Hale Koa Hotel
Encyclopedia
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
, is an Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC) resort hotel located on Waikiki Beach and owned by the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. It sits on the southeast corner of Fort DeRussy
Fort DeRussy (Hawaii)
Fort DeRussy is a United States military reservation in the Waikiki area of Honolulu, Hawaii, under the jurisdiction of the United States Army. Unfenced and largely open to public traffic, the installation consists mainly of landscaped greenspace. The former Battery Randolph now houses the U.S...
on the western end of Waikiki in Honolulu. The hotel has more than one million guests every year, all of whom are required to be active duty or reserve, retired military, DOD employees, or their family members. Though owned by the DOD, the hotel is entirely self-sustaining, and does not receive any government funding.
History
The hotel opened on October 25, 1975, with a traditional Hawaiian ceremony. A major expansion came in 1991. The hotel added a new pool, a beverage bar, and a luauLuau
A luau is a Hawaiian feast. It may feature food, such as poi, kalua pig, poke, lomi salmon, opihi, haupia, and beer; and entertainment, such as Hawaiian music and hula...
garden. Later, the Maile tower was built across the lobby from the Ilima tower, bringing the total number of rooms to 817. Also constructed was an adults-only pool, a fitness center, a parking garage and Bibas, a new café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
located on a porch underneath the Maile tower.
Dining
There are several dining facilities on the hotel's beachfront property:- Bibas
- Koko Café
- Happy's Snack Bar
- Koa Oasis
- Warrior's Lounge
- Pool Snack Bar
- Barefoot Bar
- Sunday Champagne Brunch in the Banyan Tree Room
- Beach Cart
- Coffee Cart
Famous Guests
Glenn MedeirosGlenn Medeiros
Glenn Alan Medeiros is a Hispanic Hawaiian singer and rapper who was a teenage star in the 1980s.-Biography:...
is the host and performs at the hotel's twice weekly luau. He often performs "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You
Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You
"Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" is a popular song by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser. It was originally recorded by George Benson for his 1984 album 20/20....
."