Umbrellas and beach chairs are hot commodities on the sands fronting some of Waikiki’s toniest beachfront hotels, but state law prevents “presetting” of chairs before customers have actually requested them. After documenting repeated violations, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is cracking down.

Cease-and-desist notices went out last month to four hotels and five commercial vendors observed presetting chairs on beaches fronting Moana Surfrider, Outrigger Waikiki, Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Waikiki properties. They were warned that continuing to block off beach property with empty chairs could result in fines and losing the commercial permit to rent chairs and beach equipment, permanently.