It was no surprise when the Kahala Resort announced a major renovation. The rooms, while stylish, were getting tired. Parquet floors in the tropics may not have been the best idea. The Trip Advisor masses were calling the Kahala a five-star dive. I was over at the property a week ago and the renovation has definitely started. Rooms on the second, third and fourth floors of the tower portion of the hotel had clearly gutted (as in, you could see the shell of the room with wiring exposed and plywood covering the lower half of some slots where sliding doors used to be. Which brings up a yin and yang thing. First, when booking at the Kahala and checking in, be very careful as to what floor you get a room on and, if possible, book in the lagoon wing (I believe those are not yet being renovated). Construction noise at $500 a night is no fun thing.

Now for the yang side -- this has got to be one of the best times to snag a really cheap room deal. The Kahala is still world class. It has, in essence, a private beach with calm, clear water and no crowds. It's totally tropical yet away from the Waikiki hordes. It's the only truly world class resort (as in, with room to roam) in Honolulu proper. As for the rooms, there are definitely signs of aging but they remain pretty swank. $500 per night swank, I am not sure. So check out the package offers because this might be the time to notch another Hawaii property.

Related Posts: Kahala Resort Review

Image via Hawaiirama (feel free to use it but please provide credit and link)

—Alex, 05/24/07