Outrigger Reef Waikiki Resort Reveals $80 Million Refresh

Hart Howerton has completed the $80 million renovation of the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort in Hawaii. Firmly rooted in Hawaiian culture, the contemporary redesign emphasizes both sophistication and wellness at the historic hotel, whose legacy predates Hawaiian statehood and remains one of the earliest midcentury properties in Honolulu. “Our inspiration for the design was rooted in the local history and culture,” says Hart Howerton partner David Rau. “Our design purposefully highlights Outrigger’s core commitment to authentic Polynesian culture, set against the backdrop of the resort’s streamlined, high-rise design, to create an artful and contemporary environment where each end of its history is highlighted by the other.” In the lobby, a 30-foot-tall mural of a double-hulled canoe by late artist Herb Kāne instills an artful sense of place alongside photography installations focused on ocean navigation and Hawaiian heritage. The resort’s social spaces include poolside eatery Kani Ka Pila Grille and the Voyager 47 Club Lounge. Accessible to guests in club-level accommodations, the oceanfront lounge hosts gourmet cuisine and doubles as an event space. Public spaces are distinguished by natural stone and handmade tiling, while accommodations are crafted with soft, weathered wood paneling and feature woven, rattan, and seagrass furnishings for a bespoke experience. Guestrooms and suites are spread across the Ocean Tower, the Pacific Tower, and the five-story Diamond Head Tower, which will be overhauled to house 23 new deluxe rooms, raising the overall key count to 658. A thoughtful footpath spans the length of the resort to harmoniously link the different facilities together. “The design’s pivotal move is the creation of a new vista through the length of the property leading out to the Pacific Ocean horizon,” Rau adds. “Symbolically named the ‘Ae Kai’ (which translates as the place where the water meets the land), the new promenade metaphorically speaks of Hawaii as a meeting place of cultures, ideas, cuisines, craft, and history.”