Waikiki Biltmore Hotel, former hotel in Hawaii
The Waikiki Biltmore Hotel was an eight-story building with 247 rooms on Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, Honolulu, designed by architects D.N. Ivanitsky and R.G. Waanabe. Its upper floors housed several entertainment venues, including the Top of the Isle club, the Kiki Room, and the Luau Lounge.
The hotel was built in 1953 on the former site of the Charcoal Broiler Restaurant and opened in 1955, becoming the first high-rise in Waikiki. It changed ownership several times over the following years before being demolished by a controlled explosion in May 1974 to make way for the Hyatt Regency.
The Biltmore name was associated with a hotel group known for upscale hospitality in the 1950s. The various lounges and clubs inside drew both visitors and locals, making the building a social center during a time when Waikiki was rapidly becoming a major tourist destination.
The building no longer exists, so there is nothing to enter or tour on the original site. Visitors interested in its history can walk along Kalakaua Avenue and see the Hyatt Regency, which now occupies the same plot.
The controlled explosion used to demolish the hotel in 1974 drew a large crowd of onlookers, turning the event into a public spectacle. What is less known is that the demolition marked the end of low-rise Waikiki, as the neighborhood's skyline had been defined by small buildings until that point.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
