Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Satomi and Richard Arbeit. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Satomi and Richard, appreciate you joining us today. When you were first starting out, did you join a firm or start your own?

We took over an existing cat boarding business. They had been shut down for over a year during the pandemic and were just ready to move on.

We created a different concept and moved away from cages (what you would typically see at a vet service) and built a more comfortable space. Our guests enjoy more privacy in a larger room.

Satomi and Richard, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Our interest for fur babies comes from us living in a condo. I was always a dog lover but when my husband took me to the humane society to look at cats I was hooked. They are so silly and affectionate. Also self sufficient. No need for outside walks, preprogrammed potty ready and very quiet.

We now have 4 and may be expanding to 6.

I started making clothes and toys for them. After some good feedback and encouragement I started a store on Etsy called “Snobby Cats”. It was successful enough for us to open a physical store exclusively for cat lovers and all things related.

What I liked most about the store was meeting other fur baby owners and their stories. We just understand and relate to each other..
Their excitement for the store was very rewarding. No other like it existed in Honolulu.

The complex where our store was located was closed to make room for condos. It was time for our next chapter. That’s when the hotel was conceived.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

People talking to other cat owners about their experience with our hotel.

They know that we are not just a place to feed and keep their cats room clean while they are away.

Our clients know their loved ones are genuinely cared for.

Also they appreciate the transparency. We quote a price and that’s it. We don’t have any additional costs. The outside playtime, daily videos and even administrating meditation is all included.

Being passionate about our business and making our guests happy is what makes the job not feel like a job at all.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Trust is established from our first conversation. Turning over your pet to complete strangers is a leap of faith. We treat every phone call inquiry from the customers viewpoint. Does this business genuinely care about my concerns or are they too robotic. How helpful are they giving thoughtful info and solving obstacles.
By the end of that first phone call the trust starts to form. We ask if they would like a tour before committing. More trust.
It’s all very personal and there’s no clock ticking. The customer picks up on that.

Contact Info:

• Website: Alohacathotel.com
• Instagram: aloha_cat_hotel
• Facebook: Aloha Cat Hotel

Image Credits
All photos taken by owners Satomi and Richard.