Nowadays high-rise hotels surround the elegant old 'pink palace' as if sentinels protecting it from the modern world.
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| The Pink Palace |
Yet, back in its day, this hotel with its Spanish Moorish style architecture and striking pink facade, was a standout on Waikiki, the beach it has helped make famous.
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| In its early years, the pink palace reigned over Waikiki |
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| The Royal Hawaiian remains a pink palace on the beach |
'Carpe Diem!' the Latin phrase for seize the day, seize the moment or seize the pleasure is my mantra about travel this year. Circumstances slowed our travels last year and it is high time to make up for lost experiences!
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| My welcome lei - live orchids |
On the first day of February our cab driver eased past the modern high rises - The Sheraton, Royal Beach Tower and Outrigger Hotels -- and took us back in time as he followed the hotel's circular drive through one of its lush tropical gardens. In keeping with hotel tradition, we were greeted by uniformed valets who draped us with leis of welcome: mine a necklace of fragile orchid blooms, and The Scout's a rope of kukui nuts.
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| Rocking chairs off the lobby face the tropical gardens |
Somewhere between the lei greeting and spotting the rocking chairs just off the lobby, I knew we'd made the right decision about spending our final weekend here. A stay at the Royal Hawaiian, for that matter, any hotel on Waikiki is not inexpensive whether you are spending currency or accumulated hotel points (which we were). Tourism isn't quite back to pre-Covid days, but it is robust, and Waikiki continues to be one of the most popular destinations on the island of O'ahu.
Waikiki Beach
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| Hawaii's Olympic medalist Duke Kahanamoku |
Waikiki Beach, perhaps the most well-known beach in all of Hawaii, is located in the heart of Honolulu, a bustling metropolis of 351,000 residents. Within it, the four-square mile area, known as Waikiki, is home to 50 hotels, nine of which are located on Waikiki beach.
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| Waikiki Beach |
Here emergency vehicle sirens mix with soothing Hawaiian music piped from speakers along the beach sidewalk. The air is thick with scent of coconut-based suntan lotions. Palm and Banyon trees shade beach areas where surfboard storage racks stand side by side with beach shacks serving food and drink. Sun and surf enthusiasts lay colorful beach towels so close together on the sandy beach that it can be difficult to step around them. Its main drag, Kalakaua Avenue, offers well-healed shoppers a plethora of choices from Gucci and Yves Saint Lauren to Tesla.
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| Banyan tree on Waikiki Beach |
The name Waikiki means 'spouting water' and stems from a time when the area was home to fishponds and taro fields fed by abundant springs and rivers. It was in the early 1900's that tourism got a toehold on Waikiki with the construction of the Moana Hotel, followed a few years later by the Royal Hawaiian.
The Royal Hawaiian
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| Hotel opening was front page headlines in 1927 |
Our February 1st arrival, purely by coincidence, fell on the 98th anniversary of the hotel's grand opening. According to its historical displays, it was a gala celebration that drew 1,200 attendees who'd paid the whopping sum of $10 a ticket to attend the affair.
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| Opening Night Gala |
However, its 98th anniversary went by without notice. Although, thanks to a Saturday night gala for the Honolulu Ballet, the hotel's common areas were again filled with guests decked out in sequined gowns and tuxedos; and while not as crowded as opening night, the scene was equally as elegant.
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| Hawaii Ballet welcomes fete attendees |
We'd chosen to stay in the original building instead of its newer high-rise sister hotel the Royal Beach Tower. We adore old historic hotels, and this is one of the best-preserved places we've stayed as it has all the modern conveniences incorporated into the stately old building.
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| Our room with a view |
We were delighted to find ourselves in an ocean view room overlooking the hotel's MaiTai beach bar. Our windows opened so we could hear the rustling palm fronds as well as the traditional Hawaiian songs sung by performers in the beach bar.
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| Hotel grounds belie the modern world just outside its perimeter |
With such a short stay we kept our explorations somewhat limited to strolls along the beach area and revisiting old favorites within a few blocks of the hotel. To be honest, the hotel grounds, shops and eateries were too tempting to get too far away.
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| Nighttime was simply enchanting |
We've never been ones to commit to travels years in advance. But I admit that as we sipped our final night's wine in the hotel's MaiTai Bar, with a view of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head, I did say that I am putting February 1st, 2027, on my bucket list/calendar. . .
I'm betting the 100th birthday celebration is going to be something! And I'd like to be there!
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| A final glass of pink (French rose wine) |
Now we are back in an unseasonably cold southern Greece where we make our expat home. Hawaii goes into the memories file, and it is time to start thinking about future travels. We've got some plans shaping up, how about you? Any upcoming trips? Any armchair travels thanks to a good book? Let us know in the comments or send us an email.
Again, thanks for your time with us and wishes for safe travels to you and yours~
