Florida Hawaiian/Tiki Resorts

Tried for this cool postcard from the Hawaiian Inn on ebay. Nice shot of the sign and a view of one of the hotel rooms with some Witco on the walls.

Also saw this stunning drink and appetizer menu from the Hawaiian Isle.

DC

Love those mugs from the Hawaiian Isle, esp the "navy grog" one........
Maybe I'm wrong, and thinking of another place, but on the 1st page of this thread is a shot of the Hawaiian Isle from the street that looks very very familiar. It looks very much like the Ocean Club, which is the "beach part" of the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, located in what is now called Aventura. The Fairmont bought an existing small hotel on the beach and uses it for beach access for guests. There's a pool, bar, and restaurant there. Guests from the Fairmont (and employees) are bused over from the main resort. I don't remember anything about the hotel part--I was only there briefly on a tour--if it's still there or what. However, the street side looks exactly like that with the drive and fence and all, and the entrance looks a lot like what would have been a lobby at one point. Like I said--I could be off but it sure looks a lot alike and the address puts in about in the same area, if my memory serves me. Might be worth looking into??

I've got an important update on the Palm Beach Oceanfront Inn (formerly the Palm Beach Hawaiian), which has been featured extensively on this thread and which I photographed back in 2008:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=29385&forum=5&start=30

Story from today's Palm Beach Post:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/real-estate/palm-beach-oceanfront-inn-on-the-market-for-2130839.html

Palm Beach Oceanfront Inn on the market for $12.95 million

Perched above crashing waves at weathered wooden tables, Tides Bar & Grille diners drink in the quaint locale and oceanfront view even while the 49-year-old landmark is up for sale and under foreclosure.

Palm Beach Oceanfront Inn has a lot of history and was a favorite for victory parties by South Palm Beach officials. It's available for $12.95 million, according to a Loopnet.com listing. It was purchased for $3.3 million in 2002.

Tucked in between a line of condos and across the street from South Palm Beach City Hall, the 58-room hotel and restaurant, built in 1963, has maintained its air of Polynesian style with a winged roof that harkens to the days it was operated as the Palm Beach Hawaiian Ocean Inn. That was before the Paloka family, as Kosova Realty Corp., bought it.

Bigger changes were planned, but the Paloka family is focused on selling and dealing with the foreclosure at this point.

Click on the link above for the full story.

That $12.95 million figure sounds a little fishy considering it went for $3.3 million in 2002. I'm afraid the odds are slim that it will be preserved, let alone restored, but who knows.

I'll try to make it up there for another visit before any major changes are made.

Ah well, when I saw your photos in that link back then, It already looked threatened to me, wedged in close to that hotel tower, like the Waikikian becoming outdated by the Ilikai. These kind of places always seem to have their days numbered. The photos of those Tiki masks in the jungle foliage look so great. I wish someone would find more close up photos of its heyday, the front looked fantastic.

And thanks for reminding me of the beginning of the "Polynesian Gardens" discovery! Since then I have been there in person, and this year's Hukilau will go bowling at that incredible bowling alley! Wish I can be there....

People are posting lots of nice comments on the bottom of the Palm Beach Post article, so perhaps there's some hope for at least survival of the current building. There's also a lot of politics involved. It's the only commercial business in the tiny town of South Palm Beach (everything else is private homes and condos) and it's directly across the street from town hall. It will be interesting to see what happens. It would make a great boutique hotel if someone could pump money into restoration.

Polynesian Gardens on the other hand seems to be surviving just fine. Since these are private condos, change comes slowly. But, unfortunately, it could come at the whim of some upstart board members. The bowling event will be lots of fun. I'm so glad they got the alley working again.

For those who didn't know: This is the location of the special Hukilau event on Sunday:
http://www.thehukilau.com/2012/schedule-of-event/

I acquired a big collection of advertising items from the Hawaiian Isle resort.

Business card with the classic Tiki.

Also seen on this brochure.

Hotel brochure with a map of the compound, including the bars and restaurants.

Envelope

A cool little kids brochure

Illustrated letterhead.

And the free drink card

That featured the Tiki Lounge

And the Outrigger Bar on the beach.

A nice lot of memorabilia from this rockin' Florida Tiki mecca.

DC

Another great illustrated drink postcard from the Hawaiian Isle.

DC

Nice. That Hula girl reminds me of the Chevron Island girl somehow, might be the same vintage.

Here's some (good) breaking news on the Palm Beach Oceanfront Inn, posted online today on PalmBeachPost.com:

South Palm Beach oceanfront hotel sells for $8 million
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/business/real-estate/south-palm-beach-oceanfront-hotel-sells-for-8-mill/nTwsH/

By Kimberly Miller
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

SOUTH PALM BEACH — The iconic Palm Beach Oceanfront Inn, known to locals as the Hawaiian, has been bought by new owners for $8.25 million.

Palm Beach County court and property records show the 50-year-old hotel on South Ocean Boulevard was purchased in November by the limited liability corporation 3550 Palm Beach Holdings.

PNC Bank had filed for foreclosure in February 2011 against the previous owner, Kosova Realty Corp., which bought the inn for $3.3 million in 2002. PNC released that mortgage in early November.

“We look forward to a new era for this Palm Beach landmark and appreciate the outpour of excitement and support from the locals,” said Gary Cohen, a representative of 3550 Palm Beach Holdings, which has a Connecticut mailing address.

The Coral Gables-based hotel management company Trust Hospitality will manage the property.

The hotel was originally called the Palm Beach Hawaiian Ocean Inn and was designed in a Polynesian style. Its winged roof is a standout among the neighboring condominiums that line South Ocean.

Cohen said physical and operational improvements are planned for the inn and that a long-range “vision” will be announced in the near future.

The hotel has 58 guest rooms and the oceanfront Tides Bar & Grille.

The previous owners had wanted to raze the structure and rebuild it as a 14-story condominium hotel. They were willing to build the town a public safety building and new town hall to sweeten the deal.

Despite several plan modifications, no reconstruction efforts made their way through the town and state regulatory process. Kosova Realty Corp. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March.

HH,

Thanks for the update, good news indeed. Lets hope the new owners embrace the past.

DC

I'll be just up the road at The Breakers for a couple days this March.
I'll have to check it out.

Someone scored 3 great Hawaiian Isle photos on the 'Bay....congrats! OGR

On 2013-01-14 19:24, Hurricane Hayward wrote:

SOUTH PALM BEACH — The iconic Palm Beach Oceanfront Inn, known to locals as the Hawaiian, has been bought by new owners for $8.25 million.

The hotel was originally called the Palm Beach Hawaiian Ocean Inn and was designed in a Polynesian style. Its winged roof is a standout among the neighboring condominiums that line South Ocean.

Cohen said physical and operational improvements are planned for the inn and that a long-range “vision” will be announced in the near future.

The hotel has 58 guest rooms and the oceanfront Tides Bar & Grille.

The previous owners had wanted to raze the structure and rebuild it as a 14-story condominium hotel. They were willing to build the town a public safety building and new town hall to sweeten the deal.

I dunno - how are they gonna make that money back with 58 rooms and a bar & grille? I am curious about that long-range vision...

On 2013-01-15 06:53, Or Got Rum? wrote:
Someone scored 3 great Hawaiian Isle photos on the 'Bay....congrats! OGR

And ya didn't clip them ? :) Thank you for heads up, I found them in "Sold Listings":

It's amazing what is being washed up from these newspaper archive sales on e-bay these days! Great to finally have a good view of those wacky Lewis VanDerCar sculptures!:

Hey, those are mine!

Great photos of the VanDercar pieces. I wonder if he did that big Tiki with the torch on top?

Will post some close ups when I get them.

DC

I figured that DC, thats why I decided not to post...great pics.

Thanks OGR, I was stoked to get those photos.

Speaking of the Hawaiian Isle, here is one of the more unique pieces of ephemera I have from this place:

A Hawaiian Isle Honeymoon photo album with those great Tikis on the cover.

DC

Ahaaa..I was hoping, but there still are a few others out there...well, now you know how it "feels", DC, oh master of e-bay clippage! :wink: ...which I, as you can see, fully support. Because many new discoveries change hands on e-bay and disappear from view forever, which is a shame . Every piece of the mosaic is important to complete the picture of Tiki in the 20th Century. Mahalo, keep up the good work!

No worries Bigbro. I call it "Ebay Archeology".

DC

"EA"...good one DC. Trust me Bigbro I had them clipped...just holding out for the "owners" TC intro :wink: OGR

Now, some crisp glossy 8 X 11s of the Van Dercar statuary garden in front of the Miami Luau, please! :D

Regarding the Palm Beach Oceanfront Inn, it's interesting that the owners chose a boutique hotel management company to run it.
http://www.trusthospitality.com
They run quite a few South Beach and Fort Lauderdale properties.
http://www.trusthospitality.com/portfolio/florida-caribbean/

Trust Hospitality offers comprehensive hotel management services tailored to the specific management requirements of each property. Understanding the unique nature of hotels, Trust provides customized solutions that address not only the operational needs, but also the lifestyle character of the property.

Our objective is to foster an environment of continuous improvements and streamline the work process resulting in highly profitable hotels. Trust Hospitality has successfully turned around many distressed and under-performing luxury and boutique hotels into highly profitable assets and market leaders.

Hopefully they can come up with a business plan that works for this property while modernizing the infrastructure yet keeping the overall integrity of the building and grounds.

I'm sure the rooms have long been de-tikified. I'm more worried about the vintage, original tikis on the front facade. When I spoke to the old owner a couple years ago, he seem attached to them. Hopefully he hasn't already pulled them down.

I'll have to swing by there and check it out.

HH

Another photo of the Van Dercar statues at the Hawaiian Isle.

The exterior.

And a rate sheet ad.

DC

I'm sorry to report that the building that used to be the Palm Beach Hawaiian Ocean Inn will join the ranks of those great old Tiki resorts in the sky.

A new thread has been started with all the info:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=48264&forum=1&start=last&6

Worst sound ever, slurp of an empty tiki mug through my straw!!!

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2015-01-12 19:22 ]

Well this is an interesting development. I spotted this brochure on ebay for the Hawaiian Inn that was the same location as the Hawaiian Isle in Miami.

Showing some signs of Tiki devolution from the previous Hawaiian Isle brochure.

It must have changed names at some point. Wonder if it was purchased by the owners of the other Hawaiian Inn locations?

DC

Wow, what sneaky Tiki transmission! The color scheme, hut and Tiki are very different, but the position and details like the one hand raised are copied to a T!

And, as another symptom of Tiki devolution, proprietors were afraid of turning off customers thru "negativity", so just like apartment buildings that changed their name from "Tiki Tabu" to "Tiki Aloha", this Tiki now had to smile vs. the original, more authentic frown - and do a thumbs up sign!

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2016-02-03 20:49 ]

Anudder nice find Dusty. I luv the tiki images on the H and the I (Hawaiian Isles) on the older brochure.
Mahalo

Here are some pages from a brochure I got featuring the Waikiki Supper Club at the Hawaiian Inn in Daytona Beach.

Head Chef Tommy Chin and entertainment including the Fire Knife Dancer Chief Tui, the lovely Otila and Pualani, Dennis Roger and the Hawaiian I band.

DC

Really amazing stuff. Crazy to go through all of these pages. I'm looking for any of this stuff if anyone wants to part with it.

WTB: Florida Hawaiian/Tiki/Polynesian pieces. Postcards, signs, statues, pictures, lighting, articles, newspaper, prints, barware/mugs, swizzle sticks, furniture, etc. etc.

PLEASE email me at: [email protected]
or Call/Text: 407-415-0656

Thanks,
Nick

I picked up this oversized postcard from the Eve Arden's Polynesian Village apartments in Plantation Florida. Much like the one Bigbro posted earlier but with a different photo of Eve.

DC

I'll gladly follow up that timely post by Dustycajun with a detailed look at our recent return to Polynesian Gardens. Just a refresher: We originally discovered this hidden gem back in 2008. Refer to page 3 of this thread, about halfway down:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=29385&forum=5&start=30

Bigbrotiki posted some great archival images, and I was inspired to seek out this piece of Tiki history right in my back yard. The photos and discussion continued over several pages, into 2010. Polynesian Gardens was later featured in a scene in the PBS documentary "Plastic Paradise" (2013) and included (in a great two-page spread) in Sven (Bigbrotiki) Kirsten's "Tiki Pop" in 2014.

On Dec. 29, 2016, a day after we celebrated the 60th anniversary of The Mai-Kai, a group of devoted Tikiphiles gathered at the aging condo complex in a mini-event organized by Christie "Tiki Kiliki" White. Bigbrotiki was among the special guests who jumped at the chance to take a trip back in time and revisit this mid-century time capsule. It seemed like nothing had changed since my original visit back in 2008. Though it had apparently been working again during the "Plastic Paradise" filming, the bowling alley was again out of commission. But the highlight was seeing those classic Witco carvings. Little did we know that just several weeks later, William Westenhaver would pass away at age 91.

Here, then, is a tour of Witco heaven. All photos by The Atomic Grog.

The odd "Beavis and Butthead" Tikis still greet visitors to this unlikely mid-century relic west of Fort Lauderdale.

Christie "Tiki Kiliki" White, founder of The Hukilau and organizer of this excursion, is just as shocked as author Sven Kirsten to see the Polynesian Gardens logo Tikis up close. They adorn the outside of the clubhouse and main office.

Sven ponders the origins of these primitive yet familiar figures.

A view of the lobby, which is filled with Witco carvings and other Tiki artwork.

Bigbrotiki photographs the extensive South Seas mural and distinctive doors that lead into the auditorium.

The lobby includes an unusal copper Tiki fountain.

Distictive Witco owls hover above the entrance doors.

A full view of the Tiki fountain in the lobby.

The uniquely styled copper doors that lead out to the recreation area. Witco carvings are positioned above.

A closer view of one of the Witco carvings.

A classic Witco can be seen at the end of a hallway the leads to the restrooms.

Photos and promotional materials that detail the creation of Polynesian Gardens, which opened in 1974.

Polynesian Gardens was endorsed by actress Eve Arden, who was featured in the promotional materials.

The doors that open into an expansive auditorium.

Inside the auditorium, you can still find a classic Wito bar, which Tiki Kiliki and Bigbrotiki belly up to. Unfortunately, it was not fully stocked.

Tiki Kiliki asks: "What are 'yall havin'?"

Witco carvings are found high on the walls throughout the auditorium.

Distinctive copper light fixtures lead upstairs to more recreation areas.

Hurricane Hayward shows off a familiar Witco piece in the billiards room. "Tahitian Lovers" was featured on page 188 of "Tiki Modern" by Sven Kirsten.

These pieces would be perfect in any Tiki rumpus room.

Beyond the Witco, the other treasure of Polynesian Gardens is the Tiki-themed regulation bowling alley, which until recently was available for exclusive use by residents.

The Tiki bowling alley at Polynesian Gardens still appears to be in good shape, but it's unfortunately closed and in need of extensive repairs.

Before leaving, I took a peek at the bulletin board and found some interesting real estate deals:

This rental comes so fully furnished that I fear the previous resident may have met with a recent untimely end.

A little more expensive is this remodeled unit, which seems oddly out of place amid the 40-year-old lobby decor.

If you prefer to own your own Polynesian Gardens lair, it's not hard to find something for less than $100,000 from a "motivated" seller who has no qualms about slashing the price.

Awesome Hurc, Mahalo

Here is the TA KI-KI MOTEL in Ft. Myers Fl. The motel is still in operation though the awesome sign was replaced with a crap one long ago. I remember the old sign well. The street where it is located had a few small vintage motels with awesome neon signs. All gone now.

The Islander Resort. Started by Leo Samuels in Islamorada Fl circa 1951. Has to be one of the coolest signs around.

The picture on the left was posted on Instagram a little while ago and as soon as i saw it i knew i wanted to make a mug of it.

This pic seems to be the only one available of this particular moai (at least what i could find on this forum) and that is all i had to work with as a reference. Even if there were more photos available sticking to the exact shape, no matter how much i wanted to, wouldn't have made it practical as a mug because the opening of it would have been nearly non-existent so i had to change the proportions of it a bit. Even so it still ended up as a large mug but i'm pretty happy with it.

I've only poured a handful so far which still need to be fired and glazed but eventually they'll find their way onto my Etsy store.

Wow SwiZ
Killer