Hawaii Travel Blog

Hawaii 5-0 Landmark Hotel Housekeeping Cutbacks

Made famous in the 1960’s by Hawaii 5-O, the Ilikai Hotel has long been a presence in Waikiki. However the property has been getting a lot of

unwanted attention with labor issues as low occupancy spurs housekeeping cutbacks. Starting April 1^st, the hotel is drastically reducing its

housekeeping forces. Occupancy at the Waikiki property is expected to fall between 30% and 40% in April and May, according to general manager

Teri Orton. Orton said that the cuts are temporary. The hotel workers’ union fears the cuts are essentially layoffs to almost two-thirds of the

unionized housekeeping staff.

The property was purchased in July 206 for $218 million by a local company named Anekona with ambitious plans to reposition the Ilikai into an

upscale condominium hotel. The changes have been met with resistance by the condo owners as they fear many of his proposed changes will harm

the old-Hawaii-character of the hotel. After at least six months of delays, the estimated cost has been $5 million. The developers expect major

renovations to begin this fall, with the Ilikai’s grand reopening scheduled for late 2009.