The “Grand Dames” of Waikiki were there when it all began and still are known for their elegance, timeless serenity and gracious hospitality. The Moana Surfrider opened in 1901, followed by The Royal Hawaiian in 1927, and since then these two architectural wonders have become the jewels of Waikiki. Visitors from all of the world have walked through the magnificent structures recalling the days of a bygone era.
English Businessman Walter C. Peacock and his Moana Hotel Company, Ltd. at a cost of $150,000 developed the first hotel built on Waikki Beach. The Moana Hotel paved the way for tourism to Hawai’i and the island of O’ahu. Before the four-story, 75-room Moana was built, only bathhouses and bungalows were available in downtown Honolulu and at the San Souci Hotel in the late 1880. The modern luxuries of Moana boasted the Territory of Hawai’i’s first electrical powered elevator; guestrooms had their own telephones and private baths, true innovations at the turn-of-the century. Two wings were added in 1918 to create the famous shape “H” recognized today. The Surfrider Hotel was built in 1952 and the Surfrider Tower in 1969. In 1989, a $50 million restoration redesigned the property into one beachfront resort and three wings and a common lobby, and owners renamed it the Sheraton Moana Surfrider.
The Royal Hawaiian opened on February 1, 1927 and plays an important role in Hawai’ian history. King Kamehameha I had used the area as a playground after he conquered O’ahu and Queen Ka’ahumanu had her summer place in the coconut grove where the “Pink Palace of the Pacific” was built. During the war, the hotel was leased to the Navy as a rest and recreation center for the Pacific Fleet and reopened to the public in February of 1947.
The Spanish-Moorish appearance of the building was quite unusual for this part of the world. But it was the 1920’s and the influence of Spanish style was “in” on the mainland, partly as a result of Rudoph Valentino movies. There were also overtones of the California mission style as seen in the cupolas or bell towers (now The Royal’s icons).
