Polynesian Room, Naniloa Hotel, Hilo, HI (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

B bkrownd Tiki Centralite Steamy Hilo, HI Joined: Sep 01, 2015 Posts: 97	B bkrownd Posted posted on Tue, May 3, 2016 6:45 PM The Naniloa's recent change in ownership resulted in lots of construction on the hotel. The opened the lobby again recently and although many parts of the site are under construction there seem to be guests in some of the rooms. Oddly, the main desk in the lobby was shifted 90 degrees from where it used to be, maybe to free up wall space to allow display of the new photo art. One of the things that has changed in the last year is that the Polynesian Room is now fenced off and used as storage. They seem to have shifted the performance venue to The Crown Room lounge area adjacent to the lobby. (I doubt The Crown Room has any tiki, but you can't see much from the front door) Yesterday evening we walked around the Naniloa and lights were on in the interior of the Polynesian Room, showing stacks of boxes everywhere. We could see the war clubs over the stage and the tiki chandeliers and float lights still in place. Unfortunately I forgot to check whether the broken war club was repaired or not. There is still hope for the old place, but it isn't clear they actually plan to fix it up. The roof is a mess. Anyhow, if anyone is interested in checking it out you go through the main hotel lobby to the patio, down the stair, across the lawn to the coast, then follow the coast to the right/East around the end of the larger hotel tower. There is concrete path along the coast to the Poly Room around the corner, and you can look in the windows that used to look out over the ocean. The covered walkway in the photos is fenced off for the construction, with no direct access from the parking lot. You can see the coastal route to the Poly Room in the photos people have attached in other posts above. Here's some info on the new ownership, with new lobby images: http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2015/05/14/hilo-naniloa-hotel-to-be-rebranded-as-doubletree.html A video story on the Naniloa, with footage taken inside and outside Polynesian Room sprinkled throughout: http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2015/08/23/video-new-owners-detail-hilo-naniloa-hotel-renovation/ A 2012 article on the state of decay under former ownership: http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections/news/local-news/can-naniloa-be-reborn.html [ Edited by: bkrownd 2016-05-03 19:09 ] [ Edited by: bkrownd 2016-05-03 19:36 ] [ Edited by: bkrownd 2016-05-03 19:47 ]

The Naniloa's recent change in ownership resulted in lots of construction on the hotel. The opened the lobby again recently and although many parts of the site are under construction there seem to be guests in some of the rooms. Oddly, the main desk in the lobby was shifted 90 degrees from where it used to be, maybe to free up wall space to allow display of the new photo art.

One of the things that has changed in the last year is that the Polynesian Room is now fenced off and used as storage. They seem to have shifted the performance venue to The Crown Room lounge area adjacent to the lobby. (I doubt The Crown Room has any tiki, but you can't see much from the front door) Yesterday evening we walked around the Naniloa and lights were on in the interior of the Polynesian Room, showing stacks of boxes everywhere. We could see the war clubs over the stage and the tiki chandeliers and float lights still in place. Unfortunately I forgot to check whether the broken war club was repaired or not. There is still hope for the old place, but it isn't clear they actually plan to fix it up. The roof is a mess.

Anyhow, if anyone is interested in checking it out you go through the main hotel lobby to the patio, down the stair, across the lawn to the coast, then follow the coast to the right/East around the end of the larger hotel tower. There is concrete path along the coast to the Poly Room around the corner, and you can look in the windows that used to look out over the ocean. The covered walkway in the photos is fenced off for the construction, with no direct access from the parking lot. You can see the coastal route to the Poly Room in the photos people have attached in other posts above.

Here's some info on the new ownership, with new lobby images:
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2015/05/14/hilo-naniloa-hotel-to-be-rebranded-as-doubletree.html

A video story on the Naniloa, with footage taken inside and outside Polynesian Room sprinkled throughout:
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2015/08/23/video-new-owners-detail-hilo-naniloa-hotel-renovation/

A 2012 article on the state of decay under former ownership:
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections/news/local-news/can-naniloa-be-reborn.html

[ Edited by: bkrownd 2016-05-03 19:09 ]

[ Edited by: bkrownd 2016-05-03 19:36 ]

[ Edited by: bkrownd 2016-05-03 19:47 ]

Post #763285 by bkrownd on Tue, May 3, 2016 6:45 PM