The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach recently unveiled an $82 million renovation of its ‘Ewa Tower — its first major overhaul in partnership with unit owners since the property opened nearly a decade ago.
The company is in the planning stages of launching a slightly less costly renovation on the property’s second, smaller Diamond Head Tower, which is tentatively slated to begin sometime over the next 12 to 18 months. The Ritz-Carlton also is creating new activities for its oldest Hawaii property, The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, and is investing in Ritz-Carlton branded amenities and in food and beverage offerings at its newest Hawaii hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Turtle Bay, which became part of the luxury brand last year after it was purchased by Host Hotels &Resorts Inc.
Jon Kimball, market vice president, Hawaii and French Polynesia, said in an email to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “For decades, Marriott International has embraced a profound and enduring connection with the Hawaiian Islands especially through The Ritz-Carlton brand. With three distinctive hotels and resorts across the islands, each offering its own unique expression and personality, we are proud to have elevated the Ritz-Carlton’s footprint in Hawaii over the years.
“Our continued investment in Hawaii responds to the growing call of our discerning and passionate global guests for our iconic brand’s legendary service and exceptional product,” Kimball said.
In Waikiki, the 552-room Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach recently renovated its ‘Ewa Tower guest rooms, front desk, refurbished two infinity pools, and debuted three signature suites that are part of the the Ritz-Carlton suite collection.
The property is the largest of the 150 residence properties across the Ritz-Carlton brand. Some 300 of its residential units are in the rental pool for hotel use, including 210 that were renovated as part of the ‘Ewa Tower project and another 90 that are expected to undergo renovations during the coming Diamond Tower project.
Solera is replacing the property’s previous French-inspired fine-dining restaurant La Vie and now sits in the property’s eighth-floor, open-air dining room, which offers views of Waikiki’s skyline and the Pacific Ocean. The G. Lion Hawaii concept features Hawaii regional cuisine with a global twist and a focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Mike Kass, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, said the renovation was completed ahead of next year’s tenth anniversary milestone.
“For us it’s always about staying ahead of time, and I think making sure that people think of Waikiki as an engaging place to come on a global scale,” Kass said. “We don’t want to just compete with hotels in Waikiki, we want people who are maybe considering going to Southeast Asia or to the Caribbean or a cruise also to consider coming to Waikiki maybe first-time people coming who have never considered Waikiki.”
Ritz-Carlton, Turtle Bay
Doug Chang, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Turtle Bay, said former owners Blackstone Real Estate completed a significant $200 million renovation of the 450-room hotel in 2021.
“Just the opening up of that arrival experience and that lobby to fully leverage that 270 degree kind of view and ocean experience — that was game changing for this property. Clearly that’s going to stay,” he said.
Chang is focused on gauging what the customers are looking for and finding the right balance for loyalists of the iconic property and loyalists of the Ritz-Carlton brand. He said Ritz-Carlton has made a huge investment in training for staff, which has grown 10% in both hourly workers and leadership.
The luxury brand also is investing in improving its food and beverage offerings, he said.
“Food and beverage is probably our biggest opportunity when we look at some of what we now can bring as Marriott International with the resources that we have, the partnerships that we have, the relationships that exist within our luxury brand and the entire portfolio,” Chang said.
He said Danny Chew, the property’s executive chef, is working on updating the menus at Alaia, the property’s signature restaurant, and at its casual Sunset Pool Bar.
Chang said that he personally went to Las Vegas to scout new food and beverage concepts, and that activating the coffee shop and lobby bar is key.
Chang said Ritz-Carlton already has added other brand elements such as the Ritz-Carlton Club experience, which gives guests access to a lounge with culinary offerings five times a day, a personal concierge, and preferred access to events — and based on availability, unlimited use of beach cruisers and pickleball.
Chang said the resort also is going through the permitting process to build a Keiki Guide Post, which is anticipated to open next year.
Ritz-Carlton Maui
The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua completed a $100 million, resort-wide renovation in 2022 and 2023, which included a new lobby lanai, an exclusive Ritz-Carlton club lounge, multilevel pools and a new premium fire lanai room category that featured private patio space and fire-pits.
Jon Gersonde, The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua general manager, said the Aloha Garden Pavilion was about a $16 million addition, and a $1.9 million solar canopy went up.
“The hotel is looking great,” he said. “There’s not a lot in the immediate pipeline for renovation, but again we’ve done so much in the past.”
Gersonde said Ritz-Carlton’s major initiative at Kapalua for 2025 has been on creating experiences for the hotel that fit into five pillars, including outdoor pursuits, health and wellness, art and culture, food and beverage, and keiki.
“A couple months ago we launched 70 curated experiences a week, 10 a day, that blend luxury with authenticity. There are a myriad of activities organized around each pillar,” he said. “Knowing how important experiential travel is today, we built this program and it really does appeal to multi-generational family travelers.”
Source: The Garden Island