AMID THE GARDEN ISLAND: 1 HOTEL HANALEI BAY
More than 35 years ago, a topographic anomaly descended on the fertile cliffs of Kauai, the second-most western island in the Hawaiian atoll. Named the Princeville Sheraton, this white monolith of foreign origin was one of many resorts that sprang up in exotic locales, fervently resisting the rugged tropical wilderness around it for decades.
Over time, this oasis of luxury became a defiant example of outsider influence. Even its vibrant white paint, once visible miles offshore contrasting with the lush greens, blues and volcanic blacks of the coastline, felt firmly out of place.
When the hotel—by then the St. Regis Princeville—was acquired by Starwood Capital in 2018, the new owner
acknowledged that something had to be done. They had a vision for a palatial resort that did not spoil the landscape around it but embraced it.
1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, which opened in the spring of 2023, evokes just that: an environmental experiment on a grand scale, seamlessly blending indigenous elements and artistry with luxury and wellness intertwined. Thanks to a $300-million-dollar renovation, the resort is now opened up to the natural ecosystem, enabling it to grow with the landscape until, at last, one will be indistinguishable from the other.
“[It’s] unlike any property I’ve worked with prior,” said the hotel’s general manager, Jon Gersonde. “The property embodies the values of the island through its complete focus on nature and wellness, and the hotel supports the regenerative tourism model that we hope aligns with the mindful traveler who wants to reduce their impact and use travel to enrich themselves and the world.”
Each guest room was constructed to have views of Hanalei Bay and the surrounding mountains.
HUGGING THE ENVIRONMENT
Returning the resort to the landscape was no easy task. Situated on volcanic cliffs outside Princeville, in one of the rainiest regions in the world, the conditions posed unexpected challenges to everything.
“It’ll rain multiple times a day, every day. Sometimes it goes for three days. You’re always fighting the weather, and when it rains, there’s usually good surf, so workers disappear and go surfing for a few days,” a joking Chris Alvarado, SVP of design for 1 Hotels & Resorts, said. “I’ve been doing these types of projects for 17 years now, and this by far was the project we had to adapt to the most, just because of the environment.”
Alvarado helped oversee the resort’s transformation into a cliffside conservatory, deconstructing the original structure so that everywhere guests wander they’re immersed in the Hawaiian landscape. Symbolically, the towering, chamber-like lobby of old was excavated to create a courtyard garden of indigenous plants and open-air lounges, all set against the natural views of Hanalei Bay.
Sacrificing so much programmable space was a daring decision, but one that Alvarado said was necessary to awaken guests’ senses upon arrival. “Everything we did was to leave it as natural as we could, but enhance the walk up to it, enhance the experience getting there,” said Alvarado. “Once you’re there, nature did the rest.”
Winding past an in-residence art studio and spa powered by Bamford Wellness, the resort’s private beach is a jaunt from the residences, but honed to guests’ needs so they’re encouraged to stay.
Besides food and refreshments, a cluster of mangrove trees at the foot of the cliffs forms a treehouse lounge, one of the many immersive, serendipitous geographic features found around the property.
The emphasis on a healthy, sustainable resort experience through nature is a hallmark of the 1 Hotels ethos. In properties around the world, accommodations, amenities and even the architecture is cultivated to the site’s unique location for guests’ mental and physical wellbeing.
Under the operational guidance of SH Hotels & Resorts, nearly all aspects of 1 Hotel Hanalei blend natural ingredients with contemporary luxury. From private surf sessions with legend Bill Hamilton and guided outdoor fitness classes to the fresh-caught fare at the restaurant Welina Terrace, the territory around the resort plays a vital role inside and out.
Lush foliage, brilliant daylight and revitalizing water elevates the resort’s biophilic design.
INSIDE INTUITIVENESS
Indigenous materials, such as black lava stone, woven Abaca leaf fiber and reclaimed wood, are used to augment 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay’s authentic Hawaiian experience—a deliberate choice by Nick Domitrovich and Anna Seabra-Gomes, co-directors of hospitality for interior design firm NICOLEHOLLIS. They applied the design firm’s trademark refinement to local resources that at once celebrates and advances traditional Hawaiian designs into a new age.
“One of the most important things for us was making it feel Hawaiian, but not hitting you over the head with it either,” said Domitrovich, who handled the resorts’ public spaces. He cited one example, the ceiling of the lobby bar. “We didn’t want to do a big design that distracts and drives focus inward,” he said. Hand-done plaster-cement sculptural walls were added on either side and an Abaca rope detailing hangs from the ceiling, which, as Domitrovich said, “fits the bar, but never distracts.”
To withstand the elements, everything from the furniture to the wall coverings was designed to be “bulletproof,” Domitrovich said. All fabrics were manufactured to marine-grade waterproofing and the wood surfaces were coated with an indestructible sealant—decisions far outside the firm’s normal milieu. Elements like the woven grass art adorning interior spaces, one of many partnerships with local artisans, needed an extra layer of protection against mildew and pest resistance, but still succeed in creating an immersive experience.
Seabra-Gomes embraced the dark lava stone’s cooling properties to design the resort’s 252 guest rooms, enabling guests to take in views of the water in comfort from their beds, lounges or even showers.
“[We weren’t] afraid of doing a dark shower, because you feel like you’re in nature,” said Seabra-Gomes. “We used the puka lava rock in there, not just outside, which helps you feel like you’re in nature, but it also helps to focus on the beautiful view.”
Working at the height of the pandemic, the NICOLEHOLLIS designers relied heavily on the local community to complete their vision. Hawaiian horticulturists and landscape architects helped create the resort’s many native plant features, while handcrafted works by artisans and craftsmen contributed the majority of the artwork.
Now complete, the holistic approach to design and construction is not just seen but felt as well in the community.
“Working with local people, we were able to get planting or plants that would take years to grow,” said Seabra Gomes. “Bringing them in just makes it all fit in tune with nature.”