Nestled cliffside at Princeville, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay redefines luxury with its $300 million makeover. It’s an idyllic getaway at one of the world’s most picturesque spots. We mull over the delicate balance between luxury and authenticity trying to find some essence of Hawaii.
Starwood REIT, owner of 1 Hotel is apparently facing serious financial challenges per NY Times, Bloomberg, MSN etc.
Search: Starwood REIT 5/24/24 for in-depth info.
Link results above will be improved by dropping 5/24/24.
We used to spend an evening at the St. Regis bar area for drinks, apps and the magnificient sunset. This is not even an option at this severly overpriced, Fred Flinstone-ish contraption. The only place worth visiting is the pool bar for a drink and lunch after a bit of local beach time.
There is no reasonable way someone who is not staying at the hotel can access it even to look around it. There’s a so-called public path to the beach, but no parking except valet parking @$45, refundable if you spend $100 inside the hotel. This is elitism, keeping out locals and people of modest means.
Overpriced with squatters. Inflation isn’t an issue if you vacation here yet complain.
We’ve known each hotels built at that location since the beginning and 1 Hanalei is our least favorite, especially the setting of the restaurant and the main entrance of the hotel. It was much nicer and elegant before, less pricey and reflecting more the Kauai style.
We ventured over to 1 Hotel for breakfast during a recent stay in Princeville. Our breakfast was fine and the service impeccable, but the setting, while impressive, left me perplexed. For that price wouldn’t you want to spend your time enjoying the hotel amenties you’re paying for, and is that the reason people travel to Kauai? It felt isolated from the community and culture of the island. The infinity pool was annoyingly pretentious, and, when we walked down to the main pool, there was a hotel employee Raking the sand on the beach. We came back later to snorkel and found most of the reef has been trampeled to death. Can honestly say it’s not my jam, which is good because I also don’t have that kind of money to spend!
It’s a bust. I understand the former Sheraton execs who are behind this are losing their shirts. So much that a local veteran real estate agent told me several months ago the Sheraton execs are trying to sell the place. Plus they can’t get staff to work there.
I hope that they are not turned into ritzy condos by a developer. I believe that the moves to restrict short term lets will lessen the demand for these.
His name was Kimo. He went to Lanai. His last night was ver emotional.
If you squint really hard at your last picture, you can see the beach out in front of our place.
The few people I’ve spoken with that have gone there (just for lunch or drinks) or worked there (one of our friend’s sons waited tables – it is union, you know), the word is: “Nice, but maybe once a year for lunch if you have several hundred dollars to blow”
Coco Palms back in the day… Now That was a resort!
Best Regards
Hi Jay.
Yes, definitely. Now that will be another review if and when it ever reopens.
Aloha.
I hope they rebuild in the style of the Guslanders and do not go for another “Tiki Room” remake. Of course there will be those who want faster internet, large spa etc but we have enough hotels like that. The big problem I foresee is the traffic on the highway and accessing the beach the seashell restaurant.