The Trump International Hotel Waikiki is the latest hotel to obliterate Donald Trump from its image, rebranding itself as the Wakea Waikiki Beach under Hilton and spending $100 million for a whole new look.
And although its managing director Scott Ingwers tried to ignore the orange elephant in the room, saying the rebranding was “strictly a strategic business decision,” according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser, he then also admitted that while “our international guests were thrilled to be staying at the president’s hotel,” other guests “preferred not to stay for their own political reasons.”
From Bloomberg:
The owner of the Trump International Hotel Waikiki is rebranding the property, buying out a licensing agreement with the former US president’s company and joining Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.’s system.
Real estate firm Irongate is renaming its hotel Wakea Waikiki Beach and will operate under LXR Hotels & Resorts, a brand that allows hotels to access Hilton’s loyalty and distribution engines while maintaining an independent identity.
The Hawaii hotel isn’t the first to ditch the Trump brand. Properties in New York, Toronto and Panama City have all rebranded in the years since Donald Trump launched his political career.
The hotel’s cootie scrub will begin in February.
