Hawaii’s Finest Iconic Hotel “Halekulani” To Reopen in October 1st, 2021
Following A Comprehensive Renewal

August 4, 2021
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd Halekulani Corporation

Tokyo, Japan, August 4th, 2021 - Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd, a leading global real estate company headquartered in Tokyo, announced today through its subsidiary Halekulani Corporation (COO: Peter Shaindlin), that their iconic hotel “Halekulani” is scheduled for reopening on October 1st, 2021 following a comprehensive renewal which began in September of last year.

Since its opening in 1984, the Halekulani went through numerous renovations, though this was the first time the hotel was fully shut down for such renewal. In order to preserve Halekulani’s legacy as the hotel heads into its second century, the restoration has been both meticulous and wide-ranging, encompassing the hotel’s physical infrastructure and public spaces, all guest rooms and suites.

Halekulani has long been regarded as a “House befitting Heaven” and has acknowledged the love and support from many of our guests worldwide. Continuing to establish high standards of hospitality and preserve the historical culture of Hawaii, Halekulani will be looking forward to inviting the guests back at its brand-new facilities filled with indigenous Hawaiian culture and Aloha-spirited guest room and dining experience.

Photo taken during the evening at Halekulani

With the latest refurbishment of Halekulani, along with Halekulani Okinawa (opened in July, 2019) and Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani (reopened in October, 2019 after major renovation), the “Halekulani Brand” now enters into the new era. The brand continues to aim being the “globally top-level luxury resort hotel” loved worldwide by synergizing these three hotels.

About the Renewal

Upon this renewal, Halekulani’s unique architecture and exterior aesthetic has been painstakingly preserved, while the hotel’s iconic gatehouse and porte-cochere have been revitalized to further enhance its welcoming aesthetic. Inspired by Hawaii’s indigenous flora and tropical natural beauty, Halekulani’s landscaping has also been renewed, incorporating vivid, colorful hues from flowering plants and foliage to create an even more spectacular surrounding.

Halekulani’s guest accommodations have been thoughtfully revitalized and designed by international award-winning interior design firm BAMO, enhancing the property’s signature “seven shades of white” aesthetic philosophy. Textured wall coverings and meticulously crafted furnishings fuses the subtle influences of European, Hawaiian, and Asian cultures.

The fundamental facilities of the building were also upgraded to allow guest rooms to install modern technologies, meaning guests could now have an improved experience during their stay.

House Without A Key, one of the hotel’s most legendary and popular venues, is being completely transformed with a new shaded outdoor bar, a state-of-the-art exhibition-style glass kitchen and contemporary furnishings. In addition to a redesigned entry that offers sweeping vistas of the Pacific Ocean, Diamond Head and Halekulani’s historic Kiawe tree, House Without A Key will offer guests a culinary and entertainment experience unlike any other when it reopens in late November.

Image of guest rooms upon renewal

Image of “House Without A Key” upon renewal

Comments by Peter Shaindlin, Chief Operating Officer of Halekulani Coprporation

“Since its founding, Halekulani has achieved worldwide renown and singular status, recognized by our international guests, local community and employee family for unparalleled quality and unequaled service excellence in an idyllic setting and steeped in Hawaiian culture. Halekulani Corporation and our ownership, Mitsui Fudosan, is committed to sustaining Halekulani’s unequaled standards of excellence as well as its distinguished and world renown legacy, and the renewal of our “House Befitting Heaven” will ensure Halekulani’s stature as the finest hotel in Hawaii and one of the best in the world for decades to come.”

The History of Halekulani

Halekulani’s Origin

Halekulani originates to 1881, when Robert Lewers invited several local fishermen to his beach house, which they referred to as “Halekulani”, meaning “House Befitting Heaven”. In 1917, a North Shore hotel manager Clifford Kimball and his wife acquired this beach house, opening it as a hotel.

ビThe Beach House (taken in 1950).

The Main Building

In 1932, “Lewer’s House” (the now Main Building), was constructed by Charles W. Dickey with its design resembling a great house in the farm. This historical building still exists as to this date, being the only architecture to remind people of the history. The unique “Dickey Roof” functions to take in the trade wind into the building.

Mitsui Fudosan and Halekulani Redevelopment

Mitsui Fudosan acquired Halekulani, a then two floor wooden hotel, through its subsidiary “Halekulani Corporation” in 1981. Mitsui then sent three employees to Hawaii, with an aim to transform Halekulani into a top-class hotel.

Upon establishing the plan, it held simplicity, integrity, and elegance resembling paradise as its design concept, as well as upholding the next three themes.

1. Creating “House Befitting Heaven”
   Inherit and develop atmosphere and services that befits its name.
2. Preserving historical buildings
   Harmonising modern facilities and technologies with the Main Building built in 1932. The iconic “Dickey Roof” also playing its role to unify the outer appearance of the hotel with its unique structure, bringing calmness into the hotel.
3. Creating peaceful atmosphere isolated from the urban area
   The five separated buildings are positioned in an “E” shape towards the beach with the urban area on its back, with the intention of guests being able to have the view of the ocean from every room.

The Main Building built in 1932 (taken in 1950).

The Main Building now

The opening of the “New Halekulani”

After $115m worth of renovation and two years of construction, Halekulani, a 16-storey luxury hotel with 456 guest rooms (now 453) opened in March, 1984.

• Guest rooms with elegant and luxurious interiors
• A swimming pool of which the floor is depicted of an orchid using 1.25 million glass tiles, with the view of the pacific ocean.
• “La Mer” – a 30 years consecutive AAA Five Diamonds award-winning French Restaurant

In addition to these top-level facilities, the new Halekulani re-employed many workers from the former Halekulani with an aim to provide guests with top-level hospitality, gaining popularity and attention as the symbol of Waikiki Renaissance from its start.

Improving the service and increasing the value with renovations

Halekulani, as its meaning of “House befitting Heaven” suggests, has continued to pursue high quality of hospitality and elegant atmosphere ever since its opening. As a hotel visited by guests around the world, Halekulani constantly utilises the feedbacks from the customers to improve its service. Moreover, to match the needs of the modern era while preserving its historical culture, Halekulani went through and invested up to $30M in three major renovation, upgrading as well as constructing new guest rooms and fundamental facilities such as “Spa Halekulani”, “Hospitality Suite”, “Vera Wang Suite”, and “Orchid Suite”. Now, in this most recent renewal, major infrastructure equipment was replaced and upgraded, with public spaces and guest accommodations including suites also revitalized with new FF&E. Halekulani will be reborn after this significant renovation.

CGI of the outdoor bar at the “House Without A Key” upon renewal

About the Halekulani Brand

About Halekulani Corporation

Halekulani Corporation owns and operates the globally acclaimed luxury resort Halekulani and the new luxury boutique hotel Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani in Hawaii. Halekulani represents a luxury hospitality legacy of unique and iconic proportions and has been globally recognized with more than 500 awards. Halekulani is home to award-winning SpaHalekulani, House Without A Key, Lewers Lounge, Orchids and La Mer, Hawaii’s longest, consecutively ranked AAA 5 Diamond and Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Restaurant. Following a multi- million-dollar transformation, Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani,, which is situated in close proximity to its iconic sister property Halekulani, provides hospitality hallmarks of the Halekulani brand such as innovative guest experiences and gracious service.

About Halepuna Waikiki By Halekulani

Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani, located steps away from Waikiki Beach and directly across from sister property Halekulani, Hawaii’s most venerated hotel, appeals to Oahu visitors who are looking to be in the heart of it all. Since opening as the first luxury boutique hotel in Waikiki in 2019, the "House of Welcoming Waters" has already received industry recognition including the #1 Hotel in Hawaii by Condé Nast Traveler 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards, #1 Resort Hotel in Hawaii by Travel + Leisure’s 2020 World’s Best and the coveted AAA Four Diamond® designation by the American Automobile Association. The hotel encompasses 284 guest rooms, four suites, the first-ever Halekulani Bakery & Restaurant, the hotel’s full-service, all-day casual dining concept, a dramatic eighth floor pool deck and bar and fitness studio. A member of Preferred Hotels L.V.X. collection, Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani provides each guest with the highest standards of quality and personalized service, while celebrating the indigenous surroundings, culture and aloha spirit of the islands of Hawai’i.
For more information, please visit www.halepuna.com.

About Halekulani Okinawa

Halekulani Okinawa, the second hotel from the leading Hawaiian resort of the same name and first outside Hawaii, is a luxury beach resort located in Onna Village on the main island of Okinawa. Featuring a variety of accommodations built to emphasize the geographic features of its surroundings, Halekulani Okinawa sits on 21 acres of lush land within the Okinawa Kaigan Quasi-National Park and faces approximately one mile of coastline. Halekulani Okinawa is home to a diverse array of facilities including eight restaurants and a bar. In addition, the property boasts the prestigious SpaHalekulani, a fitness center, luxury boutique, over 2,550 square-feet of meeting and convention space and five swimming pools. The main pool is adorned with nearly 1.5 million mosaic tiles in the shape of Halekulani’s signature Cattleya orchid. Halekulani Okinawa is the third member in Japan to join The Leading Hotels of the World, an exclusive collection of the world’s most extraordinary luxury establishments. For further information, please visit www.okinawa.halekulani.com/en.

About Mitsui Fudosan Group’s Hotels and Resorts Business

The Mitsui Fudosan Group has actively expanded its own hotel brand, Mitsui Garden Hotels, THE CELESTINE HOTELS, and sequence, domestically, as well as worked to bring famous global hotels to Japan for its mixed-use development projects in central Tokyo, including Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo and The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo. In March 2016, the company drew the global resort brand Aman to Nemu Resort in Shima, Mie Prefecture and opened AMANEMU. In addition, Halekulani, beloved as one of Hawaii’s famous resort hotels and owned and operated by the Mitsui Fudosan Group, was developed in Japan as well with the opening of Halekulani Okinawa in July 26, 2019. In addition, the company attracted the world-famous luxury brand Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to Japan and in September 1, 2020 opened Four Seasons Tokyo at Otemachi. Moreover, HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO (Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture) opened on November 3, 2020 as a flagship hotel directly managed by Mitsui Fudosan. Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo (Chuo-ku, Tokyo) is also scheduled to open at the end of 2022 in a mixed-use building in which Mitsui Fudosan is involved in developing.