WAIPOULI — Everyone who works here is a friend and a part of the family, one employee told Joe Mottershead, the new general manager of the newly sold and rebranded Courtyard by Marriott Kaua‘i at Coconut Beach (formerly the Aston
WAIPOULI — Everyone who works here is a friend and a part of the family, one employee told Joe Mottershead, the new general manager of the newly sold and rebranded Courtyard by Marriott Kaua‘i at Coconut Beach (formerly the Aston Kaua‘i Beach at Makaiwa).
Mottershead encountered that profound answer during the transition of employees from the Aston Kaua‘i Beach at Makaiwa to the Courtyard by Marriott Kaua‘i at Coconut Beach.
The blessing and dedication of the resort in Waipouli marked the culmination of the transition as Mottershead was greeted with a resounding “Aloha!” from all of the employees who gathered with guests at the Hawaiian blessing ceremony, Thursday morning.
“People make this whole thing work,” said John Kratzer, president and chief executive officer of JMI Realty, the new owners of the Waipouli property that is managed by Davidson Hotel Company who worked with the Marriott for the franchise of the property.
“We have people working here who has longevity such as Lisa Fu who has 30 years, and Norma Flores who has 33 years, starting with the hotel when it opened.”
Ike Cockett, the former manager who will occupy the No. 2 seat in the resort below Mottershead, said with the opening of the Courtyard by Kaua‘i Marriott at Coconut Beach, there are openings for 20 or 25 positions from management and front line to staff positions.
These he hopes will be filled quickly as the resort hosts a job fair, today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the resort’s Paddle Room.
“The positions are available now, and all I can say is ‘bring your resumes,’” Cockett said.
“During the transition, almost all of the employees were re-hired except for a few who decided otherwise. But Davidson Hotel Company knows they need good people to deliver the quality of service they are aiming for and have opened up the positions.”
Thom Geshay, senior vice president of business development for Davidson Hotel Company, said the Waipouli resort has seen six to eight changes over the years, and he is aiming to bring stability to the property, noting that upgrades in the resort will be taking place within the next year.
“Our most important goal is to be a good steward of this property,” Kratzer said. “Our second goal is to be a good citizen of Kaua‘i. We are anxious to be part of Kapa‘a, Kaua‘i, the (Kaua‘i) Chamber of Commerce.”
Kratzer said he was disappointed to learn that the property that had once been a favored destination for Hawai‘i and Kaua‘i residents isn’t necessarily still as popular.
“We want to restore this tradition to where it is worthy of the community,” Kratzer said.
Davidson Hotel Company is the nation’s sixth largest independent hotel management company and specializes in operating upscale and luxury, full-service hotel and resorts and premium, focused-service properties, states its website.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
