The Ilikai Hotel officially reopened yesterday after a two-week shutdown, with relieved employees and just a dozen reservations on the books for Day 1.

That's the word from hotel general manager Ike Cockett, who said about 50 workers began returning to work Thursday to prep for yesterday's opening.

"Today at 8 o'clock, all of the employees reported for work, from engineers to housekeeping and everyone in between," Cockett said.

He wasn't surprised that things are quiet at first. At the start of the day, the employees outnumbered the guests.

"Any time you close and start up, it's always a bit of a slow start."

However, Cockett said, hotel projections under new manager Aqua estimate up to 50 percent occupancy by the end of the month, within a week's time.

"When you close the hotel abruptly, it takes a few days, if not a couple weeks or months," he said.

Owner iStar Financial closed the 203-unit hotel July 9, but company subsidiary SFI Ilikai Property Owner decided to reopen the hotel after reaching agreement with the hotel workers' union.

iStar had taken ownership of the hotel portion from developer Brian Anderson's Anekona Development through a foreclosure suit filed in August 2008 after Anekona defaulted on the loan.

Cockett said staff are optimistic that guests will return as they learn the hotel is open and operating under new management by a subsidiary of Aqua Hotels & Resorts.

Aqua vice president of development Bill Henderson said he expects the hotel to be able to build back up in the coming weeks and months after a tumultuous period.

The Ilikai, built in 1964 by developer Chinn Ho, was designed to be part residential condominium and part hotel.

The building earned a place in pop culture history in the opening credits of the long-running TV show "Hawaii Five-0."

At first, the hotel won't look much different, Cockett said, but he hopes guests will find more of a boutique experience and traditional Hawaiian values in their stay.

He said one of the first guests to check in at 12:15 yesterday plans to stay until the end of the year.