A century has come and gone since the Moana opened its doors on March 11, 1901, 111 years ago this week. The Moana was the first luxury hotel in Waikiki. Each room on the three upper floors had the latest conveniences: a bath, marble washstands, the finest colonial chairs, writing desks and tables, and a telephone. The room rate was $1.50 a day (about $25 today).
Walter C. Peacock built the Moana for $150,000 (more than $2.5 million in today’s dollars). Unfortunately, the hotel did not do well in its first few years, and Peacock was forced to sell to Alexander Young in 1905. In 1918, two wings and two additional floors were added.
Architect Oliver G. Traphagen designed the hotel in the Beaux Arts style with Hawaiian plantation influences. The Beaux Arts style used grand entrances and staircases, arched doors and windows, and carved sculptural decorations. The Louvre in Paris and the Vienna Opera House were also built in this style.
The second floor was furnished in oak, the third floor in mahogany, and the fourth in maple. When fifth and sixth floors were added in 1918, they were done in koa and cherry wood, respectively.
Before 1936 the only way to get to Hawaii was by boat. Ships would be greeted at the harbor by the Royal Hawaiian Band and a retinue of hula dancers. Often, thousands of locals turned out to see who might be disembarking.
"Meet You Beneath the Banyan Tree" is the hotel’s slogan. Peacock planted the Indian banyan in 1885. Today it is 75 feet tall and 150 feet wide.
Robert Louis Stevenson, legend has it, wrote poetry in the shade of the banyan. The Duke of Windsor, Edward VIII, danced under its graceful branches when he visited in 1920.
Webley Edwards launched a Hawaiian music program called "Hawaii Calls" from beneath the tree in 1935.
"Hawaii Calls" highlighted Hawaii’s musical entertainers to 600 radio stations and millions of listeners on the mainland and made a number of songs world famous, including "Sweet Leilani," "Beyond the Reef," "The Hawaiian Wedding Song," and "Lovely Hula Hands."
"Moana" means the "broad expanse of the sea." At one time it was owned by the Territorial Hotel Co., which owned the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, making the two the first family of hotels in the islands. Matson Navigation took over in 1932.
Bill Sewell, a chief purser with Matson’s White Ships, recalls that the Moana had 40 cottages directly across Kalakaua Avenue where the Princess Kaiulani is now.
"When I first went there as a Matson trainee, they put me up at the Moana bungalows. There were lots of trees and foliage, and I thought I was in heaven to stay there for two weeks. We left our wallets and valuables on the desk and went swimming — never a problem. Lyle Guslander was manager and he always treated us well."
Two new Matson hotels were built in Waikiki in the 1950s: the Surfrider in 1952 as part of the Moana, and the Princess Kaiulani in 1955. The surfrider they were honoring was Olympian Duke Kahanamoku, who was one of the first guests at the P.K. and the first to try the pool.
At 111 years of age, the Moana is the oldest surviving hotel in Waikiki. Now under Westin management, it has retained her allure and charm and is still proudly the First Lady of Waikiki.
Bob Sigall, author of the "Companies We Keep" books, looks through his collection of old photos to tell stories each Friday of Hawaii people, places and companies. Email him at Sigall@Yahoo.com.
