When the Royal Hawaiian closed for seven months of renovations last year, work stopped for 471 people — 418 of them unionized employees — and when the resort reopened, an impressive 93 percent of the workers returned.

That's the official word from Debbie Stephens-Amas, senior human resources manager for the Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Waikiki. She said several moved into other jobs within Starwood and a few people decided to retire.

"We had about 32 new hires," she said. Both management and union officials from Unite Here Local 5 credited cooperation and a good working relationship through the renovation and an overwhelming return rate.

Ask workers, managers and return guests why the Royal is special, and they'll tell you about the people who work there: the time they stopped at Costco to buy an 'ukulele for a guest, tracked down green ketchup or took a guest's grandchild to the water park on their day off.

While the difficult economy certainly made those jobs even more valuable, workers and managers point to a culture of appreciation and respect.

Janal Kaina has worked as a restaurant host for 22 years, now assigned to the just-opened Azure Restaurant, "There's a strong sense of pride at the Royal," she explained.

Bellman Alan Doike started working at the hotel part time, fresh out of high school and while attending the University of Hawai'i. He had family members working at the hotel. "Next thing you know, 29 years have gone by," he said.

"They have developed relationships with the guests," Stephens-Amas said. "It's like family. They really get to know our guests on a personal level. They really connect."

Through an agreement between the workers union at this hotel — Unite Here Local 5 — and Starwood management, the company paid medical benefits for the employees and their families for all seven months.

Some employees went to work at other Starwood properties, others took time off and some went to work at other jobs. "Most of us wanted to take some time off," said Rob Escuadro, who has worked at the front desk for 19 years.

As the beachfront hotel became "the Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort," many of the employees went into an informal holding pattern. Four months before the hotel closed, the company began a hiring freeze for non-Royal workers at other properties to help provide interim jobs.

Marsha Bruhn, lead union organizer for Sheraton properties, said she had been involved in transitions where some parts of a hotel were shuttered during a renovation but had never seen an entire property close.

With tourism slumping last year, the closing coincided with a time that other hotels were laying people off.

Bruhn said the project went more smoothly overall because of the relationship the workers, union and management have. "It's really special. They have this loyalty — loyal to the Royal," she said.

While part of it comes from working with a smaller group at a historic property, Bruhn said credit goes to a good working relationship between the union and the management: "They know that they're able to take their issues to the management."

Randall DeKraai, who worked as a waiter in the Surf Room for 17 years, said hotel rates have gone up and the completion of the renovation is taking some time, yet guests aren't complaining.

He said some of the loyal guests still traveled to Hawai'i during the time the hotel was closed. They often called him and others to go out to lunch to catch up.

"They wanted to know the whole scoop," DeKraai said.

"I got really tired of going out to eat," he said with a chuckle.

Frequent Royal guest Maryann Fleck was the first guest to check into the renovated hotel on Dec. 31. "It was very emotional; I was very flattered," Fleck said.

After more than 200 visits over her lifetime, she knows the hotel better than some who work there.

"I think it's quite lovely," she said. "I like that they've opened the front desk area to the outside. I like what they've done out front. I was sorry to see the Surf Room go."

She returns to the hotel several times a year, often for a month or more. "I'm very, very fond of the staff."

She's so fond of them that she invited about 10 of them to fly to Seattle to help celebrate her 80th birthday. Six of them were able to join her and she paid their airfare, hotel and expenses to thank them for joining her.

Fleck, whose family business is growing Christmas trees, first stayed at the Royal as a child. Through the years, she made visits with her late husband, their four children and four grandchildren. She's lost lost count of the times they've stayed.

She said the Royal manages to be elegant but "very comfortable and not at all pretentious." And she hopes that spirit is preserved through the ages.

DeKraai is one of those who flew to Seattle to help Fleck celebrate her birthday.

Fleck said she felt bad that several of her guests from the hotel ended up stranded by the snowstorm for days more than planned. She offered to give up her tickets to return to Hawai'i the day after Christmas but they wouldn't hear of it, she said.

Fleck was scheduled back this week with a plan to go to the gala and reconnect with friends.

Hotel management said folks took opportunities to work on the Mainland at other hotels and even in Korea and Japan. Others just worked down the street in Waikiki or on the Neighbor Islands.

"About 130, or 25 percent of our ambassadors, did work across our sister Starwood properties in Waikiki during the closure," Stephens-Amas said. "When we reopened the hotel, it was like a big reunion."