Pritchett photo 300 dpi square

John Pritchett

Cartoons

Government & Politics

Red wave

<title>Paddling to the future</title>

Paddling to the future

WEB square crop Hayley Lehman Headshot RGZ1636

Haley Lehman

Aloha Spirit

 knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of Hawaiʻi residents, food banks and hunger-relief partners across Hawaiʻi stepped in to provide food. 

doubled its monthly average of food distributions in the wake of hurricanes Lala, Lowell, and Nolo over the past couple of months, the nonprofit's CEO and president Amy Miller told Aloha State Daily last week. Headquartered in Honolulu, the organization normally distributes between 200,000 to 225,000 pounds of food per month on Kauaʻi — and in September alone, distribution jumped to 619,578 pounds of food. On Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Foodbank distributed 4.4 million pounds of food in August and September.

Ahead of the storms, Hawaiʻi Foodbank sent seven shipping containers of Survivor Daily Rations, 24-hour emergency meal kits that do not require refrigeration, to Hawaiʻi Island, two to Maui and one to Molokai, according to Miller.

On Oʻahu, power outages hit residents the hardest, Miller said, noting that the City and County of Honolulu provided $200,000 to Hawaiʻi Foodbank in August to help source and transport food for distribution on Oʻahu after Hurricane Lala.

“So many of our households are already food insecure or just on the brink," she said. "Losing a full fridge of food is not something many families can weather."

Miller said that the food bank worked to distribute nonperishable food in the immediate aftermath of the storm and later dispersed items like bread, milk, eggs and produce to restock fridges.

For Hurricane Lowell, which struck Kauaʻi on Sept. 7-8, she added that it was “really scary” because it knocked out electricity to approximately 91% of the island, leaving residents unable to purchase food and gasoline.

“We had no power at our warehouse, and if we hadn’t got it back on the day that we did, we risked not being able to power our pallet jacks or forklift,” Miller said.

Hawaiʻi Foodbank works with more than 250 hunger-relief partners and serves more than 160,000 people each month on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, according to its website.

Leelen Park, communications and public relations director for

on Hawaiʻi Island, told ASD that the food bank distributed nearly 1 million pounds of food in August. The food bank regularly serves about 60,000 people per month, and the emergency response to Hurricane Lala reached more than 30,000 people.

“With this storm, the majority of our island lost power and it really highlighted how fragile our infrastructure can be in the wake of a storm,” Park said.

For Park, Hurricane Lala showcased the devastation that a storm could cause, and gave people a better understanding of the need to prepare for future storms, like Hurricane Nolo at the time.

When Park directed traffic in front of their warehouse prior to Hurricane Nolo, he saw families who were scared and needed to prepare.

“Us being out there really gave them hope,” he said.

while the food bank typically distributes about 550,000 pounds of food per month, the organization distributed more than 600,000 pounds of food per month 

to residents on Maui, Molokai and Lānaʻi

n July, August and September of this year.

Saragosa said that there is a stigma against receiving help, but that help is for everyone.

“One of the contributing factors to the need following disasters as opposed to blue skies is there’s incredible food loss," she noted.

and helicopters flew in water and supplies, she recalled, 

 volunteered to deliver food. After Hāna Highway was cleared, additional teams from the food bank worked collaboratively to deliver fresh food and disaster supplies.

“It was a kākoʻo effort,” she said. “The need grows but so does our response, not just from us but the community.”

Maui Food Bank relies on local farmers, or the 

 for produce, Saragosa described. If farmers have a surplus, such as when restaurants or hotels close during and after storms, the organization will purchases the surplus.

“Maui Food Bank has stepped in multiple times during those situations to make sure they can still sell their produce, and [so] they don’t have to lose out financially,” she said.

Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center

 Waiʻanae District Comprehensive Health and Hospital Board Inc. 

partners with Hawaiʻi Foodbank and local farms. The organization hosts five weekly kūpuna pantries and distributes emergency food after power outages and storms.

Cassidy Keola, director of community impact and engagement at ʻElepaio Social Services, told ASD that ʻElepaio distributed about 337,000 pounds of food to more than 2,900 households over seven emergency food distributions following Hurricanes Lala and Lowell.

“People are super grateful and appreciative [of] these food distributions,” Keola said. “It’s definitely a community-led effort. A lot of the people that are coming through these lines; they’re our families, they’re our neighbors, they’re our aunties and uncles.”

Alicia Higa serves as executive director of the nonprofit, whose mission is "to 

strengthen West Oʻahu ʻohana through Indigenous food sovereignty and access to origin-story foods — restoring people's relationship with ʻāina and food, nourishing families and cultivating community resilience for generations to come." 

Food-relief organizations prepare for the future

Hawaiʻi Foodbank is already bolstering its supplies and coordinating with local farmers to prepare for future storms. 

Miller told ASD that it can take food one to three weeks to reach Hawaiʻi from the Mainland depending on where it’s coming from, highlighting “how vulnerable we are in the middle of the ocean.”

One concern for the food bank now is for the economic aftermath of the storms. 

published in September from the Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, found that total spending by visitors declined by 9.7% in August compared to August 2025, and the number of visitors dropped by 5.6%. 

With tourism down, people may lose their jobs which could impact the nonprofit's housing and power, per Miller.

Park noted that as the cost of living increases in the state, Hawaiʻi Food Basket more frequently hears of families choosing between paying for gas, food or medical expenses.

“This storm exacerbates all of that,” he said. “Almost half our island is food insecure, so having storms hit us makes matters a lot worse.”

Saragosa sees hope existing alongside anxiety when natural disasters reach the Islands.

For instance, Maui Food Bank set up a direct service market where Lahaina residents could choose what food they needed following the 2023 Maui wildfires. Saragosa said she saw families come together, talk story and heal. The market is still running today, and she calls it a “beacon of hope” for the Lahaina community.

“There’s a lot of fear about what’s coming next, what’s the next disaster, can I afford food, but there’s also a lot of hope,” she said, noting the food bank's role as the lead for food relief in partnership with local government, including Maui County Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

“We’re going to bring this disaster hui together before the disaster happens,” she said.

Maui Food Bank is also visiting rural communities on Molokai and Hāna to examine their infrastructure and logistics, and prepare for future storms.

“We have to prepare now before it happens,” Saragosa said. “Because disaster doesn’t discriminate, neither should help."

Elepaio Social Services

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

The nonprofit's president and CEO shares more about the operations and ongoing partnerships at the food bank with warehouses, staff and support on both Oʻahu and Kauaʻi. Her top priority is to expand the organization’s mission of nourishing ʻohana and ending hunger.

Amy Miller 01

Amy Miller reflects on five years at Hawaiʻi Foodbank

The nonprofit's new "grocery-style food pantry on wheels" will bring food to rural and underserved communities across the Garden Island.

Kauai foodbank mobile 6 24 25

Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i goes mobile

<title>ʻDisaster doesn't discriminate': Emergency food distributions increase due to storms</title>

Food banks across the Islands significantly grew distributions in the wake of Hurricane Lala, Hurricane Lowell, Tropical Storm Moke and Hurricane Nolo over past months. Aloha State Daily talks with local food banks and community-led organizations seeking solutions for food insecurity in the future with the help of statewide government agencies, local farmers and producers, and volunteers.

ʻDisaster doesn't discriminate': Emergency food distributions increase due to storms

De Soto 2025

DeSoto Brown

Hawai‘i History

Columnists

Do you remember Ward Warehouse? It was something of a landmark in Kaka‘ako once, but after being demolished nearly 10 years ago it’s now on its way to being forgotten.

The Ward family is foundational to the history of Kaka‘ako. Back in the 19th century, the clan came to own a large tract of land stretching from their private home that was just across King Street from Thomas Square, all the way down to what is now Kewalo Basin. This ownership, of course, is the origin of the name Ward Avenue for the street that formed most of the boundary of the property on its ‘Ewa side.

By the middle of the 20th century, the Ward land contained a mix of private homes and a variety of business tenants. The family-owned corporation that managed the property, Victoria Ward Ltd., started taking small steps towards more lucrative tenants in the 1950s but ramped up its redevelopment goals in the early 1960s by constructing a series of modern, low-rise structures.

A major new commitment came in early 1974 with the start of construction of Ward Warehouse on a 4.1 acre site between Ala Moana Boulevard, Ward Avenue and Auahi Street. The location had some special considerations in that it was covered by two very different types of zoning: one was for retail while the other was strictly for wholesale and industrial uses. The latter category was slightly problematic for what was intended as, essentially, a shopping center open to the public, and initially required a careful selection of tenants.

Designed by architect Steve Au, Ward Warehouse had a notably 1970s appearance. The hippie movement in the USA by this time had popularized more earthy, natural materials, so the complex’s exteriors were dark-stained wood, inspired in particular by a trend-setting development called Sea Ranch in California from the late 1960s. The only outside decorations were sections of bold painted “supergraphics” in geometric patterns. Industrial elements were not covered up but were openly displayed; on the outside, pipes and fittings were painted in bright colors to show them off, along with some oversized machine parts that were installed purely as decor. Inside the rental spaces, high ceilings showed undisguised conduits, light fixtures and air-conditioning ducts. Floors were concrete and walls were mostly unpainted wood. The effect was “honesty” in materials vs shiny synthetic surfaces.

Ward Warehouse opened with 87 tenant spaces; some interiors had the potential for the construction of mezzanines. Parking on the ground level accommodated 250 vehicles while the four-level concrete garage had 400 more spots. A soft opening for some businesses took place in time for Christmas 1974. By April 1975 the complex was placing large display ads in the Honolulu newspapers.

Those who are old enough to have patronized Ward Warehouse will undoubtedly remember particular stores or restaurants they regularly visited. For many people, the Old Spaghetti Factory at the far ‘Ewa end, with its two-story interior spaces, was surely a favorite (it has since moved to Aloha Tower). Embellished by numerous antique light fixtures and other old-time props which the company had been able to accumulate when such items were mostly inexpensive salvage goods from the demolition of 80- or 90-year-old structures in the USA, the low-cost restaurant had a unique feeling in its diverse seating areas.

Of course many other businesses came and went through Ward Warehouse over the years. There was the Liquor Collection which was filled with limited-edition figural ceramic specialty bottles, stores just for outdoor furniture, kitchenware, and flags, and the Nohea Gallery for local artwork of all kinds.

Ward Warehouse was never intended to last throughout the ages. A 1969 newspaper article quoted a statement from Victoria Ward Ltd that said offices and high-rise structures were eventually planned along Ala Moana Boulevard. Closure of the shopping center came on July 31, 2017 followed by demolition that began in November.

Howard Hughes Corporation, by then the owner of the site, first announced that two “ultraluxury” towers would soon rise here, the Ward Village Gateway. One of these was to be the 

 with units offered for prices ranging from $1.3 million to $23 million; these were first put on sale in 2015. But in 2018 the entire project was dropped, even after Howard Hughes had spent $29 million on it, and 28 of the 125 apartments in the Cylinder had been sold. In 2019 Victoria Place was approved for construction on the Waikīkī end of the property. Next to it was the start of the new Victoria Ward Park which would eventually occupy what had been the center part of Ward Warehouse.

However, it wouldn’t be until 2025 that one of the familiar construction cranes would finally be erected on the rest of the former Ward Warehouse, signaling yet another of the Kaka‘ako condominiums to come: Kalae.

1 Ward ad 1 16x9

<title>Changing Kaka‘ako: Remembering Ward Warehouse</title>

Ward Warehouse was never meant to last — even the previous owners who built it, Victoria Ward Ltd, always intended for offices and high-rises to take its place. But it had a four-decade run from its 1975 opening to its 2017 demolition, featuring such businesses as Old Spaghetti Factory, Orson's, The Liquor Collection, Nohea Gallery and more. Here's a look back at the shopping center, including a glimpse of the neighborhood before Ward Warehouse came along and fishing, rather than shopping, was the area's industry.

Changing Kaka‘ako: Remembering Ward Warehouse

ASD icon blue inverse lighter

ASD Staff

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Have you started decorating for Halloween?"}]

SMILE 26 10 2

<title>Daily Smile: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026</title>

Have you started decorating for Halloween?

Daily Smile: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 is coming from Oct. 1 to 11. Fourteen Waikīkī restaurants will be featuring limited-time specials, prix fixe menus and specialty cocktails during the 11-day dining event.

The dining event includes a variety of specials from breakfast to dinner; experiences range from a $16 specialty cockatil to four-course tasting menus. Participating restaurants are located at Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort, Outrigger Waikīkī Beachcomber Hotel, Outrigger Waikīkī Paradise Hotel, Outrigger Waikīkī Beach Resort, Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikīkī Beach Walk and Waikīkī Beach Walk.

“Flavors of Waikīkī Restaurant Week is an invitation for residents and visitors to explore the remarkable variety found within a few walkable blocks,” states Barbara Campbell, vice president of retail leasing and property management at Outrigger Hospitality Group. “These exclusive offers make October an especially rewarding time to dine in Waikīkī.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Participating restaurants include:"}]

: This Italian eatery will offer Branzino al forno ($43), which features a whole roasted branzino with lemon, garlic and herbs, served with roasted potatoes and tomatoes. The dish will be available during lunch, happy hour and dinner. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Blue Note Hawaiʻi"}]

: Customers can enjoy a limited-time appetizer of four shrimp spring rolls with a sweet chili pineapple sauce. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Cajun Crab Waikīkī"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Duke’s Waikīkī"}]

: With the purchase of two prime rib buffet dinners, customers will receive a complimentary signature Hula pie. The buffet dinner costs $64 per adult and $24 per child; available at dinner only. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Giovanni Pastrami"}]

: The sports bar will feature a three-course meal ($55):

This three-course menu is available during lunch, happy hour and dinner.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hula Grill Waikīkī"}]

: The restaurant will feature an early dinner tasting menu from 4:45 to 6 p.m. The four-course menu ($46) includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Kani Ka Pila Grille"}]

: Lunch specials will include seared ‘ahi salad and Local Boy kalua pizza. The featured five-course Taste of Kani Ka Pila Grille dinner ($79) includes ‘ahi crudo, Rockefeller croquette, miso-glazed island fresh catch, red wine-braised beef and a warm cinnamon knot. An optional five-drink cocktail pairing ($45) will also be available. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Liliha Bakery"}]

: Liliha Bakery’s four-course prix fixe menu ($77) will feature local favorites and signature offerings. The menu will include butter rolls with Liliha jelly, a bowl of clam chowder, 10-ounce carved prime rib with a 5-ounce lobster tail, and the original Coco Puff.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Maui Brewing Co. Waikīkī"}]

: Enjoy double-cooked mochiko chicken with garlic-shoyu glaze and Sriracha ranch ($18), along with an optional 16-ounce glass of Bikini Blonde ($7). This special is available during lunch and dinner. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Pakini Bar"}]

: Pakini Bar & Lounge is located on the fourth floor grand lanai at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikīkī Beach Walk. Enjoy a creamy pumpkin pina colada ($18) topped with whipped cream, a graham cracker crust, fresh pineapple and a cinnamon stick. A non-alcoholic version ($12) will also be available.

The drink will be available from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday. 

embassysuiteswaikiki.com/amenities/pakini-bar-and-lounge

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Roy’s Waikīkī"}]

: This special three-course dinner ($72) will include:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Ruth’s Chris Steak House"}]

: The steakhouse’s special Flavors of Waikīkī four-course menu ($75 to $85) will include:

This featured menu will be available during happy hour and dinner. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Tanaka of Tokyo"}]

: Diners can enjoy a specialty surf and turf dinner ($75) comprising a 6-ounce cut of A5 Japanese wagyu striploin from Toriyama Cattle Farm, paired with a cold-water lobster tail. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Taormina Sicilian Cuisine"}]

: The eatery, known for its Sicilian cuisine, will feature a Flavors of Waikīkī four-course menu ($68) for a limited time. It includes:

This four-course menu will be available during dinner only. 

Flavors of Waikiki Ruths Chris 092026

<title>Flavors of Waikīkī Restaurant Week is coming in October</title>

Fourteen Waikīkī restaurants will feature limited-time specials and prix fixe menus during this new, 11-day dining event.

Flavors of Waikīkī Restaurant Week is coming in October

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

[{"type":"text","text":"Caizel Jesus-Kapesi's parents knew it the day he was born. "}]

The son of Clisha Jesus and TeeJay Kapesi, Caizel was the second of four children and weighed 10 pounds at birth. 

"Literally as soon as he was born, we took him home, and that's how it started — Fatboy. He was a chunky kid," Clisha Jesus-Kapesi recalled to Aloha State Daily. 

And thus, Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi, the one the world has grown to love in recent days, was born. Clisha and TeeJay can't remember which parent coined the nickname, but it certainly stuck. 

In a 14-13 locally televised win at Leilehua on Aug. 21, Jesus-Kapesi completed 13 of his 20 passes for 193 yards, two interceptions and a touchdown. The gritty victory included a key first down in the closing minutes in which ‘Aiea went for it on fourth down deep in its own territory and converted to seal the game. For his efforts, Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi was named the Spectrum OC16 Impact Player of the Game. 

While interviewed by Spectrum's Jimmy Bender upon receiving his award, a TV super displaying Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi's name, weight, position and class was on display. The 6-foot-1, 268-pound sophomore quarterback quickly became an internet darling overnight, fans from around the world smitten with his name and social media posts of him reaching hundreds of thousands in reshares. Google Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi, and it would be hard to find a national sports content website that hasn't recycled the same set of pictures of him. 

"You must be here for Fatboy," multiple members of the ‘Aiea football program tell a visitor at a recent Na Ali‘i practice. 

Perhaps the first thing to know about Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi is that he's fully embraced his lifelong nickname. He politely introduces himself as Fatboy, and in the days since his viral introduction to the world, people who have never met him will approach him and say, 'Hey, you're Fatboy!'"

Due to the viral nature of his name, Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi was asked if local brands, such as local restaurant chain Fatboy's, have reached out. 

"I don't know about the restaurant yet. Hopefully soon," 

. "I was thinking about the FatBoy ice cream. That too, hopefully."

For those curious to learn more about him, what else should we know about Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi?

"I love cheeseburgers. I love burgers. That's one thing about me. I love burgers, especially McDonald's burgers," he said while flashing a grin. "You know, that's the one right there."

Life for the Jesus-Kapesi family has not been the same since last weekend. Their phones are still constantly buzzing with memes and comments. Through it all, Fatboy has stayed the same humble kid. During his viral interview, before he conceived it was possible he'd become as famous as he has, Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi gave the credit to God and his offensive line.  

"Being (seemingly everywhere) on social media, I take a lot of pride in it," he said. "I

t means a lot not just to me, but to my family. I'm putting my family's name out there, too."

Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi has been the starting quarterback on the varsity team at ‘Aiea High School since the beginning of his freshman year. He has a 3.7 grade point average and aspires to play college football. As ‘Aiea awaits improvements to its on-campus stadium, all of its games are on the road in 2026. Na Ali‘i improved to 2-0 after the Leilehua victory and will next take the field at Nānākuli on Saturday.

"I really, really want to play college football one day," he says. "My recruiting process so far, I'm working on it, but I'm ready."

A conversation with Clisha and TeeJay about Fatboy's ‘Aiea upbringing reveals why their son has been able to remain grounded despite his newfound fame. Young Caizel had his "knucklehead" moments, Mom says, but through strong parenting, he eventually learned and began to appreciate the process of earning everything he has, both good and bad. 

"'You can't do this, don't go do that. You have to do this to get that.' Having him work for his rewards. You want that? Then you work for it," Clisha says. "If you think we're hard, we're teaching you. He'll always be a kid at heart, and that's what I love about him."

Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi wouldn't gave gone viral last weekend if he weren't the Impact Player of the Game, and those go to winners. 

"I'm really proud of where he's at and where his potential could take him. We always tell him that what's done in the dark comes to light," TeeJay said. "The work he puts in on and off the field, the drilling he gets, letting him know that football's an avenue, and you can have all the talent, but you have to do everything right on and off the field. The talent can't outshine everything, and the classroom and the football field, one can't overcome the other, and he handles his business on that."

TeeJay is also an assistant linebackers coach for ‘Aiea, and he doesn't take it easy on Fatboy in practice. 

"Every day, we try to get this defense to bring the best out of not just him, but our offense as well," TeeJay said. 

The ‘Aiea community has supported Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi long before his viral moment. The rest of the world is now catching up. As nice as the attention is, nobody involved is pretending it's all been positive. 

"Seeing not only the positive comments, but the negative was really harsh," Clisha says. "I just had to remind him to just keep with the positive. (The attention) is something that we're not used to."

Mika Li‘ili‘i, ‘Aiea's head coach: 

"We always talk to the kids about social media. It can be evil and stuff like that. But in this situation, it's also a blessing for our school, for Fatboy to represent and bring some attention to our school and what we're doing. I know he feels it and he understands he's getting all the notoriety because his teammates are catching his balls and blocking for him and stuff like that."

Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi has played football for as long as he can remember, but he didn't get an opportunity to play quarterback until he was 12. 

He also dabbled in soccer and competitive hula, his 

 taking home a runner-up trophy during his only competition in 2019. 

Always on the bigger side, TeeJay remembers how he was placed as a lineman by default. "When he finally got his shot to be a quarterback, we hit the ground running, and that's who we have here today," Dad says. 

When one watches Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi throw a football, it's clear that doing so is easy to him. Using his upper body to gain torque, Fatboy spins it effortlessly in practice while his receivers practice multiple routes with him. 

Another thing that appears seamless to Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi: blending in with his teammates. In pre-practice stretching and jogging, he truly is one of the boys. His demeanor remains mellow and approachable.

Following a set of reps, his teammates, perhaps in acknowledgement of media around, break the huddle with "1, 2, 3, Fatboy!" 

[{"type":"text","text":"Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi can't help but laugh coyly."}]

"More people seeing that I'm on social media, I mean, it would be great for them to come to our games so we could show love to our community, show them what ‘Aiea High School football is about," he says. "For me, ‘Aiea is more than just a football program. It's home to me, so it means a lot."

Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi 082726

<title>‘Aiea quarterback Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi takes his newfound name fame in stride</title>

Jesus-Kapesi, the overnight viral sensation, confirms it's fine to call him by his nickname. He says he even prefers it.

‘Aiea quarterback Fatboy Jesus-Kapesi takes his newfound name fame in stride

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection property on Hawai‘i Island’s Kohala Coast, has unveiled a new $180 million-plus renovation it says is the “most extensive transformation in the property’s 60-year history.”

The renovation, which spans both the hotel’s Main Tower and Beachfront Wing, includes 252 “fully reimagined” guest rooms and suites, along with a refreshed family resort pool with a new oceanfront hot tub and five private cabanas, a recent announcement noted.

Additions throughout both wings include handcrafted textiles, ceiling fans and plantation shutters, bedside lighting control panels, glass lānai doors, bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and more.

There’s also a new oceanfront wellness retreat with a state-of-the-art, 2,500-square-foot fitness center and an adults-only infinity lap pool along with refreshed public spaces with a curated gallery from the Rockefeller Art Collection.

According to the hotel, photovoltaic solar panels that supply about 45% of the resort’s overall electrical energy needs have also been added.

Other enhancements include the redesign of the Mauna Kea Golf Course by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the opening of the 28,000-square-foot 

, upgraded in-room amenities, and updates to the hotel’s restaurants, the announcement notes.

, for example, is a “re-concepting” of the resort’s beachfront dining venue, the announcement notes. Its lunch menu will include items like salads, burgers and Baja-style fish tacos, and evenings will feature contemporary regional Mexican dishes.

 restaurant also received a “refresh and introduced a new hyper garden-to-table menu” the hotels says is centered on local and seasonal ingredients that come from Big Island farmers, fishermen, ranchers and the resort’s new ‘Ulu Garden.

And coming this spring is The Spa at Mauna Kea, which will offer 11 treatment rooms, purification gardens, steam and sauna facilities, a pool and more.

“This renovation was always part of our long-term vision for Mauna Kea Beach Hotel,” hotel manager Kansas Henderson said in a statement provided to ASD. “Plans for the transformation were already underway prior to the [Covid-19] pandemic, and while it understandably paused our timeline, it did not pause our commitment. 

“As travel resumed around the globe, ownership recognized it was the right time to bring this long-planned vision to life, honoring our responsibility to preserve the hotel’s historic legacy and its culturally significant art collection while delivering the elevated and unforgettable experience today’s guests expect. The timing ultimately reflects both commitment and responsibility, ensuring Mauna Kea continues to create lasting memories for generations to come.”

Henderson says that on average, the hotel hosts approximately 25,000 visitors each year.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel opened with 154 rooms in July 1965.

“It was while swimming in the turquoise waters of Kauna‘oa Bay, surrounded by a vast landscape of lava rock and ranchland with clear views of Maunakea’s summit, that American conservationist and venture capitalist Laurance S. Rockefeller decided to build Hawai‘i Island’s first resort,” a history on the 

. “His inspiration to capture the spirit of this special place and ensure the hotel conformed to, rather than intruded upon, these beautiful natural surroundings, became today’s Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.

Paddling to the future

John Pritchett

More in Cartoons

Pritchett Cartoon: Trojan Panda

Pritchett Cartoon: AI panic ...

Pritchett Cartoon: In the future ...

Pritchett Cartoon: Supreme Court rules on basket case

Most read

Paddling to the future

Authors

John Pritchett

More in Cartoons

Pritchett Cartoon: Trojan Panda

Pritchett Cartoon: AI panic ...

Pritchett Cartoon: In the future ...

Pritchett Cartoon: Supreme Court rules on basket case

Most read