By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Michael Jackson sat here. Somewhere around here, probably.
While in Hawaii, the King of Pop stayed in the Mahele Suite
at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
The Suite of Life
Designers host a 'Sunday Snoop'
By Tim Ryan
into the very best Hawaii hotel rooms
Star-BulletinHAVE you ever yearned to live the "suite" life just for a night, a day, a few hours even? Thanks to the Hawaii chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, this year's annual "Sunday Snoop" gets you a long peek at some of the sweetest suites in Waikiki.
The public is being allowed a glimpse at a half dozen suites priced from $395 to $4,055 a night at six Waikiki hotels: Hilton Hawaiian Village, Sheraton Waikiki, New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, Outrigger Waikiki, Hyatt Regency Waikiki and Outrigger Prince Kuhio Hotel.
They include:
The Oceanfront Suite, Diamond Head Tower, Outrigger Waikiki ($500 a night, one bedroom; $825, two bedrooms.)
By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
The dining room in the Mahele room
at the Hilton Hawaiian.
The 800-square-foot suite in the Diamond Head Tower can accommodate a family of three. There's a sitting area that looks over the lanai to the ocean and Diamond Head and also serves as an ideal spot for dining. Interior colors are blues, reds and greens in muted shades that blend with the exterior scenic views.
Located on the oceanside of Alii Tower, the suite is decorated with a romantic "old Hawaii" feel that's been described as "turn-of-the-century Territorial." Fixtures are pewter. The suite has been host to numerous government leaders and entertainment stars: President and Mrs. Bush, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and, most recently, Michael Jackson.
By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
The bedroom of the Mahele suite features a majestic
view of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach.
The 1,000 square-foot Pacific suite features a wrap-around lanai with a view of Diamond Head, the ocean, Waikiki, Sans Souci beach and the Koolaus. The interior incorporates the view as part of an intimate living and sleeping experience by using a cool color palette throughout. There's a spa bathtub to accommodate two people, separate vanity areas, an entertainment center with a TV in each bedroom, motorized drapes, telephone with modem/fax hookup, dining room, wet bar and powder room.
Snoopers will get one of the first peeks at the newly renovated Presidential Suite. The suite with its vast ocean view has a nostalgic feel, using a color scheme reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s but updated to a 1990s lifestyle. The parlor alone is 1,000 square feet.
By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Ocean view from the living/dining area of a suite
at Kaimana Beach Hotel.
Located on the top floors of the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, these two spacious suites, which offer spectacular views of the Pacific, are namesakes of the past Waikiki estates of the Hawaiian royalty.
Uluniu means "coconut grove" and is named after the Waikiki residence of King David Kalakaua. Pualeilani, or "heavenly flower wreath," is named after the former beach estate of Princess Ruth, Princess Kaiulani, and the Kalakaua and Kawananakoa families which once existed where the Hyatt Regency now stands. The one-bedroom penthouse Uluniu suite is decorated with a blend of contemporary furnishings with Oriental accents. To enhance the simple lines and low profile of the black lacquer furniture, the suite uses bright colors with custom designed area rugs accentuating the warmth of the wood floors.
By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
The Kaimana suite includes a jacuzzi bath.
The 40th-floor, 1,600 square-foot two-bedroom Pualeilani suite also contains Oriental furnishings, including a Chinese lacquer chest in the living room and a rattan armoire in a bedroom.
The 1,200 square-foot Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Suite on the Executive Suite Floor combines Hawaiian and Old World Mediterranean ambience. Carpets have floral prints. Color palettes are deep rich tones, as well as light wood finishes, mixed with rattan and iron pieces to create a dramatic setting.
Funds raised by ASID-Hawaii will provide support to interior design students and assist with community design projects.
'Snoop' scoops
