Halekulani Forges Alliance with Japan's Imperial Hotel
HONOLULU, HI, January 9, 2009 - Halekulani Corporation is pleased to announce a new partnership alliance with Japan's legendary luxury hotel group, Imperial Hotel, LTD of Tokyo. The alliance creates an exciting new synergy and an expanded service platform for these legendary hotel companies, providing new levels of enhancements to their brands. Halekulani Corporation, which includes globally-acclaimed luxury resort Halekulani and Waikiki Parc Hotel, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. The announcement was made by Peter Shaindlin, Chief Operating Officer of Halekulani Corporation and Mr. Tetsuya Kobayashi, President of Imperial Hotel, Ltd., Tokyo.
Halekulani and Imperial Hotel are highly respected independent international iconic brands and pioneers in the global hospitality industry. Both hotel groups share similar service philosophies, and maintain a legacy of unwavering commitment to brand excellence and decades-old historic and cultural traditions. Both are acclaimed for innovative and personalized world-class service for their loyal international guests and patrons.
Hawaiian hotel buffs will know Halekulani began its existence in the year 1917as a casual, family-owned Hawaiian style resort on enviable prime property on the now world famous beach at Waikiki, offering guests not only an unrivaled surfside setting but an inviting, homelike ambiance in a series of airy, low rise buildings. The management of Halekulani, which means "house befitting heaven" in Hawaiian, characteristically both fostered and featured traditional Hawaiian culture and authentic local hospitality. The resort was eventually acquired by Japanese interests and closed in 1981 for two years, when the original buildings were demolished and rebuilt, partially in their original style, in a restrained, tasteful complex of what is now 453 guestrooms, and featuring sumptuous continental dining at its elegant new La Mer dining room overlooking the Pacific. Halekulani has since drawn the justified attention of discerning world travelers and is currently thought by many to be the hotel of choice on Waikiki Beach.
"Imperial Hotel shares many core service values with Halekulani", said Peter Shaindlin of Halekulani Corporation. "As such, the unprecedented alliance with this iconic brand will significantly provide enhanced levels of service for our (Hawaii-based) hotels, especially to our many valued and loyal Japanese guests. The profiles of the Halekulani and Imperial customer complement each other, and this partnership will create infinite marketing opportunities for both our brands, including the enrichment of our customer base. Imperial's marketing strength within Japan will ensure our continued presence in our most valuable Japan market."
Effective April 1, 2009, Imperial Hotel will commence reservations service, sales, marketing and public relations activities within domestic Japan for Halekulani and Waikiki Parc Hotel. The Tokyo-based reservations center will provide Halekulani and Waikiki Parc customers, Imperial Club members, and other Japan and international clientele with dedicated priority reservations service on behalf of Halekulani and Waikiki Parc Hotel. Planning is underway for future alliance opportunities to include joint marketing and promotions in Tokyo and Hawaii.
The Imperial's president Tetsuya Kobayashi said, "The Imperial is delighted to be able to introduce the internationally acclaimed Halekulani resort and the Waikiki Parc to our many Japanese patrons. With over a century of experience on both sides, the power of our shared professional human resources and our mutual spirit of hospitality to guests from around the world, we have in common a history of a superior quality of hotel industry culture. We anticipate our lengthy and diverse experience with urban hotels will dovetail most effectively with Halekulani's proven expertise as a leading resort and look forward to exploring opportunities for personnel development exchanges and cultural promotions that should strongly compliment both of our corporate brands and market place identities."
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