What Is the Moana Hotel?
Opened in 1901, this was the first hotel in Waikīkī!
What Makes It Historical?
Three years after the United States annexed Hawaiʻi, the former royal getaway of Waikīkī was under new management! This long strand of beach leading to Diamond Head was prime real estate for tourists, and Honolulu landowner, Walter Chamberlain Peacock, was ready to capitalize on it! Designed by architect, Oliver G. Traphagen, and built by The Lucas Brothers, this uniquely Hawaiian Gothic hotel opened its doors on March 11, 1901!
At opening, this European-influenced, Hawaiian-named (moana means “ocean”) hotel was breaking the mold! For starters, each room had its own bathroom, which wasn’t standard at the time! It also housed the first electric elevator on the islands and had unique cross ventilation windows to handle the heat in the days before air conditioning! The cost of a room per night was $1.50 (today, it’s over $300)!
Over the years, successive owners added little bits of new architecture to the Moana, from Italian Renaissance style wings in 1918, Art Deco features in the 1930s, and a bit of Bauhaus in the 1950s! Architect, Virginia D. Murison, led a $50 million restoration of the hotel in 1989! Along the way, Prince Edward (great-grandson of Victoria) stayed here, as did Agatha Christie, and many years later, Barack Obama! It was here that Jane Stanford, wife of Leland Stanford died of mysterious strychnine poisoning in 1905!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Spend a night at the Moana Surfrider Resort!
- Donate to the Hawaiian Historical Society!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
2365 Kalākaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
Whenever the mood strikes you!