Waikiki has already seen numerous "budget" hotels refurb'd and turned into condotels, thus crowding out budget travellers from staying in Waikiki.
It's starting to happen on Maui, too. First, Kapalua Hotel closed a couple of months ago and will be torn down and turned into an even more luxury resort with some hotel rooms but more condos.
Royal Lahaina (one of the first hotels in Ka'anapali) is also going to be refurb'd and turned into more condos.
Today, in the Maui News, there was a story about the Renaissance Wailea (one of the first resorts in South Maui) being turned into a condotel resort.
In a couple of ways, this is a good thing for Maui because old buildings are being torn down or rehabbed, so no more new land is being dedicated to vacation residences. On the other hand, it also means that budget tourists on Maui will have fewer options, although I'm sure many of the new units in Kapalua, Ka'anapali and Wailea will be owned by nonresidents and put back into the rental pool.
Miulang
It's starting to happen on Maui, too. First, Kapalua Hotel closed a couple of months ago and will be torn down and turned into an even more luxury resort with some hotel rooms but more condos.
Royal Lahaina (one of the first hotels in Ka'anapali) is also going to be refurb'd and turned into more condos.
Today, in the Maui News, there was a story about the Renaissance Wailea (one of the first resorts in South Maui) being turned into a condotel resort.
In a couple of ways, this is a good thing for Maui because old buildings are being torn down or rehabbed, so no more new land is being dedicated to vacation residences. On the other hand, it also means that budget tourists on Maui will have fewer options, although I'm sure many of the new units in Kapalua, Ka'anapali and Wailea will be owned by nonresidents and put back into the rental pool.
Miulang