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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, January 14, 2009

BUSINESS BRIEFS
W hotel gets new name, management

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

The Lotus at Diamond Head is the new name of the former W Honolulu-Diamond Head. The 51-room boutique hotel also has new management.

Castle Resorts & Hotels

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Castle Resorts & Hotels has taken over management of the former W Honolulu-Diamond Head and renamed it The Lotus at Diamond Head.

The 51-room boutique hotel was previously managed by Starwood Hotels.

"We will be repositioning and rebranding the hotel that will include an enhancement and refining of the hotel product and services over the next several months," said Alan Mattson, chief operating officer and president of Castle Resorts & Hotels.

Castle Resorts & Hotels was founded in 1994 and is a subsidiary of The Castle Group Inc.


HVCB RECEIVES MAGAZINE AWARD

The Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau was named Best Tourism Bureau Overall in the "Destinations" category of Agent@Home magazine's 2008 Readers' Choice Awards.

It was the second year in a row that the magazine honored the Hawai'i agency. The awards are based on votes received from travel agents nationwide.

"We're honored to receive this award from Agent@Home, especially since it reflects the views of the travel trade professionals who rely on our services to help sell Hawai'i vacations," said John Monahan, HVCB's president and CEO.

The program was started to give Agent@Home readers an opportunity to recognize the travel suppliers and destinations that they felt best support their home-based businesses


BOYD CEO NAMED TO FED BANK BOARD

Keith Smith, president and chief executive officer of Boyd Gaming Corp., an owner of Las Vegas gaming hotels popular with Hawai'i residents, has been named to the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's Los Angeles branch.

Smith and six other directors on the branch board will help provide economic information that's used in monetary policy decisions. Smith is also vice chairman of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Smith joined Boyd Gaming Corp. as corporate controller in 1990. He was promoted to executive vice president of operations in 1998 and to chief operating officer in 2001.


FINANCE FACTORS OPENING IN CHINATOWN

Finance Factors said it will open a new branch in Chinatown on Friday. The Chinatown branch at 102A N. King St. is Finance Factors' 13th in Hawai'i.

Branch hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.

Finance Factors also said it plans to open its 14th branch in Manoa later this year.