BlackSand Capital taps Highgate to operate The Royal Lahaina Resort

HONOLULU – BlackSand Capital (BlackSand), a locally owned and managed Hawai‘i specialist real estate investment firm, announced that Highgate, a real estate investment and hospitality management company whose portfolio currently includes seven hotels in Hawai‘i, will operate the Royal Lahaina Resort on Maui when BlackSand completes the purchase of the resort from Pleasant Travel Service, which is expected to occur in December.

“We are pleased to work with Highgate to operate the Royal Lahaina Resort,” said B.J. Kobayashi, BlackSand’s Chairman and CEO. “Highgate’s local management team truly understands the culture of our Islands, and with their expanding portfolio of properties in Hawai‘i, they continue to demonstrate a commitment to supporting our local communities, creating job opportunities for local residents and offering innovative experiences for visitors and kama‘aina.”

The Royal Lahaina Resort will be the first Highgate-managed property on the Valley Isle, and the eighth hotel in Hawai‘i to be operated by Highgate.

“Highgate is excited and honored to be part of the next chapter of the iconic Royal Lahaina Resort,” said Kelly Sanders, Senior Vice President of Operations for Highgate Hawai‘i. “We look forward to bringing Highgate’s reputation for innovation and best-in-class services to the resort and assembling a team on Maui that will help carry on the Royal Lahaina Resort’s tradition of excellence.”

Located on 27 acres of beachfront land on Maui’s famed Ka‘anapali Beach, the 500-room Royal Lahaina Resort features original beachside cottages, the 12-story Lahaina Kai Tower, resort amenities and expansive luau grounds.