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The grand entrance of The Royal Hawaiian,
also fondly referred to as Pink Palace of the Pacific. |
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Part of the recently renovated lobby of the hotel
and possibly my favourite place in Waikiki.
This open air walkway faces the hotels lush tropical gardens. |
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Royal Ocean Front Suite. The pink towels have been replaced by
crisp white ones, but the pink and platinum pineapple wallpaper
ensures the pink theme remains entrenched in this hotel.
Image via http://www.royal-hawaiian.com/ |
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| Stunning Moroccan infused design and decoration in the lobby. |
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Another view of that marvellous roof.
I'm glad I got a photo with some people in it so you can see
the proportion of the enormous magnificent chandelier. |
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| The impeccable styling continues outdoors. |
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| The perfect place to enjoy a cocktail or two. |
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| I can just see Marilyn Monroe here. |
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| Azure seafood restaurant at The Royal Hawaiian |
Twenty years ago, I visited Hawaii with my parents and the most enduring memory of that trip was having breakfast at The Royal Hawaiian. Returning with my Mum and sister recently, my mother had a quiet tear, welling up with nostalgic memories when we arrived. How could a hotel evoke such feeling? Well, this is no run of the mill, cookie cutter hotel for a start.
Opening in 1927 at the cost of $4 million, the Royal Hawaiian was immediately the chosen playground for the rich and famous. At a time when the island was only accessible via boat, guests would pack heavy and reside at the resort for many weeks. Over time, the hotel continued to attract high profile guests including the Rockerfellers, The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, Dean Martin and Shirley Temple. A scandal at the time, the hotel created a non-alcoholic drink for the child star and named it after her.
Built in a Spanish Moorish style, popular in the late 1920's, the hotel's most significant feature is it's salmon colour stucco facade resulting in its fond nickname, The Pink Palace. The hotel truly is an icon of Waikiki, and as the area became bombarded with modernist development in the 1980's, The Royal Hawaiian proudly stood as a design and architecture monument to a golden era of Hawaii tourism.
In 2010, the hotel was renovated by a design team including interior designers, Philpotts & Associates and WCIT Architects. Philpots' outstanding work on The Royal Hawaiian resulted in the firm receiving the prestigious Best of Show award from the IIDA* at the Honour Awards & Pioneers in Design Celebration. The design team have skillfully maintained the 1920's glamour of the hotel and managed to update the layout and furnishings without forsaking any of its distinctive design style.
Bright pink and platinum pineapple wallpaper lines the walls of each headboard to re-envitalize the rooms yet maintain the tradition of the hotel. The lobby was expanded so it opened up to face the hotel's lush tropical lawn. Taking inspiration from the private estates in Oahu, the design team incorporated local Koa wood, exotic hardwoods and a global influenced mix of furnishings to create an ultimate luxury experience. The public areas clearly have a Moroccan design influence infused with Asian and Hawaiian Colonial style.
The seafood restaurant at the hotel, Azure, was designed by Los Angeles designer Terry Henriksen of Henriksen Design Associates. The restaurant is pure glamour with its white, yellow and black Hollywood regency style, taking its cue from the hotel's rich celebrity history. The restaurant design cleverly ties in with the hotel scheme with details such as the Moroccan lanterns and Middle Eastern motifs.
The rich and famous now take their tropical holidays on their own private islands, or secluded mansions with tightly held addresses, but you can still visit the The Royal Hawaiian for a true taste of old Hollywood glamour and a superb interior design job.
*International Interior Design Association
