HONOLULU—Pacific Beach Hotel has announced plans for a $115 million redevelopment that will completely transform the Waikiki hotel. The hotel’s exterior façade, 839 guestrooms and suites, and public areas including a 280,000-gallon lobby aquarium will be re-conceptualized, and a destination pool deck with two new pools will be added. Two new restaurants by celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto will be created exclusively for the hotel. Acclaimed design firm, Rockwell Group, and architectural firms WATG and Pacific Asia Design Group have been enlisted to reimagine the guestrooms and public areas.
Following the transformation, the hotel will enter the market as ‘Alohilani Resort at Waikiki Beach. Renovation of the guestrooms is underway with a select number of new rooms available to book. Work on the public areas will commence in the coming weeks. The hotel will remain operational during the 18-month transformation with expected completion in fall 2017.
“Our team is delighted with the opportunity to welcome guests to an all-new experience next year,” said Rob Robinson, general manager, Pacific Beach Hotel. “We’re committed to honoring our unique history and the Hawaiian culture in a thoughtful and authentic way which will serve as the foundation for everything that we do; from our cultural programming to our elevated levels of service.”
Hawaiian for “the heavenly brightness,” the name ‘Alohilani Resort at Waikiki Beach was chosen to honor Queen Liliuokalani, Hawaii’s last reigning monarch. The area surrounding the hotel was once known to house the highest concentration of royal residences, including Queen Liliuokalani’s home and beachside cottage that she fondly referred to as Kealohilani—the Royal Light or Heavenly Brightness. The hotel currently sits on land held by the Queen Liliuokalani Trust.
Situated steps from world-famous Waikiki Beach and boasting ocean and Diamond Head views, the hotel will meld distinctive Hawaiian style with a fresh aesthetic. Natural materials, including wood, stone, and concrete, and a tone-on-tone palette of white and beige, accented by hues of blues and greens, create a light, airy guest environment. From lava stone mosaic accents, to woven columns, to the artwork, thoughtful design touches that pay homage to the native Hawaiian culture are woven into the interior.
The extensive plans for the hotel’s public spaces include a completely reimagined hotel exterior and lobby that will feature an open floor plan, new guest services and concierge areas, lobby bar, an exclusive group arrival lounge, as well as a business and education center. Guests will arrive via a landscaped porte cochere leading to the resort. Four oversized louvered shutters flank the entry. Designs include numerous ‘pocket’ gardens to bring the island’s lush tropical landscape and natural rock formations indoors. Rockwell is designing custom furnishings to complement the serene space; a limestone reception desk, white slip-covered sofas, organic live-edge tables and light fixtures that invoke a tropical, yet refined island aesthetic.
The stunning pool deck will feature a new saltwater infinity pool overlooking the pristine shoreline, a pool bar, tiered day beds, and stepping stones leading to exclusive cabanas perched above a new shallow water pool for kids. Guests will bask under lush palm trees for an unparalleled experience, lounge by custom teak furniture, driftwood sculptures, lanterns, festoon lights and glowing fire pits.
The hotel’s oceanarium will also undergo an extensive upgrade with the interior of the aquarium boasting new coral that will mimic the coral reef formations found in the waters of Waikiki Beach. The saltwater aquarium, which has a one-of-kind replenishment system that filters directly from the ocean, will serve as the home to more than 1,000 protected marine animals.
“Education will play a key role in our new oceanarium experience and we look forward to offering unique programming to our guests that will promote greater awareness and appreciation for the ocean,” added Robinson.
The hotel will boast contemporary dining concepts ranging from a farm-fresh buffet breakfast to fine Asia-Pacific cuisine.
Pacific Beach Hotel is managed by Highgate, a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company whose growing portfolio includes more than 100 properties in gateway cities worldwide.
