statues of hula dancers in front of a pool of water

History

Discover Hilton Hawaiian Village® Waikiki Beach Resort, which has been featured in TV shows including Wheel of Fortune and Hawaii Five-0.

Hilton Hawaiian Village® Waikiki Beach Resort was constructed in the years following World War II, in which the United States was defined by the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War. In 1954, Southern California housing developer Fritz Burns, and American industrialist Henry John Kaiser, purchased the Niumalu Hotel, which originally opened in 1928. Burns and Kaiser began construction in 1955 on guest cottages, the Tapa Room, gardens, and three swimming pools for Kaiser's Hawaiian Village. The Ocean Tower (now known as Ali'i Tower) was completed in 1957. In what was among many firsts for the Hawaiian Village, Kaiser erected the first public geodesic dome showroom in Honolulu. The showroom opened on February 17, 1957 during a 2.5-hour gala broadcast by NBC to an estimated 20 million people. Over the next three years, two more towers were added, the Village Tower (now known as Tapa Tower) and the Diamond Head Tower. Kaiser also developed the 5-acre man-made lagoon fronting the Hawaiian Village.

On January 19, 1961, legendary hotelier Conrad Hilton agreed to buy most of Kaiser’s Hawaiian Village for $21.5 million in one of the biggest hotel transactions of the time. The purchase included close to 18 acres of property, plus another three acres of adjacent property. The land was originally fish ponds and the birthplace of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, Hawaii’s Olympic Gold Medalist and its most iconic waterman. Today, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa consists of 22 acres of oceanfront paradise, continuing its growth and enhancements.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village has been the site of many milestones throughout Hawaii's history and popular culture. The world-renowned Blue Hawaii cocktail was invented at Hilton Hawaiian Village in 1957 by legendary Hilton bartender Harry Yee. In 1968, Hilton Hawaiian Village's famed Rainbow Tower opened with the world's largest ceramic-tile mosaic, spanning 286 feet high by 26 feet wide on each end of the tower. More than 16,000 colorful tiles were used to complete the mosaic that has appeared in countless television shows and movies. Hilton Hawaiian Village has been featured in multiple television shows, including Hawaiian Eye, Wheel of Fortune, Baywatch Hawaii, Magnum P.I., and Hawaii Five-0.

a beach with palm trees and buildings

Hotel Timeline

The resort stands on the historic site of Kālia, an ancient Hawaiian settlement known for its fishponds and aquaculture. The area was also associated with the family of legendary Hawaiian waterman Duke Kahanamoku.

Part of the future resort site was developed as a small beachfront hotel known as the Old Waikiki Hotel.

The site was redeveloped as the Niumalu Hotel, which later became the foundation for the Hawaiian Village project

Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and developer Fritz Burns purchased the Niumalu Hotel and surrounding lands to create a new destination resort in Waikīkī.

Construction began on guest cottages, gardens, pools, restaurants, and resort amenities as part of Kaiser’s vision for a self-contained Hawaiian resort village. In September, The Hawaiian Village Hotel opened with cottages, gardens, swimming pools, and authentic Hawaiian-themed architecture.

Western Hotels took over management of the growing resort.

The modern Ocean Tower (later Aliʻi Tower) and Honolulu’s first public geodesic dome showroom were completed and reowned bartender Harry Yee created the world-famous Blue Hawaii cocktail at the resort.

Conrad Hilton purchased most of the property for approximately $21.5 million, one of the largest hotel transactions of its era. The resort became the Hilton Hawaiian Village. With its name change brought in world renowned guests such as Elvis Presley. As he stayed at the resort while filming the movie Blue Hawaii, helping cement its international reputation

The iconic Rainbow Tower debuted, featuring the world's largest ceramic-tile mosaic, measuring 286 feet high and incorporating more than 16,000 tiles.

Elvis Presley’s historic Aloha from Hawaii satellite broadcast was associated with the resort, further enhancing its pop culture legacy.

Continued growth led to construction of the Tapa Tower and expansion of guest accommodations.

The original Ocean Tower was extensively rebuilt and reopened as the Aliʻi Tower.

The 25-story Kalia Tower expanded the resort's capacity and modern amenities.

Hilton Hawaiian Village® Waikiki Beach Resort was inducted into Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

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Film, TV, and Media Connections

Hilton Hawaiian Village has been featured in multiple television shows, including: Hawaiian Eye, Wheel of Fortune, Baywatch Hawaii, Magnum P.I., and Hawaii Five-0

Famous Historic Events

In what was among many firsts for the Hawaiian Village, Kaiser erected the first public geodesic dome showroom in Honolulu. The showroom opened on February 17, 1957 during a 2.5-hour gala broadcast by NBC to an estimated 20 million people. In 1968, Hilton Hawaiian Village's famed Rainbow Tower opened with the world's largest ceramic-tile mosaic, spanning 286 feet high by 26 feet wide on each end of the tower. More than 16,000 colorful tiles were used to complete the mosaic that has appeared in countless television shows and movies. The world-renowned Blue Hawaii cocktail was invented at Hilton Hawaiian Village in 1957 by legendary Hilton bartender Harry Yee.

The Architecture

In 1954, Southern California housing developer Fritz Burns, and American industrialist Henry John Kaiser, purchased the Niumalu Hotel, which originally opened in 1928. Burns and Kaiser began construction in 1955 on guest cottages, the Tapa Room, gardens, and three swimming pools for Kaiser's Hawaiian Village. The Ocean Tower (now known as Ali'i Tower) was completed in 1957. In what was among many firsts for the Hawaiian Village, Kaiser erected the first public geodesic dome showroom in Honolulu. The showroom opened on February 17, 1957 during a 2.5-hour gala broadcast by NBC to an estimated 20 million people. Over the next three years, two more towers were added, the Village Tower (now known as Tapa Tower) and the Diamond Head Tower. Kaiser also developed the 5-acre man-made lagoon fronting the Hawaiian Village.