A couple of years ago the Halekulani Corp. revealed plans to renovate its budget-friendly property. But the project never began, with no explanation given. But now, the hotelier states the Waikiki Parc Hotel renovation still a go.
Background
Originally built in 1987, the Waikiki Parc Hotel is a small, 297-room hotel in central Waikiki. It is owned and operated by the Halekulani Corporation, who’s namesake luxury hotel is across the street from the Parc. Unlike its sister property, though, the 22-story Parc has somewhat dated facilities. In fact, the last renovation occurred in 2006. And at that time, the hotel welcomed chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s first Hawaii restaurant, updated the lobby, and gave the guestrooms a light refresh.
That last refresh gave the lobby a modern flare with mood lighting,but most of the renovation was merely putting lipstick on a pig. Don’t get me wrong, for the price and location, the Waikiki Parc is fine and represents a good value. But much of the hotel still looks like it’s stuck in the 80’s. And, of course, the bathrooms are claustrophobic.
Plus in the past couple of years, Nobu’s Waikiki relocated to Ward Village’s Waiea luxury tower and became Nobu’s Honolulu. And in its place, Leahi Test Kitchen set up shop, though even that is a temporary arrangement. The restaurant, as its name suggests, literally is a test kitchen for the Culinary Institute of the Pacific’s upcoming restaurant on its campus.
Waikiki Parc Renovation is Still a Go
As previously reported, the Waikiki Parc’s renovation project should have begun in October 2016. However, the start date came and went without explanation. But earlier this year, a report by the Pacific Business News confirms that the property owners still intend to move forward with the project. Whether or not the renovation plans remain the same, however, remains to be seen. In fact, the reason for the delay is still unknown, too. More information is forthcoming and should be made available towards the end of 2017. To date, though, no updates have been provided yet.
As you may recall, the focus of the renovation was a significant restructuring of the property’s rooms. The rebuild would see the property see the current 297 rooms transformed into 126 one and two-bedroom suites. Likewise, the lobby, facade, roof-top terrace, and eighth-floor pool would receive attention.
Waikiki Parc Hotel Renovation Still a Go, Final Thoughts
It’s great to see the Waikiki Parc get the attention it needs. Especially since a similar hotel, the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani will also be undergoing its own transformation. Should the Waikiki Parc project proceed as originally proposed, though, it means another budget-friendly property will be moved upmarket. So while I look forward to seeing what changes a renovation will bring to the Parc, it’ll be sad to see yet another decent, affordable option disappear with it.
But that seems to be the norm in Waikiki these days. If a property receives a deep renovation, it normally means, at a minimum, a hefty price increase. While mild refreshes, such as at the Courtyard Waikiki, usually results in a moderate price increase. And, of course, properties that choose to attempt to keep prices down will usually receive little to no work.