The mood is light and buoyant in Kaimana Beach Hotel's art-filled lobby. Photo courtesy Kaimana Beach Hotel
January 13, 2023
Ever checked in to a hotel room and wished you lived there? As in love at first sight—especially when 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 from around the globe feel relaxed and welcome. Chic decor, quirky artwork, and thoughtful nods to tradition elevate the experience. Here are 8 stylish hotels in the Islands with design inspiration you’ll want to bring home.
Linear designs on walls, furniture, and lighting enliven a seating area. Photo courtesy Kaimana Beach Hotel
Waikīkī’s Kaimana Beach Hotel’s sunny, exuberant furnishings bring to mind Jonathan Adler’s cheery interior designs. Built in 1963 and unveiling a major refresh in February 2021, the 122-room boutique hotel boasts an eye-catching lobby filled floor to ceiling with artwork.
“Creating an Instagram-worthy gallery similar to the wall we created at Kaimana Beach Hotel requires design thinking, planning, and a little bit of magic to bring it all together,” says Joanna Staniszewski, lead senior designer of Kailua-Kona–based Henderson Design Group.
Design note: Go bold and go fun with the art on your walls.
“Source a variety of artwork. 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 be. Choose a primary color scheme or a palette of 3 to 5 colors to focus on, and let these colors dictate the majority of the gallery wall. Blend in a few additional accent colors to keep it interesting.”
Room rates start at $254.
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The Laylow's monstera leaf wallpaper provides an upbeat focal point in this guest room. Photo courtesy The Laylow; Autograph Collection
The Laylow, Autograph Collection in Waikīkī offers up sleek and simple decor and a healthy dose of millennial pink for a vibe that’s young at heart. Each room comes with an ‘ukulele, a welcome basket with snacks, 2 pairs of rubber slippahs, and an Insta-worthy accent wall printed with monstera leaves, the hotel’s signature design motif.
“We tasked our team to make something that was unique to the brand, felt fresh and modern, and was inspired by midcentury modern–era Hawaiian bark cloth patterns,” says Fritz Mesenbrink, the executive creative director of the design firm behind the project. “We ended up with something that makes it clear you’re at The Laylow in every guest room photo on Instagram or TikTok, and also looks great on a hat.”
Photo courtesy The Laylow; Autograph Collection
Design note: You can source wallpaper designs similar to The Laylow’s from O‘ahu-based company Surface Mode of Operation.
Room rates start at $341; special rates for Hawai‘i residents.
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Rose-tinted, see-through cabinet doors and frilly flowers subtly accent a gourmet kitchen. Photo courtesy Espacio The Jewel of Waikīkī
The AAA Five Diamond Espacio is the first ultra-luxury property in Waikīkī from Aqua-Aston Hospitality.
Espacio’s 9 residential suites average 2,250 square feet and 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 Jacuzzi. And chef-grade kitchens come with Thermador and Miele appliances, a wine cellar, and a rice cooker.
Design note: Emanate cool sophistication with marble countertops and neutral-toned cabinets in your kitchen. A touch of color in an unexpected hue—such as Espacio’s rose- or emerald-colored glass cabinet doors—energizes a space that’s often the heart of a home.
Suite rates start at $3,500 and include private transport within Waikīkī and daily continental breakfast.
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An extra-wide, upholstered headboard adds to this guest room's laid-back surfer vibe. Photo courtesy Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club in Waikīkī
With its leave-your-slippahs-at-the-front-door vibe, the Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club in Waikīkī is the kind of place where kamaʻāina would want to hang out. Many locals frequent the boutique hotel to dine at Mahina & Sun’s restaurant (Executive Chef Erik Leong helms the menu), shop at its uber-hip store, and listen to live music while sipping craft cocktails by the pool.
If you’re lucky, you might get to rub the belly of Sir Jack, the Surfjack's French bulldog mascot. In 2016, Honolulu-based The Vanguard Theory designed midcentury-inspired interiors and spaces for the hotel, with curated artwork from more than 2 dozen Island artists.
Photo courtesy Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club in Waikīkī
Design note: Craft a focal point for the bedroom. At Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club, the focal points are headboards upholstered in vintage Tori Richard fabrics that span a wall’s length.
“We worked 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 the help 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.”
Room rates start at $235. Hawai‘i residents receive a special rate for a 1-room bungalow or 1-bedroom suite with private lānai, no amenity fees (including for dog stays), and free parking.
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A treasured ‘ulī‘ulī gains extra impact in a shadowbox. Photo courtesy Ka'anapali Beach Hotel
Known as “Hawai‘i’s Most Hawaiian Hotel,” Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel has long attracted guests who are charmed by the resort’s old-school vibe of ceiling fans, wicker headboards, and Hawaiian-patterned bedspreads.
Last June, the hotel unveiled its $80 million refurbishment that updated more than 60% of its 432 guest rooms. New Premium rooms still feature Hawai‘i-themed artwork and furniture, but they’re decidedly more modern, with muted palettes and clean-lined furniture.
For a personal touch, each Premium room displays a makamae (precious gifts) shadowbox of objects ranging from lūhe‘e (octopus lures) to mea kaua (weapons), all handcrafted by hotel employees.
Design tip: Consider making your own makamae shadowbox encapsulating a special memento. At Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel, treasured items on display include a preserved wedding lei and a canoe paddle.
Room rates start at $278 (traditional) and $437 (premium).
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An accent wall of oversize fronds brings the outdoors in. Photo courtesy Fairmont Kea Lani
For its ongoing multimillion-dollar transformation, the AAA Four Diamond Fairmont Kea Lani reimagined all 413 of its 1-bedroom suites and 37 2-story villas. The new designs aim to capture a sense of place and tell a story of Maui.
“The natural elements in the furnishings pay homage to ancient Hawaiian voyaging canoes and fishing villages,” says Ashley Smith, villa manager at Fairmont Kea Lani. The villas’ open layout and natural flow between indoor and outdoor spaces create different gathering spots for ‘ohana. Throughout the rooms, artworks from local artists are prominently displayed.
Round-back chairs trimmed in dark wood hold their own against a striking ocean scene. Photo courtesy Fairmont Kea Lani
Design note: Choose colors based on your surroundings. The textiles, wallpaper, carpets, and bedding at Fairmont Kea Lani’s newly designed villas mirror the hues of Maui’s shorelines, the Pacific, and the nearby tropical foliage.
Suite rates start at $1,057; villa rates start at $3,239.
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A Hawaiian quilt as art makes a lasting impression. Photo courtesy Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Hawai‘i Island’s first-ever resort, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel still retains the ethos of founder and conservationist Laurance S. Rockefeller. The venture capitalist, along with interior designer Davis Allen, curated a museum-quality Pacific and Asian art collection of nearly 1,000 pieces to be displayed throughout the 60-acre property, including a 700-year-old sculpture of Buddha’s head. He also commissioned the creation of 30 hand-stitched Hawaiian quilts in pastel hues of pink, orange, green, blue, and yellow.
Original quilts, along with a few reproductions, are permanently displayed on the atrium’s walls. The quilt collection, by renowned native Hawaiian quilter Mealiʻi Kalama, is credited with saving Hawaiian quilting.
“The Hawaiian quilt collection at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is both breathtaking and significant historically and culturally. The quilts, along with extraordinary kapa (bark cloth coverlets), honor our state’s host culture,” says Mauna Kea Art Docent Patti Cook.
Design note: Preserve your own heirloom quilt by framing it and hanging it in your great room or living room for a dramatic yet homey effect.
Room rates start at $1,049.
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A bold graphic adds a sense of movement to this cozy reading corner. Photo courtesy Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort
Mere steps from the beach, Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort brings the ocean vibe indoors. Large blue 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, and jewel-toned bedside sconces illuminate the space.
Design note: Designate a cozy reading nook with comfy chairs and a funky light fixture that’s also a showpiece.
Room rates start at $411.
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A frequent AAA contributor, Rachel Ng is a Hawai'i-based food and travel writer whose work has been published in National Geographic, Outside, and Fodors.com.
