The island of Kauai is poised for another round of significant new hotel developments, with the latest announcement of a totally new Hilton hotel slated to begin construction this summer in Lihue. This addition is particularly noteworthy against the backdrop of the state’s growing preference for hotel developments over vacation rentals and amidst other significant Kauai hotel news. That includes the long-awaited and forever controversial transformation of the iconic Coco Palms Resort, which is now set to be a Kimpton resort property in 2026.
New Hilton Curio Collection Hotel Lihue announcement.
Civitas Capital Group’s press release announced a $150 million loan to finance the construction of the 210-room “Curio Collection” by Hilton hotel in Lihue, Kauai. Positioned within a master-planned, 450-acre oceanfront luxury resort community, the property will feature a three-meal restaurant, a pro shop for the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Ocean Course at Hokuala, an outdoor pool, extensive meeting and event space, and a fitness center. This project marks Hilton’s second concurrent branded hotel venture on the island, adding another premium Kauai travel destination.
Curio is a decade-old Hilton “soft brand” inasmuch as each property retains a unique boutique quality. Hilton said, “Travelers will be able to experience authentic travel moments all while reaping the benefits of our award-winning Hilton Honors loyalty program in new destinations around the world.” The brand tends to be mid-range in terms of price, and what room rates may be on Kauai has not been revealed.
Background on Existing Hilton Properties
This development follows the less enthusiastically received Hilton Garden Inn in Kapaa, the first of the currently Hilton-branded property on Kauai. Managed by Highgate since 2023, the older property has struggled for years with its deservedly rundown reputation despite offering greater affordability. On checking room rates for off-season, we find rates starting at just over $200 per night, plus taxes and fees. The contrast in expectations and outcomes between these two Kauai properties should be vast and highlight the evolving dynamics of Kauai’s hotel industry.
Set within the expansive Hokuala resort community.
The forthcoming Hilton hotel will be set on approximately 8.5 acres within the sprawling 450-acre master resort community of Hokuala. This development can be seen from the left-side windows just before most aircraft landings on the Garden Island. The ambitious project, envisioned by its developers as a significant enhancement to Kauai’s hospitality choices, will feature Pacific Ocean and neighboring mountain views.
Hokuala has undergone a substantial revival, spearheaded by Timbers Resorts and its Timbers Kauai — Ocean Club & Residences. That 10-year-old development has also included a renovated golf course, rejuvenated legacy lagoons, the introduction of a new community trail system, and an organic farm.
Before its transformation into Timbers Kauai, the property was once the Kauai Lagoons Resort, a large and iconic hotel and resort area that included golf courses and various accommodations. It was significantly damaged in 1992 by Hurricane Iniki. The resort faced many challenges in recovery and rebuilding, leading to long periods of neglect. It eventually evolved into Timbers, featuring high-end luxury residences with resort amenities. On checking rates for off-season September, we find 2-bedroom units starting at $1,500 per night, “plus taxes and fees.”
This luxury living concept at Hokuala provides a backdrop for the new Hilton property, promising future guests a blend of top-priced Kauai accommodations. Integrating the new Hilton hotel into the Hokuala master-planned community should provide more options for visitors.
Coco Palms Restoration: A Parallel Development
As Kauai welcomes the new Hilton hotel, another major development is underway with the Coco Palms Resort. The site, known for its appearance in the film “Blue Hawaii” and devastated by Hurricane Iniki in 1992, is being redeveloped into a Kimpton Hotel, set to open in 2026. This project underscores the island’s ongoing transformation and the complex interplay of cultural preservation and modern tourism needs. Beat of Hawaii will head to the Coco Palms location this week for an upcoming first-hand report.
The Broader Impact on Kauai’s Tourism Landscape
Both the new Hilton property and the Coco Palms restoration are set to impact Kauai’s tourism landscape. While the Hilton represents mid-range modern luxury and the expansion of well-established hospitality brands on Kauai, the Coco Palms aims to blend great historical reverence with contemporary luxury, potentially setting a precedent for future island developments.
As these Kauai hotel projects unfold, they reflect optimism about Kauai’s tourism sector. They will also highlight the challenges of balancing growth with environmental and cultural integrity. The upcoming Hilton hotel and the especially restoration of Coco Palms will likely remain focal points in discussions about the future of tourism on Kauai, making them critical of the island’s evolution as a top-tier, top-priced, iconic tourist destination.
We welcome your input on these Kauai hotel developments.
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I really do not want to see Kauai turn into Maui with a lot of big luxury hotels. The infrastructure is not there (think roads with very bad traffic) and I like the laid back slower pace of Kauai.
B of H team, please note that the “Pointe at Poipu” is a Hilton brand timeshare now as well. My understanding is that Hilton licenses its name to many properties like this one and may not be involved directly.
Hilton Garden Inn was my first-ever Hawaiian vacation in 2019. Surprised to hear it’s changed so much since! At that time, I stayed away from the main building in a beautifully updated one-bedroom suite with kitchenette. Charming cats enjoyed visiting! The spacious open-air lobby, where they offered a distinctive breakfast buffet, seemed so impressive and unique. Every few days a cultural program guide provided a short local history program.
Again, it’s probably a franchised property with different management now.
Thanks for this update.
Besides what everyone else has already said about the tremendous problems surrounding the rebuilding of Coco Palms, at best, it will be delayed significantly. At worst, it won’t be built at all. Why? We are at the threshold of a major economic crash. It is already occurring. 34 trillion dollars in U.S. debt and counting. And not just us, the rest of the world’s economy is in deep trouble too. Don’t be fooled. All of these lofty plans of building new hotels on Kauai will definitely be even more adversely affected than it already is. All of Hawaii is going to be hurting just like the rest of the world, soon. The data doesn’t lie.
You are 100% correct about the numbers referenced with National debt. I offer a totally different and data driven approach towards the building of economies worldwide. There has become an increasingly large growth in economies since the 2020. That growth in economies will continue to grow which as been a reverse indicator of National Debt. Our economy will continue to grow despite the continued Debt. Look at the graphs of Debt and growth. It will shock your prospective and give data driven decisions about the future of positive growth. Our outlook is bright.
Do you know what the greatest benefit of time is, MG? It is unbiased in its’ assessment of the facts. It simply bears them out with no agenda or emotion. It is the great equalizer. We shall see if what you say is true…or not.
wonder if the hotel lobby is pushing the state to limit vacation rentals….
Just like how hotels financed a backlash against vacation rentals in the City of San Diego.
As a 17 year resident of Kauai and a daily user of the intersection at the Coco Palms I look at things from a more practical point of view. For instance I’m all for a nice “boutique Hilton” in Lihue in an area where the infrastructure is already there and will make no adverse effects on the traffic. The roads are there in Lihue.
The Coco Palms location is another story. Only after years of “Kapaa crawl” did we get a new lane to help traffic flow. Now, they want to add a hotel at that very intersection. Not good, in fact infuriating! But, suits on the mainland make the money while I’m stuck in traffic. If you want happy tourists you must have happy locals! BTW, 25% of our local population is food insecure.
Hi Kauai Doug.
You’re spot on about the Kapaa traffic situation.
Aloha.
Well said Kauai dog!
The Kapaa crawl has been around for years and it just grows worse every year despite the bypass route. Trying to get from Princeville/Hanalei to the Lihue area and back, always becomes a nearly all day experience no matter what the purpose of your trip.
Good luck finding staff to serve the guests! Just ask 1Hotel how that is going! Housing is difficult, cost of living extreme and the work force on Kauai is diminished. Why build more is the big question!
I’ve walked daily at Kauai Lagoons for over 35 years and have witnessed the boom or bust development activity there. The old Sharky’s restaurant and shops remain abandoned,; since 1992-nature is reclaiming areas that now resemble scenes from Jurassic Park
—time will tell if this project moves. forward to completion
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Coco Palms was once a beautiful resort back in the day. Was fortunate to stay there on my very first trip to Kauai in 1965. Also stayed several times before it was tragically damaged by Iniki. But after 32 years of starts and stops and disappointing results in attempts to restore the property, all I can say is; “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Hopefully Kimpton will be able to pull it off. The Curio Hilton project would certainly be a needed upgrade to the Hilton Garden Inn, which has at times delivered a less than satisfactory stay experience. Other comments are probably correct that neither property will be moderately priced for Kauai travelers.
Aloha to all.
And where do the Hilton & Kimpton think they will find staff? Until affordable housing/ workforce housing is addressed the hotels have to steal employees. The schools can’t find or keep teachers for the same reason. And BTW the Coconut Wireless says the owners of One Hotel are losing their shirt and are trying to sell the property.
Yep… I have heard from more than one person on Kauai that Four Seasons is buying 1 Hotel.
Just wondering how Four Seasons (or anyone else, for that matter) will magically solve the employee situation.
Two years ago we went to Poipu, ate at a little breakfast place, had shave ice at Riptides, and watched the sunset at the beach park while the sea turtles were guarded by the volunteers. Please keep up your excellent job of reporting on Kauai development, and please offer suggestions on how mainlanders can offer help to keep development sane on such a beautiful place.
Sad to see so much negativity regarding the CoCo Palms. I prefer to be happy and rejoice the new CoCo Palms, and stay there again. Our last stay was 1987 for our wedding that the CoCo Palms did a lot of special little things we have not seen at any of the other Hawaiian places we have stayed.
Follow the money, they have the power.
They make the large political donations.
I just checked. There are still quite a few empty rooms
at the condo in Wailua where we stay for two weeks every October.
However the daily room rates are still the same as they were
13 months ago when there were very few rooms available.
Good god! Don’t let it become another Honolulu or Waikiki! Keep it small, quaint and low priced accommodations.
It’s ridiculous to add more high-end hotels when the locals have to live in tents, as my son and his wife do even though employed, or leave the island, as they talk about doing. If things keep going this way there will be no one living here but former tourists and the Kaua’i of the past will be no more.
I admit I’m part of the problem since my husband and I moved here in 1999 but we bought a small house away from the beach before Iniki, rebuilt and maintained it over the years and still live there.
We need affordable housing, a park and a cultural center before we need more high-end resorts and the increased traffic they bring.
While traveling extensively on the mainland, we noticed that one city looks like another, same hotel chains, same fast-food outlets, same community neglect. I don’t want to see that happen here.
Yes, you’re right, please help keep Kauai an interesting place to visit!
It’s so different, and somehow must find the right balance of development. What might be needed is an alliance of residents and like-minded tourists, not just developers, to collaborate on sustainable solutions.
Wow, what a surprise. Another hotel as we try and rid the state of STR’s. Couldn’t be any clearer who’s filling the politicians’ pockets.
Sounds like I won’t be able to afford a visit to my favorite island. Sad.
I left the info about the Coco Palms on one of the threads, as requested, at least a week ago. Is this piece as a result of that?
Hi Patrick.
No it is not. We already had that info. We’ll have a more comprehensive article when we get over there shortly. But thanks for sending that!
Aloha.