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| Tim Powell, vice president and managing director of development, Southwest Region for Hilton Worldwide |
Although we are still about a year away before we see Hilton Worldwide’s Hilton Garden Inn brand (HGI) debut in Hawaii in the form of two hotels, one on Kauai and another in Waikiki, Oahu, Travel Agent already got the skinny on where the brand would like to be next on the Aloha State.
Travel Agent spoke Tuesday afternoon with Tim Powell, vice president and managing director of development, Southwest Region for Hilton Worldwide, who told us he would like to see Hilton Garden Inn’s presence grow in Hawaii long after its first two properties there open in the first quarter of 2016, and that’s great news for clients looking for more affordable hotels in Hawaii.
“We are always looking and an HGI on Maui would certainly make a ton of sense and the Big Island too,” Powell told Travel Agent. “We are not stopping or resting on our laurels. We will continue to talk and continue to develop. We would also like to see a couple of properties on Oahu.”
Powell did note that future expansions may also include other Hilton brands, such as DoubleTree by Hilton and Embassy Suites by Hilton. As for now, however, all of Hilton’s attention is on two new properties that Mullen expects to make an immediate impact in Hawaii, especially for the budget-conscious consumer.
Hilton Worldwide recently announced plans to open its first Hilton Garden Inn hotel on the island of Oahu, in the sought-after travel destination of Waikiki, a beachfront neighborhood of Honolulu, located on the island's south shore.
The 623-guestroom Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach will be managed by Evolution Hospitality and is on track to open early in 2016 after undergoing extensive renovations. This property will represent HGI’s largest hotel in the world, surpassing the nearly 300-room Hilton Garden Inn New York/West 35th Street, Powell says.
Located at 2330 Kuhio Avenue, Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach will be situated in the heart of Waikiki, two blocks from Waikiki Beach and within walking distance of many of the area’s most popular shopping, dining, and entertainment attractions.
“The property is the basically going to be the crown jewel of the Hilton Garden Inn brand,” says Powell, noting that Hawaii's first Saks Fifth Avenue will be located across the street. “This is for the traveler who loves to shop.”
Hilton also recently announced it signed an agreement to convert the Aston Aloha Beach Hotel in Kapaa, Kauai, into a Hilton Garden Inn. This Hilton Garden Inn Kauai/Wailua Bay is also slated to open in 2016.
“I equate the Hilton Garden Inn on Kauai to an Audubon Society destination with great beaches that are relatively deserted,” says Powell. “People go there for the Hawaii flora and fauna experience. They don't just hang on the beaches. They experience the lush tropical experience.”
The 216-room beachfront leasehold hotel is owned by Aloha Beach Partners LLC, a partnership led by Calfornia-based real estate investment firm DiNapoli Capital Partners.
“It’s kind of a friendly competition between the two hotels to see who could be ready first so they can be the first Hilton Garden Inn in Hawaii,” says Powell.
Visit www.hilton.com and keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for more updates on this story. Follow Travel Agent’s Joe Pike on Twitter @TravelPike.