The Royal Hawaiian Hotel: Waikīkī’s Pink Palace of the Pacific

In the heart of bustling Waikīkī, nestled among modern glass towers, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel stands as a graceful reminder of another era — a rose-colored palace with a century of stories within its walls.

Opened in 1927, this iconic hotel, nicknamed the Pink Palace of the Pacific, helped launch Waikīkī into global fame and has since woven itself into the cultural, social, and architectural fabric of Hawaiʻi. From royal ties to Hollywood glamour, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel’s journey mirrors Hawaiʻi’s transformation into a world-class tourist destination.

Let’s take a closer look at the fascinating history of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, its origins, how it evolved over the decades, and what role it plays today in Waikīkī’s ever-changing landscape.

Birth of the Pink Palace: 1920s Origins

In the 1920s, Hawaiʻi was becoming an attractive destination for wealthy mainland travelers. Cruise ship arrivals were on the rise, and the Matson Navigation Company, which carried tourists to the islands, saw a golden opportunity to build a premier resort that would put Waikīkī on the map.

Partnering with the Territorial Hotel Company, Matson commissioned the architectural firm of Warren and Wetmore, known for their work on New York’s Grand Central Terminal, to design a hotel that combined Spanish-Moorish architecture with tropical elegance.

The result was a stunning, six-story pink stucco building with graceful archways, grand lanais, and lush tropical gardens. On February 1, 1927, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel opened its doors, welcoming guests with unparalleled luxury and style.

Early Years and Royal Connections

Although named “Royal,” the hotel itself wasn’t built for the Hawaiian royal family, but its name honored the aliʻi (Hawaiian royalty) who had long used Waikīkī as a retreat. Nearby Helumoa, once a royal coconut grove cultivated by Kamehameha I, sat on the land the hotel was built upon, lending the hotel a true sense of heritage.

The Royal Hawaiian quickly established itself as the place to stay for visitors to Honolulu. Early guests included celebrities, business tycoons, and even members of European aristocracy, eager to experience the “tropical playground” of Waikīkī.

It offered luxuries unimaginable at the time, from private baths to lavish parties under the stars, introducing mainland tourists to a blend of Hawaiian hospitality and high-society glamour.

War Years and Military History

World War II dramatically changed Hawaiʻi, and the Royal Hawaiian was no exception. After the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. military leased the Royal Hawaiian for use as a rest and recuperation center for Navy personnel.

The grand pink hotel, which had once hosted glamorous luaus and hula performances, now served thousands of recovering sailors. The staff continued to run the kitchens, keeping the tradition of Hawaiian hospitality alive even under military occupation.

When the war ended, the hotel returned to civilian operation, restoring its reputation as the crown jewel of Waikīkī.

The Postwar Boom and Mid-Century Modernization

In the 1950s and 1960s, the arrival of commercial air travel unleashed a tidal wave of tourism to Hawaiʻi. Visitors who had once come by ship could now fly to Honolulu in hours, transforming Waikīkī into one of the busiest resort areas on the planet.

The Royal Hawaiian held onto its status by blending old-world elegance with modern amenities. In 1957, the nearby Sheraton Hotel group took over management, and by the 1970s the Royal Hawaiian had been incorporated into what is now known as the Sheraton Hotels & Resorts family.

Through expansions and renovations, the hotel maintained its distinctive pink stucco and classic Spanish-Moorish style, while adding modern comforts to meet the expectations of new generations of guests.

The Royal Hawaiian Today

As of 2025, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel remains an anchor of Waikīkī’s tourism scene. Now officially called the Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, it is part of Marriott International’s Luxury Collection portfolio, blending historical authenticity with contemporary five-star service.

Its 528 guest rooms and suites feature upscale finishes while preserving heritage details like original pink plaster, dramatic archways, and signature garden landscaping.

The hotel continues to host events and cultural programming that connect guests with Hawaiian traditions, such as hula shows, lei-making workshops, and authentic Hawaiian music performances on the beachfront.

The restored Monarch Room, a storied ballroom where generations of locals and visitors danced, remains a key venue for weddings, concerts, and galas.

In addition, the Royal Hawaiian Bakery has become a modern favorite, sharing pink-hued pastries and signature banana bread with travelers from around the world.

The Pink Palace’s Role in Waikīkī Today

The Royal Hawaiian is more than just a hotel — it’s a cultural landmark. Its pink facade is instantly recognizable and remains a beloved symbol of Waikīkī.

Even as Waikīkī has transformed into a dense urban beach playground, the Royal Hawaiian preserves a sense of timeless grace. It anchors the beachfront between the modern high-rises and continues to remind visitors of a more romantic, old-school Hawaiʻi.

Locals and visitors alike celebrate the hotel’s history, architecture, and dedication to authentic Hawaiian hospitality. The Royal Hawaiian Beach, fronting the hotel, is still one of the most popular stretches of sand in Waikīkī, and the view of the Pink Palace against Diamond Head remains one of Hawaiʻi’s most photographed vistas.

Interesting Facts About the Royal Hawaiian

• The hotel’s distinctive pink color was chosen to reflect the colors of Hawaiian royal feather capes and the tropical blooms of the islands.

• The Royal Hawaiian was one of the first hotels in Hawaiʻi to offer a full-scale luʻau for visitors, showcasing traditional Hawaiian food and hula.

• Its land at Helumoa was once home to a legendary coconut grove said to have been planted by King Kamehameha I.

• Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars — from Shirley Temple to Frank Sinatra — were regular guests.

Final Thoughts

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel is more than a historic building — it is a living piece of Hawaiʻi’s story. From its Spanish-Moorish design to its enduring pink glow, it embodies nearly a century of Hawaiian hospitality, adaptation, and aloha.

As Waikīkī continues to change, the Pink Palace stands firm as a symbol of cultural pride and architectural elegance, reminding visitors that Hawaiʻi’s past and present can coexist beautifully under the warm Pacific sun.