Waikiki Parc Hotel has chic renovation plans
The Waikiki Parc Hotel, less-expensive sister of the luxe Halekulani hotel, is slated for an overhaul later this year aimed at turning it into "the chicest address in Waikiki," its parent company said yesterday.
The epicenter of the changes to the Waikiki Parc is the addition of a signature restaurant from world-renowned celebrity chef Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa. The restaurant, to be called Nobu Waikiki, will be the first Hawaii location for the popular chain of neo-Japanese cuisine.
The other changes, to be made in several phases throughout 2006, are designed to establish it as an urban oasis that caters to the trendy crowd, said Erika Kauffman, public relations director for the Halekulani Corp., which has owned and operated the Halekulani since 1917 and created the Waikiki Parc in 1987.
The work will include a contemporary and artistic redesign of the hotel entryway, lobby, guest rooms, front desk and concierge station. Kauffman declined to disclose the total cost of the changes.
The build-out of Nobu Waikiki will begin in June, shortly after the hotel shuts down its 71-employee food-and-beverage department, including the Parc Café and Kacho restaurants. The company said affected employees would be given the opportunity to transfer to the nearby Halekulani, priority rights to interview for positions at Nobu Waikiki or a severance package.
Completion of the new 7,500-square-foot restaurant is slated for December, said Peter Shaindlin, chief operating officer of Halekulani.
The Halekulani Corp.'s reinvestment in the Waikiki Parc Hotel is in sync with the continuing repositioning of Waikiki, which includes the $350 million Outrigger Beach Walk project on Lewers Street, the $96 million upgrade of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, refurbishment of the International Marketplace and upmarketing of nearly ever hotel chain of significant size.