HONOLULU, HI
Pacific Beach Hotel announced plans for a $115 million redevelopment that will transform the Waikiki facility. Upon completion, the property will rebrand as Alohilani Resort at Waikiki Beach.
“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.”
The hotel’s exterior, 839 guest rooms and suites and public areas, including a 280,000-gallon lobby aquarium, will be re-conceptualized and a pool deck with two new pools will be added. Design firm, Rockwell Group and architectural firms WATG and Pacific Asia Design Group will lead the guest room and public area redesign.
Renovation of the guest rooms 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.
The hotel will meld distinctive Hawaiian style with a fresh aesthetic to reflect a beach house ambiance. Rockwell Group’s design concepts are inspired by Honolulu’s culture and the island’s lush landscape. Natural materials, including wood, stone and concrete, and a tone-on-tone palette of white and beige, accented by hues of blues and greens, aim to create a light, airy environment. From lava stone mosaic accents, to woven columns, to the artwork, 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. Designs include numerous "pocket" gardens to bring the island’s 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 pool deck will feature a new saltwater infinity pool overlooking the shoreline, a pool bar, tiered day beds and stepping stones leading to exclusive cabanas perched above a new shallow water pool for kids.
Two new restaurants by celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto will be created exclusively for the hotel. Located on the second floor, Morimoto Asia will serve as the hotel’s signature restaurant featuring Chef Morimoto’s world-renowned dishes, which integrate Western and traditional Asian ingredients. For a more casual dining experience at street level, Momosan Waikiki will feature yakitori, ramen and a wide variety of small plates.
“Oahu is a place where I have always had a great affinity for the island's people and culture, and I consider it to be a home away from home,” said Chef Morimoto. “I have enjoyed working with the Highgate and Pacific Beach Hotel team to develop Morimoto Asia and Momosan Waikiki and on behalf of myself and my team, we look forward to opening these two beautiful restaurants at the ‘Alohilani Resort in fall 2017.”
The hotel’s famous 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 appreciation for the ocean,” Robinson said.
The name 'Alohilani, which is Hawaiian for “the heavenly brightness,” 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.
