The iconic Kona Bay Hotel in Kailua Village is set for a multi-million renovation and rebranding.
Just over a year after purchasing the 123-room hotel for $21 million, owner 12th and “A” Hotel Partners LP is seeking a design review for plans to jazz up the 60-year-old site in Kailua Village and to rebrand it as a Hampton Inn by Hilton.
The owner, and its parent company Shapery Enterprises, anticipate spending some $34 million to renovate the hotel constructed between 1963 and 1979 by the late-William “Uncle Billy” Kimi Jr. The work, which the company hoped to start in early 2023, is expected to take about a year to complete.
The hotel has been closed since March 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project, as proposed to the Kailua Village Design Commission, will not increase the current number of hotel rooms nor the height of the 89,558-square-foot hotel complex. Rather, it will upgrade and restore the hotel to meet current market demands.
Among the work planned is upgrading roofing throughout the complex, moving two air conditioning chillers and a stairwell as well as reconfiguring off-street parking to provide for 64 stalls. In addition, the smaller of the hotel’s two pools will be removed to make room for guest lounging space and the remaining pool will see a fountain installed and its depth reduced to 4 feet.
Work also includes upgrading the existing front desk and adjacent public areas and replacing a commercial kitchen to provide a breakfast pantry area for guest use. Guest rooms will also see new glass doors and code compliant entry doors. In addition, open flame Tiki torches will be replaced with 260 LED Tiki torch fixtures.
The proposed color scheme doesn’t appear to deviate much from the hotel’s current look. White roofing is proposed for the hotel buildings and composite shingles for buildings with pitched roofs. Plans also call cleaning the existing lava rock masonry and adding stucco finish over existing concrete that’ll be painted in neutral white and gray tones. Accent colors will range from sepia tones to darker grays.
Actual signage and branding will not be considered during the review slated 3 p.m. Jan. 24 at the West Hawaii Civic Center in Kailua-Kona.
”When available, the signage and/or branding will be presented for review under separate cover to meet Hilton’s Hampton Inn’s brand standard signage,” the plan approval application reads.
Written testimony on the hotelier’s plans is due to the commission via email to planning@hawaiicounty.gov or in-person at the Planning Department office in Hilo or Kona. Input should be submitted by 4:30 p.m. two business days prior to the meeting to allow time for review.