The first woman general manager of the Royal Hawaiian is a Kailua native with more than 25 years of hotel industry experience.

Kelly Hoen (rhymes with rain) said it feels great to be the first woman GM. Even if it sounds a little sexist, she admits, "I think a woman should be here at The Royal Hawaiian. It is pink and it has a kind of feminine charm about it."

She was named to the post in July while the Royal was closed for renovations. She has been in charge of overseeing the reopening and the transition from the Royal Hawaiian hotel as part of the Sheraton chain to the Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort.

(Another woman held a different but similar hotel title at the Royal. Thelma Kam was a hotel manager who reported to other executives.)

To take the job, Hoen moved from Kaua'i, where she was general manager of the Princeville Resort since 2002. Prior to that, she served in the same role at the Kapalua Bay Hotel.

Previously, she worked six years as director of sales and marketing at the Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort and Spa.

The Princeville Resort is now closed for seven months of renovations and is scheduled to re-open in April as the St. Regis Princeville under another Starwood Hotel & Resorts luxury brand.

Hoen, 51, has extensive experience in hotel marketing, including sales management positions at the former Westin Kauai at Kauai Lagoons and Kauai Hilton and Beach Villas.

A 1975 graduate of La Pietra-Hawaii School for Girls, Hoen attended Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., where she earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in English and theater.

She came home to Hawai'i and got a job working the front desk at the Ilikai Hotel — then a Westin — where she was a member of the hotel workers union then known as Local 5.

Now she supervises many from the same union and still draws from lessons learned at the front desk. "I do feel very inclusive in my style," she said.

She likes the Starwood Luxury Collection brand because it emphasizes the unique features of the properties rather than a one-size-fits-most approach.

"It allows you to be who you are," Hoen said, representing iconic brands throughout the world.

She's busy with the challenges as well as the pleasant surprises of working at a historic property.

And despite the tourism downturn, bookings are looking up. "Our summer looks good, very strong. I'm not going to give you percentages but it's very strong," Hoen said.

And she's talking with employees (they call them "ambassadors" now) and guests about likes and dislikes.

"The return guest was an important part of the plan," she said.

She's heard requests for more hooks in the bathroom. She plans to work on putting tables out on the beach near the 200 chaise lounges, since "I guess we used to have them in the past."

Hoen said she plans to add complimentary coffee in the lobby and beach boys on the beach with 60 new surfboards.

Hoen was happy to have back 93 percent of the workers who had been there before.

She welcomed lots of give-and-take and knows that return guests count on the workers to make their visit special.

While guests are checking out the new features, "they're going to be looking for Janal and Corey to see that they're back and that they're happy," Hoen said.

She credited the workers and union for a smooth transition through the renovation. "They were absolutely imperative to shaping the service standards."

Guests who come to the front desk are escorted to an open-air area overlooking the Royal Grove where they sit down to check in. They receive a lei greeting, an oshibori (hot towel) and a special hibiscus elixir drink.

Other changes include having the concierge call or e-mail guests 30 days before they arrive and again seven days prior. That way they have arrival information, can offer suggestions and pre-book activities and dining.

Hoen is the fourth generation of her family in the Islands. Her father and important mentor was Paul Banks, president of Hawaiian Dredging Co., who died in 2001.

And she's happy to cross paths with people who knew him. "Just this morning I was out at the Mai Tai Bar and met Chris Hemmeter's sister," said Hoen, who learned her dad worked on many projects with the late developer.

When her schedule eases up a bit, she plans more family time.

"I have four children, two of them are still at home. I love being with my family," she said. "I've got a really wonderful and supportive husband."

She added, "When I was on Kaua'i, I would play golf. My beautiful hobby right now is The Royal Hawaiian."