Coco Palms Revisted
When you drive by the dilapidated Coco Palms resort on Kauai, it’s hard to imagine the magic and style of this once grand property.
There’s a story behind its chain link fence and buildings that have given way to termites and rot. And that story is steeped in Hawaiian history and some of the biggest names of the 1950’s and 1960’s, who stayed here before jet service began to the islands.
There’s a dark side to its history too which has kept the Coco Palms closed since Hurricane Iniki struck in 1992.
That story is rooted in insurance fraud and now the economy. The sad thing is that Hurricane Iniki only damaged the lobby of the Coco Palms. It could have, and should have, reopened.
With its future uncertain, I wanted to see Coco Palms again.
This past weekend I was allowed behind it gates. As I walked past the largest coconut grove in the islands, its eerie silence spoke of long ago.
This was the ancestral home of Kauai Ali’i (royalty). As a resort it became one of the most prominent in the islands before and after statehood under the careful watch of hotelier Grace Guslander.
As I walked in the footsteps of its history, I wanted to go back in time.
Mitzi Gaynor remembers Coco Palms quite well. She stayed in one the bungalows during filming of South Pacific. On her recent trip to Kauai, her first in 50 years, she lamented the condition of the resort and the loss it represents to Hawaii.
Another person with memories of Coco Palms is Larry Rivera. Now 77 years young he has become the unofficial caretaker of the resort.
Larry started as a busboy at Coco Palms 57 years ago and was on hand to sing and talk to us. When you hear him speak and look in his eyes, you see in him the magic of a time long passed. Larry doesn’t see an empty resort but a place that is still alive. He’s passionate about the Coco Palms and wants the property opened again.
The pictures I took tell the story of its current condition.
Overgrown elephant grass hides the once sought after bungalows, weeds cover markers of famous people who planted trees here (like Jackie Kennedy Onassis), and the lounge where Elvis sang is empty.
If you ever stayed at Coco Palms, please comment with your stories and memories.
How you can tour the Coco Palms:
1. Hawaii Movie Tours includes a visit to the resort on their 6 hour itinerary which includes lunch. Prices start at $89. For information call 808-822-1192.
2. Schedule a Blue Hawaii wedding or renewal ceremony on the lagoon: Contact Larry Rivera at LarryRivera@hawaiian.net
Read the story of the Coco Palms:
Author David Penhallow has written, The Story of the Coco Palms Resort: The Grace Buscher Guslander Years 1953-1985. It’s the definitive history of the resort and includes a large selection of photographs from the period. Available at Amazon for $29.95 with free shipping.
Find Coco Palms on the Internet:
Coco-Palms, features a selection of photos and information.
Friends of Coco Palms, is a group of supporters who want to see the property open again.
Love in the Ruins, a recent article from the Wall Street Journal about Coco Palms Resort, Larry Rivera and his Blue Hawaii weddings.
ebay has 57 collectible items from the resort when I checked today. Enter “Coco Palms Resort” in their search box to find them.
Photo Descriptions (clockwise from top right): (1) Lobby staircase, (2) location of Mai Tai reception for return guests hosted by Grace Guslander, (3) Lobby interior, and (4) Lagoon where Elvis Presley sang Blue Hawaii.
I took a tour years ago and it may well have been with Larry. It was looking pretty rundown then but, looking at your photos, it has deteriorated even further.
Were any of the huge oyster shell basins that were used as bathroom sinks still there?
Such a great location. Lots of great memories. At least we can relive its glory days when watching Blue Hawaii with Elvis.
It is a shame that this property was left to ruins – it would be such a fantastic place to visit (or stay) if it could be saved. Who owns it? Could it be restored through some sort of “preservation Society” – History is important and should be preserved if possible. Enjoyed this article and your photos.
My parents took my twin brother and I there in 1963. We were more interested in fishing for perch in the small ponds than anything else. I remember the giant clamshell sinks in the bathrooms, fabulous coconut pies for dessert, and the torch lighting ceremonies. My wife and I drove by last October, and it was sad.
Question and comment about Coco Palms – great article – we are going to be in Kauai in about a month – how did you get to go inside – I too would love to take some photos and experience this great place. Hopefully it will re-open one day again. It is such a shame. Mahalo.
Sandi–I think the oyster shell basins are long gone. Here’s the link to a picture of one: http://www.coco-palms.com/photos/submissions/full/postcard02.jpg
Colleen–The current owners are mainland based. They are Maryland’s Petrie Ross Ventures and South Carolina’s Weiser Cos. Their plans fell through in 2007 to open as a condo-hotel. State Senator Gary Hooser has suggested the 32 acre property be opened as a state park.
Tim–Thanks for writing your memories of Coco-Palms.
Rene–Starting this month, Kauai full-time residents are allowed on the property twice a month for a one hour tour. If you’d like to see the property during your visit, you’ll need to take the movie tour I wrote about. Enjoy your stay on Kauai.
Aloha from Rob
Beat of Hawaii
thanks for the photo link … it was a great idea that someone had to use them.
If it were to reopen as a State Park – would there be any restoration done? To allow it to decay further would be a shame. What a loss!
I visited the Coco Palms with my family in 2007 and the property caretaker was nice enough to give us a tour. Very nice guy, indeed! The grounds were really in bad shape, but at the time of our visit, there was great hope that the grounds were going to be soon redeveloped. The caretaker even showed me a copy of the plans. We were all so optimistic back then only to have our hopes shattered a few months later when the redevelopment plans fell through.
Anyway, for those of you who have a Flickr account you can see my pictures of the visit at this link!! http://www.flickr.com/photos/22399124@N08/
Enjoy!!
My Parents and I stayed at the Coco Palms back in 1972. 20 yrs
later on my Honeymoon, my Wife and I flew into Kauai on 9/10/92. We had one lovely nite (dinner, the torch-lighting ceremony, etc.), then Iniki came roaring thru on September 11, 1992! (Catch that date). My wife knew the Coco Palms only from
BLUE HAWAII, and she could’nt believe the beauty of the place. We were back on Kauai 5 yrs later, and were able to see the grounds again. I hope that the hotel can be restored (if Possible ) to it’s former splendor!
In the next couple of weeks, Coco Palms will be open for tours Monday thru Fridays at noon and 2 pm. Visitors will be $10.00 per person, Kauai residents with Hawaiian ID will be free. Keep watching for the signs.
I’m a Maui girl at heart :0) my Tutu’s home is on the Valley Isle. My Mother is from the island of O’ahu, brought to the mainland as a child. She raised me here but took me home frequently throughout my childhood. As a teenager I spent every Christmas in Hawai’i, and also visited during the summer some years. We stayed at the Coco Palms whenever on Kaua’i. My parents are both huge Elvis fans, and I think this might’ve been part of the reason. I remember visiting the bungalow where he used to stay. My Father and I would rise early in the morning, to head down to the beach and take sunrise photos. We would go to dinner at night and I have many pictures by the lagoon. I remember going to Larry Rivera’s show and getting his album autographed, our pictures taken. His daughter is also named Leilani…and she is a kumu hula, as well as a singer. The loss of the Coco Palms Hotel is enormous. A trip down memory lane, such nostalgia from the glamour of Hollywood, mixed with dreams of an island paradise. I am sad that it has never reopened. There will never be another place like it. Such a shame…but such wonderful memories.
A standard hula that I dance, “Beautiful Kaua’i” was written here during a visit by Randy Farden, of the famous Farden family singers. He was inspired by the view from his room in 1967.
Here is a nice article written by Derek Rivera, “Uncle” Larry’s son – http://www.k12.hi.us/~kapaahs/foundation/alumniprofilelr.html
Rob,
I’m happy to say that almost all the clamshell sinks are still intact. Some that are gone are safeguarded off the property in storage. Each sink weighs well over 100 lbs, therefore, very difficult to steal.