Kona Kai Inn / Motel Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV (motel)

Name:Kona Kai Inn Las Vegas
Type:motel
Street:5191 South Las Vegas Blvd
City:Las Vegas
State:NV
Zip:89119
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct

Description:
For years, whenever I would occasionally drive by the Klondike Hotel and Casino, I would look at the Poly Pop roffline of the motel buildings and the ton of palms trees and I would say to myself, "that must have been a tiki motel once!". Well...it was! Inky just found this matchbook yesterday for the Konai Kai Inn. How tiki it was, who knows. Maybe some old pictures will appear.

[ Edited by: mrsmiley 2011-06-30 18:23 ]

Here is the matchbook;

oops -crappy scan, I will have to redo it tommorrow!

A bird's eye view of the Klondike before it was torn down;

Not a good representation of the rooflines.

I'm the most thirstiesterest of all!
TRADER VIC'S stuff for sale on EBAY 1957SPUTNIK
http://shop.ebay.com/1957sputnik/m.html
If you like it, it is ZAZZ! If you don't it is RAZZ!

[ Edited by: mrsmiley 2011-06-26 23:09 ]

From Las Vegas Wiki - http://lasvegas.wikia.com/wiki/Ralph_Engelstad

"In 1967, [Ralph] Engelstad sold 145 acres, including the North Las Vegas Air Terminal, for $2 million to billionaire Howard Hughes. Engelstad used the money to purchase the Kona Kai motel which became the Klondike at the south end of the Strip. He eventually sold it."

And Swanky has a postcard:
http://www.swankpad.org/blather/tag/kona-kai/

"I am Lono!" -- Hale Ka'a Tiki Lounge

[ Edited by: arriano 2011-06-27 08:25 ]

Here is the matchbook in brown with a slightly different name.
I think these are earlier because there is no area code on the phone number.

gabbahey

I have seen this postcard showing the cool pool scene at the Kona Kai (image borrowed from Swanky's Swankpad blog).

I also found a few photos of the A-frame motel buildings with these giant carved poles and palm trees.

Wonder if the Kona Kai had Tiki?

DC

Found some more images from the Kona Kai Motel in Las Vegas.

An oversized postcard giving a good view of the A-framed complex.

The Kona Kai building can be seen in these photos of the Welcome to Las Vegas sign on the outskirts of town.

A rather randy ad for the special "Nukkinukki" drink at the Polynesian Lounge.

And a brochure.

DC

Here is another photo that shows the original Kona Kai motel sign which had some Tikis!

DC

Got a recipe for that Nukkinukki drink? :lol: