Big Island Hotel Changes Hands to Local Owners

Some exciting news from the Big Island: Daryle Kitamori, general manager of the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, has confirmed that, after 20 years of foreign and off-island ownership, the hotel has been sold for $17.3 million by CarVal Investors to a local hui put together by Castle Resorts & Hotels. The new local ownership group consists of the RAM Corporation, local attorney Rick Fried and Castle Resorts & Hotels.

Castle Resorts & Hotels has managed the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel for over 20 years. Castle will continue managing the Hilo Hawaiian under a multi-year management agreement and has stated the sale will have no impact on the current operations of the hotel.

The previous owners had hired Ramsfield Hospitality Finance to manage  improvements in upgrading the hotel's meeting and banquet facilities as well as renovating its Queen's Court Restaurant over the past 12 months. Alan Mattson, president and COO of Castle Resorts & Hotels, said that "The hotel is navigating through this economic downturn in good shape and continues to be the premier accommodation in Hilo today. We're pleased to be in a position to take the hotel to the next stage of development and bring the ownership back under local control."

Visit www.castleresorts.com.