Following a $35 million renovation, Honolulu's Queen Kapi‘olani Hotel is set to relaunch this summer.
Located on Kapi‘olani Park, the Queen Kapi‘olani was built in the mid-1960s during Waikiki's Golden Age as one of Honolulu's grand full-service hotels. The property’s new look embraces its heritage with a retro-chic aesthetic while incorporating modern enhancements. At 19 stories high, the hotel has 315 guestrooms, a large open-air lobby that fronts Kapi‘olani Park, a fitness center and an 8,000-square-foot third-floor lanai (outdoor deck) and pool.
This unique space—commonly called the hotel’s outdoor living room—has a new restaurant, bar and lounge, and a pool. The third-floor lanai has panoramic views of the surf break at Waikiki Beach, Kapi‘olani Park and Diamond Head.
"We are thrilled to restore the Queen Kapi‘olani Hotel to its former glory, and to share this authentic Waikiki experience with new and returning visitors,” Jeff Perkins, the hotel’s GM, said in a statement.
The Queen Kapi‘olani’s rooms look out over Diamond Head and the ocean. The renovated guestrooms have coastal color palettes, large new windows, and individual lanais. The furniture, hand-selected by local design firm Philpotts Interiors, also aligns with the hotel's retro-chic vibe.
In addition, the unveiling will launch a new culinary concept, Deck. The Queen Kapi‘olani partnered with Plan Do See to create the casual restaurant, which serves cuisine inspired by local fresh seafood and produce in a sharable style, as well as craft cocktails.
For events, the hotel has the Le‘ahi Room, Le‘ahi Lanai, and Le‘ahi pre-function spaces, which together provide more than 5,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space.
Designed as an extension of the surrounding upscale neighborhoods of Waikiki's Gold Coast, Kaimuki and Kahala, the hotel's open-air lobby is meant to encourage relaxation for guests and locals alike. The lobby also has several retail outlets including Knots Coffee Roasters, selling coffee by day and wines and small-batch local beers by evening. Surfboard storage is also available for those seeking a convenient and safe place to keep their equipment before their next visit to the beach.
Finally, in keeping with the Queen Kapi‘olani’s community-oriented legacy, popular local artists were commissioned to create exclusive pieces that accent the lobby and common areas.
The Queen Kapi‘olani Hotel, Waikiki Beach is open during its renovation, with its completed transformation unveiling this summer. By April 1, the hotel expects to complete the renovation to the lobby and welcome area, including the cafe and grab-and-go stations and the retail shops. By June 1, the pool and patio lounge will be updated, along with Deck, the new fitness center and the business center. All services should be online by July 1, and construction will be completed by September 1.
Photo credit: The Queen Kapi‘olani Hotel