Primed and polished with a new look

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Travel Editor

Completely refurbished in 2003, the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach is in the heart of Waikiki, right on Kalakaua Avenue. Outrigger Hotel photo

Sausalita "Sassie" Visayan of Mililani is among those who have housed family members there for special occasions, and she and her husband stayed there for a couple of nights on their fifth anniversary. "We always liked it because they're friendly, it's right on the beach, Duke's is always fun and we have a tradition of going to see SOS once a year with my mom and dad."

So Visayan's eyes about popped out of her head the other day when she went to meet a friend for dinner at the new Hula Grill and saw the results of the hotel's $20 million renovation for the first time. "Wow!" she said, looking around at the custom taro leaf-print carpet, the round koa tables and ornate staircase that connects Duke's to Hula Grill, the lighted cabinets full of museum-quality Hawaiian artifacts. "I love it. I thought I came into the Moana by mistake!"

That "Wow!" is exactly what the hotel had in mind, said Kimberly Agas, vice president of operations for Outrigger Waikiki Beachfront Hotels. The hotel, she said, has many repeat guests who return for the friendly employees, the cultural programs, the good value. But they wanted to grab folks from the moment they walked in the door.

The project was indeed designed to move the hotel a bit farther into high-end territory, said Agas, who is also Waikiki on the Beach hotel manager, but equally at the forefront was a determination to emphasize the hotel's sense of place and keep it rooted in Island ways and local-friendly. "What we wanted to do was embody the story line of this place in the property," said Agas, noting that the hotel had worked with the late Hawaiian cultural consultant George S. Kanahele. "We researched and developed our mo'olelo (story)."

Lobby mural

In the newly-renovated lobby, guests are greeted at the sit-down check-in desk in front of the outrigger-canoe mural that has become the hotel's trademark. Outrigger Hotel photo

Taro leaves, lauhala weaving and traditional tattoo motifs are interwoven in eye-catching carpets in the public areas. Taro-leaf carvings adorn the door of every guest room, and the warm wood of a new staircase that allows access to the second-floor lobby from the makai end of the first-floor public areas. Rug-style wall hangings occupy the back walls of the elevators, so that the images of plumeria, monstera and red torch ginger are dramatically framed for a moment when the elevator doors slide open.

The new lobby design offers better views of two artworks that have long been in the hotel's possession. A Herb Kane mural of the voyaging canoe Hokule'a arriving off Diamond Head occupies a wall just above a glass-topped star compass table showing the Hawaiian sky and giving the names of the stars. Even more striking is a Carol Bennett mural of outrigger-canoe paddlers shooting down a wave. It used to be obscured by a post but now sits above the reception desk and is so lifelike that the canoe appears to be ready to shoot right out of the wall.

An ocean-front king room in the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach. All rooms have 27-inch TVs, refrigerators two phone lines and at least some ocean view. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

But procedures are in place to avoid that: There's a stand-up desk around the corner for overflow. A roving "Aloha Ambassador" answers questions for guests and takes care of quick requests that would otherwise clog up the reception desk.

And because the hotel does a large repeat business, many guests are recognized upon arrival. On a busy day, these guests may be escorted up to their rooms without check-in. "We have the bellman let them in and tell them to come back downstairs and do the paperwork after the rush, when they've had a chance to freshen up," said Agas.

A Kamehameha Schools graduate who started with Outrigger part time as a college student, Agas was a prime mover in the renovation, along with vice president of property services Dave Lee. The idea originally came under discussion in early 2001, but went on hold for a bit after Sept. 11. However, Agas argued that the slow time after the terrorist attacks was the ideal time to be doing renovations because the hotel could afford to take rooms out of service. Work began in 2002 and continues with a new spa being built on the top floor.

Agas, who was promoted from general manager to vice president recently, continues to oversee the hotel but now is turning her attention to the nearby Outrigger Reef, where a face-lift also is in the works.

'Ohana oriented

A taro-leaf motif is part of the new renovations throughout Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach. Outrigger Hotel photo

Agas says she's still at Outrigger after 20 years because the hotel is 'ohana-oriented: It was founded by a family, it treats its employees like family, and employees in turn treat guests like family, she said. The entire employee "family" was invited to make suggestions about how to improve the hotel in the course of the remodeling, and one result is a row of bright, new surfboard racks that line the walkway to the beach on the first floor.

"This was Robert's idea, our bell captain, Robert Uchida," said public-relations director MaryLou Hata Foley. "He told us that we end up storing a lot of boards for our guests, plus wrestling with boards all over the hotel. Wouldn't it be great if we could put them in secure racks?" He went the extra mile and researched rack construction and sourcing, and the tall structures actually ended up adding a bit of color and flavor to the otherwise mundane pathway. "It's that kind of interactivity that's so great. Everyone's ideas are listened to, and many were incorporated in the final product," said Foley.

Jacuzzi with view

A quick look at several rooms revealed that the old-Hawai'i theme — Kumulipo meets Don Blandings meets Tommy Bahama — continues in decor on the guest floors, with lots of leafy prints, muted greens everywhere, hula-girl lamps and original art by local artists ranging from Lynn Cook to Peggy Chun. All rooms are equipped with 27-inch TVs, refrigerators and two phone lines, and all have some ocean view. Fifteen rather undistinguished ocean-front rooms got a special makeover when the walls between the bedrooms and bathrooms were torn down and a Jacuzzi bath installed. Sitting in it, you can look out the lanai window; when you want privacy, curtains can be drawn between bedroom and bath. The rooms are compact, as you'd expect from a Waikiki property.

One addition likely to attract locals is the new Hula Grill on the lobby level next to Chuck's Steak House. Operated by TS Restaurants, which runs Duke's downstairs, this is a quieter, more genteel alternative, offering breakfast and dinner daily, vintage Hawai'i decor and ocean views.

	The Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach is in the heart of Waikïkï, between the ocean and Kaläkaua Avenue, directly across from the International Market Place. Outrigger Hotel photo
	A soak in a Jacuzzi tub can be enjoyed with a view of the ocean or curtained off for privacy in the hotel’s ocean-front rooms. Outrigger Hotel photo
	A hula-girl lamp continues the old-Hawai'i theme throughout the hotel rooms, along with original art from Island artists. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser