Host Hotels & Resorts Provides Update on Maui Wildfires and Other Recent Weather Events

BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: HST) (the “Company”), the nation’s largest lodging real estate investment trust, today provided an update regarding the impact of the Maui wildfires and other recent weather events on its hotels and the communities where they operate.

As the largest hotel real estate owner on Maui with a presence for over 20 years, Host Hotels & Resorts shares a deep connection to the island’s people and culture. Lahaina has long been revered as a sacred place and home to some of the island’s most precious historical and cultural assets. The August wildfires touched everyone on the island and the Company’s hotels are partnering together to support the safety and wellbeing of the Maui community.

The Company’s hotels are providing food and shelter for employees, their families, and emergency response teams while also remaining open to guests. General managers at the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort and the Fairmont Kea Lani, along with other Wailea area general managers, are working in partnership with World Central Kitchen to provide meals for Maui shelters. In addition, the Company is working with its hotels and operators to provide available resources to support employees as quickly and meaningfully as possible. This includes providing direct employee relief and making charitable donations to emergency response relief organizations on the ground, including the American Red Cross - Maui, World Central Kitchen, Maui Food Bank and Hawaii Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund—all of which are supporting employees and people across Maui in need.

James F. Risoleo, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are deeply saddened by what has happened on Maui, and we are prioritizing the care of our hotels’ employees, their family members, and the larger community. Maui has a rich history with significant cultural and archaeological assets, and it has been a wonderful home to Host for two decades. We are committed to supporting the island’s resilient people and communities as recovery and rebuilding efforts progress and – like so many others – we remain inspired by the 150-year-old banyan tree that remains standing in the middle of Lahaina.”