Halii Kai at Waikoloa Beach Resort is the only condominium community along the Kohala Coast with a full bar and restaurant in its oceanfront amenity area. Of course the Halii Kai Ocean Club has been closed since March 20, 2020 to comply with state and county mandates regarding Covid-19. With restrictions on public gatherings and short term vacation rentals continuing for a second month, only about two dozen of the 182 condos are currently occupied, mainly by full time residents.
Workers are repairing, refreshing and upgrading Halii Kaiʻs Ocean Club amenity area during the Covid-19 shutdown.
Covid-19 Shut Down: Turning lemons into lemonade at Halii Kai Ocean Club
The second best thing about Halii Kai (after the Ocean Club amenities), may be the quality of the condo association board of directors. At the past few annual meetings of the condo association, they had discussed the need for refurbishing the Club and especially the pool, which opened in 2007. Unfortunately, the closure would likely cost the association and owners individually over $1 million in lost revenues, over and above the cost of the repairs which would be paid for by the well-funded capital reserves.
Watching the sunset at the Halii Kai Ocean Club restaurant is popular with homeowners and rental guests.
The Board had anticipated at least 18 months’ lead time for owners to make appropriate arrangements and disclosures for their rental guests or personal stays. However, since the Club is already closed, the Board decided to use the mandatory downtime to accomplish the repairs and upgrades, minimizing future disruption to owners.
Halii Kai Ocean Club Amenities – What’s Included
The big-ticket item is the resurfacing of the pool, replacing the plaster with a harder quartz aggregate, prolonging the life of the surface. The lagoon-style pool allows for a great feeling of privacy than a rectangular pool where you are staring across the pool at another lounge chair and its occupant.
Other upgrades in the Halii Kai Ocean Club project include:
- Repainting fitness hale and bathrooms
- Sanding and refinishing the well-used bar counter
- Refinishing the ceilings and ʻohia posts in the fitness and dining areas
- Installing additional pavers
- Pressure washing floors, decks and furniture
- Replacing lounge chair cushions and getting new chairs for the dining area
Memories of the Halii Kai Ocean Club
I joined the sales team when Haliʻi Kai was under construction in 2005. The developer made the decision to include the three direct oceanfront buildings and a handful of golf/ocean view buildings in Phase 1. Then they could work on the oceanfront amenity center, and owners could plan to begin using their condos and the Ocean Club while future phases rolled out towards the Coconut Grove, the basketball/tennis courts, and front gate.
Halii Kai consists of 24 identical buildings, but prices vary according to view: garden, golf, ocean, or oceanfront. This view of the three oceanfront buildings looking towards the Ocean Club, from in front of two-bedroom listing Halii Kai 15C.
Over the years I have watched innumerable spectacular sunsets and whales breaching from the Club, enjoyed closing dinners with buyers and celebrated birthdays and anniversaries. But one of my favorite memories took place before the pool was even dug.
Haliʻi Kai condos are across the Waikoloa Beach Resort golf course from the Ocean Tower of the Hilton Waikoloa. The sales team followed the schedule for big conventions and corporate events, hopeful some of the executives or doctors or lawyers would find their way to our sales office. This particular Saturday was quiet, but as we took the few visitors in our GEM cart to see the site of the eventual Ocean Club, we could see the Hilton staff setting up a stage for a pretty big show.
Finally, we heard the soundcheck. Wait — the Doobie Brothers? Quick phone calls were made to spouses and the teammates who were off that day — grab a cooler and some lawn chairs and letʻs be backstage at a concert! As the concert ended, fireworks lit up the sky over our heads, colorful against a starry sky.
One day concerts and fireworks will be back. Meanwhile, virtual showings are easy with our gradual re-opening of real estate as an essential business. There are only five active listings at Halii Kai, the smallest number since resales began. Does one of them have your name on it?
Related Posts:
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Closing a Real Estate Transaction in Hawaii During COVID-19 Restrictions
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