Timeless Magic, 1965 - 2015
27 MAUNA KEA BEACH HOTEL the quilts would join a growing collection of 1600 Pacific and Asian art pieces and artifacts en route from around the world While Walsh worked onsite with sheets towels and uniforms Allen was jetting across the ocean to buy sculptures and bronze chests tribal masks Polynesian artifacts antique kimono and other treasures As the clock ticked towards the hotels opening Walsh describes a series of crises 70 percent of staff uniforms had to be remade to accommodate Hawaiian physiques a former Flying Tigers pilot had to be called upon to rescue abandoned furniture from a Hong Kong dock a bomb threat an earthquake and a tsunami warning If something could go wrong it did she says But we got it open An incredible fusion of mid century mod with rustic hideaway the rooms décor used neon tropical colors turquoise lime green bright yellow and tangerine contrasted with sophisticated floral paintings by Lloyd Sexton printed in Paris Allen found a way to coordinate willow headboards from Milan Hawaiian lauhala mats Thai bedspreads Irish cotton beach towels the originals were brown with a petroglyph design into something that looked like a match made in heaven Smoking was permitted in those days though double beds were thought inappropriate and all rooms came with two twins Room rates 43 48 included mandatory MAP Modified American Plan breakfast and dinner daily in the sumptuous Dining Pavilion Designed by Needham and Groman in New York the flat single image plumeria logo adorned everything china embossed stationery uniforms shower caps shoe horns golf balls ashtrays even a matchbox created by LSR himself Its mandated five petals were to always waft clockwise with the bottom two anchored on the horizon The color specified was a brilliant orange the color of a flowering Royal Poinciana on a sunny day PMS 165 Deviations to the logo were kapu strictly forbidden GR ACIOUS SERV ICE GENEROUS PR AI SE The hotels first general manager Leslie Moore was a Cornell graduate who had been to Kauna oa during the war and worked for LSR at Caneel Bay He and executive assistants James Reed and Richard Erb led an opening team of 325 employees 211 per guestroom hired from 500 applicants This is a community hotel and we are hiring people who we hope will stay with us permanently Moore said Clay James ran the food and beverage department with Executive Chef Walter Blum The Robert Trent Jones Sr golf OPPOSITE The hotel overlooked by Mauna Kea mountain with a cap of white snow TOP LEFT A typical guestroom in the early years TOP RIGHT The hotels trademark orange plumeria logo is still popular on everything from swimwear to baseball caps ABOVE Early drawings depicting how the logo might be used on employee uniforms
You must have JavaScript enabled to view digital editions.
