Post #422988 by JenTiki on Wed, Dec 10, 2008 1:24 AM

Okay, this is all making me just a bit nuts. I'm gonna go there tomorrow on my lunch break or after work and figure out exactly what part of the hotel is above the Tonga Room. I suspect it is directly below the original hotel, not the later addition, but I can't be sure from the Google street view since their view doesn't have the Club One gym sign on the awning outside the closest entrance to the Tonga Room, as it does now. The original post on this thread said the hotel is considering demolishing the newer (1960s) tower, not the original hotel. So if it's in the original building, can we put this to rest, rather than getting everyone riled up over nothing? Let's remember how much money they put into a "renovation" less than a year ago. Would they really just kiss that goodbye?

Sven, I understand your reverence for the art of a great tiki restaurant. But if you'll check other threads about the Tonga Room, I think you'll see that many of us (not all posted) are terribly disappointed in what was lost in the recent "renovation". Foliage no longer hides the pipes that the rain comes from. There is a very industrial looking square of metal pipes surrounding the pool against the newly-fabric-covered ceiling, and the lightning that should accompany the thunder, is not always present, but when it is, you can see the strobe lights that cause it. I guess they couldn't shell out a couple hundred more dollars to hang new plastic plants. There's also that horrible southwesternish fabric they've put on many of the walls, and the red glass that encases the waterfall behind the bar. And sure, it's great that there's a little floating bandstand, but as many have said, the sounds that emanate from that band are a serious detraction from the surroundings. One can only stand to look at a room for so long if the service, food, drinks, and music are all so bad. Oh, and yes, the egg rolls on the happy hour buffet are the frozen Sysco ones. That was recently confirmed by a very reliable source. With a full hotel kitchen available, one would think they could make the egg rolls on site.