Post #616610 by Dustycajun on Wed, Dec 7, 2011 8:50 PM

Name:Kona Kai Club
Type:hotel
Street:Shelter Island
City:San Diego
State:CA
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:operational

Description:
The Kona Kai Club resort is still operational on Shelter Island just a stones throw away from the Half Moon Inn and the Bali Hai restaurant. It started out life in 1953 as a similar Polynesian Pop inspired resort hotel and club facility.

I have a few postcards from the Kona Kai Club showing the grounds with the thatched huts, A-frames, palm trees and the different areas of the compound.

Close up of the entrance A-Frame, sign and Tiki torches.

The Kona Kai Club used an image of the Kon Tiki ship as their logo, as seen on the matchbooks.

That always confused me until I found out that Kon Tiki was the name of the bar/lounge which featured the ship's sail as seen on this napkin.

This brochure posted by Matterhorn shows some really great images of the different aspects of the resort.

Fun for the kids and the family.

Here is the Kon Tiki Lounge.

And the food

More info.

They also borrowed the Tiki image from the United Airlines menu.

For the third year anniversary party.

Another Kona Kai Club menu on Arkiva Tropika features one of the famous Hawaiian menu images used by the Matson ship line.

I also have some Kona Kai Club Islander magazines that detail some of the events.

The Tahitian Lounge??

Luau night.

Sadly the Kona Kai Club succumbed to the Taco Bell Tuscany remodel with the red tile roofs in the mid 1990's and no longer contains any resemblance to what it once was.

I actually stayed here on a deal during the opening night of Tiki Oasis a few years ago so I could stumble home from the party at the Bali Hai.

It's too bad this one did not survive in style to maintain the great Shelter Island Tiki tradition.

DC