The Royal Hawaiian- Honolulu, HI

The Pink Palace of the Pacific. The Royal Hawaiian is just about as glamorous as Old Waikiki gets. The hotel harkens back to an era when a trip to Hawaii would have been a voyage, and the destination very exotic. Only the most well heeled of travelers could make the trip across the ocean to the tropical paradise, and when they arrived, the Pink Palace was there to welcome them.

The Royal Hawaiian debuted splendidly on February 1, 1927 with a 1200 guest black tie gala, featuring the Honolulu Symphony. The Island was now open for luxury travel. The new six story, $4 million dollar Spanish-Moorish style hotel was as luxurious as it was pink. A staff of 300 attended to 400 rooms, each with their own bath and balcony. Designed in the shape of an H to take advantage of trade winds, the hotel also featured several terraces, or lanais, which help bring the outside in. Surrounding the hotel was a lush 15 acre landscaped garden, which still acts as a respite from the chaos that is modern day Waikiki.

As the popularity of air travel grew, so did that of the Royal Hawaiian, remaining busy even during the Great Depression. The hotel became the haunt of celebrities and athletes, including Duke Kahanamoku, the Olympic swimmer who brought surfing to the masses. In 1934, Franklin Delano Roosevelt became the first sitting president to visit Hawaii, and of course he stayed at the Royal Hawaiian. However, not even the Pink Palace could survive the bombing at Pearl Harbor. The hotel would close to guests, and function as a Navy property for most of the 1940s.

The post-war era was a prosperous one, and the advent of jet travel increased tourism to the Hawaiian Islands. The renovated hotel was the height of luxury, and still dominated the Waikiki Beach scene. The 50s may have been the hotel’s halcyon days, before mass construction changed Honolulu forever. Not that the hotel is not still grand, it most definitely is. Following a full renovation in 2009, it is both historic and modern, and absolutely luxurious.

Sadly our last minute Hawaii trip did not allow for a stay at The Royal Hawaiian, however we were frequent visitors to their beach front restaurant and bar. I recommend both highly. Not only were the fruity drinks everything you would imagine, they were made with fresh local fruit, so they almost seemed healthy. The view of Diamond Head and passing sailboats is priceless. The pink beach and table umbrellas remind you exactly where you are. You will even be presented with a pink pen to sign your bill. I am still in possession of one of those, and every time it surfaces, I am reminded of the elegant pink palace by the sea.

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