| HONOLULU, Hawaii - Aqua Hotels &
Resorts announced today that it has been named to manage the Coral Reef
Hotel, a 247-room property that has been owned by Andre S. Tatibouet since
1973. Renamed the Aqua Coral Reef, the hotel is located next to the International
Marketplace at 2299 Kuhio Avenue.
According to Tatibouet, "The property will undergo a major renovation
this spring at a total cost of over $7 million."
No stranger to Hawaii's hotel industry, island-born Tatibouet, the founder
of ASTON Hotels & Resorts, has played a major role in the business,
begun in 1948, when his family opened their first Waikiki hotel.
"The selection of Aqua is the result of my confidence in this dynamic,
young company founded and run by Michael Paulin, who worked as my Senior
Vice President at ASTON," said Tatibouet. "Mike is a 30-plus year
veteran of the Hawaii hotel industry with the skills necessary to successfully
take the Coral Reef Hotel to a new level, as an Aqua property."
The hotel will remain open during the renovation as work is scheduled
to take place on two floors at a time. With views of the ocean directly
across the open treescape, created by the Marketplace, and a short walk
to Waikiki Beach, the upgraded and repositioned Aqua Coral Reef will quickly
find its place among the outstanding hotels in Waikiki."
When complete, the improvements will earn Aqua Coral Reef's place as
an Aqua Boutique Hotel, having all of Aqua's Seven Pillars - including
FREE high-speed internet, flat-screen TV, spa, fitness center and continental
breakfast. The Aqua |
Aqua Coral Reef
(formerly Aston Coral Reef)
2299 Kuhio Avenue
Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96815 |
Coral Reef is slated to have an entirely redesigned, new lobby and welcoming
entrance. The suites and over-sized guest rooms, as well as the baths,
will have a very contemporary look and feel, featuring an ocean, coral
reef theme, appropriate to its name.
Mike Paulin, owner and CEO of Aqua Hotels & Resorts said, "I am
delighted to secure this property for Aqua. It enjoys excellent name
recognition in Waikiki and is well-positioned to benefit from the scheduled
upgrades. More importantly, though, I'm really looking forward to
working with Andre again."
The addition of this hotel is the eighth for Aqua, following the recent
additions of Ocean Tower Hotel at Waikiki Beach and Aqua Continental.
About Aqua Hotels & Resorts
Aqua was founded in 2000 by Hawaii hotelier Mike Paulin to manage and
operate hotels and hotel-condominiums in Hawaii. In 2005, the company
introduced Aqua Boutique Hotels, a select group of properties responding
to the sense of style and attitude of today's sophisticated traveler.
Waikiki properties feature amenities, comprising the seven pillars of the
Aqua brand - AquaSPA, AquaFIT, AquaFRESH, AquaKIT, AquaCONNECT, AquaSTART
and AquaPROMISE - enhancing the quality of the overall guest experience. |
