Curio Lands on Kauaʻi
Hilton's first Curio Collection resort in Hawaiʻi has opened at Hōkūala on Kauaʻi: 210 rooms, Nicklaus golf and event space near Līhuʻe, with an opening offer.
Hilton has opened Hale Hōkūala Kauaʻi, the first Curio Collection by Hilton property in Hawaiʻi, inside the Hōkūala resort community near Līhuʻe on Kauaʻi’s east side. Hilton announced the debut on 1 October.
Curio is Hilton’s upper-upscale soft brand, a tier below Waldorf Astoria and Conrad, so this is not a trophy opening. Its value for advisors is different: a new, golf-led resort a short drive from Kauaʻi’s main airport, with meeting space and an introductory rate.
The hotel
- Rooms: 210, including 23 suites, with private lānai. The resort overlooks Nāwiliwili Bay and Kalapakī Beach.
- Owner: Silverwest Hotels, according to Hilton. Architecture is by Hart Howerton and AHL, with interiors by Looney & Associates.
- Dining: Figueira, the signature restaurant, serves a Portuguese-Hawaiian menu overlooking the Ocean Course. The Wiliwili is the casual poolside option. Executive chef is Hans Lentz.
- Leisure: a full-service spa, pool, fitness centre, tennis and pickleball courts, and more than five miles of trails. Guests also get preferred tee times on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala, a Jack Nicklaus Signature course.
- Groups: more than 14,000 sq ft of indoor and outdoor event space.
- Culture: a program called E Ala Ka Pilina (“the awakening of connection”) partners with local experts, including the Kauaʻi Museum, on storytelling and cultural experiences. The Farm at Hōkūala is also part of the community.
“The opening of Hale Hōkūala Kauaʻi marks an exciting milestone as we introduce Curio Collection by Hilton to Hawaiʻi,” said Danny Hughes, Hilton’s president, Americas.
Where it fits
Many of Kauaʻi’s best-known resorts sit on the North Shore or in Poʻipū to the south. Hōkūala’s east-side location near Līhuʻe Airport puts the North Shore, Hanalei Bay and Waimea Canyon within day-trip range, which Hilton highlights. That makes it a practical base for clients who want to cover the whole island rather than settle on one coast.
Hilton has not published rack rates. The opening offer, the Kauaʻi Island Escape package, takes 25% off the best available rate on stays of three nights or more.
For advisors
- Who to pitch: golfers, multi-generational groups who want suites with lānai and a pool, and incentive planners looking for Hawaiʻi event space with golf attached.
- When: the three-night-plus offer makes it a sensible first or last stop on a multi-island trip, or a whole-island Kauaʻi base this winter.
- What to check: whether your consortium has amenities in place yet for a new Curio, and confirm suite configurations before quoting families.
- Watch: early guest reviews of Figueira and the spa, which will decide whether this competes with the island’s established resorts or stays a value play.
Lauren Smith