Moana Hotel

Moana Hotel is a historic hotel building at 2365 Kalākaua Avenue in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii. Opened on March 11, 1901, it was the first hotel built in Waikiki and helped transform the area from a sparsely developed district of beach houses and bungalows into an international resort destination. The name Moana is derived from the Hawaiian word for the open sea or ocean. The hotel was developed by Walter Chamberlain Peacock, a wealthy Honolulu landowner who sought to establish a high-quality resort in Waikiki. Peacock incorporated the Moana Hotel Company in 1896 and provided a reported $150,000 in capital. Architect Oliver G. Traphagen designed the building, and the Lucas Brothers completed construction. The original hotel contained 75 guest rooms, several of which had private telephones and bathrooms, amenities that were unusual in Hawaii at the time. Its facilities included a billiard room, saloon, parlor, reception area, and library. The building also featured a porte cochere, broad ocean-facing lanais, high ceilings, cross-ventilation windows, elaborate wood and plaster detailing, and what was described as the first electrically powered elevator in the Hawaiian Islands. Peacock's project struggled financially, and he sold the hotel to Honolulu businessman Alexander Young in 1905. Young also owned the neighboring Honolulu Seaside Hotel and the Alexander Young Hotel in downtown Honolulu. After Young's death in 1910, the Territorial Hotel Company operated the Moana. The property expanded as Hawaiian tourism grew: two floors were added in 1918, and concrete wings in an Italian Renaissance style were constructed on either side of the original structure. In 1925, the hotel added wood-frame bungalows on land across Kalākaua Avenue that had formerly been associated with Princess Kaʻiulani's ʻĀinahau estate. The hotel experienced ownership and naming changes during the twentieth century. Matson Navigation Company and Castle & Cooke acquired a controlling interest in the Territorial Hotel Company in 1925. Following the Great Depression and the company's bankruptcy in 1933, Matson took control of the hotels through its Hawaii Properties division and later assumed direct control. During the 1930s, the property was known as the Moana-Seaside Hotel & Bungalows. Its courtyard hosted the Hawaii Calls radio broadcast from 1935 to 1975, linking the hotel to one of Hawaii's best-known travel and entertainment programs. Matson developed the adjacent SurfRider Hotel in 1952 and replaced the Moana's across-the-street bungalows with the Princess Kaiulani Hotel in 1955. Matson sold its Waikiki properties to Sheraton Hotels and Resorts in 1959. In 1963, Sheraton sold the Moana and SurfRider to Japanese industrialist Kenji Osano's Kyo-Ya Company, while retaining management. Kyo-Ya added a high-rise hotel next to the Moana in 1969, also calling it the Surfrider. The older 1952 SurfRider building was subsequently incorporated into the Moana complex as the Diamond Head Wing. A major $50 million restoration completed in 1989 returned the historic building toward its 1901 appearance and integrated the original Moana with the 1952 and 1969 structures into a single beachfront resort. The historic original building, now known as the Banyan Wing, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The property was also inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1989 and received several preservation and hospitality-industry awards. In 2007, Starwood Hotels & Resorts changed the property's flag from Sheraton to Westin, creating the name Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa. The former 1952 and 1969 structures became the Diamond Wing and Tower Wing, respectively. The resort remains managed under the Westin brand. The historic Moana identity survives principally through the original Banyan Wing, the preserved architecture, the central banyan tree, and the property's role in the development of Waikiki tourism. The estate has also hosted notable vis…

Walter Chamberlain Peacock established the Moana Hotel Company in 1896 to develop a grand resort in Waikiki, an area that had not yet become Honolulu's dominant visitor district. Architect Oliver G. Traphagen designed the hotel, and the Lucas Brothers built it with reported capital of $150,000. The Moana opened on March 11, 1901, with 75 rooms and a range of amenities intended to attract affluent travelers. It was the first hotel constructed in Waikiki and became a foundational institution in the area's transition to resort tourism. The building combined European architectural influences with features adapted to Hawaii's climate. Ionic columns, detailed woodwork and plaster, broad lanais, high ceilings, wide corridors, and cross-ventilation windows were among its notable characteristics. Some rooms had telephones and bathrooms, and the hotel installed an electrically powered elevator that was described as the first of its type in the islands. The original complex also included a billiard room, saloon, parlor, reception spaces, and a library. Peacock sold the hotel to Alexander Young in May 1905 after the venture failed to meet his expectations. Young controlled several Honolulu hotels, including the adjacent Honolulu Seaside Hotel and the Alexander Young Hotel. Following his death in 1910, the Territorial Hotel Company operated the Moana. The property expanded in response to rising visitor demand. Two floors were added in 1918, and substantial concrete wings were built on both sides of the original building, giving the property the broad H-shaped configuration associated with it today. In 1925, wood-frame bungalows were added on land across Kalākaua Avenue that had once been part of Princess Kaʻiulani's ʻĀinahau estate. Matson Navigation Company and Castle & Cooke acquired a controlling interest in the Territorial Hotel Company in 1925. The period was marked by major development in Waikiki, including plans for the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The Great Depression sharply reduced tourism, and the Territorial Hotel Company entered bankruptcy in September 1933. Matson subsequently assumed control through Hawaii Properties Ltd., and the hotel operated during the 1930s as the Moana-Seaside Hotel & Bungalows. Hawaii Properties Ltd. was dissolved in 1941, after which Matson controlled the property directly. The hotel continued to evolve architecturally. Some original features were modified during twentieth-century updates, including changes influenced by Art Deco in the 1930s and Bauhaus design in the 1950s. From 1935 through 1975, the Moana courtyard was the setting for Hawaii Calls, a live radio program that promoted the islands to listeners beyond Hawaii. The broadcast became part of the property's cultural history and reinforced its association with oceanfront Hawaiian hospitality. Matson built the adjacent SurfRider Hotel in 1952. In 1953, it removed the Moana's bungalows across the avenue, and the Princess Kaiulani Hotel opened on that site in 1955. Matson sold its Waikiki hotel properties to Sheraton Hotels and Resorts in 1959. Sheraton sold the Moana and SurfRider in December 1963 to Kenji Osano and his Kyo-Ya Company for a reported $10.7 million, while continuing to manage the properties. In 1969, Kyo-Ya constructed another high-rise beside the Moana and named it the Surfrider. The older 1952 SurfRider building was later incorporated into the Moana complex as the Diamond Head Wing. A comprehensive restoration completed in 1989 sought to return the original Moana structure to its 1901 character while uniting it with the neighboring hotel buildings as one resort. The combined property was marketed as the Sheraton Moana Surfrider. The original structure, known as the Banyan Wing, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the same year, the hotel entered Historic Hotels of America, the National Trust for Historic Preservation's official program. The restoration and preservation work received several awards, including the President's Historic Preservation Award and the National Preservation Honor Award. Starwood Hotels & Resorts changed the hotel's flag from Sheraton to Westin in 2007. The property became Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, with the former 1952 building designated the Diamond Wing and the 1969 high-rise designated the Tower Wing. The resort's historic identity is also expressed through its central Indian banyan tree, planted in 1904 and now extending approximately 75 feet high and 150 feet across the courtyard. The tree has received historic and conservation recognition in Hawaii. The property has attracted prominent visitors, including the future King Edward VIII in 1920 and Agatha Christie and Archie Christie in 1922. Jane Stanford, co-founder of Stanford University, died at the hotel in 1905 under circumstances that have remained the subject of historical investigation. The hotel also served as a base for White House staff accompanying President Barack Obama during Christmas visits to Hawaii. Reference material reports a major renovation completed in May 2026, with the 1952 wing renamed the Surfrider Wing.

• 2026

  Reported renovation completion and wing renaming

  [1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material reports completion of a major renovation and renaming of the former Diamond Wing as the Surfrider Wing.

• 2024

  Workers ratify a new contract

  [1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Moana Surfrider employees ratified a new labor contract on November 12.

• 2007

  Property rebranded as a Westin resort

  [1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Starwood changed the operating flag from Sheraton to Westin, creating Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa.

• 1989

  Historic restoration and resort integration

  [1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  A major restoration returned the original building toward its 1901 appearance and combined it with the neighboring hotel structures.

• 1969

  High-rise Surfrider added

  [1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Kyo-Ya built a tower beside the Moana, later incorporated into the resort as the Tower Wing.

• 1963

  Kyo-Ya acquires the Moana and SurfRider

  [1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Kenji Osano's Kyo-Ya Company acquired the properties, while Sheraton continued to manage them.

• 1959

  Matson sells Waikiki hotel properties

  [1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Matson sold its Waikiki hotel portfolio to Sheraton Hotels and Resorts.

• 1952

  SurfRider Hotel constructed

  [1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Matson built a neighboring low-rise hotel that was later incorporated into the Moana complex.

• 1935

  Hawaii Calls broadcasts begin at the hotel

  [1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel's courtyard became the home of the Hawaii Calls live radio broadcast, a role it retained through 1975.

• 1933

  Territorial Hotel Company enters bankruptcy

  [1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The Depression-era collapse in Hawaiian tourism led the operating company to declare bankruptcy, after which Matson assumed control.

Showing the 10 most recent.

A heritage-focused Waikiki beachfront resort centered on the preserved 1901 Moana Hotel building, combining historic Hawaiian tourism identity with contemporary Westin resort accommodation and services.

• Historic hotel accommodation · 1901

  Moana Hotel / Banyan Wing

  The original 1901 hotel building is the heritage core of the current resort. Its preserved architectural elements include Ionic columns, high ceilings, broad corridors, ocean-facing lanais, historic ventilation features, detailed wood and plaster work, and the original electric elevator. It is commonly identified as the Banyan Wing and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Beachfront resort · 2007

  Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa

  The integrated Waikiki resort combines the original Moana building with later neighboring structures. It offers hotel rooms, resort services, dining, event facilities, and spa-related amenities under the Westin operating brand while retaining the Moana name and historic positioning.

• Hotel wing · 1952

  Diamond Wing

  The Diamond Wing was the former 1952 SurfRider Hotel, built by Matson next to the original Moana. It was later incorporated into the combined resort. Reference material reports that it was renamed the Surfrider Wing in 2026.

• Hotel wing · 1969

  Tower Wing

  The Tower Wing originated as the high-rise Surfrider Hotel constructed beside the Moana by Kyo-Ya in 1969. It forms one of the contemporary accommodation components of the integrated beachfront resort.

• 1905

  Death of Jane Stanford at the hotel

  Jane Stanford, co-founder of Stanford University, died at the Moana in February 1905 from strychnine poisoning. Historical accounts have treated the death as suspicious and raised the possibility of murder, but the source of the poison was never established.

  Source

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• 1935Hawaii Calls radio broadcasts

  United States · Hawaii

  The hotel's courtyard hosted the live Hawaii Calls radio program from 1935 to 1975. The broadcast projected Hawaiian music, atmosphere, and destination imagery to audiences beyond the islands and became a long-running part of the hotel's public identity.

  Outcome. The program strengthened the association between the Moana, Waikiki, and oceanfront Hawaiian hospitality.

  Source

• 2026

  Renovate the resort and restore the Surfrider nameOther

  Background

  Reference material reports a major renovation of the integrated property.

  Action taken

  The reported renovation was completed in May 2026, and the former Diamond Wing was renamed the Surfrider Wing.

  Aftermath

  The change reportedly restored the earlier SurfRider identity of the 1952 hotel wing; longer-term effects are not established in the supplied material.

  Source

• 2007

  Change operating brand from Sheraton to WestinStrategy

  Background

  Starwood Hotels & Resorts managed the property and repositioned it within its Westin portfolio.

  Action taken

  The hotel became Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, with the adjacent buildings renamed the Diamond Wing and Tower Wing.

  Aftermath

  The property retained its historic Moana identity while adopting Westin's upscale resort brand.

  Source

• 1989

  Restore and integrate the historic hotelStrategy

  Background

  The original building had undergone architectural alterations and the surrounding property had accumulated additional hotel structures.

  Action taken

  A major restoration returned the Moana toward its 1901 appearance and integrated it with the 1952 and 1969 neighboring buildings as a single resort.

  Aftermath

  The project reinforced the hotel's heritage identity, produced the Sheraton Moana Surfrider resort configuration, and supported historic-preservation recognition.

  Reported restoration cost. $50 million (1989)

  Source

• 1925

  Expand the hotel with bungalowsStrategy

  Background

  Growing visitor interest in Waikiki created pressure to increase accommodation capacity beyond the original hotel building.

  Action taken

  The property opened wood-frame bungalows on land across Kalākaua Avenue associated with Princess Kaʻiulani's former estate.

  Aftermath

  The bungalows remained part of the property's development history until they were demolished in the early 1950s.

  Source

• 2026

  Moana Surfrider renovation and wing renaming[1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Reference material reports that a major property renovation was completed in May 2026 and that the former Diamond Wing was renamed the Surfrider Wing, restoring the earlier name of the 1952 building.

• 2024

  Moana Surfrider workers ratify a new contract[1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Workers at the Moana Surfrider ratified a new labor agreement on November 12, 2024.

• 2007

  Starwood rebrands Moana from Sheraton to Westin[1]Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The property changed its operating brand from Sheraton Hotels and Resorts to Westin Hotels & Resorts and adopted the name Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa.

1. 1Moana Hotelen.wikipedia.org