SKY Waikiki Saves by Switching to HMAA as it Reopens with a Fresh Concept

SKY Waikiki Saves by Switching to HMAA as it Reopens with a Fresh Concept

SKY Waikiki Saves by Switching to HMAA as it Reopens with a Fresh Concept

“Being able to save money on our premiums for health coverage has been a huge help during this time. Every penny we save by switching to HMAA is money we can put back into reopening our restaurant and gradually have more of our staff return to work.” – Hide Sakurai, Co-Owner and CEO

Hide Sakurai became the new co-owner of SKY Waikiki in March. Now at the helm, Sakurai is ready to bring a fresh concept for the rooftop restaurant and lounge to meet its full potential as an open-air dining experience with an incredible outdoor space and 180-degree views above the heart of Waikiki. Although he had to temporarily close and sadly let some staff go in late March because of COVID-19 impacts, Sakurai kept moving forward with his vision and will reopen SKY Waikiki in late August 2020.

As part of his preparation for reopening, Sakurai identified ways to reduce his business expenses. Thanks to membership in the Hawaii Restaurant Association (HRA), he was able to switch insurance carriers and enroll in the Association Health Plan with HMAA at better rates, thus lowering healthcare costs that can sometimes be daunting for local businesses. His staff will also be able to enjoy benefits including value-added wellness solutions not offered by their previous plan.

It was the restaurant staff who helped drive the decision to enroll with HMAA. “It was obvious that the new premium rates would be enough savings to compel me to make the switch, but ensuring our staff would not have an increase in their out-of-pocket costs had more importance in our decision,” Sakurai said. “We checked line by line on the policy to make sure our employees would not end up paying more.” With comprehensive benefits such as acupuncture, naturopathic care, and telemedicine, HMAA has helped SKY Waikiki’s employees take care of their health, which is important in high-stress times such as this pandemic.

When the dining and entertainment hotspot reopens in August, SKY Waikiki will offer diners a unique and intriguing experience. Along with exciting new menu options and an Italian-Japanese décor, Sakurai’s concept includes a rooftop raw bar with bubbles. The raw bar will feature seafood with a Hawaiian twist such as poke, oysters, sashimi, and shrimp cocktail; and everything will be individually priced so diners can try a variety of dishes. The bubbles part of the bar will feature specialty cocktails, champagne, and sparkling wines from around the world. Live music on most nights of the week will also eventually return. SKY Waikiki is pleased to offer a 15% kama‘aina discount, designed to give locals a destination to celebrate important life events in a festive and chic environment.