Aqua Hotels & Resorts will assume management at western Waikiki's Maile Sky Court Hotel beginning Dec. 1.

The addition of the 44-story, 596-room hotel brings the list of Hawaii-based properties now managed by Aqua to 17.

"We are extremely pleased to have been named by Maile Sky Court Co. Ltd. to manage the hotel," Ben Rafter, Aqua's president and CEO, said in a statement. "This is the fifth property we've added this year, so it's clear that hotel owners and investors have confidence in our performance and our vision. Aqua has a strong team and efficient systems in place. As we continue to invest, we are looking forward to further growth in Hawaii and the Pacific."

According to the hotel's asset manager, Maile Sky Court recently underwent more than $2.5 million worth of upgrades to its elevators, various fixtures and other equipment.