Timeless Magic, 1965 - 2015

30 TIMELESS MAGIC Also in 1973 a young RockResorts hotelier named Adi Kohler was brought from Puerto Rico to work under Mr Butterfield Kohler was perhaps the perfect combination of exacting European hotel training and an innate sense of aloha Adi Kohler was truly one of the great leaders of Mauna Kea said Clayton W Frye one of LSRs closest confidants Laurance always thought very highly of Adi He and Chacha Mrs Kohler were a great team and in Laurances mind one of the reasons the Mauna Kea was able to communicate the great spirit of aloha that was felt by guests and staff alike CHANGI NG HANDS AND BR ANDS In 1978 UAL Inc parent company of United Airlines Hertz and Western International Hotels which became Westin Hotels and Resorts purchased the property RockResorts negotiated an agreement and personal request that the hotel continue to be operated according to LSRs standards of excellence Mr B was promoted to managing director and Mr Kohler became the hotels third general manager Rebranded as The Westin Mauna Kea for the next decade Westin rotated top managers into the Mauna Kea team adding new elements to the guest experience with each transition particularly in the culinary department under the guidance of Executive Chef Daniel Thiebaut who oversaw the hotel kitchens between 1983 and 1990 In 1989 the property was sold to Seibu Holdings parent company of Prince Resorts in Japan owned by Yoshiaki Tsutsumi whose wealth stemmed from his extensive real estate holdings and his ownership of Seibu Railway And that same year the hotel began operations under the Prince Hotels Resorts flag In 1994 Mauna Kea Beach Hotel closed for extensive renovations while sister property Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel was being constructed one beach to the south In 1995 Mrs Valerie Foley was the first guest to come back through the doorless entry of the newly renovated Mauna Kea holding hands with newly promoted Managing Director Adi Kohler There were inevitable changes Televisions previously kapu were now allowed as an option at the guests request and some TVs were bought to accommodate anticipated need In no time every TV on hand had been installed as well as every rental TV on the island A full time staffer was hired just to manage television requests and very soon televisions were placed in each room and removed upon guest request Uniforms changed the once immovable and orange colored plumeria logo was allowed to be printed in different colors and orientations the riding stables were closed computers took over more and more of the operation and procedures necessarily changed with the times and technology While not complaint free guests from the 1960s were the most vocal still guests were now happy to be able to use a credit card to have the option of eating in or dining out and of course have a TV in their room In 1997 Charles Park formerly with Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows become the hotels fifth general manager In June 2000 Adi Kohler retired after 27 years He received so many lei from staff and guests that it was impossible to wear them all Engineering brought him a wooden pole which he carried out on his shoulder heavy with every imaginable color of flower A NEW ER A BEGINS A longtime Hawai i hotelier Mr Park continued Mauna Keas traditions with