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Why Hawaii's Hotels and Resorts Are Unprepared for the Hospitality Threat Assessment Crisis

By Warren Pulley, CrisisWire Threat Assessment Expert


A guest makes threats against staff at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. An employee at Four Seasons Maui exhibits workplace violence warning signs. A security incident at Grand Hyatt Kauai reveals gaps in threat response protocols.


Hawaii's hospitality industry lacks systematic threat assessment capability.


Across Hawaii's 50+ major hotels and resorts—from Waikiki's iconic properties like Moana Surfrider and The Royal Hawaiian to Big Island destinations like Mauna Kea Beach Hotel—hospitality properties operate without the behavioral threat assessment frameworks that prevent violence against guests, staff, and brand reputation.


After 40 years preventing violence across military operations, LAPD patrol zones, Baghdad Embassy Protection, and implementing security programs validated by ABC7 Los Angeles and NPR, I've seen how hospitality environments create unique threat assessment challenges that most properties ignore until tragedy forces reaction.


Here's why Hawaii's hotels face critical security gaps—and what must change before the next incident becomes national news.


The Hospitality Threat Profile Nobody Discusses


Hotels and resorts aren't just buildings—they're environments where strangers interact, alcohol flows freely, romantic relationships form and fracture, employees face constant public pressure, and security operates 24/7 without the institutional support structures found in corporate or educational settings.


The threats hospitality properties face are distinct and complex.


Domestic violence spillover when abusers follow victims to Hawaii. Workplace violence from employees facing termination or passed over for promotion. Guest-on-guest violence fueled by alcohol and vacation disinhibition. Stalking behaviors targeting celebrities or high-net-worth individuals. Insider threats from employees with master key access and intimate knowledge of security weaknesses.


Properties from Sheraton Waikiki to Fairmont Orchid to Sheraton Maui witness concerning behaviors daily but lack structured protocols for assessment, intervention, and threat management.


My research on hospitality security demonstrates that the unique operational characteristics of hotels create vulnerability that generic security approaches miss.


Oahu: Where Tourism Density Meets Security Gaps


Waikiki concentrates more visitors per square mile than almost anywhere in America—creating threat assessment challenges that most properties handle reactively rather than proactively.


Waikiki's Iconic Properties


Hilton Hawaiian Village, Hawaii's largest resort with 3,000+ rooms, manages populations exceeding small towns—yet behavioral threat assessment remains informal rather than systematic. When concerning guest behavior emerges, security typically responds to immediate incidents without structured risk evaluation.


Moana Surfrider, The Royal Hawaiian, and Sheraton Waikiki serve as Waikiki landmarks where brand reputation depends on both safety reality and guest perception—yet threat assessment protocols lag behind corporate security standards.


Hyatt Regency Waikiki, Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber, and Ala Moana Hotel manage high guest turnover where concerning behaviors may span hours before security notices patterns.


Boutique properties like Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club, Twin Fin Hotel, and Stay Hotel Waikiki operate with smaller security teams yet face identical threat profiles—often with less capability to respond.


The comprehensive hospitality security frameworks detailed in my Threat Assessment Handbook address these density-driven challenges.


Luxury Resort Properties


The Kahala Hotel & Resort, serving Hawaii's most affluent guests and hosting international dignitaries, requires executive protection expertise that typical hotel security lacks. High-net-worth individuals attract threats that demand specialized assessment capability.


Aulani, A Disney Resort in Ko Olina serves families with children—creating child safety concerns, family dispute management needs, and the behavioral intervention requirements detailed in my published research on threat assessment.


Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu's North Shore operates in relative isolation where law enforcement response times exceed urban Waikiki—making proactive threat assessment essential rather than optional.


Mid-Range and Budget Properties


Ilikai Hotel & Luxury Suites, Prince Waikiki, Park Shore Waikiki, and Luana Waikiki Hotel & Suites serve diverse guest demographics requiring adapted security approaches.


Airport Honolulu Hotel faces transient populations, late-night arrivals, and the elevated threat profile that airport-adjacent properties experience nationwide.


When ABC7 Los Angeles featured my security systems testing, the focus was comprehensive approaches—hospitality properties need behavioral assessment integrated with physical security, not just cameras and guards.



Why Hawaii's Hotels and Resorts Are Unprepared for the Hospitality Threat Assessment Crisis
Why Hawaii's Hotels and Resorts Are Unprepared for the Hospitality Threat Assessment Crisis

Big Island: Geographic Isolation Amplifies Risk


Hawaii Island's resort properties operate with limited specialized resources when threats emerge.


Kohala Coast Luxury Resorts


Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Mauna Lani Auberge Resorts, Hapuna Beach Residence, and Four Seasons Hualalai serve ultra-high-net-worth guests requiring executive protection expertise.


Fairmont Orchid and Hilton Waikoloa Village manage large resort campuses where geographic spread complicates threat response. When concerning behaviors emerge in one building, coordinated assessment across the property requires structured protocols.


Kings' Land by Hilton Grand Vacations combines vacation ownership with transient guests—creating complex population management requiring adapted threat assessment.


Kona Coast Properties


Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa, Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa, and Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Resort serve Kona's tourism corridor with varying security capabilities.


Kona Reef Resort, Castle Resorts properties, Big Island Villas, Big Island Stays, and Hawaii Island Resort operate with smaller staffs facing identical threats as major chains.


The methodologies I developed during Baghdad Embassy Protection operations, documented by NPR's coverage of security implementations, adapt to hospitality environments requiring both guest service and security effectiveness.


Kauai: Small Island, Sophisticated Threats


Kauai's intimate scale creates false security assumptions—small communities don't eliminate violence risk.


Grand Hyatt Kauai, Sheraton Kauai Resort, and Kauai Marriott Resort anchor the island's major resort areas without the threat assessment infrastructure found at comparable mainland properties.


1 Hotel Hanalei Bay serves affluent eco-conscious travelers in remote Hanalei where specialized resources require extended response times.



Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay, Kauai Shores Hotel, Kauai Inn, and Plantation Hale Suites operate with smaller security budgets requiring efficient threat assessment protocols.


My research on insider threat management demonstrates that smaller properties face unique vulnerabilities—employees with extensive access and intimate operational knowledge can exploit security gaps that larger properties' redundancy prevents.


Maui: Post-Fire Trauma Meets Tourism Pressure


Maui's hospitality industry serves communities still recovering from devastating fires while managing normal operations and security threats.


Wailea Resort Corridor


Four Seasons Maui at Wailea, Grand Wailea, Andaz Maui at Wailea, and Hotel Wailea serve luxury markets requiring executive protection capability.


West Maui Properties


The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua operates in communities affected by fire trauma—creating complex behavioral health challenges requiring specialized assessment approaches detailed in The Prepared Leader.


Hyatt Regency Maui, Sheraton Maui, and Westin Maui manage Ka'anapali Beach operations where tourist expectations meet community recovery needs.


Remote Properties


Travaasa Hana operates in isolated East Maui where specialized resources are hours away—making proactive threat assessment critical.


Prince Resorts Hawaii manages multiple Maui properties requiring coordinated threat assessment protocols across locations.


The Five Threat Categories Hotels Miss


The frameworks in Campus Under Siege (adaptable to hospitality) identify threat categories properties overlook:


1. Domestic Violence Spillover


Abusers follow victims to Hawaii.

The partner who tracks their estranged spouse's Hawaii vacation through social media. The restraining order that doesn't cross state lines effectively. The "romantic getaway" that masks coercive control.


Front desk staff at properties from Hilton Hawaiian Village to Sheraton Waikiki to Four Seasons Hualalai witness concerning interactions but lack training to recognize domestic violence indicators and protocols for intervention.



2. Guest-on-Guest Violence


Alcohol, vacation disinhibition, romantic rejection, perceived slights—hospitality environments create violence triggers that security must assess proactively.


The guest making repeated unwanted advances. The group exhibiting escalating aggression at the pool bar. The individual fixating on another guest in concerning ways.

Properties need threat assessment capability that distinguishes intoxicated rudeness from pathway-to-violence behaviors.


3. Workplace Violence


The housekeeper passed over for promotion who expresses grievances. The front desk employee facing termination who has master key access. The maintenance worker exhibiting concerning statements about coworkers.


Hospitality employees face customer abuse, demanding schedules, low wages, and limited advancement—creating stress that research shows precedes workplace violence. Yet properties from Grand Hyatt Kauai to Fairmont Orchid lack the employee behavioral assessment detailed in my workplace violence research.


4. Stalking and Fixation


Celebrities, executives, and high-net-worth individuals vacation in Hawaii—bringing threat actors who research their travel.


The individual lingering near celebrity guests. The "fan" who knows too much about a guest's schedule. The employee who exhibits inappropriate interest in specific guests.

Properties serving affluent clientele—The Kahala, Four Seasons, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel—need executive protection expertise, not just standard hotel security.


My research on executive protection provides frameworks adaptable to hospitality contexts.


5. Insider Threats


Hospitality employees have access, knowledge, and opportunity that create unique insider threat profiles.


Master keys accessing every room. Knowledge of VIP guest identities and room numbers. Access to credit card information and personal data. Understanding of security patrol patterns and blind spots.


The disgruntled employee. The financially desperate housekeeper. The individual recruited by organized crime for intelligence gathering.


Download comprehensive guide: Insider Threat Audit Framework


Why Geographic Isolation Makes Assessment Critical


When threats emerge at mainland hotels, regional resources deploy rapidly. FBI field offices, specialized law enforcement, crisis intervention teams—all available within hours.


Hawaii properties operate 2,500 miles from mainland support.


A threat at Turtle Bay Resort, Travaasa Hana, or 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay requires island resources that may already be committed elsewhere. Even Waikiki properties competing for limited specialized capabilities during multiple simultaneous incidents.


This isolation makes proactive behavioral threat assessment essential—properties cannot rely on rapid external response when prevention fails.


Having implemented security programs validated by the Choctaw Nation's official publication, I understand how geographic constraints demand adapted approaches.


The Liability Properties Are Ignoring


Hotels owe duty of care to guests and employees. When properties fail to assess and manage known threats, litigation follows.


Courts increasingly rule that hospitality properties must have threat assessment capability.


The guest who complained about threatening behavior but received no substantive response. The employee who reported concerning coworker statements that management dismissed. The security guard who documented escalating incidents without triggering structured assessment.


When preventable violence occurs, these failures become evidence of negligence.


Properties from Hilton Hawaiian Village to Grand Wailea to Sheraton Kauai operating without systematic threat assessment protocols gamble with liability exposure.

The frameworks in Locked Down: The Access Control Playbook address physical security integration with behavioral assessment.


What Systematic Hospitality Threat Assessment Requires


Effective programs need multidisciplinary teams adapted to 24/7 operations.


Core team members include:

Security leadership with threat assessment training—not just incident response capability. HR personnel understanding workplace violence indicators and employment law. Operations managers who interact daily with both guests and staff. Legal counsel ensuring protocols respect privacy while enabling effective assessment. Mental health consultants (on retainer) for behavioral evaluation when needed.


These teams use structured frameworks from Secret Service research, conduct interviews with concerning individuals, assess risk factors against protective factors, coordinate interventions, and monitor cases until resolution.


The assessment protocols I developed, featured in ABC7 Los Angeles coverage, adapt to hospitality's unique operational requirements.


Industry-Specific Threat Indicators

My published research on hospitality security identifies behaviors properties must monitor:


Guest behavioral concerns:

  • Repeated attempts to access restricted areas or inappropriate questions about security

  • Fixation on specific staff members—requests for same servers, housekeepers, or front desk personnel

  • Excessive alcohol consumption coupled with aggressive statements

  • Romantic rejection followed by stalking behaviors—repeated calls, lingering in areas target frequents

  • Comments suggesting planning—"you'll regret this" or "I'll show you"

Employee warning signs:

  • Recent disciplinary action or termination accompanied by expressed grievances

  • Sudden behavioral changes—withdrawal, agitation, concerning statements

  • Violations of access protocols—using master keys inappropriately, accessing areas without authorization

  • Expressed financial desperation coupled with access to guest valuables

  • Comments about vulnerabilities—"security never checks this area" or "nobody would know"

Domestic violence indicators:

  • Guest checking in alone but partner appearing unexpectedly

  • Requests to change rooms coupled with fear indicators

  • Visible injuries inconsistent with explanations

  • Partner exhibiting controlling behaviors—monitoring movements, isolating from others

  • Guest expressing fear about someone knowing their location


Staff at properties from Moana Surfrider to Mauna Lani to Kauai Marriott witness these indicators daily without structured assessment protocols.


Chain Hotels vs. Independent Properties: Different Challenges


Major Chains


Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Sheraton, and Outrigger properties benefit from corporate security resources but face bureaucratic delays implementing threat assessment.


Corporate policies often prioritize brand consistency over localized threat response. Security directors at individual properties may lack authority to act without corporate approval—delays that prove costly when threats escalate rapidly.


Independent Properties


Boutique hotels and independent resorts have operational flexibility but limited resources. Properties like Surfjack, Hotel Wailea, and Kauai Inn need efficient threat assessment protocols requiring minimal overhead.


Both contexts require adapted approaches detailed in The Prepared Leader.


The Employee Threat Assessment Gap


Hospitality focuses heavily on guest threats while largely ignoring employee behavioral warning signs.


Employee-perpetrated violence creates different liability because employers have duty to protect workers from known workplace threats.


The terminated employee who returns to property. The worker passed over for promotion who expresses grievances about management. The individual experiencing personal crisis who makes concerning statements.


Properties need protocols for:

  • Pre-termination threat assessment

  • Exit interviews evaluating violence risk

  • Monitoring concerning employee behavior before termination

  • Post-termination communication management

  • Access control updates when employment ends


My research on workplace violence prevention provides operational frameworks.


What Hawaii's 50+ Major Properties Must Do Now


Corporate Security Leadership:


Chains like Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and Four Seasons must establish statewide threat assessment standards across Hawaii properties.


General Managers:


Individual property leaders at destinations from Royal Hawaiian to Grand Hyatt Kauai to Ritz-Carlton Kapalua need authority to implement threat assessment without corporate delays.


Security Directors:


Personnel at properties like Sheraton Waikiki, Hilton Waikoloa Village, and Grand Wailea need behavioral threat assessment training—not just incident response.


HR Leadership:


Human resources at all properties must integrate threat assessment with employment decisions, termination planning, and employee behavioral concerns.


Independent Operators:


Boutique properties and independent resorts need efficient threat assessment protocols adaptable to smaller operations.


Contact CrisisWire at crisiswire@proton.me or bit.ly/crisiswire for hospitality-specific consultation.


Free Resources for Hawaii Hospitality

Download comprehensive frameworks:

Watch training videos:

Access hospitality-specific resources:


Get Expert Consultation for Your Property

CrisisWire provides comprehensive threat assessment implementation for Hawaii hospitality properties—major chains, boutique hotels, independent resorts.


Free 30-minute consultation includes:

  • Assessment of current security and HR protocols

  • Identification of critical threat assessment gaps

  • Customized recommendations for your property type

  • Integration with existing operations

  • Implementation timeline and resource requirements

Contact:

Services include:

  • Multidisciplinary threat assessment team training

  • Protocol development for 24/7 hospitality operations

  • Staff training on behavioral warning signs

  • Guest threat assessment procedures

  • Employee violence prevention protocols

  • Domestic violence response frameworks

  • Executive protection for high-profile guests

  • Case consultation for active concerns

  • Emergency response planning

Additional resources: CrisisWire Services

Connect: LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook | Quora


The Choice Hawaii's Hospitality Industry Faces


Fifty major hotels and resorts across Hawaii—from Waikiki's Hilton Hawaiian Village and Moana Surfrider to Big Island's Four Seasons Hualalai and Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, from Kauai's Grand Hyatt to Maui's Ritz-Carlton Kapalua—serve hundreds of thousands of guests annually without systematic behavioral threat assessment.


The warning signs are observable. Guests exhibit concerning behaviors. Employees show violence risk indicators. Domestic violence victims seek safety at Hawaii properties. The intelligence exists.


The question is whether properties will establish threat assessment capability before tragedy forces reaction, or after.


Having prevented violence across military operations, LAPD patrol zones, Baghdad Embassy Protection, and campus environments—with expertise validated by ABC7, NPR, and the Choctaw Nation—I understand both the unique challenges hospitality properties face and the solutions that actually work.


The comprehensive approaches detailed in my five published books—The Prepared Leader, Threat Assessment Handbook, Campus Under Siege, Locked Down, and Uniformed Silence—provide operational frameworks adaptable to every hospitality context.


As a member of the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) and with over 30 certifications including Worldwide Protective Specialist, BTAM Certified, and International Physical Threat Assessment Expert, my expertise extends across all security domains hospitality properties face.


The guest exhibiting concerning behavior this week at your property might be the threat your trained team can manage—if you establish assessment capability before crisis demands it.


Don't wait for violence. Don't wait for litigation. Don't wait for national news coverage.


Contact CrisisWire today at crisiswire@proton.me or bit.ly/crisiswire for consultation on establishing comprehensive threat assessment programs at your property.


The frameworks exist. The training is available. The expertise is accessible.

What's required is the decision to prioritize prevention over reaction.


Your guests trust their safety to you. Your employees depend on your protection. Your brand reputation relies on effective threat management.


Make the call.


About Warren Pulley

Warren Pulley is founder of CrisisWire Threat Management Solutions with 40 years of experience spanning U.S. Air Force security operations, LAPD patrol, Baghdad Embassy Protection, and serving as Director of Safety at Chaminade University of Honolulu.


As the subject matter expert featured in ABC7 Los Angeles and NPR's LAist conducting on-camera ballistic testing, and quoted in the Choctaw Nation's official publication, his expertise has been independently validated by major media and government entities.


He holds over 30 certifications including Worldwide Protective Specialist, BTAM Certified, International Physical Threat Assessment Expert, California POST Peace Officer, and 20+ FEMA certifications. His methodologies are detailed in five published books and peer-reviewed research available at Academia.edu. He is a member of the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS).


Featured: ABC7 Los Angeles | NPR/LAist | Orange County Register | Choctaw Nation Official Publication | PRLog


Published Works: The Prepared Leader, Threat Assessment Handbook, Campus Under Siege, Locked Down, Uniformed Silence





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