About Darmic

Aloha… and welcome to the Darmic Family

The Holibar clan have been coming to Hawaii since 1980, when Dariel and Michael (the DAR and MIC of Darmic) won a vacation courtesy of the industry Mike was in at the time. After a fantastic week seeing the sights, Dariel and Mike decided their daughters would benefit from the experience, so in 1982 our family spent a month in California, Arizona and Nevada travelling in an RV, finishing with 5 days in Waikiki. Our love affair with Hawaii had begun!! The three daughters were hooked and within 5 years we had all found employment in the travel industry in Auckland.

Four out of the five Holibar family have been involved in the travel industry since 1985, with employment at companies including: Worldwide Travel, Flexiplan, Qantas and British Airways, as well as Flight Centre, Budget Travel, House of Travel, Stars Travel and Sports Tours.

The History of Darmic

Then in the late 1980’s Dariel and Michael had the opportunity to take their Hawaii experience a step further – and Darmic at the Waikiki Banyan was born.

Between 1990 and 2001 Dariel and Michael put their heart and soul into the business and the family again spent many wonderful weeks in Hawaii.

In 2001 Jamie began working full time for them. As grandchildren started to come along, Dariel and Michael felt it was time to step down and in 2007 the business was sold.

Then in 2014, a set of circumstances enabled Jamie and Robyn to once again take the reins and bring Darmic back into the family.

Our Love Affair with Hawaii

We continue to return to Hawaii year after year, it’s like a second home for Mike and Dariel after close to 17 years with Darmic and 40 years since their first visit. All of the photo’s shown here are from our many visits to Waikiki – and beyond. One of the very first photos shows Dariel and Michael at Pali Lookout, Dariel in a stunning black and white strapless jumpsuit with Mike looking dashing in stubbies.

Another early photo from the 1982 holiday, shows Dariel with Jamie, Robyn and Jennie waiting to view the Arizona Memorial; Mike sits with the girls on Waikiki Beach (also in 1982).

Other photos are from our favourite places and of our favourite people.

Darmic Today

Darmic is still a family owned company and the only New Zealand company operating out of the Waikiki Banyan. Dariel and Michael instilled a very strong work ethic in all their girls and we are proud of our New Zealand roots. In the last couple of years our Auckland team expanded, with first Sue and then Sam joining the company. Together the three of us form an experienced team dedicated to owners and guests alike, to bring you a personal experience at your home away from home in Waikiki.

We are very proud to be currently ranked in the top 2 on Trip Advisor under “Specialty Lodging in Honolulu” as well as being recipients of the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence 2016 to 2019 and Travelers Choice Award 2020.

Now as we start our seventh year and enter a new decade, we are excited to be evolving and offering even more to our guests. We are working with some fabulous local suppliers to enhance your Hawaiian experience.

We look forward to seeing you back in Hawaii!

Meet The Team

Jamie Carter

CEO / Owner and Guest Relations

jamie@darmic.com +64-9-444-7203

Jamie is the second generation of her family to own and work in Darmic. Her extensive corporate background includes 10 years in the Wholesale Travel industry as well as 15 years in Account Management/Sales in the fast paced print industry. From 2001 to 2007 she worked for Dariel and Michael as the Operations Manager for Darmic. During this time she met and married Richard - and managed to sneak in a few visits to Hawaii before the business was sold in 2007. In 2010 they had their first post-Darmic visit to Hawaii and the Aloha spirit rekindled their love of the islands and resulted in many more visits. In 2012, after many years of trying to start a family, Samantha was born! All three of the Carters are well travelled, including Sammie who had visited Hawaii, Fiji and Australia before she turned 5! So, in 2014 when the opportunity came up to buy Darmic back – there wasn’t any hesitation. The family live on Auckland’s North Shore with two tabby cats Danno and Kono. Not surprisingly, they all love TV shows like Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum PI – anything showcasing the beautiful islands. For a short time in 2020, Jamie and Ritchie were the Darmic on-site managers at the Waikiki Banyan, with a view to expand the business while living and breathing Hawaii. Unfortunately they had to move back to New Zealand due to Covid … but that Aloha spirit is still calling their name so who knows what the next few years might bring.

Samantha Hutchison

Finance Manager / Sales Support

samantha@darmic.com

Samantha is Darmic's finance manager as well as providing sales support. She holds a Bachelor of Accountancy (BAcc) and is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of financial transactions, analysing reservation data and preparing reports to assist with Darmic’s long-term goals. She lives with her husband, 3 kids and 7 dogs. Their home is in the beautiful Kaipara region of New Zealand where they are currently renovating a 1900s villa.

Sue Dell

Marketing / Guest Relations

sue@darmic.com

Sue has been with Darmic since December 2017 and manages our marketing presence and provides sales and operational support. She is often your first contact with Darmic, looking after many of our direct enquiries and bookings. Sue and her husband live in the outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand – in the serene rainforest of the Waitakere Ranges, along with their dog, cat and 8 chickens. She is also involved in a number of volunteer organisations including providing animal-assisted therapy to children with her Swedish Vallhund Flicka. Sue has a wealth of experience from a varied background and is passionate about great customer service.. and bringing the Aloha of Hawaii to all our guests.