In ongoing comments you continue to ask about what became of the Coco Palms Hotel and will it ever be redeveloped. Here’s the latest on the forever pained Kauai Coco Palms Hotel, where amazingly little has changed in the many years since we first toured the grounds and starting writing about Kauai’s most iconic resort. This, the place where the rich and famous once stayed and where Elvis Presley’s Blue Hawaii was filmed. The property consists of 20 oceanfront (or actually now highway front) acres together with 15 acres of state-leased land.
In 2019, Utah based Stillwater Equity became the developer, after the prior group defaulted on financing valued at $22 million. At the time, Stillwater said it was going ahead with redevelopment plans and permits and was looking for a partner with hospitality experience who could contribute the funding needed to bring the project back to life.
Coco Palms’ Update from Beat of Hawaii:
1. On checking today, we find a range of permits with the County of Kauai that are still open. At the same time, we can find no reference to Stillwater on the permits, nor any reference to Coco Palms on the Stillwater website. There are no longer any websites we found that are associated with the Coco Palms Resort.
2. We also discovered that Colliers is showing a current listing to sell the property. It says “Since 2016, the new owners have obtained the entitlements and permits necessary for the redevelopment of the 350-room hotel along with restaurants, lounges, swimming pools, wedding venues and a spa. The concrete foundations and frames of the main hotel buildings remain allowing for expedited and less costly redevelopment.” We tried to reach the agent at Colliers, but weren’t successful.
3. To help control drug dealing and other illegal activity that was rampant at the property, security fencing was previously removed from the Kuhio Highway fronting property, and other safety measures have been implemented.
Connection to Koa Kea and Hyatt Hotels.
In 2019, Stillwater was rumored to be in discussions with Poipu’s Koa Kea Resort management company, the Meritage Collection, about running the Coco Palms. And before that, Coco Palms had been scheduled to reopen this year as a Hyatt managed property with 273 rooms, 77 suites, 3 restaurants, a cultural center, 12k square feet of retail and more. Living here, we just knew the 2014 Hyatt Unbound Collection plan would never come to fruition.
Zoning problems.
It is interesting to note that zoning at the Coco Palms is a major roadblock. Prior developers had received grandfathering of most aspects of the original property. Given that much of the permitting would seem to have been terminated, developers might need to meet current day standards (instead of 1992 standards), creating an unworkable situation.
Coco Palms Kauai Resort project is dead, so what’s next?
The project has completely disintegrated as multiple developers have been unable to acquire funding required. All to the chagrin of visitors, locals and to some in the Kauai government.
When driving by, you see a great deal of ugly, original concrete and steel, as in image below. The developers had planned to use these pre-existing steel and concrete structures as the base of the new resort. The iconic lagoon was also set to be restored as is shown in image depiction above.
For years we’ve heard talk about an alternative plan for Coco Palms, such as a county park. How that would happen, however, and where funds would come from to undertake such a process, is totally unclear. Various county officials have supported such a concept, at least in theory. Mayor Derek Kawakami was not supportive of the hotel project, although we do not know of alternatives he may promote.
Beat of Hawaii: Until something more happens, Coco Palms sits largely unchanged, destroyed through hurricane, fraud, neglect and to this day, ongoing controversy, for over a quarter century.
A multi-million dollar selective-demolition project was completed in 2016 as seen in photo above. This included drywall and asbestos removal, electrical and mechanical repairs, renovations at the Lotus Restaurant and bungalow building. It pretty much was stripped clean.
More big problems occurred at Coco Palms.
1. Following demolition, construction that was to have begin in 2017 never occurred. Dozens of building permits were issued and remained pending for years.
2. Also in 2017, a land dispute arose when a group of Native Hawaiians claiming to be descendants of Kauai’s King Kaumualii began living on the property. A judge refused to remove them from Coco Palms as more information was needed to determine the rightful owners. The developers have taken the position that “the county recognizes us as the owner of the property, and so we see it as criminal trespassing.” That position was affirmed by the court in 2018, when a summary judgment hearing ended the dispute.
3. Ongoing flood zone concerns. We’ve heard that Kauai County engineering is saying that the resort, if rebuilt, would need to comply with current flood abatement standards. Those did not exist at the time of the original resort. That could result in significant unanticipated costs and delays in order to flood-proof large areas of Coco Palms. We aren’t aware of any update on this issue.
Is there even a market for Coco Palms Resort?
If the resort could ever be rebuilt, how would it position itself in relation to other nearby Kauai hotels isn’t clear. Coco Palms is located on what has become a very noisy stretch of Kuhio Highway, with no beach access. The idea of a pedestrian bridge had been thrown around, but we aren’t aware of any specific plans. In addition, competitive hotels have been built in recent years that, while not Coco Palms, offer beachfront locations at prices that could well undermine any potential for profitability.
We welcome your thoughts.
Image courtesy of prior website cocopalmskauai.com.
Updated 4/16/20.
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Jeanne M says
As long as there are Elvis fans, they would come. As for the property itself, it was enchanting…my 5 year old son at the time said…i want to stay here! We came back two years later and it was a spectacular visit…torches, Elvis, palm trees, lagoon! Such was the fabulous memories that can be resurrected by watching not only our film, but Blue Hawaii. What a loss to everyone, locals and visitors.
Kevin K says
Aloha,
I will relate my experience at the Coco Palms. Married in 1990 then Honeymooned at the Coco Palms. Wonderful charm about the place and the staff was so friendly. I am also an Elvis fan. Maybe that’s why we ended up there.
We would walk amongst the coconut groves and seldom saw another couple, as if it was our own world. We sat by the lagoon, watching the fish swim as the breeze blew through the palms composing a soothing rustling symphony that silenced the rest of the world. Magical.
One day we decided to check out the then Kauai Hilton down the road with it’s fancy hotel and beachfront access. We lay out on the sand and were engulfed in the sounds of shouts from a volleyball game, boom boxes playing, loud conversations, and service carts rattling along the concrete pathway. After about 15 minutes of this din my wife looked at me and we both said, “Let’s go back to the Coco Palms.”
We had a memorable time at the Coco Palms. Even snuck onto the raft decorated with flowers for a wedding we presumed. We took our photos on the raft and at the chapel before we were shooed off. What fun.
When we heard the Coco Palms was being rebuilt I told my wife we are going to spend our 30th anniversary there. Sadly, that is not reality.
But we hope some day they would restore some part of the Coco Palms. Fancier rooms could be created, but preserving that old charm would be special. Yes, the Clamshell Sinks were something. I laughed because it seemed a bit touristy, but we filled it with ice and chilled our champagne in it. Memories we hold forever.
We hope the best for its future. Hotel, cultural center, restaurant/bar, wedding venue (definitely), retreat center. I only reflect on what a special place the Coco Palms was. I’m not a business person so cannot offer safe advice here. But there are those out there that can offer real solutions. Everyone, make it work.
Mahalo
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Kevin.
Thank you.
Aloha.
Charles L says
Have you seen this web site ??
https://cocopalmshawaii.com/
James M says
I have watched the public hearings for 20 years on the tv, Unfortunately, this subject has been exhausted. The locals do not want the hotel. The county does not want the hotel. No private money can find a way through the red tape jungle. The situation has become hazardous and bad for the kids. Time to clean it up governor.
Gladys K says
we stayed at the Coco Palms about 30 years ago….shortly before the hurricane went through & destroyed it…..it was so lovely….the zoo & walking through the palms…reading the plates by the trees…..i loved the clam shell sinks….& the lovely lady that worked in the little liquor/gift shop….she would tell us tales of living on Kauai…..i’ve even bought the book “The Story of the Coco Palms Hotel”…..i go through it often…bringing back memories….the lighting of the garden every night was something people would come from all over to see….i watch Blue Hawaii & it helps bring back some of my memories…
Jeffery L. says
Just a bit of info ..My Aunty When she was in the 7th grade , enter a contest to name this Hotel ..she submitted the name Coco Palms…as told to me… Aloha
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Jeffery.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Rich says
I think it should be donated to the County and rebuilt as a cultural museum for Hawaiian traditions, the real history of Kauai and of course the Elvis associations. Does not need to be a luxury hotel built on the highway in that area. A cultural museum with auditorium for lectures, movies and may locations for weddings with the lagoon returned. I am sure there are some wealthy folks on Kauai that could donate to such a cause and if well managed it could fund itself in time. Time for lateral thinking and another Luxury Hotel in a not so good roadside location is not a goer. But we must not lose the history.
Yolanda O. says
I like that idea.
Doug M says
He would have the same hurdles to clear as anyone else who tried.
Richard D. says
Thank you for your service.
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Richard.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Robert K. says
We drive by this site every year during our visit to Kauai. Until a final result can be decided for the property, please remove all remains of the structure so the landscape can returned to its natural condition. This is beautiful piece of land and should continue as an eye sore.
JohnS says
move the highway and build a new bridge. then build a beach front park from the highway to the beach
Claude L. says
About 35 years ago I was living in Kauai on Mala Street and I used to bring many Europeans groups from HNL for lunch at the Coco Palms, much to their delight.
My wife and I had our wedding there in the chapel. Magic indeed.
This was another era which will never come back, only leaving us with sweet memories.
That time is gone for sure and yet, so many futile attempts to revive it.
Why not making a beautiful public park for tourists and Locals to enjoy it, a bit like Kapiolani park in HNL.
Linda H says
Thank you Claude. I agree with you. I would not want to even drive that way again. Stayed at the wonderful Coco Palms many times. My memories will be with me forever. Good times with my dear husband. Thanks again.
Bob G says
Since Steve Zuckerberg has claimed Kauai as home, and he has billions of dollars, maybe he could lead an effort to redevelop Coco Palms. What a nice civic duty that message would send to the residents of Kauai!
Michael M. says
Yeah; right. That will happen. Not in this lifetime. Do you KNOW Zuckerberg?
Tammy W says
Go watch the 1978 movie “Death Moon” filmed at CoCo Palms. CLASSIC! Any time the Hawaiian government can step in and wrap their red tape around something, they will. Sad.
I’d like to see it come back as old Hawaiiana classic style of swanky tiki. Give us the tiki bar on the beach side at least. I’d hate to see it as a modern design, crammed full of retail garbage. Simple, natural, and basic old school Hawaii, I think that’s the problem though, these developers are reaching for too much change. Definitely NOT condos or housing in that area as another commenter suggests. Keep it simple Kauai. In the meantime, I’ll be at Happy Talk Lounge. Aloha!
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Tammy.
Thank you. Have a good weekend.
Aloha.
Mima says
My family stayed at the Coco Palms in the early 80’s, right after one of the horrific hurricanes. It was kind of a dump then, I can only imagine what it looks like now.
Candy H. says
We got married in the chapel in 1987 and it was not a dump then. It was beautiful!
Linda H says
Replying to MiMA , We stayed at the Coco Palms in 1981, and every year thereafter until 1987. IT WAS NOT A DUMP! It was a gorgeous structure, rooms lovely. It’s very sad, but the memories I have of Coco Palms will last me for ever.
Thank you.
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Linda.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Lynn S. says
Kauai roads are so awfully overcrowded, as is the whole island during normal times. Make it into a park please, or return it to the native Hawaiians but not for development. It is so terrible already give the island a break.
Rich says
Kauai roads are not that bad. There are two pain points, one at Wailua-Kapaa and one down by Poipu. Regrettably it does not take much traffic on Kauai to cause jams. Locals are not as used to heavy traffic as residents of Oahu or the mainland and tourists tend to be looking at the ocean and the views and not where they are going. There is an old cane road that runs as a bypass behind Kapaa but it is not designed for tourists looking at the view, with lots of tight bends and bridges and the possibility to meet big trucks coming the other way. It would be nice to return Kapaa to a quiet backwater and build a modern bypass as happened on other parts of Kauai but then it would not be Kauai. “There are so few places like Kauai left on the earth we should not try to turn it into another California…”
As to Mima’s comments about being a dump; if you do not get Kauai then perhaps you should try somewhere else. The land speaks to some but not all and for some folks the big bed factories in Orlando or Southern California are more to their taste. Strokes/ folks
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Rich.
Thanks again for all your comments over the past 7 years.
Aloha.
Cheryl U says
This is the classic case of you snooze, you lose. Rather than doing whatever to get another hotel in immediately to rebuild on the Coco Palms name and persona, the opportunity is gone. Iniki is long over and very few casual visitors know or care about it or what was Coco Palms. Now we are in a different time with different expectations and the chance to grow with the times has long gone. Having worked with planning in my hometown of Bloomington, IN for many years, (I am a winter bird here, also for many years), I know that government planning offices are in general not knowledgeable and very short-sighted. While trying to require the “perfect” development they have lost 30 years of tax revenue and employment. Tear it down and put homes or condos in there. Don’t be picky, just do something! Anything is better than what will continue to be there forever if there’s not immediate movement. The price of the land is way too high for the government to buy it. Give some developer 30 years of tax abatement to get the job done. Otherwise, 30 more years of income will be lost. I remember the old Coco Palms and it was charming and different from a regular hotel. A new concept, whatever type of housing or hotel it is, must be jazzy and unique. It will have to be very special to get beyond the traffic and development mess that is Kapaa. It will require creative thinking to get beyond the ideas that are currently in place and what restrictions currently allow.
Jared M. says
Having dealt both with Hawaii county planning department and many other planning departments around the country before, I can assure you that the biggest impediment to the redevelopment of this property is the government. At the end of the day, the government needs to decide if it want a resort there or not. If not, they should simply stop granting or issuing permits and either require the current owners to clear the land–or do it themselves. They could certainly use public funds / tax dollars / eminent domain to purchase the property turn it into a state or county park–or some other type of use. But that’s not how these government agencies work. For some reason they will passive-aggressively dangle the possibility of allowing you to develop the property over your head–while at the same time allowing other interest (like squatters… or claims of ancient artifacts / ruins on the property) to endlessly slow or prevent the development from moving forward.
And it’s puzzling… because just think about the jobs, wages, and tax revenue that have been lost forever by creating these impediments to the re-development of that property. Hundreds employed–both in the construction phase and the operational phase. Millions and millions of dollars in wages, sales, and hotel tax lost. Someone could definitely do that math–and I assure you, the numbers would be shocking. But that’s how governments think–or DON’T think. They’re not called pencil pushers for nothing. Instead of opening doors and building bridges to make these projects happen–they build walls and put up road blocks–and then point their fingers at other agencies / branches of government to explain it away and shrug off responsibility.
And, frankly, it’s this kind of massive failure at the government level that keeps so many of the locals poor and on welfare across the islands. Instead of doing everything they can to help produce jobs and opportunities–like the rebuildng of a world famouns 100-room resort destroyed by a hurricane–they just continue taxing the rich and the tourists–and handing that money out instead.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the small buy always VERY vocal minority of “original” Hawaiians that come out of the woodwork to throw monkey wrenches and molotov cocktails into any proposed developments–anywhere on the islands. You know… the ones camped out up on Mauna Kea… the ones that file lawsuit after lawsuit to try and block virtually every new development on the islands–claiming the land is ancestral or has burial grounds or has religious signficance, etc, etc, etc. These are the death by a thousand cuts that eventually discourage these developments by making them too time consuming and too expensive. These types would literally rather have the decaying ruins of a former hotel than a nice new resort on that property… because they’re haters. They don’t like tourists or tourism. They don’t like international conglomerates owning and making millions off their “homelands”.
So… Hawaii… you only have your self to blame for the rot and decay at Coco Palms. You love their money but you hate the tourists. But you can’t have one without the other.
Kristi Y. says
wow…..perfectly said!
Momilani A says
Let’s all think back to the time before tourists came to Hawaii. I believe these “Oh, and let’s not forget about the small buy always VERY vocal minority of “original” Hawaiians that come out of the woodwork to throw monkey wrenches and molotov cocktails into any proposed developments–anywhere on the islands. You know… the ones camped out up on Mauna Kea… the ones that file lawsuit after lawsuit to try and block virtually every new development on the islands–claiming the land is ancestral or has burial grounds or has religious significance, etc, etc, etc. ” using their own communal system of working and living off of their own lands (and under fule of their own government) before the draw of tiki tacky hotels even arrived. No tourist dollars were needed then….
Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed this article and quickly went on to other articles and youtube videos about the history of this resort, but this person’s comment remains pretty insensitive to the Kanaka Maoli.
James K says
Sometimes the truth is uncomfortable
Jared L says
Momilani A, we’re not talking about the 1500’s here. It’s 2020. The genie is out of the bottle. He’s not going back in. And maybe you should study real / actual Hawaiian history. It was no picnic for anyone but the royals and priests. Everyone else was basically a slave. Google it. It’s a thing. I assure you that life is as good or better today for the average “native” Hawaiian as it ever was under that feudal system.
Tom says
I hear you, but there’s something to recognize. I am reminded of the Bible talking about how the children will suffer under the sins of their fathers. I see a parallel with the Hawaiians and the Blacks in the Mainland. The Blacks didn’t ask to be put in chains and become slaves in the U.S. for the financial benefit of plantation owners. Neither did the Hawaiians ask to have U.S. businessmen enlist the U.S. military to “acquire” the Hawaiian Islands for the financial benefit of plantation owners. Almost 160 years after the Civil War and emancipation, we still are suffering “for the sins of our fathers” on the Mainland. And it’s the same for the Hawaiians. It’s all too easy (especially for Caucasians – and I am “the Old White Guy”) to say “that was long ago get over it.” It’s not so easy if your ancestors are Hawaiian or African. And, no, we can’t turn back the clock or change history, but we can try to be a little more understanding. Otherwise, we are The Ugly Americans. Aloha
Brenda B says
Absolutely Spot On!!!
Paul R. says
Yep. And no more funds of any kind from the U.S. Federal Government. You want to be your own sovereign nation, go ahead. And while you are at it give back all the modern technology and conveniences you have benefited from while part of the United States.
There is nothing peaceful about Hawaiian history. Kings were sailing from island to island to conquer each other. I don’t think of human sacrifices to appease angry gods as a peaceful way of life. But then again I am just a evil haole. Oh and by the way, if no tourists are going to Hawaii anymore how will you have extra money to go to Las Vegas? Las Vegas and flying are modern day conveniences. Better start rowing that outrigger.
Ronnie F. says
We stayed at the Coco Palms first on our honeymoon February, 1968. We loved it. It was sooo old time Hawaii. We brought our children back in 1985 and were specially treated to a dinner with the manager as returning guests. We visited Kauai once again with our now teens in the 90’s and were lucky to be allowed to walk the grounds to see the destruction. It was sad. We had hoped it would be brought back and were waiting to stay there once more. We’re now Hawaii residents and it would have been nice to hop over for a week’s stay there. We’re very disheartened that Mother Nature had her way with the Coco Palms and vary sad we’ll not see anything there to take its place.
Thomas S. says
I toured the grounds twice with the old movie tour, probably 2003 and 2005, and while the grounds still looked respected by the public. The talk then and I followed since about redeveloping the place using the shells of the old buildings as the base, similar to what was done at the Koa Kea in the Poipu area. It never made much sense to me.
First, it’s on the wrong side of the highway, a busy highway at that. The Koa Kea, although it doesn’t front on a sand beach is still oceanfront quite removed from the road which is much less traveled than the one by Coco.
Second, I think the rooms at the Koa Kea are on the small side for today’s standards. I heard someone from the Hyatt talk about the evolving concepts needed for the new Hawaii visitor. The Coco rooms frameworks as seen from the highway certainly are the old school small rooms and only the old bungalows seemed worthy.
Koa Kea has the upside of being located in a pretty nice resort area with nicer tourist eateries and shops in abundance, well for Kauai. I don’t feel the same for the area surrounding the Coco.
The idea that the resort could survive with Larry Rivera rekindling memories of Elvis just seems weak, and weaker with the vi rus going on. I’ve enjoyed Mr. Rivera and I enjoyed the Elvis films. I just think the concept there is a losing one. When we did the tour almost 20 years ago, so much of the place looked like it just didn’t some paint, new furniture, and a gardener, and it was easy to see the Elvis shots and such. I saw Darren Lee do an Elvis show on Maui that just did not draw audiences and folded saying to me that magic is fading.
Two possible uses: If a bridge or tunnel to the beach were built, the grounds could be a nice condo resort preserving some parts of the lagoon. Far fetched, perhaps Mr. Zuckerberg would purchase and make it into a nice park for the citizens of Kauai as a way of making nice. Thanks for the opportunity to comment again.
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Thomas.
Thanks, as always. We concur with your contrast between Coco Palms and Koa Kea.
Aloha.
Karen says
I agree, Zuckerberg put your $$$ to preserve the grounds of Coco, no resort, just a very respectful, nice park, garden area.
Jared L says
Oh, Karen, Karen, Karen…. Again, typical Hawaiian / local view-point: “Let the rich mainlander solve / pay for our problems for us. As I stated above, if the people of Hawaii / Kauai want to make that property into a public park or nature preserve–they have that power. All they have to do is be willing to write the checks. And why shouldn’t they? All of their money comes from the tourists ANYWAY… right? I mean, what real industry is there on Kauai aside from tourism? (Answer: None). The tourist already pay for your schools, and your free health care and your roads and your airports and your police and fire departments…. It’s all paid for by tax dollars collected from the tourists in one form or another.