nInThingTheO‘ahuKaimana
Beach Hotel
Waikīkī’s Kaimana Beach Hotel’ssunny, exuberant furnishings bring tomind Jonathan Adler’s cheery interior
designs. Built in 1963 and unveilinga major refresh in February 2021,
the 122-room boutique hotel boasts
an eye-catching lobby filled floor toceiling with artwork (pictured).
“Creating an Instagram-worthy
gallery similar to the wall we createdat Kaimana Beach Hotel requires
design thinking, planning, and a little
bit of magic to bring it all together,”says Joanna Staniszewski, lead

Easy interior design ideasfrom some of Hawai‘i’schicest hotels

based Henderson Design Group.
Rates start at $254.

BY RACHEL NG

ver checked in to a hotel room
and wished you lived there? Asin love at first sight—especiallywhen you sank into super-soft
bed linens or a deep soaking tub,or threw open the lānai doors
to an epic view?
Hawai‘i hotels excel at making guests fromaround the globe feel relaxed and welcome.
Chic decor, quirky artwork, and thoughtful
nods to tradition elevate the experience. Hereare 6 stylish hotels in the Islands with design
inspiration you’ll want to bring home.

34 | AAA EXPLORER JUL/AUG/SEP 2023

Design Tip
Go bold and go fun with the art
on your walls. “Source a variety ofartwork. Choose different sizes,
textures, framing, and art styles—
such as painting, photography,
sculpture, colors, and vintage versus
contemporary pieces,” Staniszewski
says. “The more variety in the mix,
the more eclectic the final result will
COURTESY KAIMANA BEACH HOTEL

E

senior designer of Kailua-Kona–

be. Choose a primary color scheme
or a palette of 3 to 5 colors to focus
on, and let these colors dictate themajority of the gallery wall. Blendin a few additional accent colors
to keep it interesting.”

JUL/AUG/SEP 2023 AAA EXPLORER| 35MauiKā‘anapali
Beach HotelO‘ahu

Surfjack Hotel& Swim Club

Known as “Hawai‘i’s Most Hawaiian Hotel,”Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel has long attracted
guests who are charmed by the resort’s oldschool vibe of ceiling fans, wicker headboards,

With its leave-your-slippahs-at-the-front-door vibe, theand Hawaiian-patterned bedspreads.

Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club in Waikīkī is the kind of place

In June 2022, the hotel unveiled its

where kama‘āina would want to hang out. Many locals$80 million refurbishment that updated

frequent the boutique hotel to dine at Mahina & Sun’smore than 60% of its 432 guest rooms. New

restaurant (Executive Chef Erik Leong helms the menu),

Premium rooms still feature Hawai‘i-themed

shop at its über-hip store, and listen to live music while

artwork and furniture, but they’re decidedly

sipping craft cocktails by the pool.

more modern, with muted palettes and clean-If you’re lucky, you might get to rub the belly of Sir Jack,lined furniture.

O‘ahu

The Laylow,AutographCollection

the Surfjack’s French bulldog mascot. In 2016, Honolulu-

For a personal touch, each Premium

based The Vanguard Theory designed midcentury-inspired

room displays a makamae (precious gifts)

interiors and spaces for the hotel, with curated artwork fromshadowbox of objects ranging from lūhe‘emore than 2 dozen Island artists.

(octopus lures) to mea kaua (weapons), allRates start at $235. Hawai‘i residents receive a special

handcrafted by hotel employees. Rates start

rate for a 1-room bungalow or 1-bedroom suite with private

at $278 ($437 for Premium).

lānai, pay no amenity fees (including for dog stays), and get
free parking.

The Laylow, Autograph Collection in
Waikīkī offers up sleek and simple decora vibe that’s young at heart. Each roomcomes with an ‘ukulele, a welcomebasket with snacks, 2 pairs of rubberslippahs, and an Insta-worthy accent
wall printed with monstera leaves, thehotel’s signature design motif.
“We tasked our team to makesomething that was unique to thebrand, felt fresh and modern, and wasinspired by midcentury modern–era
Hawaiian bark cloth patterns,” says Fritz
Mesenbrink, executive creative directorof the design firm behind the project.
“We ended up with something thatmakes it clear you’re at The Laylow inevery guest room photo on Instagram
or TikTok, and also looks great on ahat.” Rates start at $341; special rates
for Hawai‘i residents.

Design Tip
You can source wallpaper
designs similar to The Laylow’sfrom O‘ahu-based company
Surface Mode of Operation.

36 | AAA EXPLORER JUL/AUG/SEP 2023

Design Tip

Design Tip

Consider making your own makamaeshadowbox encapsulating a special memento.

Craft a focal point for the bedroom. At Surfjack Hotel &At Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel, treasured items

Swim Club, the focal points are headboards upholstered in

on display include an ‘ulī‘ulī (pictured), apreserved wedding lei, and a canoe paddle.

FROM FAR LEFT: COURTESY THE LAYLOW, AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION; COURTESY KĀ‘ANAPALI BEACH HOTEL;COURTESY SURFJACK HOTEL & SWIM CLUBand a healthy dose of millennial pink forvintage Tori Richard fabrics that span a wall’s length. “Weworked with an iconic local fashion brand to procure prints
that were no longer in production,” says Christian Schulz,
partner and design director at Studio Collective. “With thehelp of The Vanguard Theory, we played with these prints
until we had the perfect mix that would make an impact
yet mold into the Surfjack’s overall serene aesthetic.”

Kaua‘i

Sheraton
Kauai
Coconut
Beach
ResortMere steps from the beach,O‘ahu

Beach Resort brings theEspacio, The Jewel of Waikiki
The AAA Five Diamond Espacio is the first ultra-luxury property in Waikīkī fromAqua-Aston Hospitality. Espacio’s 9 residential suites average 2,250 square feetand include the amenities of a 2- or 3-bedroom home. Each suite spans an entire
hotel floor. Bathrooms feature Toto Washlet electronic toilets, a deep soaking tub,and a dry sauna. Private balconies have outdoor daybeds and a hot tub. And chefgrade kitchens come with Thermador and Miele appliances, a wine cellar, and arice cooker. Rates start at $3,500 and include private transport within Waikīkī anddaily continental breakfast.

ocean vibe indoors. Largeblue waves crest and crash on
the wallpaper in the resort’s
314 guest rooms and suites.
Wooden shutters on doors
and windows hark back to
Kaua‘i’s plantation days, andjewel-toned bedside sconces
illuminate the space. Rates
start at $411.

Design Tip
Design Tip
Emanate cool sophistication with marble countertops
and neutral-toned cabinets in your kitchen. A touch of color in an unexpected

Designate a cozy reading
nook with comfy chairs anda funky light fixture that’s

hue—such as Espacio’s rose- or emerald-colored glass cabinet doors—

also a showpiece.

energizes a space that’s often the heart of a home.

A frequent AAA Explorer contributor, RACHEL NG is a Hawai‘i-based food and travel writer whose work
has been published in National Geographic, Outside, and Fodors.com.

38 | AAA EXPLORER JUL/AUG/SEP 2023

AAA.COMFROM LEFT: COURTESY ESPACIO, THE JEWEL OF WAIKIKI; COURTESY SHERATON KAUAI COCONUT BEACH RESORTSheraton Kauai Coconut