Hilton Hawaiian Village
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality, Tourism |
| Founded | September 15, 1955 |
| Founder | Henry J. Kaiser |
| Headquarters | Honolulu, Hawaii , United States |
Area served | Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii |
Key people | Conrad Hilton (former co-owner) |
| Products | Hotel and resort accommodations, dining venues, event hosting |
| Parent | Hilton Hotels & Resorts |
The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort is a hotel resort situated on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. Since its opening in 1955, it has expanded to become the most extensive property within the Hilton portfolio and stands as one of the largest hotels worldwide, as well as the biggest hotel in the United States outside of Las Vegas.
Pre-history
The location on Oʻahu was once the village of Kālia, notable for its ancient aquaculture fishponds. This land belonged to the Bernice Pauahi Bishop estate until 1912 and served as the childhood residence for Olympic swimmer and surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku and his relatives.
Around 1900, the oceanfront segment of the Bishop estate was transformed into a modest hotel named the Old Waikiki, which was later redeveloped into the Niumalu Hotel in 1928.
Hawaiian Village Hotel (1955–1960)
The Hawaiian Village Hotel was established by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser, renowned for major projects such as the Hoover Dam and as founder of Kaiser Permanente. In 1954, Kaiser partnered with developer Fritz B. Burns to acquire the Kalia estate along with neighboring properties, including the Niumalu Hotel, to create the Hawaiian Village. This development featured a lagoon, 70 thatched-roof cottages, The Tapa Room restaurant, landscaped gardens, and three swimming pools. The hotel officially opened its doors on September 15, 1955. Management shifted to Western Hotels on May 1, 1956. The Ocean Tower and a Geodesic Dome were introduced in 1957.
Hilton Hotels and Resorts
In 1961, Conrad Hilton purchased a 50% stake in the resort from Kaiser for $21.5 million USD—a considerable sum at that time—and Hilton Hotels & Resorts took over management on February 1, 1961, rebranding it as the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The resort gained wider recognition when Elvis Presley stayed there during the production of Blue Hawaii. The Rainbow Tower opened in 1968, featuring what was then the largest ceramic tile mosaic rainbow facade globally. Further expansions included the Tapa Tower in 1982, renovation and enlargement of the Ocean Tower into the Ali'i Tower in 1987, and construction of the 25-story Kalia Tower in 2001.
The property was showcased as a filming location for ABC’s TV series Hawaiian Eye (1959–1963), mainly through second-unit shots. Additionally, it hosted tapings for Wheel of Fortune episodes in 1999 and 2001.
In 2006, Hilton secured a $25 million settlement related to toxic mold problems in the Kalia Tower. The hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2015.
Today, Hilton Hawaiian Village covers more than 22 acres of beachfront near Ala Moana Center, boasting Waikiki’s largest swimming pool, over twenty-two dining venues, exotic flora and fauna gardens, Duke's Lagoon, and exhibits affiliated with the Bishop Museum.
2024 strike
On September 24, 2024, approximately 1,800 staff members at Hilton Hawaiian Village initiated a strike. By October 30, 2024, all employees remained on strike. The labor dispute concluded on November 4, 2024, when union members from UNITE HERE Local 5 approved a new contract. Employees resumed their duties by November 6, 2024.
Village Concept
The Hawaiian Village was crafted to immerse visitors in an authentic Hawaiian atmosphere within the resort, incorporating dining venues, retail outlets, and a variety of facilities designed to promote longer on-site visits.
Founder Kaiser introduced the "village concept," segmenting the resort into unique areas inspired by indigenous cultural themes. These distinct villages encircle prominent landmark towers: Diamond Head Tower, Ali'i Tower, Tapa Tower, Rainbow Tower, Lagoon Tower, Kalia Tower, Grand Waikikian, and the latest addition, Grand Islander, which debuted on March 1, 2017.
Kaiser's village concept continues to serve as a model in the global hospitality and resort industry.
Wildlife
Within the Village Hotel grounds lies a modest pond inhabited by several turtle species such as box turtles and soft-shelled turtles. The property is also home to ducks, lesser flamingos, sacred ibis, black-crowned night herons, koi fish, chameleons, macaws, and parakeets. In 2014, Hilton Hawaiian Village transferred its final three South African black-footed penguins to the Maryland Zoo located in Baltimore.
Geodesic Dome
The Village once featured one of America's pioneering geodesic domes, termed the Kaiser Aluminum Dome, which served as a venue for music and entertainment events.
Henry Kaiser secured rights to manufacture geodesic domes based on Buckminster Fuller’s design principles. This 145-foot dome with an aluminum exterior was fabricated in Oakland, California, then transported to Hawaii in 1957. Impressively, assembly was completed within 22 hours ahead of Kaiser's arrival to supervise the construction.
Celebrated for its superior acoustics and natural sound resonance, the dome hosted numerous recordings during the peak era of Exotica music, including the majority of Arthur Lyman’s works. It was dismantled in 1999 to allow for development of the Kalia Tower.