sheratons in Waikiki, Hilton Hawaiian Village
I spoke to Cade Watanabe from Unite Here Local 5 this afternoon about the ongoing contract negotiations affecting the four Sheraton hotels in Waikiki and the Hilton Hawaiian Village. These are some of the largest hotels in Hawaii and they...
News Flash: Hotel Workers OK Strike
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin is reporting that hotel workers in Honolulu just OKd a strike. This woudl happen only if the contentious contract negotiations going on right now grind to a halt and workers decide to walk off. I'd say a...
