Downstairs from the suite is where democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will hold his private fundraiser.

John Blanco, the managing director, believes the secret service prefers the property because there are no high buildings around it, and there is only one access road.

"Certainly location wise it's very private very anonymous." said Blanco. "People can slip in and out unnoticed."

That was certainly the case when Charles and Diana came stayed there in 1985, according to Concierge Marion Sato. She has worked at the Kahala for 34 years and helped the royal couple have a private moment.

"I think there was a lot of commotion," Sato said. "I felt bad because they weren't able to enjoy the hotel beach. I was the assistant manager at the time on duty so I kind of whisked them away through the service elevator and out the back door so that they could the beach someone's pool so they went to a private home."

Six presidents have graced the Kahala, including President Richard Nixon in 1972. President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy landed in Honolulu in 1984. On the cover of the Honolulu Advertiser that year, Reagan sported a much more casual look as he lounged on the balcony of the presidential suite.

"President Reagan was here," Sato said. "We had one guest whose child was swimming. President Reagan actually went up and talked to this child. so they have memories for their daughter saying they met the president at the Kahala."

When George Bush Senior was vice president, the media caught him swimming off Waikiki.
But the then VP stayed at the Kahala, even landing his chopper on the Waialae Country Club golf course, not wanting to interrupt traffic with a motorcade.

When President Clinton visited, the two children who greeted him with lei, belonged to members of the hotel staff.

The famous and powerful visitors through the years have left the long time staff with great memories. One of Marion's favorite stories is about a hotel employee who was escorting the Dalai Lama.

"He said he was just so curious," Sato said. "He really wanted to see what the Dalai Lama looked like. So he said he faced the elevator board but out of the corner of his eye he tried to get a glimpse of the Dalai Lama and he found the Dalai Lama looking at him and gave him a wink. So it was really cute he came back he was so embarrassed."

As the first African-American democratic presidential nominee, Obama is sure to create even more memories at the Kahala at his cocktail reception.

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