Tourism in Hawaii slammed to a halt in late March when the state government put strict quarantine rules into effect for anyone traveling to or between the islands. With almost no guests, many hotels chose to close down until the rules were lifted. One hotel, however, decided to use the time being shutdown to complete one of the biggest projects on its to-do list.
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, part of the Marriott Bonvoy Autograph Collection, is located on the Kohala coast, which is on the Kona side of the Big Island of Hawaii. Initially developed by Laurance S. Rockefeller, the hotel opened in 1965. The hotel has gone through several owners in its lifetime, flying under the banners of Westin, Prince Hotels and Westin again, before being acquired by Marriott in 2015.
In 2016, the hotel underwent its most recent renovation but there was another one planned for 2021, which included a massive termite abatement of the property’s buildings. In a case of turning lemons into lemonade (or would it be pineapple into piña coladas?), the hotel pushed up the work so it could be finished during the shutdown.
The work was completed by Kama’aina Termite and Pest Control, which specializes in large scale fumigation projects.
It took 12 days to complete the project, which covered over 7 million cubic feet of hotel space. In all, they treated the hotel’s 252 rooms and suites in the Main Tower and Beachfront Wing, four main restaurants, spa and gym facilities, retail stores, golf pro shop, and breezeway.
On top of the hotel being able to complete this massive project with no additional inconvenience to guests, the job provided work for an average of 24 fumigators a day. That meant the hotel was able to get the work done while helping to support the local economy during a difficult time.
We are grateful to be taking on projects like the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel during these challenging times,” said Delia Fabro, president, Kama’aina Termite and Pest Control. “We are fortunate to be able to retain all our employees to date and operate without having to request financial assistance. It’s a testament to the loyalty and confidence that our customers have in us. We look forward to continuing to provide value and high -quality service for years to come.
#stayhealthy #staysafe #washyourhands
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
Fumigation pictures courtesy of Kamaʻaina Termite and Pest Control
Cover photo from Bob Linsdell / CC BY
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