A true Hawaii tourism hero died earlier this month. His name was Richard Wassman Kimi. He did not do a specific heroic thing, but what he did lastingly affected Hawaii tourism.
Back in the mid-1950s, Kimi, who lived in Hilo on the Big Island, noticed that the tourists who came to the island arrived on large ships or airplanes. That meant they had money and could afford fine accommodations. But the then-29-year-old noticed that there were very few affordable places to stay for local residents and neighbor-island residents who wanted to visit Hilo for a day or two.
In 1956, even though friends and experts told him he was crazy, Kimi built the 30-room Hotel Hukilau in Hilo. It was a small hotel, one of the first along Banyan Drive, which now is lined with East Hawaii’s largest hotels such as the Naniloa and Hilo Hawaiian.
The Hotel Hukilau was consistently packed, mostly with people who lived in the islands. Soon, budget-conscious visitors discovered that the rooms were nicely-furnished and clean, and that the service at the hotel was excellent. Realizing that his concept was working, Kimi went on to build the Hukilau and Seaside hotels in Kona (on the other side of the Big Island), on Maui, and on Kaua’i, and he would also purchase the old Waikiki Biltmore Hotel, now the site of the Hyatt Regency Waikiki.
Kimi never wanted to build large hotels. His objective was to serve local residents and budget-minded visitors. He was one of the first to put together air, room and car packages for residents, and he was a leader in taking reservations via fax machines and toll-free numbers.
He also enjoyed teaching and sharing his sales, marketing and business knowledge. One of his students was Robert Kiyosaki, author of the "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" books, who based his original "rich dad" on Kimi,.
Kimi, the visionary who pioneered the reasonably-priced “family” accommodations still available in Hawaii, died on December 19th in Honolulu. He was 83.
Posted by Jim Winpenny
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February 5th, 2009
When you vacation in Hawaii, you will discover taste awakenings that will surprise and delight you. The water in these islands is a little cleaner and fresher tasting than you may be accustomed to. The fresh fruits and vegetables are somehow more toothsome and the greens are greener and crispier than they tend to be on the mainland.
At breakfast, during breaks and at meals, coffee is available just about everywhere. (There are, for instance, more than 50 Starbucks locations in the state.) But don’t take the coffee for granted by simply ordering a cup of coffee. If Kona coffee is offered, by all means order it. By name. You’re going to love it. (Starbucks offers a house blend that contains 10% Kona coffee. That’s not "Kona" coffee.)
In the early 19th century, Don Francisco de Paula Y Marin, a Spaniard and King Kamehameha’s "right hand man" planted coffee on the island of Oahu, and John Wilkinson, an English agriculturist, acquired coffee plants in Brazil that were also planted on that island. Reverend Samuel Ruggles, an American missionary, took cuttings from the Oahu coffee plants to Kona on the Big Island. These cuttings were of a strain of the variety Coffee Arabica that originated in the high plateaus of Ethiopia, and it remains the product that is cultivated in Kona today.
Hawaii is the only U.S. state in which coffee is grown commercially, and Kona coffee remains truly rare. While there are more than 600 coffee farms in Kona, most are just 2 to 3 acres in size, and they’re in an area that’s perfect for the purpose.
Kona’s coffee-growing belt mimics other coffee-growing origins in a way that the rest of Hawaii does not. Kona faces the setting sun. It rests on the western slopes of the of Hualalai and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Kona is sheltered by the mountains from the northeasterly trade winds that dominate the climate of the rest of the state. The Kona mountain rains fall from clouds borne on local sea breezes. The Kona district receives most of its rain in the summer. That replicates the seasons in most of the world’s coffee-growing lands. The clouds that bring the afternoon rains waft upslope, sheltering the coffee from the worst heat of the summer days. Coffee is cultivated only between the altitudes of 800 and 2500 feet. The main coffee belt is scarcely more than a mile wide,because of the steepness of the mountain slopes. Tricky stuff, yes? No wonder Kona coffee is so rare and so special!
Hawaii’s sundry stores, gift and souvenir shops, grocery and drug stores all are well stocked with Kona coffee, which has become one of the most popular gifts vacationers send and take back home for family and friends. (Yes, it will taste just as good in your own home coffee maker.)
But while you’re here, be sure to specify Kona coffee whenever you’re dining out. You may, in fact, find that the coffee maker in your Hawaii hotel room is re-stocked with Kona coffee every day. If that’s the case, lucky you.
Posted by Jim Winpenny
Related blogs:
Hawaii’s Big Island Beaches & Parks
Two extremes in Hawaii History
Related Video:
Kona Coffee Festival
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December 30th, 2008
Narrowing down your Hawaii vacation destination is even more difficult than it may seem to be at first. Most people try to decide which island – or islands – they think would appeal to them most.
The problem is that, except for little Molokai and Lanai, each of the islands actually has three or more distinctly different areas within their beaches.
On Oahu, Waikiki – on the south shore – is where the action is, and it’s close to most of the island’s other attractions. On the north shore, Turtle Bay is a full-blown resort near “Old Hawaii,” those humongous winter waves and the quaint little town of Haleiwa. Ko Olina is a newer, sprawling, self-contained resort area well west of Honolulu in leeward Oahu.
On the north shore of Kauai, the beautiful Hanalei and Princeville area is quiet and scenic with nice resorts. The south shore has Poipu and a whole bunch of ritzy resorts with all kinds of things to do. On the east shore, the town of Lihue is the island’s business and population center, with good accommodations that are convenient to most of Kauai’s spectacular attractions.
Maui is said to be two islands. West Maui has Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kapalua and those spectacular resorts. The island’s larger portion contains the rustic Upcountry, the mammoth Haleakala crater and the Waimea resort area. Way to the east, the fantastic Hana area is an isolated destination unto itself.
The Big Island is generally divided into the Hilo side – the east – and the Kona side – the west. But it’s far more than that. On the Kona side, the coast is lined with one spectacular resort after another, and farther inland is ranch country in the rural areas of Waimea and Kamuela, the majestic Mauna Kea and the world’s most powerful telescopes. The Hilo side is far less touristy, but that’s where you’ll find Volcanoes National Park and the amazing lava flows.
As you can see, there’s a lot to consider beyond a choice of islands. The best thing to do is pick an agent from our website and begin a relationship (No obligation, of course). Our agents all are experts in Hawaii – have lived here and can guide you with passion and professionalism. Or, if you prefer, call 1-800-843-8771.
Posted by Jim Winpenny
November 26th, 2008
We blogged a few weeks ago about a Indianapolis-based Republic Airways was planning to form a partnership with Kailua-Kona-based Mokulele Airlines in order to provide more passenger seats for Hawaii’s interisland travelers and to create competition for Hawaiian Airlines in the market.
Well, they’ve done it, spurring hopes for lower fares and more options. Starting November 19th, Mokulele will begin flying 14 flights a day between Honolulu and Lihue, Kauai, and between Honolulu and Kailua, Kona, using 70-seat Embraer E170 jets operated by Republic. Service to Maui and Hilo is to start in January.
Republic Airways also will provide $150 million in financing, which will include a line of credit and spare engine parts for the new service.
It’s expected that some 200 of the employees who were laid off when Aloha Airlines folded will now be hired by Mokulele.
If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, this could be good news for you, too. Maybe prices will be more favorable for interisland travel, and we now have more options for booking convenient travel arrangements for you.
November 18th, 2008
