Coming back from Caribbean island of San Andres, where we spent two weeks in the best San Andres hotels, I have decided to stop by the famous Kahala Hilton Hotel in Hawaii.
President Reagan, Nancy, and entourage took a brief holiday here on their way to China. Many of the Kahala Hilton’s guests would agree it was an impeccable choice. The Kahala is on Oahu, which makes it convenient. It is away from the congestion of Waikiki on the other side of Diamond Head, and surrounded on three sides by the Waiala Country Club. The secret service must have applauded that. The efficient management is European; the Hawaiian staff, fast and friendly. The setting is glorious, the beach a treasure, and the cuisine, superb.
The Kahala Hotel is accustomed to heads of state dropping by. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, and Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia spent part of their honeymoon here. Finally, the presidential suite looks like the real thing. For the merely affluent, the Kahala is a cornucopia of pleasures. There are 370 rooms in the resort complex, though it feels smaller and more intimate. The main building is handsome, its whiteness complemented by bougainvillea. The light, airy 30 foot high lobby has a copper sculpture surrounded by orchids, and two huge glass chandeliers.
There is a lagoon that is home to two penguins, sea turtles, a variety of rockfish, and four dolphins that put on a lively show for guests at their thrice daily feedings. A two storey wing overlooks the lagoon, and there are beachside bungalows, both well worth the additional tariff. On the grounds are more than 50 varieties of flora, including such delights as torch and shell ginger, bird of paradise. Tahitian gardenias and silver ganzania. A lovely touch; huge searchlights play out on the water at night so the white breakers are clearly visible.
The Maile Restaurant has an elegant atmosphere, and ladies in kimonos serve up such specialties as fresh mahi-mahi wrapped in romaine leaves and steamed in white wine, and opakapapa baked with fresh vegetables and dash of Pernod. For breakfast or lunch the open-air Hala Terrace has a great ocean view and does wonderful pancakes with coconut syrup. At night on the terrace, the Danny Kalekini Show has been a hit since 1967.
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