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All the affordable Waikiki hotel rooms disappearing

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  • All the affordable Waikiki hotel rooms disappearing

    More and more of the "budget" priced hotel rooms in the Waikiki area are either being torn down or converted into condos. This does not bode well for the budget traveler who wants to visit Honolulu. Well, maybe Honolulu doesn't want riff raff like me, who the last time I stayed in Honolulu 3 years ago found a hotel room for $69/night. That hotel on Hobron was supposed to be converted to moderately priced units for the elderly, I thought, but the last I heard they were being converted into condo units that anyone could buy.

    Miulang

    http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../bz/bz03p.html
    http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../bz/bz01p.html
    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

  • #2
    Re: All the affordable Waikiki hotel rooms disappearing

    Originally posted by Miulang
    More and more of the "budget" priced hotel rooms in the Waikiki area are either being torn down or converted into condos.

    It's a sad trend:
    all the hotels along lewers and the waikikian... all these lowlying cool looking 40's to 60's hotels instill an old feel here and retain views of what people come here for.
    All these could be renovated and made available for the budget traveler But the tourist "authority" and the HVCB as well as all the chains want the highend visitor. They want more of these visitors who spend more per day than budget travelers, to be packed in tight in less square footage which means identifying the older buidlings as underused land and outdated structures, justifying the destruction of any and every bit of open space and erecting a 35 story "tower", ...soon Waikiki will resemble a tunnel; all ocean, mountain, sky views gone.
    All this helps ramp up the concrete industry, leading to things like the concrete delivery ship running aground, which destroyed much coral and a large part of the reef system. It also paved a swath of concrete on the sea floor.
    What accountability?
    Last edited by kimo55; February 12, 2005, 08:58 AM.

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    • #3
      Re: All the affordable Waikiki hotel rooms disappearing

      The "condo-tel" concept appears to be accelerating in downtown Honolulu. While this does mean the rehabbing of some pretty shabby old hotels, it also means that there are a lot of people out there (in Hawai'i) too who are buying these things up for speculative purposes, which only increases the pressure on affordable housing.

      I own a timeshare up here with exchange privileges all over the world, so I suppose I could exchange a couple of weeks for a room in Waikiki. Problem is, I don't want to spend an entire week in Waikiki!

      Miulang

      http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../bz/bz02a.html
      "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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      • #4
        Re: All the affordable Waikiki hotel rooms disappearing

        It seems like this trend is happening almost everywhere Up here in the North it is getting worse month by month and last winter when we were on the Big Island, the prices there seemed to be going up also. The only place where it did not seem to rise too much was the HOVE area.....
        Always dreaming about Hawai'i ... :cool: :) :D :eek:

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        • #5
          Ilikai Hotel to have 80 timeshare units

          In a further move to turn most of the available Waikiki hotel rooms into "condotels", the Shell Vacation Club is converting 80 units in the Ilikai into timeshares. Granted, 80 units out of 1,000 is a drop in the bucket, but it's just another sign that Waikiki is going upscale in a hurry.

          Miulang
          "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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          • #6
            Re: All the affordable Waikiki hotel rooms disappearing

            This isn't limited to Hawai'i or to budget hotels-the Plaza Hotel in NYC is planning on converting most of its rooms to condos. The NY City Council has proposed a bill which would limit condos to no more than 20% of a hotel's rooms.

            http://www.hotelinteractive.com/hi_i...rticle_id=4278

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            • #7
              Re: All the affordable Waikiki hotel rooms disappearing

              from what i've read about the hilton's construction, they actually changed the plans to lessen the impact on the view from existing buildings. and outrigger's new beachwalk project actually increases the open space in that particular area on lewers.

              what about the local residents who turn their houses into bed-n-breakfasts? they're taking away from the laid-back feel in neighborhoods like aikahi, lanikai and kaaawa, while adding to traffic problems and increased wear and tear on popular attractions.

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              • #8
                Re: All the affordable Waikiki hotel rooms disappearing

                Originally posted by eritouma
                The only place where it did not seem to rise too much was the HOVE area.....
                I understand a few homeowners in the Hawaii Ocean View Estates have even tried the B&B set-up on their properties, though I haven't heard how much success they've had.

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                • #9
                  Re: All the affordable Waikiki hotel rooms disappearing

                  Another one bites the dust in Waikiki. The Outrigger Hotel is tearing down 2 buildings in order to erect a new highrise tower that will sell 300-400 fee simple condos rather than the original 890 hotel rooms that were planned. Some of the penthouse condos will probably sell for more than a million dollars.

                  I guess Waikiki will soon just be a playground for the rich and famous; bargain travelers will have to go somewhere else...maybe to another island...instead of stopping in Honolulu.

                  Miulang
                  "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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                  • #10
                    Donald Trump to make his mark on Honolulu

                    Originally posted by Miulang
                    Another one bites the dust in Waikiki. The Outrigger Hotel is tearing down 2 buildings in order to erect a new highrise tower that will sell 300-400 fee simple condos rather than the original 890 hotel rooms that were planned. Some of the penthouse condos will probably sell for more than a million dollars.

                    I guess Waikiki will soon just be a playground for the rich and famous; bargain travelers will have to go somewhere else...maybe to another island...instead of stopping in Honolulu.

                    Miulang
                    Well, Honolulu citizens, brace yourselves for the onslaught of rich and famous neighbors who will be moving in once this development has been completed. Donald Trump's name will grace your skyline. Aren't you thrilled to pieces? You're going to start looking like Atlantic City...the only thing missing will be the casinos...maybe you guys should allow casino gambling, too. That way Mel could get his wish of no new taxes because only people who frequent casinos would be "taxed". Hey! Just thought of another bonus: locals wouldn't have to go allllll the way to Vegas to gamble if there were casinos in Honolulu! And neighbor islanders can just hop on that ol Superferry and make it a "Las Vegas" weekend in Honolulu! Keep all the money from locals in Hawai'i...what a concept.

                    Miulang
                    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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                    • #11
                      Re: Donald Trump to make his mark on Honolulu

                      Keep my name out of your damn posts.
                      I'm still here. Are you?

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                      • #12
                        Re: Donald Trump to make his mark on Honolulu

                        Originally posted by mel
                        Keep my name out of your damn posts.
                        Mel, I was just trying to help you out. You're the one who has "No New Taxes" as a siggy.

                        Miulang
                        "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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                        • #13
                          Re: All the affordable Waikiki hotel rooms disappearing

                          Following up on my suggestion about Hawai'i allowing casino gambling...if the Akaka Bill is passed and the kanaka maoli are treated the same way the Native Americans have been treated, it would be their right to establish casinos (we've got 'em all over the place...most of the tribes up here have casinos) and since they're exempt from taxes, any money they make goes back to the tribes. What the tribes have done with the profits is poured it back into their communities...to increase the education and health standards of their members.

                          So if the kanaka maoli were able to open up their own casino, there would be more jobs for them, and the profits could go back to them to help them get better housing and more opportunities, which would also help the State because then more tourists would want to come to Hawai'i, more locals would stay home to gamble and the kanaka maoli would have to rely less on the State for support.

                          Miulang
                          "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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                          • #14
                            Re: Donald Trump to make his mark on Honolulu

                            Originally posted by Miulang
                            Mel, I was just trying to help you out. You're the one who has "No New Taxes" as a siggy.

                            Miulang
                            The way I see it, using my name is one of the ways you people want to force me into your thread. There are some threads that I don't want to be a part of... but now that I have been dragged here.....

                            1. I am against the Akaka bill, even though I am part Hawaiian.

                            Why? Because it establishes yet another government. We don't need another government within our government structure to further regulate our lives and take more of our money.

                            2. Morally I am against gambling and don't gamble myself.

                            In the socialist state of Hawaii, the chances of taxes completely going away or adopting a Las Vegas model where gambling pays for most of the state or county costs, is virtually nil. The politicians we have cemented into place will only see gambling as an ADDITIONAL revenue stream and will never offer us less taxes.

                            Hawaii is one of two states in the union that has zero gambling. It should remain that way forever unless all income and general excise taxes are totally eliminated and gambling carries the entire burden that these taxes now take.

                            Don't troll me Miulang.

                            I'm still here. Are you?

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                            • #15
                              Re: Donald Trump to make his mark on Honolulu

                              Originally posted by mel
                              Don't troll me Miulang.

                              You are officially on my ignore list now.

                              Mahalo.
                              "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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