When Ka Laʻi Waikīkī Beach joined Hilton’s LXR Hotels & Resorts collection in early 2024, the move marked more than a change of branding. Hilton announced plans for a substantial investment in the Waikīkī hotel alongside its introduction to the luxury collection. More than two years on, that transformation is complete.
The $100 million project has touched almost every part of the resort, from its accommodation and restaurants to its wellness facilities and public spaces. While the hotel’s location overlooking Fort DeRussy Park, close to Waikīkī Beach, remains unchanged, much of what guests will experience inside has been reimagined.
Rather than introducing a completely new identity, the redesign builds on the property’s existing residential-style concept while placing greater emphasis on Hawaiian culture, craftsmanship and materials. London-based Bryan O’Sullivan Studio led the interior redesign, drawing on lava stone, richly textured teak, woven finishes and marble to create spaces that feel contemporary while remaining connected to the islands. Throughout the hotel, works by Hawaiian artists reinforce that approach, including Kūkulu Ola, a sculptural installation by Big Island ceramic artist Suzanne Wang inspired by the relationship between people, nature and Hawaiʻi.
The accommodation has been updated with the same philosophy. Ka Laʻi offers 238 spacious studios and suites, many featuring private lanais, generous living areas and kitchens or kitchenettes. The refreshed interiors introduce bespoke furnishings, lighter finishes and redesigned bathrooms across the resort.
The reopening also brings an entirely new culinary offering under Executive Chef Yoshi Ohata. Signature restaurant Kini Room takes its inspiration from Hawaiʻi’s diverse culinary heritage, combining Pacific Rim influences with locally sourced ingredients. Elsewhere, Bloom Café & Restaurant serves breakfast and casual daytime dining, while Muse Lounge provides a sophisticated setting for cocktails, small plates and conversation in the heart of the hotel.
Wellness has also been a focus of the redevelopment. Spa Ka Laʻi has been redesigned with new treatment rooms and therapies that reference traditional Hawaiian healing practices, alongside updated fitness facilities, refreshed outdoor areas and the resort’s infinity pool.
The completion of the renovation represents an important milestone for Hilton’s luxury portfolio. Ka Laʻi became the first LXR Hotels & Resorts property in Hawaiʻi, expanding a brand that has been steadily growing with a portfolio of independent luxury hotels across destinations including Kyoto, Paris and the Seychelles. Rather than adopting a uniform design language, each LXR property is intended to reflect the character of its destination, an approach that has shaped the redevelopment of the Waikīkī resort.
For visitors to Oʻahu, the completed transformation presents a significantly refreshed version of one of Waikīkī’s established luxury addresses. While the property’s spacious, residential-style accommodation remains at its core, the redesign introduces new restaurants, updated wellness facilities and interiors that draw more deliberately on the culture and artistry of the Hawaiian Islands, completing the vision first set out when Ka Laʻi joined the LXR collection over two years ago.
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