Pacific Beach Hotel Launches $115 Million Makeover

The 839-room Pacific Beach Hotel plans to dramatically revamp its look and identity with a $115 million redevelopment.

Located across the street from Waikiki Beach, the property — which dates back to 1969 — will stay open during the project. When work is completed in fall 2017, it will be renamed Alohilani Resort at Waikiki Beach. 

The renovated hotel will be a distinctive product that elevates the current guest experience, according to Rob Robinson, general manager for Pacific Beach Hotel. 

“We will reemerge into the market offering an experience that no other competitor in Waikiki can offer,” Robinson said. 

For clients eager for a preview, a select number of renovated guestrooms are available for bookings.

New Rooms, Pools, Restaurants and Oceanarium
Guestrooms and suites will get a top-to-bottom makeover, resulting in custom furnishings and high-tech services and amenities. The decor will feature materials and colors inspired by the natural environment and native culture.

Public spaces will look radically different as well, from a landscaped porte cochere to a lobby with a light, open ambience. A fourth-floor destination pool deck will sport a saltwater infinity pool, a kids’ pool, cabanas and a pool bar, all enhanced by sculptures, lanterns and fire pits.

The new property will showcase two restaurants by celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto: a signature dining room on the second floor, and a more casual, street-level eatery with a beer garden.

Pacific Beach Hotel has long been known for its floor-to-ceiling, 280,000-gallon Oceanarium aquarium. That, too, is undergoing an extensive upgrade to reflect the coral reef formations found in Waikiki’s waters. Presiding over the lobby, the restored saltwater aquarium will house more than 1,000 marine animals.

Opportunities for Travel Agents
Robinson predicts that Alohilani Resort at Waikiki Beach will provide travel agents with attractive sales opportunities.

“We will be able to reach an entirely new customer [following the renovations],” Robinson said. “Located on Kalakaua Avenue and boasting unparalleled views of Diamond Head and world-famous Waikiki Beach, the hotel will have a boutique, modern-beachy vibe that will attract a new clientele.”

The hotel will do well with travelers looking for accommodations that differ from Waikiki’s big-brand hotels, Robinson says, and he notes that key markets will include families, millennials and honeymooners.

Rates for the new property are not currently available.

“A project like this will naturally elevate our room rates, but we will also be elevating our service levels and star ratings to match,” Robinson said.

The Details