The Twin Fin, part of Highgate's Hawaii collection of hotels, has opened along the coastline of Waikiki on Oahu Island. The former Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation of its guestrooms and overall design aesthetic.
Located close to the ocean, The Twin Fin was named after a surfboard with two fins. "Cultivated in our backyard and shared by Duke Kahanamoku with the world, surfing is an intrinsic part of our identity," Randy Diamond, Highgate area managing director, said in a statement. "As we open the doors to The Twin Fin today, we invite guests to celebrate the spirit of Hawaii. From custom artwork created by local artists, comfortably stylish spaces with stunning views and meaningful sustainability efforts aimed at protecting and preserving our oceans, each facet of the hotel pays homage to the essence of Waikiki."
Guestrooms and Resort Enhancements
The property has 645 guestrooms, 48 of which are two- and three-bedroom suites. Decorated with hints of midcentury modern design, the updated guestrooms and suites have a contemporary aesthetic that evokes modern surf culture. The blue tones of water are represented by the bold carpet, peppered by the colors of the artwork and upholstered lounge pieces, similar to surf boards puncturing the monochromatic water. The rooms include touches such as custom printed surf ponchos and a custom Twin Fin-branded phone mount from Tentikle.
New staff uniforms are designed by Hawaii-based Throwback League and the pool deck is updated with six new cabanas with pops of color. Pool service is available, and a rotating series of DJs and musicians provide an upbeat ambiance in the evenings.
Celebration of Surfing
Surfline, the source of wave forecasting and surf reports, has installed three high-definition cameras that stream real-time surf conditions on a large-scale video wall in the lobby and other locations throughout the hotel. The livestream will highlight surf breaks around Hawaii during the day and transition to famous waves around the world in the evening. The locations featured on the livestream will evolve seasonally.
Artwork
Custom artwork for the hotel was designed by Kamea Hadar, one of the leaders of the artist collective Pow! Wow!, and features a collection of dynamic, ocean-inspired installations and large-scale murals. Six custom surfboards painted by three Pow! Wow! artists will be on display throughout the hotel's public spaces. The shapes, colors and lines are inspired by much of Twin Fin's new soul: sun, sky, water and waves. In addition, local artist Dane Nishikawa is working in partnership with Parley for Oceans to create an oversized, interactive wave-like art structure standing eight feet tall and 16 feet wide. The piece will serve as a creative foreshadowing of the future if the present is left unaddressed, and features ocean plastic, post-consumer plastic from the island and Albizia wood, an invasive species to Hawaii.
Sustainability
The Twin Fin has partnered with Parley for Oceans, a global network of creators and leaders working together to promote the beauty and fragility of the world's oceans. The team will help protect Hawaii's treasured beaches and coastlines by empowering guests and employees to become part of the solution. As part of this new partnership, The Twin Fin has committed to taking the Parley AIR pledge as its first step to eliminating single-use plastics from the hotel. The two entities will focus on hosting educational programs and talks featuring Parley guest speakers at the hotel and will conduct a five-part beach cleanup series over the course of the next year.
In addition, The Twin Fin is one of the first resorts in Hawaii to carry Mananalu's aluminum water bottles, saving more than 200,000 plastic bottles from going in the ocean. In 2023, the team plans to double its impact with the launch of a co-branded bottle and Mananalu's Drink One, Remove One impact program.