Hawaii’s tourism industry was born over a century ago, but just a
small percentage of its lodgings boast that kind of longevity.
Still, clients looking for historical hotels can find them in the
islands. Following are a few examples.
Sheraton Moana-Surfrider
When Waikiki’s 75-room Moana Hotel opened in 1901, it boasted
such innovations as Hawaii’s first electric-powered elevator, and
telephones and private baths in the guestrooms. Around 1920, the
beach fronting the Moana launched a new trend in swimwear,
according to Sheraton spokeswoman Cynthia Rankin. “Women used to
wear big, bulky dresses to swim in,” said Rankin. “One day, some
rebellious gals jumped in the ocean in men’s wool swimsuits. Other
women saw them and decided it was a great idea.” In 1989, a
$50-million restoration combined the original Moana with the more
modern, adjacent Surfrider hotels. Today, as the Sheraton
Moana-Surfrider, the resort pays tribute to the past, from displays
of hotel memorabilia in its historic room, to stylish tea service
on the veranda overlooking a banyan tree planted in 1904.
The Royal Hawaiian
This 1927 Waikiki landmark has drawn many famous guests during
its history, but movie star Shirley Temple might have attracted the
most attention. “Temple visited the Royal in the mid-1930s,” said
Rankin. “She awed local and visiting children with her talented
singing and ukulele strumming.” The hotel ushered in a new era of
luxurious resort living in Waikiki, and its Spanish-Moorish
architecture and pink paint job turned heads. Guests arrived by
luxury liner, bringing their steamer trunks and servants. From
1942-1945, the hotel was leased to the Navy as a place wartime
sailors could go for some R&R. Today, clients need only step
into the lobby, with its sparkling chandeliers and elaborate sprays
of orchids, to get a sense of the Royal’s place in Waikiki
history.
Shipman House Bed & Breakfast
Barbara Andersen, who owns this 1899 Victorian mansion on the
Big Island, likes to tell stories about her great-grandmother, Mary
Shipman, whose husband bought the place in 1901. “Hawaii’s last
queen, Liliuokalani, was a friend of Mary’s, and visited from time
to time,” said Andersen. “Being quite the composer, Her Majesty
would play the Shipmans’ grand piano while smoking her cigar. We
still have the piano, and our guests are welcome to play it.” Every
room of the Hilo home has memories of the past, from the claw-foot
tubs, four-poster beds, polished floors, antique rugs and original
light fixtures, to the room where author Jack London and his wife
slept during their five-week visit in 1907. Andersen and her
husband, Gary, invite clients to “sleep, eat and walk where history
took place,” she said. “We love sharing it all with our
guests.”
Waimea Plantation Cottages
West Kauai’s sugar plantation era meets Hawaii’s visitor
industry at this 53-unit retreat in a 27-acre coconut grove. Guests
stay in cottages built in the early 1900s to house families of
plantation workers. Some dwellings come from neighboring camps,
like the property’s recent addition, the Kruse House. The home of a
plantation engineer, it was saved from demolition and moved from
the town of Kekaha, right down to its original hardwood pillars.
While they are models of plantation architecture, the cottages
provide modern amenities like televisions, telephones and full
kitchens. “This is a unique resort because it honors history and
culture,” said Liz Hahn, Waimea Plantation Cottages spokeswoman.
“Visitors can experience plantation-period Hawaii in a contemporary
context.”
Hotel Hana-Maui
In the 1940s, San Francisco businessman Paul Fagan opened a
six-room inn in remote East Maui, surrounded by a 14,000-acre
cattle ranch. Over time the hotel grew in size and reputation, and
its rural elegance attracted the likes of Ginger Rogers, Clark
Gable and Joan Crawford. Today, the 66-unit property features decor
and furnishings reflecting its past, thanks to a recent $14 million
restoration. “The look of the resort offers an updated feeling
while telling a story about old Hawaii,” said Hotel Hana-Maui sales
and marketing director Bea Wolfe. For instance, floor mats are made
of woven lauhala (pandanus leaf), and rooms feature works by local
artists. The menu in the Paniolo (cowboy) Bar tells the history of
Hana Ranch, and the resort’s Hawaiian show features three
generations of dancers. “How wonderful it is for guests to stroll
outside in the peacefulness of the evening and hear cattle in the
surrounding hillsides, or to wake up in the morning and see horses
grazing in the front pastures,” said Wolfe.
Hotel Lanai
When James Dole bought the island of Lanai in 1922 and
transformed it into the world’s largest pineapple plantation, he
figured he better build a place for visiting plantation executives
to stay. Thus was born Hotel Lanai, constructed in 1923 and the
only hotel on the island until 1990. Today the 11-room lodge
maintains a simple, country inn atmosphere. “Guests looking for Old
Hawaii will surely find it here,” said Divina Costales, Hotel Lanai
manager. “Hotel Lanai is all about relaxation, great food and warm
smiles, much like memories of staying at Grandma’s.”
Accommoda-tions preserve the hotel’s original decor with country
quilts, hardwood floors and pedestal sinks. As a nod to
contemporary needs, each room has a ceiling fan, phone, bathroom
with shower, and iron and ironing board.