Anyone have pics of the Islands Lounge in San Diego?

Hi-

Does anyone have pics of this amazing, now defunct tiki bar located in the Hanalei Hotel(now owned by the Red Lion chain, I think)?

My wife and I met and hung out there and I would love to get ahold of some photos to commemorate it.

Please let me know if you can help in any way.

Thanks.

Defunct?? It was lookin' pretty good when I was there back in November, but Shipwreckjoey was just there TODAY and took lots of pictures!!

And now it's GONE?? Wow, I guess a lot can happen in a few hours...

Doctor Z
Mix-maestro of the Castaway Lounge,
Redondo Beach, CA

[ Edited by: Doctor Z on 2003-04-06 23:53 ]

The restaurant is still intact, but they totally gutted the bar.

The bar/restaurant used to be a free standing building, below the lobby. The management thought no one knew of the bar down below, so they tore it up and integrated the lobby and bar.

It is extremely sterile now, with all traces of tiki gone. Curiously enough, they did leave the restaurant pretty much as is, which is good, but the bar was phenomenal, complete with wall mounted, sunk-in exotic fish tanks and the bands performed in an partially-opened oyster shell stage that was carved into the wall!

The real crime is what they did to that beautiful sign (in Sven's book). talk about corporate insensitivity.

You're right about that sign. It looks like it belongs in a shopping mall. I was there yesterday at about 2:15 just as brunch was finishing up and took about 25 or so pictures of the tikis and anything that looked interesting (mostly in the Islands restaurant and the adjoining area on the way out the pool). The Islands looked very much like I remember it when I first stayed there in in 1972. Very relaxing atmosphere and the brunch looked good too. They told me it's open tuesday thru saturday for dinner and sunday from 10:00 'til 2:00 for brunch (a buffet). I'll try to get my pics posted in the next couple of days. I'm working with a strange camera and a new computer so I'm trying hard not to screw anything up.

I almost drove off the freaking freeway when I saw the new sign.
The weird thing was I had just been telling my wife how in the ultra homogenzed urban sprawl San Diego county at least the Hanalei Hotel was still there and then BAM!

I still can't look at it.

Here's a picture I took of the Islands last week if I can get it to post properly. I'm still new to the Shutterfly thing and I haven't quite worked out all the bugs yet.

Hah, it finally works now!

[ Edited by: Shipwreckjoey on 2003-04-18 23:12 ]

Which would be better to stay at, Hanalei or Humphrey's?

Or, is Humphrey's worth the increased cost?

Humphrey's is a much nicer place. The Hanalei is very corporate and has lost most of it's tikiness although if you wander the grounds you can still find a few tiki's.

But, I'd definately take Humphrey's over the Hanalei. Besides, you'd be stumbling distance from the Bali Hai too.

Let us know when you come down. I'm sure some of us San Diegans would meet you for a drink.
:drink:
Aloha

I enjoyed my stay at the Hanalei, but at Humphrey's you feel more pampered. Humphrey's rooms are nicer and well worth the cost. Both have tropical grounds with tikis, and great pool areas, but Humphrey's has a few more tikis and is more lush with great water features and tiki torches that are lit at night.

The Hanalei still has the Islands restaurant which is a must for the decor if not for the food or drinks. Humphrey's restaurant's decor is nothing special but as was said the Bali Hai is a short walk away.

At Humphrey's the surrounding area is beautiful - it is on Shelter Island. The Hanalei is in Mission Valley along a major freeway so it is conveniently located for getting around but it's not in a particularly attractive area.

There is a two-night minimum at Humphrey's Half Moon Inn, but only one night only is allowable at Hanalei.

OnaTiki:

Mahalo for the invite. I plan on being at Islands from 5:30-6:30 and Mr. Tiki's Mai Tai lounge from about 7-8 on Saturday.

Pandas & then a mini crawl before I get back on the train. Let me know. Aloha, Chris.

[ Edited by: christiki295 on 2004-09-22 20:23 ]

On 2004-09-20 21:04, OnaTiki wrote:[/i]
Humphrey's is a much nicer place. The Hanalei is very corporate and has lost most of it's tikiness although if you wander the grounds you can still find a few tiki's.

But, I'd definately take Humphrey's over the Hanalei. Besides, you'd be stumbling distance from the Bali Hai too.

Humphrey's Half Moon Inn, first and foremost, has an oceanside location which can create almost a tradewind like feel.

Humphrey's features marina, garden or pool views and almost all rooms have balconies. At Islands, approximately 25% of the rooms look out onto I8.

Humphrey's architecture is pure tiki, whereas the Hanalei has a non-descript high rise look.

From Humphrey's one can walk to the Bali Hai, as Ona Tiki mentioned, can walk to Trader Mort's and a quaint Marina restaurant, the Red Sail. Islands one can only play on the freeway.

Tiki abounds at both Humphrey's and the Hanalei. At Humprhey's the tikis are located in the garden. At Hanalei, the tikis are located in the lobby, around Islands restaurant.

The Hanalei has a far better pool area. Hanalei has a pool tiki type garden with a moai which dominates the scene, as opposed to Humphrey's. There is also an Aloha tiki hut in the rear, with numerous lounge chairs and seated tables. Hawaiian music wafts through the air.

At Humphrey's the lounge chairs are poolside, which creates a much more noisy, damp & splashy (but not in a good way) ambience. One can not manuver one's chaise on the lanai, either.

Skip the pool, Humphrey's is across the street from a very small beach, overlooling the San Diego skyline.

For one night, Islands will be most satisfactory, although for a weekend escape, Humphrey's Half Moon Inn is the next best thing to Hawaii.