Which historic hotel was the Island of Hawaii’s first resort? Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (1964) Kohala Coast, Hawaii

In the turquoise waters of Kauna‘oa Bay, Hawaii, Laurance S. Rockefeller, an American businessman, financier, philanthropist, and conservationist, found inspiration. It was here, amidst the lava rock and rolling hills, that he envisioned Hawaii’s first resort, a sanctuary that would honor the natural beauty of Hawaii rather than spoil it. His original vision was to construct a series of small cottages near the shoreline. However, those plans were abandoned in favor of a more (at the time) modern vision for the striking resort hotel. Architect Edward Charles Bassett of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill designed a Midcentury Modern hotel with an open-air design, allowing natural ventilation from Hawaiian trade winds, winds that blow along the surface of the ocean from the northeast. Rockefeller’s decision to build Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was audacious. He transformed former farmland from Parker Ranch into a haven. Thousands flocked to reserve guestrooms, drawn by the promise of an unparalleled experience. The hotel’s debut in 1964 marked a milestone for the island and the hotel began its commitment to help in conservation and cultural preservation upon its inception.

In July 1965, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel opened as the island’s first resort. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel boasts a legacy of “firsts.” Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was the first resort on the Island of Hawaii, the first (and only) hotel in Hawaii developed by Laurance S. Rockefeller and was the location of the first golf course on the island, and the first hotel in Hawaii to win awards from the American Institute of Architects in 1967 and again in 2007.

But what is sometimes overlooked is that Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was one of the first American hotels to intentionally incorporate authentic works of indigenous art into its design. Rockefeller’s handpicked team of experts scoured the Pacific Rim, Melanesia, Asia, and Polynesia. They returned with wooden carvings from New Zealand and adorned shields from Guinea, gold-gilded wood praying disciple statues from Thailand, ornate Japanese tansu chests and bronze Indian dowry chests, and a larger-than-life 12th-century pink granite Buddha, the collection's most notable piece. The much-heralded art collection includes traditional Hawaiian quilts, each with more than one million stitches, and beautifully dyed Hawaiian kapa, or bark cloth. The hotel’s extensive collection is found throughout its public spaces, offering unrestricted, open-air access to the hotel’s guests for the last 58 years. A free Art Tour is available every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. for guests and locals alike. The hotel was featured in the 2023 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America Most Magnificent Art Collections list. The hotel actively gives back to the community through initiatives like the Moku Pūlama Fund Program, which offers the staff and guests an opportunity to actively make a difference and cohesively work towards creating a sustainable future.



Today, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel remains the standard for luxury on the Big Island of Hawaii. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel has sourced produce and products from Hawaii’s Big Island for over fifty years, long before using local produce and sourcing products locally gained prominence as both sustainable and cultural practices. Guests can enjoy Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Banana Bread, sip cocktails at the Copper Bar, and dine under the Hau Tree, all while learning about, and helping to conserve, Hawaiian culture, and the environment.

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